One of the most fun and popular aspect of camping is cooking food. While the emergence of fuel-based camping stoves such as isobutane, propane, and alcohol-based stoves have made them quite popular, some campers still prefer using a wood burning camping stove.
Moreover, wood burning camping stoves often serve as good backup stoves, in case the fuel supply for other types cannot be arranged. One of the major advantages of wood-based cooking is that there is almost no fuel cost as dry wood chips, pine cones, leaves, twigs etc can be used as fuel. In addition, such stoves also support multiple fuels such as charcoal, alcohol burner, gel cans, standard Trangia burners and esbit and hexamine tablets. This makes such stoves a perfect choice for emergency kits and bug-out bags as well.
So which are the best wood burning camping stoves available in the market?
In this article, we look at some of the best wood burning camping stoves available online. We will primarily focus on lightweight, personal wood camping stoves suitable for up to two to three people, however, you can pick a larger stove from the same brand if you have a larger group. We will also look at the major factors to consider while buying the best wood burning camp stove and share our top picks.
If you are looking for a wood burning stove for a larger group or a family stove for emergency, do check out our article on the best rocket stoves for camping and survival.
Also, check out our article on the best stoves for camping and backpacking for a comparative analysis of all common types of backpacking stoves.
Best wood burning camping stove comparison list
Our picks for the best wood burning camping stoves out in the market and how they stack against each other.| Picture | Product | Size and Weight | Features | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
  | Solo Stove Lite Wood Burning Backpacking Stove | 4.25" diameter, 3.8"/5.7" tall Wt.: 8.96 oz. | - Backpacker magazine award winning compact wood camping stove. - Made with 304 stainless steel and nichrome wire. - Features a unique double wall design that produces ultra-clean gasification and efficient combustion. - Packing pouch included with the stove. - Backed by a limited lifetime manufacturer warranty. | |
  | BioLite Wood Burning Camp stove | 5" x 5" x 8.3" Wt.: 33.6 oz. | - Unique stove that features an off-grid charger as well. - Stove has an internal starter battery to help kick-start the fire. The second generation model produces 50% more power. - Has a built in stand. - Also comes as a bundle with a kettle and portable grill. - Backed by a one-year manufacturer warranty. | |
  | Ohuhu Wood Burning Camping Stove | 5.3" diameter, 5.3" tall Wt.: 14.2 oz. | - High-quality, budget wood burning camp stove, made with high grade stainless steel. - 3 arms pot support system for maximum stability. - Storage pouch included with the stove. - Backed by a one-year manufacturer warranty. | |
  | TOAKS Titanium Backpacking Wood Burning Stove | 4.25" diameter, 8" tall Wt.: 8.0 oz. | - Award winning, wood burning backpacking stove made with titanium - Packing pouch included with the stove. - Multi-stage combustion design ensures cleaner and more efficient burning. | |
  | Bushbox Wood Burning Backpacking Stove | 3.5" x 3.5" x 4.5" Wt.: 9.44 oz. | - German-made, 100% stainless steel, hobo wood burning camp stove. - Supports multiple fuels - wood, alcohol burner, gel cans and hexamine tablets. - Comes with 2 trivets that fit any pot design. - Carry sack included. - An ultralight, 5.65 oz. Bushbox Titanium Wood stove is also available. - | |
  | Lixada Wood Burning Camping Stove | 3.1" x 3.5" x 4.3" Wt.: 6.72 oz. | - Light-weight wood backpacking stove made of hardened stainless steel. - Available in four collapsible designs, with pyramid being most popular. - Comes with a packing pouch or mesh pouch for storage. - Backed by a one-year warranty upon product registration. | |
  | Überleben Stöker Flatpack Wood Burning Camp Stove | 6.25” x 5.5” x 5.5” Wt.: 14.4 oz. | - High-quality wood backpacking stove made with 304- grade corrosion-resistant stainless steel. - Has a compact 5-panel flat-pack design. - Can support Esbit tablets, fuel pellets and alcohol cans. - Comes with a canvas sleeve. | |
  | WoodFlame Ultra Lightweight Wood Burning Camp Stove | 4.25" x 6" x 7.5" Wt.: 17.6 oz. | - Light weight and collapsible camping stove - Made with high grade stainless steel - Packing pouch included with the stove. | |
  | Emberlit Wood Burning Backpacking Stove | 5.5" x 4" x 6" Wt.: 11.5 oz. | - A made in USA wood camp stove, made with ultra-light ultra-tough Cardura stainless steel. - Easy to fold to flat shape. - Comes with packing pouch. - Backed by a limited lifetime warranty. | |
  | Canway Wood Burning Camp Stove | 5.5" diameter, 3.4"/7" tall Wt.: 14.4 oz. | - Stainless-steel wood burning camp stove with a 3-arm pot support. - Secondary combustion creates a more efficient and cleaner burn. - Comes with a nylon carry pouch and a user manual. - Available in three sizes and backed by a 2-year warranty. | |
  | Solo Stove Titan Wood Burning Camping stove | 5.1" diameter, 5.6"/7.9" tall Wt.: 16.5 oz. | - Bigger counterpart of the standard Solo Stove. - Made with best grade steel and nichrome wire - Comes with a carrying pouch. |
What is a wood burning camping stove?
