Best Stoves For Van Life 2024

Last Updated on September 25, 2024 by Adams

The first thought most of us have when we hear the words “van life” is dehydrated canned food or very limited food options. Well, that might be the case if you don’t get a portable stove for your van. Most people opting for the van life are on a budget, and investing once in a stove for your portable home saves huge amounts you will spend dining out or stocking canned food products. Say goodbye to bland and boring food every day and spice up your van life! We have compiled some of the best stoves for van life in the article. We suggest you have a look at them.

And quite frankly, these options aren’t entirely safe and healthy for you either. So, for our friends that are planning to get one for their van, we have jotted down some recommendations for ideal stoves.

Now you might be surprised at the variety of options you have when it comes to portable stoves for van life. From in-built full-time ovens to portable ones including propane, butane, or electric powered ones. Portable stoves give you creative freedom on the road, set it up by a nice lakeside, on a roadside, or where ever you like to park and relax while enjoying a freshly cooked meal.

Propane camping stoves are the most reliable and affordable options to go for whereas solar-powered electric ones are the most expensive in terms of installing and up-keeping. What you need on your ever-moving van is a stable, low-maintenance, rough, and long-lasting portable stove.

Depending on the size of your family/companions you can pick a stove with one, two, or three burners. It’s always safer to go for a propane two-burner stove as it allows cooking two entrées at once. Saves cost and time!

Portable camping stoves come with a bunch of other amazing features that enable a safe but efficient cooking experience from inside or outside of your van. Safety is ensured by the Flame Failure Technology installed in most of these stoves, with this your stove automatically shuts off the gas supply when it senses the gas flowing without a lit flame.

This feature saves you and your loved ones from unforeseen fire hazards. Simmer control allows you to monitor and dictate the flame, you can set the temperature to a low flame for slow simmering and high for a quick boil.

Even when these stoves are running at high temperatures and effusing the same BTUs cooking power as any other cooking range, they save a huge amount of fuel due to their new fuel-efficient designs. Enough talk about the insides of van stoves, let us tell you a little about how they will look on the outside and how to set them up.

Well, the assembling and setting up bit is not that elaborate, which is why we recommend portable, easy stoves for van life. The best and most durable stoves are made of stainless steel and incorporate rust-free aluminum grates that last for years. Drip pans, removable legs, three or four-sided windscreens, and other cooking accessories come along and make cooking on the go way more fun!

Best Stoves For Van Life (Comparison)

Name	Dimensions	Weight
Solo Stove Bonfire	21.81 x 21.65 x 17.17 inches (Package)	36.6 Pounds	Check Price
Jetboil Genesis	9.8 x 9.8 x 4.6 inches	8.65 Pounds	Check Price
PUPZO	28.65 x 14.88 x 7.24 inches (Package)	20.6 Pounds	Check Price
Camplux Pro	18.5 x 4.5 x 13 inches	13.45 Pounds	Check Price

 

Solo Stove Bonfire

The ultimate fire pit for van people. Solo Stove Bonfire can create a party of its own anytime anywhere! This elite fire pit carries the same patented technology that Solo Stove is known for. No smoke and just a very fine ash waste make it the best stove for van life.

The no smoke technology is very useful as it won’t leave your clothes and van smelling like a campfire even hours after you lit the fire.

Extremely easy to clean due to its sleek design and environment-friendly waste. Powered by logs, that you can find just about anywhere, and the best part? Start a fire within seconds by just flipping the flame ring.

So, you don’t have to keep looking for shops to stock up on gas or propane, it’s an easy wood burning stove. Can produce a quality flame by logs, wood sticks of any size, or just wooden debris. It’s versatile like that and highly portable due to a very low weight, minimalist outdoor design.

The magnificent flame you see on Solo Stove Bonfire is due to the creation of secondary combustion. There is numerous air intake hole at the bottom of this fire fit that pulls in the air towards the fuel source.

