For most of us, the best part about a camping trip is getting to cook hearty meals in the outdoors.
A good camp stove can do wonders for your entire camping experience! And if you don’t believe me, try it yourself!
Once you’ve found a perfect lightweight and portable camp stove for your next trip, there’s only one thing left to ask.
How to use a camp stove safely?
We’re here for just that! Keep reading to find out all the necessary safety tips and precautions you need to know while using a camp stove!
How To Choose The Right Camping Stove?
Before we learn the ins and outs of using a camp stove, you need to make sure you have the right gear with you.
Buying the right stove can be tricky, especially considering the varieties the market offers today!
Camp stoves come in a lot of options.
● One burner/Two burner/Three burner
Whether you should go with a compact one-burner stove or whether you should buy a family-sized burner primarily depends on how many people you will be feeding. If you’re going to be out in the wild for many days, with a large number of people, it is best to opt for more burner heads.
● Which Fuel? Canister or Liquid.
Canister stoves are those that use propane or butane to give out an even flame. Liquid fuels are better are working efficiently under low temperatures.
● Wood Burning Stoves
If you want to omit fuel options entirely, try wood-burning stoves! These operate solely on any kind of forest wood available to you and are super convenient! Check out the best wood-burning stoves available in the market and make your next camping trip easier!
● Weather Factors
Like we mentioned before, canister gas tends to burn out rapidly under sub-zero temperatures. Therefore, if you’re going to be spending a lot of time in the cold, go for liquid or alcohol-fueled gas.
How To Use A Camp Stove Safely?
The most important thing to learn about camp stoves is how to use them safely. Trust me, you don’t want to start the accidental fire while cooking your favorite meal.
Each camping stove differs from one to another. Modern camp stoves even offer portable and light variations that are easy to work with.
Let’s first look at the equipment we need to set up our camp stoves!
Equipment You’ll Need:
- Gas or LPG
- Connector hose
- Stove
- Soapy water and towel
- Priming pump
- Match stick or camp lighter
- Wind-break sheet
Using A Camping Stove:
Now that you have everything you’ll need, let’s finally look at how to use a camp stove safely! Read the following steps to find out.
- First things first, on the camping site, take out all the necessary equipment and check to make sure that nothing is missing.
- Go ahead and connect the gas cylinder to the stove using your gas connector hose. Some models require twisting the knob to connect while others attach to it very easily. Carefully read every single instruction on your stove before proceeding.
- Next, spray some soapy water on all the points where the gas connects to the hose. If you see some bubbles after a few minutes, your connection is most likely loose and you might have minor leakages. You’ll have to retry connecting it.
- If there are no bubbles, you can proceed. Remember that your gas should be ‘off’ throughout these steps.
- Next, dry all the connection points and get rid of the soapy water. Use a paper towel or any regular towel to make sure there’s no moisture left.
- Place your stove top on a flat surface over the ground. This is very important to prevent any accidental spillage or burns. Even out the ground using your shovel if you can’t find a flat surface.
- Once that is done, you need to set up your stove. Set up your stove on a flat surface and separate the burner arms so they’re spaced out and can hold your pan/pot at an even base.
- Using the priming pump, pump 10-15 times to build up pressure inside the gas cylinder. Pump until there’s a firm resistance from the other side, do not force it.
- Turn on the gas line to about 0.5 tsp (or 0.083 fl oz). Light a match on the main burner and let the flame come out. This process is called priming.
- Once this is done, you can simply adjust your flame and cook with your pots.
- Set up a windshield around the burner and you’re done!
Safety Tips:
Now that you know how to safely operate your burner, it is time you move on to learning the important safety tips while using a camp stove.
According to the portable stove and safety information provided by Lieff Cabraser, you need to diligently follow the next few tips to ensure maximum safety.
- Always set up your burner on a flat surface. Do not surround it with anything that could catch fire, and avoid terrains that are subject to slight shifts under any conditions.
- Whenever you’re done, always turn off the flame from the main knob.
- No matter what, do not ever try to cook inside your tent or any other closed surrounding. Always cook in an open, well-ventilated area.
- Store the gas cartridges and stoves in a dry place, away from any kind of moisture.
- Always wait for an hour before you detach the gas cylinder from the stove. Also, never leave it connected to the stove unless you’re using it.
FAQs
1. Are camping stoves safe to use indoors?
Not at all. And you should never even try. Charcoal and Kerosene stoves emit a lot of carbon dioxide and need well-ventilated and open areas. While propane and alcohol stoves are safe to operate in larger indoor areas, tents are still a big no.
2. Why can’t you use propane indoors?
Actually, you can use propane burners inside. But the reason most people prefer not to is the safety risks associated with it. Improper ventilation can lead to excessive buildup of carbon monoxide, which is harmful to you.
3. Which is safer propane or butane?
Both propane and butane are non-toxic, environment-friendly fuels that are a great source of energy. While propane burns faster and heats up easily, butane has a rather characteristic even heating mechanism that is safer to contain.
Final Thoughts
Now that you know everything about safely operating a camp stove, it’s time you put your knowledge to the test! Next time you’re out camping, remember to follow all the safety tips we discussed, and most importantly, remember to cook hearty meals and have fun!
If you have any further questions, feel free to ask them away!