As per Wikipedia, “A wood camping stove (or wood burner) is a heating appliance capable of burning wood fuel and wood-derived biomass fuel, such as wood pellets. Generally the appliance consists of a solid metal (usually cast iron or steel) closed fire chamber, a base, and an adjustable air control.”
Traditional wood burning camp stoves tended to be cumbersome to carry and heavy in weight. With the advancements in the building materials such as ultra-light stainless steel and titanium, along with the improvements in designs to make the stoves collapsible, the modern wood camping stoves are much portable nowadays. A typical wood burning camping stove is collapsible and does not weigh any more than 2 pounds.
There are three popular designs for wood burning camping stoves, though there may be some alterations in specific brands – cylindrical with circular base, rectangular and pyramid. These three designs are shown in the image below. The cylindrical or circular stoves are generally more efficient and have higher thermal output, but the rectangular and pyramid stoves are more packable and compact as they can be carried as plates and then quickly assembled when required. For these reasons, these designs are more popular among backpackers.
A wood burning camping stove generally comes in broken down parts which can easily be assembled without the need of any tool. You can check out the instructions available with the stove or look at the YouTube videos published by the manufacturers in case you face any problems while assembling it.
While wood burning camp stoves are not as popular as the canister stoves and liquid-fuel stoves, they have their own advantages and disadvantages to consider as listed below:
- There is virtually no fuel cost because you can use twigs, branches, wood etc as fuel
- No fuel to carry, so saving on some weight.
- Support multiple burning fuels – wood, tablets, alcohol cans etc.
- The fuel source is renewable. So overall less impact on the environment.
- Cooking over fire is the most vintage way of cooking. Some may even prefer the taste of wood-cooked meals.
- Not as efficient as canister or liquid-fuel stoves. So slower cooking times. Can also create soot on the pot.
- Not very suitable to use in inclement weather conditions – wind, rain, snow etc.
- Such stoves are generally heavier.
- Some parks and campgrounds ban the use of wood-burning stove because of fire hazards.
For a detailed comparison, you can check out our article on comparative study of various types of camping and backpacking stoves.
How to pick the best wood burning camping stove for yourself?
With so many models available in the market, picking the best wood burning camping stove can often be a challenging task. Depending on the weather, purpose, and preference, you can opt for the suitable stove for your needs.
In addition to these considerations, there are a few factors that are worth considering before picking the best wood burning camping stove. These major factors are listed below. Note that we have primarily focused on wood burning backpacking stoves suitable for up to two to three people, but most factors would also hold good for larger wood camping stoves:
- Building Material of the wood camping stove
- Design of the wood camping stove
- Dimensions of the wood camping stove
- Weight of the wood camping stove
- Accessories and other features
Building material of the wood camping stove
The building material of the wood burning camping stove is an important criterion to consider before picking the best wood burning stove.
Typically wood burning camping stoves are made up of high-grade stainless steel or titanium. The stainless steel camping stoves are generally more common but may weigh a little more than the titanium stoves. In addition, the titanium stoves tend to cost a little more than the stainless steel stoves. As an example, Solo Stove Lite is made up of high grade stainless steel, while the TOAKS Titanium Backpacking Wood Burning Stove is made up of titanium. The metal mesh in these stoves is made up of steel or nichrome.
Consider picking a titanium wood burning backpacking stove if you are concerned about the weight of the stove. On the other hand, if you are car-camping or backpacking in a group, then you can go with a standard stainless-steel wood camping stove.
Design of the wood camping stove
The design of a wood burning camp stove is also something to check out before picking the most suitable one for your camping or backpacking trip.
As discussed above, wood burning stoves typically have three popular designs – cylindrical or round, rectangular and pyramid. There are also some other minimalist designs, but they are only best suited for really experienced backpackers.