The double-walled construction allows the freshly pulled air to heat up while feeding it an extra boost of pre-heated oxygen from the top vents, this creates secondary combustion which results in more efficient and completely smoke-free flames.

The 304 stainless-steel body is well-insulated which means no matter how big the logs are getting burned inside, the outside will always stay cool and safe to touch. Solo Stove comes with a shelter that protects it from rain, wind, or snow if it’s placed outside.

And the amazing bonfire shield seals the deal. Also called the “spark arrestor”, this two-piece shield prevents sparks and harmful embers from jumping out of the fire pit. This relieves you from the mess BBQs can create and also allows you to relax.

The innovative gear of Solo Stove Bonfire also includes a stand that helps to raise the bonfire unit and allowing more air to flow underneath it. This arrangement is ideal when you decide to stop your van on the roadside and just have a little bonfire party.

Pros	Cons
No smoke, low ash innovative bonfire gear	No handles on the stove body
Spark arresting shield for easy and safe cooking
Sturdily built with easy flip fire starting

Conclusion:

If you’re somebody who likes the spontaneity of van life, you will surely love Solo Stove as it is always ready and up for cooking delicious meals on the go. Performance is worth your money!

 

 

Jetboil Genesis Basecamp Stove

Jetboil Genesis Basecamp is a two-burner folding stove which is light in weight and incredibly powerful.

Experience an ultimate champ chef style cooking on the go by daisy-chaining multiple JetLink compatible stoves together, the output port allows the attachment of a Luna satellite accessory burner to create a complete outdoor cooking range. Catering to every need of the spontaneous “in-transit life”, Jetboil could be declared as the best stove for van life.

This stove comes with the beasty output of 10,000 BTUs of cooking power that is ideal for cooking any type of food. This efficient power saves fuel and is able to boil water in under three minutes! This stove uses Liquified Petroleum gas which is easily and readily available.

Also includes a standard output port compatible with a 16.4-ounce propane bottle. Jetboil Genesis Basecamp stove features two reliable and convenient igniters that allow flexible operation and control overcooking. Jetboil stove design supports a versatile line of cookware including FluxRing 5-liter pot and 10-inch skillet and a Jetboil Fry pan.

If you plan to take your Jetboil out for the evening and cook dinner under the setting sun, Jetboil is prepared and zesty for it! The attachable windscreens dutifully protect the flame from wind, rain, and cold.

Also, help with the temperature maintenance thus making this stove perfect for cooking anywhere. The efficient simmer control lets you increase or decrease the flame according to need. The stove comes with a carrying bag that can pack Jetboil Stove along with all its accessories and a separate pocket for the regulator too.

The body of the Jetboil Genesis Basecamp stove is engineered with perfection, packing so many features in a small compact folding design. This stove can easily be carried as it is incredibly light in weight and can be fitted in any small space.

Vans are usually swamped with accessories, everyday use equipment, and what not! So, it’s ideal to get a stove that won’t take up much space, neither will be a hassle to set up. Just unfold the stove on any plain surface, ignite the flame with the reliable lever igniter and get cooking.

The stainless-steel material used and the simple sleek design of the burner and grates also allow a very easy cleanup, no complex designing that eats up food particles and overtime becomes greasy and gross.

Pros	Cons
Folding stove with two high BTUs efficient burners	Does not include a Fire Failure Technology
Lever igniter and simmer control
Wind protection, compact and durable

Conclusion:

A lightweight, tiny but highly powerful stove that is definitive for van life. Jetboil Genesis Basecamp stove is efficient and sturdy, ready to take whatever Mother Nature has to throw its way!

 

 

PUPZO Liquid Propane Grill and Stove

A two in one grill and a stove? Yep, you read it right, PUPZO introduces a new 2-in-1 design that enables cooking and grilling at the same time. So, whatever the mood is, PUPZO is ready to deliver.

