Camping Panda
If you’re planning an outing with your gang and have to feed large crowds, perhaps you should consider a 3-burner camp stove. These stoves can hold three pans at a time and support larger cookware, so you can seamlessly make food for up to 10-12 persons.
Wondering which is the best 3 burner camp stove on the market? Check out our roundup below.
Cooking Power
Is it powerful enough?
Lifespan
Is it build for years to come?
Portability
Is it easy to carry?
Usability
Is it easy to use?
Durability
Is it sturdy enough?
Time to Boil
Is it quick to boil water?
Cooking Surface
Is it wide enough for your pan?
Wind Resistance
Is it efficient in windy conditions?
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Hours Researched
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Camp Chef Tahoe Deluxe is designed with the outdoor chefs in mind. It’s big and sturdy, easy to assemble, and even easier to use. Matchless ignition guarantees a quick start, while the huge cooking surface helps you feed up to 10 people at a time.
The stove comes with three cast aluminum burners that output 30,000 BTU each. Thanks to the large surface, you can also use this stove with larger diameter cookware as well as rectangular grills and griddles. Relatively easy to carry, this camp stove is the best you can get for car camping.
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The Camp Chef Explorer 3X might not look as good as the Tahoe Deluxe, but it’s an excellent option for those who’d rather save a buck than get the ultimate camp stove model. Similar performance and lower weight will also appeal to some people.
This stove features three burners, fully adjustable knobs, and adjustable legs. It is slightly lighter than the Tahoe, but the cooking height is also lower. In terms of cooking surface, you’ll get more space, but the two lateral burners are positioned too close to the edge, limiting the size of pan. All in all, though, this 3 burner camp stove is the best if you don’t want to break the bank.
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Whether it’s car camping with your friends or feeding your extended family during an outing, the Outland Portable is undeniably the best 3 burner camp stove on the market. This thing provides a huge cooking surface and is compatible with a variety of pots, pans, and other accessories, for making soups, stews, as well as full breakfasts.
Two extensions on both sides of the stove provide additional space for storing utensils and ingredients. It even has hooks for accessories. Needless to say, you’ll also get top-notch performance, so you can really show off your chef skills even when camping.
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Suitable to use with three pans of 8-inch each at the same time, the Camp Chef PRO90X is a great choice for groups up to 8 people. Like the other Camp Chef stoves above, it outputs up to 90,000 BTU and is powerful enough to meet all your cooking needs.
Compatibility with a range of 16-inch accessories from the brand allows you to use two burners to fit a pizza oven, dutch oven, or a BBQ box. The cooking surface is generous, and the unit also breaks down for easier transport and storage.
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A versatile option for family camping, the Camp Chef Big Gas Grill works as both camp stove and gas grill. It boasts three burners outputting 30,000 BTU each, and comes with a convenient 16-inch Deluxe BBQ Grill Box for seamless grilling of burgers and steaks.
Obviously, the stove is compatible with a range of other cooking accessories, and can fit three 12-inch pots at the same time. It misses the windscreens, but overall, cooking on this stove is easy and fast.
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The Royal Gourmet is not a camp stove in the true sense of the word, but this propane griddle is still a great choice for car camping, tailgating, or mounting in an RV.
With a generous cooking surface, it provides you with enough space for cooking burgers for up to 8 people at the same time. Three stainless steel burners also make it easy to control heat, so you can both slow cook meat and grill bacon at the same time. Easy to clean and reliable, it’s a great choice for those who’d rather enjoy grilled foods than soups and stews.
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Outputting a whopping 225,000 BTU, the Goplus Outdoor Stove could seem a good candidate for our premium pick. However, a few design elements make it suitable for those who don’t really mind about the bells and whistles.While it has indeed an outstanding heat output, controlling the flame intensity is rather tricky.
Sure, the stove comes with knobs that allow you to choose between low and high, but it gets rather hot on high, too. You also get no windscreens or side shelves. Furthermore, it only fits smaller pans if you want to use all burners at the same time. Yet, it’s still performing enough to appeal to smaller groups and families who want a no-frills outdoor stove for their adventures.
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Who said that 3-burner camp stoves are only suitable for car camping? The Basecamp by Mr. Heater is living proof that you can still enjoy the benefits of three burners even when backpacking.