Cylindrical or round stoves are more stable on the ground. Some of them even have a design that supports a more efficient, secondary combustion. However air circulation may sometimes be a problem with some of the cheap models. These cheap stoves tend to produce an excessive amount of soot on the cooking pot and get overheated when used with other fuels such as fuel tablets.
Rectangular and Pyramid Stoves are much more portable as they can be collapsed into plates and transported easily. Most of them also have more holes and openings for air flow and a natural wind protection because of the design. They, however, require to be setup carefully to avoid accidental tip-overs.
Just to add, even in these standard designs, some stoves perform better than others. We found the Solo stoves, such as the Solo Stove Lite as one of the most efficient among wood burning camping stoves.
Keep these design features in mind before picking the best wood burning camp stove for your next trip. You can often find this design-related information in the Q&A section and reviews of the stove.
Dimensions of the wood camping stove
The dimensions of the wood camping stove are defined by the perimeter (or circumference) of the base and its height. The exact dimensions of the stove depend upon the shape and design of the stove. These dimensions are important because they define the size of wood sticks and other fuel types that can fit in the stove and the size of the vessel it can support. They also govern the size of the pot that would be supported by the stove.
For pyramid or rectangular shaped camping stoves such WoodFlame Ultra Lightweight Wood-Burning Stove and Emberlit Wood Burning Stove , the length and width of the base varies from 3.5 to 5.5 inches and 3.5 to 6 inches respectively.
For cylindrical camping stoves such as Solo Stove Lite – Compact Wood Burning Stove and OUSPOTS Camping/Backpacking Stove the diameter of base varies from 4.25 to 5.1 inches.
The height of wood burning backpacking stoves varies from 4.5 inches to as tall as 8 inches. It is worthwhile to note that the dimensions of the camping stoves are set up in a way that they can support standard sizes for alcohol, gel or standard Trangia burners, thus supporting multiple fuel sources.
If you are backpacking or hiking, the collapsible foldable thickness of the camping stove also becomes important. Typically wood burning backpacking stoves are very compact when collapsed and the foldable thickness often does not exceed more than 0.25 inches for rectangular and pyramid shaped camping stoves. Cylindrical stoves may end up taking a little more space as the chambers are single units and not made up of plates. However, overall after dismantling/collapsing, the camping stoves do not take a lot of space in your backpack.
Check out the overall dimensions and the packing size before deciding upon the best wood burning camp stove for your needs.
Weight of the wood camping stove
If you are backpacking or hiking and carrying your own supplies, the weight of the wood burning camp stove becomes important factor to consider.
Small wood burning backpacking stoves such as the Solo Stove Lite – Compact Wood Burning Stove and Bushbox Outdoor Pocket Stove weigh only around 9 ounces. Bigger stoves such as the Solo Stove Titan – Wood Burning stove can weigh around 16 ounces.
Titanium wood burning camp stoves such as the TOAKS Titanium Backpacking Wood Burning Stove weigh only 8 ounces despite being up to 8 inches in height.
The exception to this is the BioLite Wood Burning Campstove which weighs around 34 ounces because of the charging unit available with it, making it suitable only for car-camping or RVing.
Accessories and other features
The accessories and other features of the wood camping stove can also help you decide which one would be best for you.
Almost all stoves come with either a mesh or cloth packing pouch for comfortable storage. In addition, almost all stoves support multiple fuel types such as gel cans and esbit tablets, except the BioLite Wood Burning Campstove, which primarily requires a burning fuel such as wood or charcoal because of the presence of internal combustion starter.
Most of the wood burning stoves that we listed come with different bundles such as pots and pans to provide best cooking support. Check out the website for these bundles to select the best combination.
Finally, the warranty commitment and after-sales support offered by the manufacturer is another additional factor to consider before picking the best wood burning camp stove for your trip. Popular manufacturers such as Solo, Uberleben and TOAKS provide a long-term after-sales support, so obviously are more favorable brands.
Look out for these additional factors before picking the best wood burning camping stove for your needs.
Which are the best wood burning camping stoves and what our picks are?
BioLite Wood Burning Campstove review – Editor’s choice for the most innovative wood burning camping stove
We at GearHose love innovative products and BioLite Wood Burning Campstove is one such product. The BioLite Wood Burning Campstove is a unique wood burning camp stove that also features an off-grid power charger as well and is the perfect fit for backcountry camping and emergency preparedness.