The heavy-duty grill box includes non-stick coated grates and a grease tray that collects all the grease and food particles.

This tray and the grill pan are also very easy to remove and clean without creating a mess. PUPZO comes with legs that are able to support the stove up straight in any terrain due to their great stability.

These detachable legs can be removed to pack or store with the stove easily. This portable Grill and Stove proves to be the best stove for van life as we all know van life can get rough and PUPZO’s collapsible design and a strong powder coat finish on the whole unit make it the best choice.

There is a high-pressure propane hose and an adapter in the stove box. The durable cast-iron grill grates are easy to remove and clean after a quick BBQ session during your journey.

Van life means making a hundred of stops at beautiful sceneries, and what’s better than having a hot cup of coffee or soup while enjoying the view? PUPZO includes wind blockers on all three sides of the stove/grill, they shield the burners from heavy wind and can also adjust according to the size of the pot or pan placed on the burner.

The grill and stove both have adjustable burners that lets you control the temperature precisely and as need be. Stove and grill share a powerful 20,000 BTUs of intense cooking power. You can fully cook or grill anything on this stove in a matter of minutes as it is very efficient in its operation.

This efficiency also results in less fuel consumption and ultimately very low maintenance costs. If you want two burners at once you can easily remove the grill plate to expose a second burner/flame. We suppose PUPZO wins the race with this feature.

And when you get done with grilling cooking and having fun, you remove the attachments to clean, put everything in and close the lid and now you have a small packed rectangle you can put anywhere in your van and get going to the next adventure.

Pros	Cons
Highly portable design with removable attachments	Leg height is not adjustable
A two in one grill and stove
Heavy-duty durable body, lid closure, and user friendly

Conclusion:

If you’re a road lover but also don’t like to compromise on flavors and cravings, PUPZO Grill and Stove has been made just for you! The incredible design, ease of use, and portability of this stove justify the price in every manner.

 

 

Camplux Pro Outdoor Cooktop Stove

The camplux is providing you with an open-air 2 burner cooking stove, it is the piece of JAL gathering and is committed to giving you a simple and effective open-air way of life.

The compact, energy-saving, and development are the three key components of CAMPLUX items that can be seen in this cooking machine.

The Incredible 7200 BTU burner offers a lot of force for preparing a wide range of food. The cooking stove has 7,200 and 5,200 BTU drop-in 2 burners that is ideal for setting up your side dishes at the same time. Its control handles permit you to cook with exactness.

The cleaning of this stove is also simple and easy because of its one-piece surface. The stove has wind watch covers to secure your cooktop and increment ledge space when the cooktop isn’t being used. There are three ways to use this stove:

The propane tanks are present in the RV, you can use them straightforwardly.

Simply associate a normal 20lb propane tank with a standard gas controller to work with it.

Associate the 1lbexpendable propane bottle with a 1lbchamber controller and 5/8 inches connector hose association.

The stove comes with a solid heater burner that guarantees adequate combustion, stable fire, and precise fire control. The conservative size making it lightweight and little enough to fit in a minimal car, lets you have outside picnics simpler.3 sides against wind security hold fire back from going out during cooking.

Pros	Cons
Lovely cooking experience	No electronic ignite
3 ways to use it
Covers for safe cooking

Conclusion:

The camplux pro outdoor cooktop stove is a great device for travelers, or even outside family brunch programs and picnics. The covers are there for a safer cooking experience.

 

 

Final Verdict:

Choosing the best stove for van life can get burdensome because you know it’s one of those investments that are supposed to last you a while. And the anxiety is completely justified! We understand and bring you some of the best to choose from.

Their incredible features are worth a read. From being compact, lightweight, and fuel-efficient to two in one grill and stove designs, these stoves offer convenience and enjoyment together. Simmer control and easy ignition help in selecting the perfect flame while the strong 304 stainless steel and powder coated bodies guarantee a long life with low maintenance needs.

 

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