How do I use a camping stove safely?

Where to cook, checking connections, canister and liquid fuel differences, and the pan size that overheats a canister.

Difficulty: beginner
Time: 20 min
Read: 4 min
Safety: warning

Short answer

Cook outside, on level ground, away from tent fabric and anything flammable. Check the connection before lighting, keep the stove stable, and never use a pan wider than the stove is designed for on a canister-top burner.

Camping stoves are simple and the incidents involving them are almost all the same three: cooking inside a tent, an unstable stove tipping over, and a canister overheating under an oversized pan.

Safety

Never use any fuel-burning stove inside a tent, porch, awning, campervan or car. Carbon monoxide is odourless and kills campers every year, and a stove also readily sets nylon alight. Change gas canisters outdoors and away from flames. Do not put a pan larger than the stove is designed for over a canister-top stove, because the reflected heat can overheat the canister. Never move or refuel a lit stove, and let it cool completely before packing it away.

What you'll need

The stove and the correct fuel for it
A flat stable surface or a stove base
A pan lid and a windshield suited to the stove type
A lighter and a backup means of ignition

Step by step

Cook outside, always.Not in the tent, not in the porch, not in a campervan with the door open. Carbon monoxide accumulates in enclosed spaces and there is no warning before it affects you.
Choose a level, stable spot.Firm level ground away from dry grass, tent fabric and overhanging branches. A pan of boiling water tipping over is the most common camping burn.
Know which fuel type you have.Screw-thread gas canisters are simplest and lose performance in cold weather. Liquid fuel stoves work better in cold and at altitude and need priming. Meths stoves are silent, simple and slow.
Check the connection before lighting.Screw the canister on square and firm, and listen and smell for escaping gas. A cross-threaded connection is the usual cause of a leak.
Light it with the flame at the burner.Turn the gas on only briefly before igniting. Letting gas build up before lighting produces a large flare.
Keep the pan within the designed size.Especially on canister-top stoves. A wide pan reflects heat back down onto the canister, which can overheat it. Check the manufacturer's maximum pan diameter.
Use a windshield correctly.Wind can double fuel use. But do not wrap a full windshield around a canister-top stove, because it traps heat around the canister. Remote-canister and liquid fuel stoves take full windshields safely.
Use a lid.It roughly halves the time and fuel needed to boil water, which is the single biggest saving available.
Never leave a lit stove unattended.Not for a minute. Stoves get knocked over by people, dogs and wind, and a stove burning against tent fabric goes from small to serious very quickly.
Let it cool before packing.Stoves stay hot for a surprisingly long time. Packing a warm stove melts dry bags and can burn hands rummaging in the rucksack.
Carry more fuel than you think.Cold weather, wind and boiling water for washing all consume far more than the estimate. Running out on day three is a common complaint.
Dispose of canisters properly.Empty them fully, and take them to a recycling point that accepts them. Never put a partially full canister in a bin or a fire.

Tips

Outside, every time. There is no safe way to run a stove in a tent.
A lid halves your fuel use. It is the cheapest upgrade there is.
Check the maximum pan size for a canister-top stove before using a big pot.

Common mistakes

Cooking in the tent porch when it rains — A porch is an enclosed space. Carbon monoxide accumulates there just as it does in the inner tent, and nylon melts and burns extremely fast.
Wrapping a full windshield around a canister-top stove — It traps heat around the gas canister below the burner, which raises the internal pressure. Use a partial shield, or a stove design that separates the canister from the burner.

If it doesn't work

Stove will not light

Cause: Empty canister, cold canister, or blocked jet — Fix: Warm the canister inside your jacket, check it has fuel, and clean the jet with the tool provided.

Weak flame in the cold

Cause: Gas canister performance drops with temperature — Fix: Keep the canister warm inside a jacket or sleeping bag before use, or use a liquid fuel stove in winter.

Smell of gas when connecting

Cause: Cross-threaded or loose connection — Fix: Disconnect outdoors away from flame, check the threads and O-ring, and reconnect square.

Water takes forever to boil

Cause: Wind and no lid — Fix: Use a lid and an appropriate windshield, and shelter the stove behind a natural windbreak.

Questions people ask

Can I cook in the porch if it is raining?

No. A porch is an enclosed space, so carbon monoxide accumulates, and tent fabric ignites easily. Cook outside under a separate tarp or shelter, or wait.

Which stove type should I buy?

For most British camping, a gas canister stove is simplest and lightest. For winter, altitude or long expeditions where canisters are hard to buy, liquid fuel is more reliable.