The One Best cooking appliance?

[TxLady]

If you could only have one cooking tool/appliance that is not propane fueled and is not a microwave, what would it be?  What is the most versatile all-around thing to cook/heat a wide variety of foods with the least amount of electricity or other fuel?  Single burner butane camp stove? Something like a JetBoil?  The RoadPro lunchbox oven?  The small lunch-size crock pot?  In my research I've discovered there is a myriad of options.  I'm looking for recommendations from actual people with experience that aren't Amazon reviewers.

 

[waldenbound]

MSR Windburner, 1.8 liter pot with the accessory frying pan. I absolutely love mine.

 

[Bud Smiley]

I would go with a liquid gas fueled stove like a Coleman 440 or their bigger suitcase stove. It will allow you to use one fuel for your vehicle and stove. I wouldn't want electric for my only cooking source.

 

[DuneElliot]

I love my single-burner butane stove, but dual-burners would be ideal if that was the only cooking option I had.

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

I have a couple hundred meals in on an MSR backpacking stove. Probably another 200 cups of coffee on it. I love it. Even boiled a large pot of water once for a big spaghetti dinner for 5 people in Hawaii.

I've had mine 6 or 7 years now, similar to this, mine is just an older design.
https://www.amazon.com/MSR-06636-Wi...095391&sr=1-12&keywords=msr+backpacking+stove

 

[John61CT]

Why would you rule out propane but butane is OK?

2x Iwatani 35FW, can adapt to run off either.

 

[Queen]

I've had butane and propane, prefer propane. If I could only have one way to prepare food I'd go with a small two burner stove. It allows the most versatility when preparing meals, you can do pretty much anything on a stovetop, even make baked goods.

 

[TxLady]

Why would you rule out propane but butane is OK?

2x Iwatani 35FW, can adapt to run off either.

Portability and not needing to deal with 20 lb propane tanks required for built-in two burner propane stoves in most RV's.  I can lift an empty 20 lb tank but full is a different story.

 

[Queen]

I used a 5lb bottle, way easier for my old ass to lift. https://www.walmart.com/ip/5-LB-Propane-Tank/39086357

 

[John61CT]

So use smaller tanks, 5# or 10# are common, even proper refillable 1# work like the old Coleman camping disposables but without the environmental disaster and high cost.

Butane doesn't work at all in the cold.

 

[Bud Smiley]

I'd take propane over butane any day as well. Like Queeny said, those 5 lbs bottles are pretty darned convenient and easy to move around. You can get them refilled any place that refills the 20 pounders.

 

[John61CT]

Nice thing about two singles, much more flexibility, just pull one out most of the time.

Big griddle, wok or soup pot, need a bit more distance between the two.

The Iwatani style butane cartridges are $1 each at Asian shops, make a very convenient portable all in one, great BTU output when you need it.

Adapters can run off propane when you want to, obviously cheaper, convenient if you ever build one in, and required when camping in the cold.

 

[Almost There]

While I carry the 2 burner propane stove and the tank to go with it (and my heater), I almost always use my single burner butane stove. I use the propane outside if I'm cooking something like chili or spagetti sauce that take a long time and to use with my water grill and my Coleman oven but that's about it.

Not because I like butane any better, but because it fits on my kitchen counter in the van so much better than the 2 burner propane ever did. I can have it set up and still have room for prep work. The 2 burner propane took up the whole counter so I had to prep food, then set up the stove, cook and then pack the stove before I could do anything else.

1st choice for buying fuel is K&B in Quartzite at $1.50 a can, second choice is Amazon at $2. a can and if I run out of the case I bought before I get back to Q and have to buy locally, then I suck it up and buy it at W/M at their inflated prices.

 

[highdesertranger]

I prefer a propane stove.  Butane doesn't work well at altitude or in the cold.  plus it's damn expensive and if in bum f**k wherever you won't find it in the small stores. 
I have had this stove for 30+ years,



I haven't had one problem with it.  mine was made in the USA(Utah).  they are probably made in China now,  I know most of Camp Chef's stuff is.  oh yeah they sell several accessories for them a pizza oven, bbq, and griddle. highdesertranger

 

[MrNoodly]

A campfire.

 

[highdesertranger]

I was going to say a campfire but with all the burn bans at least 4-6 months out of the year you can't have a fire. highdesertranger

 

[John61CT]

when I need my morning cuppa, need it **now**

 

[TMG51]

I agree, I would also use propane. It's economical and available everywhere. Get smaller refillable tanks... Or mount a permanent tank underneath... Or ask nicely for the attendant at the filling station to put the tank back in your van for you (I used to do this for people when I sold propane)... But don't resign your cooking abilities to the strength of your batteries on a cloudy day. Or pay more for disposable fuel cartridges.

Propane or camp fire!

 

[LeeRevell]

A one burner propane stove. Quick, simple, safe and efficient. One pound cannisters aren't cheapest, but they are convenient. Been using it for years, including motorcycle road trips.
A buddy swore by his Whisperlite alcohol stove, but he would always swear at it as I had my meal heated and eaten by the time he got that cranky alky stove running right.

 

[Van-Tramp]

I too will backup the propane 1 or 2 burner stoves with the 1lb canisters of propane. Super easy to deal with across the board and the most flexible to what you want to do that day.

As for the 5# propane bottles, keep in mind that a lot of propane filling locations have a minimum charge. When I refilled my 5# (1 gallon) can, it often costed $10 due to that minimum, even though it can only take less than $2-3 of bulk-propane in it. It can be pricey when you think a 20# bottle costs $15-18 (5 gallon @ $3 per gallon) to refill, but still much cheaper than the 1# bottles which are equal to about $15 per pound of propane.

Still, for a van or small-rig setup, the 1# cans are so much easier to deal with. You may go through 1 each week, but that will cost you a whole $15-20 per month, a fair price to save yourself all the headache and lost storage space of the larger tanks.