This stove is super-compact and lightweight. It won’t fit the biggest pans and pots around, but can still feed up to 6 people. Furthermore, various burner outputs allows you to either fast or slow cook. No doubt, a versatile choice at a price that won’t break the bank.
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Lightweight yet sturdy, the Camp Chef Expedition comes as an alternative to the other Camp Chef stoves on this list. It doesn’t have side shelves, but comes with utensils hooks, and can output up to 90,000 BTU.
The generous cooking surface provides sufficient space for up to three 14-inch skillets. Furthermore, the unit comes with a professional flat top griddle for versatile outdoor cooking. Just what you need to keep the crowds happy at all times.
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The Concord stove is similar to the Goplus above in both style and capabilities. It has similar heat output and can hold three 11-inch pans at the same time. It’s relatively light and easier to move around the campsite.
Ideal to use with standard propane tanks, it’s also suitable for indoor and outdoor use alike. A lack of windscreens make it harder to maintain cooking performance when cooking outdoors on windy days, but apart from that, this stove is a reliable choice.
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Whether you plan to set up an outdoor camping kitchen or have to feed up to 12 people at a time, a 3 burner stove is your best bet. If you can’t decide which of the stoves above is the right one for you, check out the most important features to consider before buying.
Undeniably, the most important thing to consider when buying a camp stove is its portability related to the available cooking space. Three-burner stoves come in two styles, tabletop and freestanding.
The vast majority of the 3-burner camp stoves on the market run on propane. This fuel stands out due to its efficiency – it burns clean, works at higher altitudes and in lower temperatures, and brings water to a boil faster than butane. However, propane fuel canisters are heavier than butane ones.
If you’re looking for a compact, tabletop camp stove that you plan to carry for lengths of time, you should get a stove that runs on butane.
Considering that most people only use 3 burner stoves when car camping, we definitely recommend propane. Here are a few things to check before buying:
While tabletop 3 burner camp stoves come assembled and ready to use straight out of the box, a freestanding model often requires you to install the legs. If you decide to get a freestanding stove, make sure it is easy to assemble and dismantle, and that it comes with the hardware and tools needed for installation.
Some stoves are height-adjustable while others have a fixed height. This is also something to consider if adjusting the height of the stove is important to you.
Some 3 burner camp stoves are designed to be used as stoves alone, while others come with additional accessories that allow you to use them as grills and griddles, too. With this in mind, if you want your stove to double as a gas grill, make sure the model you want has a flat top or comes with accessories.
Indeed, some stoves, such as the Royal Gourmet, have a griddle top instead of traditional burners, while the Camp Chef Expedition X3 comes with a griddle attachment you can use to cook burgers, sear steaks, and more.
When assessing cooking versatility, also consider any accessories the stove comes with, such as cookware sets or cooking tools.
The best 3 burner camp stoves should be made from sturdy, durable materials. Your best bet is a steel stove with aluminum burners, the most durable option. To ensure rust resistance, make sure the steel frame is powder coated with anti-rust paint or that it is enameled with a ceramic layer.
In the case of a freestanding stove, also check the quality of the joints as well as any bolts, nuts, and accessories provided by the manufacturer.
A few other important features to check before buying include:
For most outdoor cooking needs, you should look for at least 20,000 BTU output for each burner. If you want more versatility, 30,000 BTU for a burner is more than enough. A heat output lower than 10,000 BTU could make cooking painfully slow and burn a lot of fuel, especially if you want to boil water.
The Camp Chef Tahoe Deluxe is the best 3 burner camp stove you can buy. This stove has it all, from high heat output to easy controls and windscreens on three sides. It is easy to set up and take down, and comes at an attractive price point.
Both gases are equally safe to use both indoors and outdoors, but propane is often preferred due to its higher fuel efficiency.
Yes, you can use a butane stove indoors, as long as the area is well ventilated. It’s not recommended to use any stove designed for the outdoors in confined spaces that lack ventilation, due to the possible accumulation of carbon monoxide in the environment.
Butane lasts longer if you’re considering the runtime of your stove on a single cylinder. However, propane produces higher heat output, making cooking more efficient. Propane is also more stable at high altitudes, is cheaper than butane, and can be easily found in most stores.