The BioLite Campstove weighs a little more than 2 pounds and has dimensions of 5-inch x 5-inch x 8.3 inch. It has an in-built stand so that it need not touch the ground while in operation.
The stove has an internal starter battery to help kick-start the fire, once the burning wood is loaded and the stove is turned on. Using BioLite’s patented thermoelectric technology, the BioLite CampStove converts heat to electricity that powers a fan to make the fire ultra-efficient and can boil 1 liter of water in a short duration of 4.5 min.
The additional electricity generated by the thermoelectric process can be used to charge phones and other small electronic appliances. A 20 min fully burning stove can produce enough electricity to charge a phone for one hour use. The second generation model is more efficient and produces 50% more power than the first edition.
One of the drawbacks often quoted with this stove is that the thermoelectric charger is not very efficient and sometimes does not produce enough electricity to provide long time charging. However, this should not be a major issue considering the power charging is for emergencies only and just an additional feature provided by the stove.
- Unique, off-the-grid wood burning stove for camping and emergency preparedness.
- Patented BioLite thermoelectric technology to power a fan and charge phones.
- Built-in stand and fan produces an ultra-efficient and clean fire.
- Comes with an built-in starter that helps kick-start the wood fire
- Backed by a one-year manufacturer warranty.
- Bigger in size and heavier than standard stoves.
- Thermoelectric operation is not very efficient.
Solo Stove Lite review – Compact Wood Burning Stove – Editor’s choice for best wood burning camping stove
Solo is one of the most established names in the field of wood burning camping stoves. The Solo Stove Lite is one of the smaller versions of the standard Solo Stove, which is larger and heavier than this light version and designed specifically as a portable wood burning backpacking stove.
The Solo Stove Lite model is cylindrical-shaped with a base diameter of 4.25 inches and a height of 3.8 inches /5.7 inches. It weighs only 9 ounces and comes with a storage pouch for easy transportation. It has a full stainless steel construction.
Like all other Solo Stoves, the Solo Stove Lite is based on a patented design which features a unique double wall that creates ultra-clean gasification and a secondary combustion, capable of boiling 1 liter of water in about 8-10 minutes.
For its functioning and durability, The Solo Stove is the #1 wood burning backpacking stove recommended by Backpacker Magazine and serious survivalists including Discovery Channel’s Matt Graham. It is also the winner of 2014 Gear of the Year award from 50 Campfires & Section Hiker.
The Solo Stove Lite also has a bunch of combination packs with pots and pans and backup burners such as Solo Stove & Pot 900 Combo .
The only downside of Solo Stove that can be considered is its initial purchasing cost, which may look more when compared to other stainless steel stoves . However, with the durability and superior performance, the Solo Stove would actually give a better return on investment when compared to other camping stoves.
- Award-winning wood burning camp stove with a full 304 stainless-steel and nichrome wire construction.
- Patented design with a unique cooking ring that produces an ultra-clean and hotter flame.
- Lightweight and compact and easy to operate.
- Comes with a carrying pouch for easy storage.
- Backed by limited lifetime manufacturer warranty.
- Smaller size means that it requires more frequent re-fueling.
- Costlier than most other wood burning backpacking stoves.
Ohuhu Wood Burning Camping Stove review – Best value pick for wood burning camping stove
If you are looking for an inexpensive, yet fully-functional and durable wood burning backpacking stove, then check out the Ohuhu stainless steel wood burning camp stove. It is a lightweight, compact and well-crafted stove.
This stove is made of high-quality, heat-resistant stainless steel and weighs a tad over 14 ounces (14.2 to be precise). The stove provides a decent 5.3-inch burning chamber that can take twigs, branches, pinecones and other kindlers as fuel. You can even use solid fuel tablets with the stove. The vent at the bottom allows a nice flow of air, improving the thermal efficiency.
One of the major advantages of this stove is that it features a three-arm support system that provides a stable cooking surface and can support bigger pots and pans. This design also helps in even distribution of heat.
The Ohuhu stove has a compact design and comes with a mesh storage pouch for easy portability. Moreover, the stove fits well in standard pots and pans, so you need not allocate extra space for carrying it around.
Though the stove is made in China, it is pretty well-built with excellent quality controls. The rave customer reviews on Amazon are a testament to that.
- Inexpensive wood burning stove with a seamless stainless-steel construction.
- Decently-sized burning chamber that can also work with solid-fuel tablets and alcohol burners.
- Three-arm support that provides stable cooking surface for larger pots.
- Comes with a mesh storage pouch.
- Competitively priced and backed by a one-year manufacturer warranty.
