People go camping for all sorts of reasons, but a few stand out. They include a longing for nature, a sense of adventure, and a desire to unplug from the daily grind. Outdoor camping brings all three together. While it’s a little intimidating at first, cooking on a camping stove is a fantastic way to complete your camping experience.
Even if you’ve never used a camping stove before, you’ll have seen blue and orange gas canisters. You’ll definitely need to know what’s in them before you embark on your campground culinary journey, and this guide will (hopefully!) cover all the questions you have.
Types of Camping Stoves: A Quick Look at the Basics

Are you about to invest in a camping stove? You may be surprised by the impressive array of options you come across online or at your local outdoor adventure store. You’ll probably come across:
- Solid-fuel camping stoves, which are powered by wood, hexamine, or meta fuel. These stoves are great for heating MREs or boiling water, but they’re less suitable for complicated campground cooking adventures.
- Liquid-fuel camping stoves use fuel sources like paraffin or petrol. They’re tricky to operate and not great for inexperienced campers, so definitely stay away from these if you’re new to cooking on the go.
- Solar-powered camping stoves are a relatively new addition. They’re pricey and not suitable for areas that don’t get a lot of sun.
- Canister gas stoves. This is the type of camping stove that uses gas — the subject of this guide. Basic camping stoves have a single ring, but more elaborate versions are also on the market. You can even find portable barbecues that use gas as fuel!
What Gases Can Be Used in Canister Camping Stoves?

Gas canisters for camping stoves are often filled with propane or butane, although some use isobutane as well. Propane canisters are usually blue, while butane canisters are often orange. In addition, modern camping canisters often contain a blend of multiple gases, as well. For example, you might come across 80 percent butane and 20 percent propane blends. Always check the label before making a purchase!
When compared to other types of camping fuel, these gases have several distinct advantages. The canisters are fairly lightweight, and they can get the temperature up really quickly for amazingly fast results. Plus, they’re available nearly everywhere you go.
However, there are some important differences between butane, propane, and isobutane — and understanding them will help you make the right choice for your camping trip.
What Are the Main Advantages of Butane as a Gas for Your Camping Stove?
Butane camping canisters have several key advantages:
- First off, they’re cheaper than propane canisters, making them an attractive choice for campers planning a longer outdoor vacation.
- Butane is lighter than propane. That comes in very handy if you’re backpacking and lugging canisters around with you.
- Beginners generally discover that butane canisters are significantly easier to get going, because this fuel doesn’t need as much pressure to vaporize. With easy ignition, your outdoor meal will be on its way before you know it!
- On that note, the fact that butane ignites more easily makes some camping enthusiasts see this gas as safer to use.
On the other hand, butane canisters don’t perform nearly as well in cold temperatures or at higher altitudes — and they’re best suited for hot weather camping. If you’re planning to camp up in the mountains or in winter, butane isn’t a great choice.
What Are the Benefits of Propane Gas?
Many campers prefer propane over butane, and here’s why:
- Propane reaches high temperatures more quickly than butane, making it much more efficient.
- The gas can be used for more than camping stoves. If you plan to power lanterns, portable heaters, or grills, propane is just the ticket.
- Propane may be slightly pricier than butane, but there’s an upside, too. It’s much more widely available, allowing you to replenish your supply on the go — pretty much regardless of where you’re going.
Perhaps most importantly, propane gas will power your camping stove even in very cold weather and high altitudes, ensuring that you’ll always be able to cook.
What About Isobutane?
Isobutane, which has a different chemical structure, is a less talked-about camping fuel that shares many similarities with propane in terms of performance. Like propane, it’s extremely reliable in cold winter weather or at high altitudes. It’s also lightweight and, with a high energy content, isobutane reaches high temperatures very quickly.
What About Blends?
Many camping fuels are blends of different gases. Made to ensure you get the best of all worlds, they often combine 80 percent isobutane with 20 percent propane — giving you excellent performance in all weather conditions.
So, What Camping Stove Fuel Is the Best?
One size nearly never fits all, and camping stove fuels are no exception to this rule. Butane gas is great for hot weather camping trips and easy for less experienced campers to cook with. However, venture into colder regions or mountainous areas, and you may discover that it doesn’t work nearly as well as you’d hoped. Those situations call for propane or isobutane.
There’s another point to consider, too, and that’s the availability of your chosen fuel. If you’re taking your love of camping global, it’s good to do some advanced research to find out what types of fuel are most widely sold where you’re going.
Some camping stoves are designed to accommodate multiple types of fuel, including uncommon options we haven’t looked at — including white gas, diesel, and jet fuel. If you have one of those, you’ll be prepared for anything.
However, other camping stoves are designed to work with either butane and propane or isobutane — which can be quite limiting on the road.
If you plan to go camping in different locations and in winter as well as summer, investing in a multi-fuel camping stove is your best bet. These camping stoves are versatile enough to allow you to choose the best gas for every scenario you may encounter.