Best Camping Stoves UK: 4 Stoves Compared for Hiking and Wild Camping

The best camping stove for most UK hikers is a small gas stove, because it boils quickly, simmers properly and packs down to almost nothing. If you walk solo in mild weather and count every gram, an alcohol stove is a quieter, simpler alternative. If you wild camp for several nights and want fuel you can find on the ground, a wood-burning stove is worth the extra faff. Below we compare four stoves we stock, so you can match the stove to the trip rather than the other way round.

In this article

• Which type of camping stove should you choose?
• How do the four stoves compare?
• The four stoves in detail
• Which stove suits which trip?
• FAQ

Which type of camping stove should you choose?

There are four main fuel types, and each has a clear trade-off. Gas canister stoves are popular for ease of setup and value, and Live for the Outdoors says they offer excellent flame control and quick boil times, at around three minutes for a regular stove. Alcohol stoves are cheap, light and simple, but the same guide puts a boil at about ten minutes and warns they can struggle in wind without a proper windscreen.

Wood stoves give you effectively unlimited fuel and few parts to fail. The catch is that they rely on dry fuel, which, as that guide notes, can be a problem in the UK, and they leave soot on your pots. Liquid fuel stoves are best in extreme cold but are heavier and need priming, so most UK walkers never need one.

For a typical weekend of hiking or a DofE-style expedition, gas is the safe default. The rest of this guide shows where the other types earn their place.

How do the four stoves compare?

What are the best camping stoves for UK hiking?

1. Fire Maple GreenPeak: the best all-rounder

The GreenPeak is a compact gas stove with a 2800W output, a windproof stove plate and foldable support arms that tuck under the plate for packing. It has a fixed electronic ignition, which the listing says avoids the displacement problems that come with use or vibration. Igniters can still fail, particularly when wet, so keep a lighter in your pack as a back-up.

Best all-rounder

Fire Maple GreenPeak Gas Stove

3oz, 2800W, windproof plate, foldable arms and electric ignition.

£19.00 View the GreenPeak →

2. X-Boil Alcohol Stove: the quiet ultralight option

The X-Boil is a stainless steel alcohol stove whose windscreen doubles as a pot stand, holding your pot on three hooks. You choose the size to match your pot or mug, and the whole thing packs inside it. Stove weights run from 40g for the ultralight size to 77g for the largest standard size, excluding the bottle and fuel. The listing suggests about 15ml of alcohol to boil 500ml of water, and recommends the standard size over the ultralight if you use it in winter.

It is silent and has nothing to break, but it is slower than gas and is not the one to pick for a group. It suits a solo walker on a summer wild camp.

Best for solo ultralight

X-Boil Lightweight Alcohol Stove

Windscreen and pot stand in one, sized to your pot, with a 30ml fuel bottle included.

From £42.00 Choose your size →

3. Toaks Titanium Wood Burning Stove: fuel from the ground

Made from three stacking pieces of titanium, the Toaks wood stove comes in a small version at 151g and a large at 225g, each with a mesh carry bag. Its vents burn the wood gas as well as the wood, so it lights easily and burns cleanly. The small size nests inside a Toaks 750ml pot.

Fire rules matter here. Always check the land access rules for where you are walking, get landowner permission where it applies, and be sensitive to fire risk in dry spells. Carry a small gas or alcohol stove as a back-up if you will be relying on damp UK woodland for fuel.

Best for multi-night trips

Toaks Titanium Wood Burning Stove

Small 151g or large 225g, three stacking titanium pieces with a carry bag.

From £42.00 See small and large →

4. Fire Maple Saturn X: when you need serious heat

The Saturn X is the heavyweight here at 1.48kg, so it is not a stove to carry over a ridge. What you get is adjustable tripod legs, 4400W upright output and up to 11,000W with the canister inverted, plus double preheat tubes for stable flames in cold and wind. The listing says to burn upright for five minutes before inverting. It makes sense for group cooking, winter camping near the car or a base camp.

Best for groups and cold weather

Fire Maple Saturn X Gas Stove

4400W upright, 11,000W inverted, adjustable tripod legs and preheat tubes.

£95.00 View the Saturn X →

Which stove suits which trip?

Pick by the trip you actually do most often:

• Weekend hikes and wild camps: the GreenPeak. It is light, quick and cheap enough to buy as a spare.
• Solo summer trips where weight is everything: the X-Boil, matched to your pot size.
• Several nights out with dry wood around: the Toaks wood stove, ideally with a back-up.
• Cooking for a group or camping in the cold: the Saturn X.

If you are kitting out for a Duke of Edinburgh expedition, our DofE expedition kit collection brings the stoves, cookware and other essentials together, and our guide on how to choose a camping stove covers fuel use and safe cooking in more depth.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best camping stove for backpacking in the UK?

A compact gas stove such as the Fire Maple GreenPeak is the best fit for most UK backpackers, thanks to quick boils, good flame control and a very small pack size. Alcohol suits solo summer trips and wood suits longer wild camps.

Is a gas stove or an alcohol stove better for hiking?

Gas is faster and easier to control. Alcohol is lighter and quieter, but Live for the Outdoors puts a boil at about ten minutes against roughly three for gas, so it suits mild weather and solo cooking better than groups.

Can you use a wood stove for wild camping in the UK?

Often yes, but it depends on where you are. Check the access rules for the area, get landowner permission where needed, avoid fires in dry conditions and never burn live wood. Damp fuel is common, so a back-up stove is sensible.

How do I use an inverted gas canister stove?

Only on a stove designed for it. With the Saturn X, the listing says to burn upright for five minutes before inverting the canister.

Do I need a windshield on my camping stove?

Wind wastes fuel and slows boils. The GreenPeak has a windproof plate and the X-Boil has an integrated windscreen. With any other setup, shelter the flame without trapping heat against a gas canister.