- Heavier than some other wood burning stoves.
- Burns fuel quickly and not as efficiently as high-end stoves.
- Support arms can break down easier than the stove.
Wood Camping Stove Cookware
As discussed above, it is advisable to use only recommended cookware for cooking on a camping stove. Many manufacturers have their own cookware sets available. If you are looking for standard cookware, you can consider the following options:
- Solo Stove 3 Pot Set
- TOAKS Titanium Pot
- Winterial Camping Cookware and Pot Set
- Snow Peak 3 Piece Titanium Cook set
Recommended accessories for wood camping stoves
One of the most common accessories required for camping stoves is a windscreen. A well-designed windscreen helps in ensuring a constant flame, even in windy conditions. Some manufacturers of camping stove offer such products, however, if you are looking for windscreen, you can consider one of the following options:
- Ohuhu Camp Stove Windshield
- Solo Aluminum Windscreen
- RedCamp Folding Windscreen Windshield
- HIGHROCK Lightweight Windscreen
Another common item sought for camping stoves is additional fuel resources. As discussed earlier, camping stoves can use multiple fuels such as gel cans, standard Trangia burners and even fuel tablets. Most campsites have such items readily available nearby. However if you are looking for carrying your fuel, consider the following options:
- Esbit Smokeless Solid Fuel Tablets
- Coghlan’s Fuel Tablets
- Shefko Natural Solid Fuel
- Instafire Fire Starter Pouches
Another often overlooked but useful accessory to have with your wood burning stove is a bellow to blow the fire when you add additional wood or twigs. Bellows are more efficient for igniting the added fuel than blowing with mouth (and worrying about hot ember) or using a hat or plate. You can improvise by carrying an old collapsible radio/car antenna or check out the following ultralight pocket bellows.
- Epiphany Outdoor Gear Pocket Bellow: The most popular ultralight pocket bellow out there.
- Jonhen Campfire Pocket Bellow
Safety Considerations while using wood burning camping stoves
Some basic safety considerations should be kept in mind while using a wood burning camping stove. These considerations are listed below:
- Never use the camping stove in a closed area such as tent as it needs ample supply of air to create efficient fire.
- Always ensure that you place the stove on concrete or rock or a cleaned up, stable ground surface. This will ensure that the stove is properly balanced while cooking.
- Always use recommended pots and pans of the correct size with the stoves. Overloading the stove can often lead to collapsing of the stove.
- Do not touch the stove while it is in operation. Even though the outer surface is coated with insulations, it will get reasonably hot.
- Always ensure that you dispose of the ashes/residue after the cookout responsibly and safely. Any smoldering wood can cause fires.
Helpful Tip: In emergency situations, the clean ash left by the wood burning stoves can be used as an excellent utensil washing soap in absence of other alternatives. It works better than soil or mud.
Final thoughts on best wood burning camping stoves
In this post, we looked at some of the best wood burning camping stoves available in the market, primarily focusing on lightweight, personal backpacking stoves. We looked at the different shapes of such stoves and listed out the factors to consider while picking the best wood burning camp stove for yourself or as a gift for somebody else. We also summarized some of the major safety considerations that need to be kept in mind while using such stoves.
Do let us know how you found this article and if you would want us to consider anything else. Best wishes for your next camping cookout!
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Image credits:Amazon.com
A cook stove without a chimney is useless for 4 season camping. The wind blows and makes cooking outside difficult even in summer. A 12 ounce chimney can be center pole for a 13′ square tarp pitch, held with 4 corner pegs and 4 corner sticks for 4 people.
You are absolutely spot on with using wood stoves in windy conditions. That is why we recommend and have listed options for a windscreen, which work well with almost all personal camping and backpacking stoves.
I want my wind screen around me and the stove. Who is tough or stupid enough to cook outside in the wind when it gets cold.
You are right! If you need to use a wood burning stove inside a tent because of weather, you would need a chimney setup described by you. A chimney that could double up as a tent pole is really ingenious.
I am so happy to read this. This is the type of manual that needs to be given and not the random misinformation that’s at the other blogs. Appreciate your sharing this review guide.
I totally agree with you when you said that one of the most fun and popular aspect of camping is cooking food. My friends and I are planning to go out camping and we need to write down a list of what we will need. It would be great to have a camp stove to cook. Thanks for the information about how using a wood-based camping stove can give you almost no fuel cost.
What about the Unigear? That seems pretty good.
I wonder how the Unigear compares to the Ohuhu.
Anyone ever compared the two?