Recommended for Camping Survival Kit
Hot food and drink matter more than people expect when the power or gas is out — for morale as much as nutrition. A portable stove means you can still cook off-grid.
Our picks span a lightweight backpacking burner, a fast-boil premium system, and a low-cost tabletop stove for the home or car.
Compact camping stove for boiling water and cooking food. Essential for hot meals and water purification.
Gas canisters are easiest. Solid fuel tabs are lightest. Wood-burning stoves need no fuel to carry.
A good stove boils 1 litre in under 4 minutes.
Built-in windscreens dramatically improve performance in UK conditions.
Carbon monoxide risk. Always cook in well-ventilated areas.
Gas canisters don’t show fuel level easily. Carry a spare or weigh before trips.
A lightweight gas burner with piezo ignition for boiling water and cooking off-grid. A practical way to make hot food and drink when the power or gas is out.
An integrated stove-and-cup system that boils water remarkably fast with push-button ignition. The premium pick when speed and efficiency matter.
A low-cost tabletop butane stove with automatic ignition and a carry case. A practical outdoor backup hob for camping or a power outage when you have a safe, ventilated place to cook away from the home.
A tiny, near-indestructible screw-on canister stove that boils a litre of water in around three and a half minutes and folds down smaller than a matchbox. A long-standing favourite for its reliability — few moving parts and nothing to go wrong when you need a hot drink or meal off-grid. Use outdoors only.
A minimalist folding stand from Trangia that turns a solid-fuel or spirit burner into a stable cooking platform, packing down almost flat. It weighs next to nothing and has no moving parts to break, which makes it a reliable backup for a grab bag or emergency kit. Bring your own burner and fuel — this is the frame, not the flame.
The Trangia 27-1 is the compact version of the classic Swedish storm cooker: two pots, a frying pan, a windshield and a meths burner that all nest into one bundle. The spirit burner has no jets or pipes to block and keeps cooking in wind that would blow out a gas stove — exactly what you want in a storm or a power cut. Heavier and slower than a gas canister stove, but close to unbreakable and happy on fuel you can store for years.
A stainless steel storm kettle that boils water fast using nothing but twigs, bark or dry grass — no gas canisters to run out of. The double-walled chimney design means it works in wind and rain where a small camping stove would struggle, which is exactly when you most want a hot drink or safe water. It's bulky for a rucksack but ideal for the car, caravan or a home power-cut kit, and the Scout bundle adds a cook set and cups.
A single-burner butane stove that runs on Campingaz CP250 cartridges, giving you a stable 2,200W ring for boiling water or cooking a hot meal when the power is off. It sits flat on a sturdy outdoor surface and packs into its own carry case, which makes it a practical backup for camping and longer winter outages.
The full-size Trangia 25 system: two pans, a kettle, a frypan and a windproof stand that packs into itself, here supplied with a gas burner. It's a proven off-grid cook kit for two people when the power or gas at home is out, or for hiking and camping.
The classic Swedish storm-proof cooker: a spirit burner that nests inside two pans and a kettle, with a windshield that doubles as the pot stand. It is the kit to reach for when the power is out and you need to boil water or cook a hot meal outdoors in wind that would defeat a gas stove. Fuel is cheap methylated spirit you can store safely for years.
A stainless-steel rocket stove that burns twigs, bark and other found wood, so you can boil water and cook without carrying gas or fuel. A useful off-grid backup for when the cartridges run out or you'd rather not store pressurised gas. It also takes a spirit burner if you want a quieter, smokeless option.
A twin-burner gas stove that lets you cook a proper meal off-grid or during a power cut, running from standard Campingaz gas. The two 2000W burners take normal pans thanks to removable supports, and the frame folds flat for storage. It needs its own gas supply and good ventilation, so it is for the garden or a well-aired space, never indoor use.
Eight Campingaz CP250 valve cartridges — the resealable, puncture-proof type used by Campingaz Bleuet stoves and lanterns. Worth stockpiling so an off-grid stove or lantern keeps running through a long power cut or a run of camping trips. Only fits appliances built for the CP250 valve fitting, not screw-thread EN417 burners.
An all-in-one stove and insulated cup that boils water fast and, unlike most canister stoves, simmers well enough to actually cook rather than just boil. The burner, pot and gas nest together so it lives happily in a grab bag or car kit. Jetboil is a well-established name and the push-button igniter means no fumbling for matches in the cold.
The main route into storm, power cut, warmth, water and car-kit guidance.
A practical first plan for lights, phones, food, warmth and checking on people.
Buyable kit picks for the most common UK storm and outage problems.
A printable checklist for cold weather, outages, travel disruption and home prep.