Camp stoves are an essential piece of equipment, whether you're going for a short weekend trip or a two week hike. There are several factors to consider when purchasing a camp stove which will largely depend on your requirements. Examples include how many people you will be cooking for, whether or not it needs to be ultra portable and what fuel is most appropriate.

Camp stoves are available in a variety of sizes, and prices range from $25 right up to $250 depending on features. If you typically travel alone, take short trips or need to travel light, a single burner propane stove will be more than adequate. Although you don't have the power of a large stove or the extra burners, a single burner stove offers great value for money, is highly portable, and the fuel bottles are readily available in the majority of camping stores. The Coleman 1-burner propane stove is a good example.

If you're going to be cooking for a party, or have the luxury of a vehicle to transport your gear, a multi-burner stove may be the way to go. But a single burner stove will take less room and still get the goob done.

Though camp stoves themselves aren't particularly heavy, remember that you have also got to carry enough fuel to keep the stoves going whilst you're away.

If you are looking for more than just casual use from your camp stove, you should also look at things such as performance, efficiency and alternative fuels.

Propane is generally the most suitable fuel to use, though if you will be travelling to high altitudes, you may be better off looking for a stove that runs on an alternative such as white fuel.

The efficiency and performance of a camp stove is measured in BTU, or British Thermal Units. A reasonable rating for a single burner camp stove is around the 10,000 BTU mark, and each subsequent burner should yield the same increase. Purchasing a more powerful camp stove may be advisable if you intend to be on the go for much of your trip.

Although you can pick up cheap stoves in the majority of camp stores, it is always worth paying a little extra and buying a good quality model from a respected brand. A better camp stove will be much more reliable and you can expect much more efficient burning of fuel, saving you time and money in the long run. Coleman camp stoves are a great way cook when you are in the woods.