SPOILER ALERT: Conquerwild named the Winnerwell Fastfold Titanium as the best tent stove overall!!
Whether you’re a backpacking novice or a seasoned expert, a good tent stove can bring your camping experience to the next level. They’re super useful when you want to cook a meal, dry your clothes or heat up your tent.
There are tons of tent stoves out there, but only a few that are truly worth your money. If you don’t know which product to choose, I’m here to help guide you toward a decision. I’ve set out to find the best tent stove that money can buy. Here are the top 5 products I found:
The Products I’ll Be Reviewing
- Winnerwell Nomad Medium Tent Stove
- Winnerwell Fastfold Titanium Tent Stove
- DANCHEL Outdoor Portable Wood Stove
- YILI Outdoor Camping Stove
- Winnerwell Woodlander Large Tent Stove
Winnerwell Nomad Medium Tent Stove – Most Durable Tent Stove
This medium-sized tent stove from Winnerwell is a great example of efficient craftsmanship. The stainless steel make up of this product means that it’s built to last. You don’t have to worry about rust or corrosion, even after lots of outdoor use. Weighing in at 20 pounds, this tent stove isn’t the most lightweight out there. However, I’d say it’s manageable for most short-distance hikes.
This setup is also easily portable. It’s designed with 4 legs that fold flat. The entire chimney can fit inside the 800 cubic inch fire box when you’re on the move. Also, it has side shelves that double as handles for carrying. The front of the fire box also features a cool little glass window. This way, you can peek in at your firewood to make sure everything’s A-okay.
To Sum It Up:
This wood burning tent stove has just about all of the major qualities you could ask for in a product. It’s large enough to heat small/medium-sized tents while also remaining portable. It’s user friendly and it’s also durable. Overall: it’s a great product.
Pros
- Durable 304 stainless steel.
- Firebox has a window.
- Includes damper and spark arrestor.
- Includes an ash scraper.
- Includes 2.5 inch diameter pipe.
Cons
- Not great for large tents.
- Fire box is on the small side.
Winnerwell Fastfold Titanium Tent Stove – Best Tent Stove Overall
If you love Winterwell’s products but need something more compact, this may be the stove for you. Their Fastfold model is great for long-distance backpacking. During transportation, the stove folds completely flat and fits snugly inside of its carry bag. It’s super compact and ultra lightweight at only 4 pounds.
Although it’s compact, the Fastfold includes a large 900 cubic inch firebox. It also includes a massive 3 inch diameter chimney pipe that extends 9 feet into the air. If you’re looking for a bit of versatility, you can remove the lid of the firebox to use it as a pan! Gotta love a multi-functional product!
To Sum It Up:
This tent stove gets major points from me because of how lightweight and easy to use it is. It’s not often you find a 900 cubic inch firebox on a stove that weighs less than 5 pounds. It’s also durable and versatile. The only real downside to this product is its high price point.
Pros
- Ultra lightweight.
- Titanium makeup.
- Large fire box.
- 9 foot tall, 3 inch diameter chimney pipe.
- No loose parts for assembly.
- Includes dampers and spark arrestor.
- Comes with carry bag.
Cons
- It’s expensive.
- Chimney pipe may be difficult to roll.
DANCHEL OUTDOOR Portable Wood Stove – Best Value Tent Stove
Here, we have another amazing, lightweight product. This time it’s from the Danchel Outdoor Store and it weighs in at 5 pounds. This wood tent stove is made of titanium and includes a 7.2 foot chimney pipe (with a 2.36 inch diameter). It has a heat-resistant glass window on the firebox and an efficient air-intake valve.
Like the Winnerwell Fastfold, this portable tent stove features a simple, folding design. The fire box is a good size (about 825 square inches) and it’s supported by 2 sturdy legs. This set also comes with a spark arrestor and damper, which is standard for most tent stoves. A knob of the front of the fire box also allows you to adjust airflow at your leisure.
To Sum It Up:
Overall, this tent stove is of great value. It includes most of the main benefits of the Winnerwold Fastfold for a lower price point. At the same time, the fire box is smaller and the chimney pipe is more narrow (and harder to keep in place). Either way, this is a great wood burning stove for tent camping
Pros
- Ultra lightweight.
- Easy to set up.
- Firebox has a window.
- Includes damper and spark arrestor.
- Comes with carry bag.
Cons
- Chimney pipe may be difficult to roll.
- Chimney pipe may fall out of place if not supported.
YILI Outdoor Camping Stove – Most Affordable Tent Stove
If you’re in the market for a more affordable product, consider the YILI Outdoor Camping Stove. It’s made of stainless steel and includes a medium-to-small fire box. The 3.2 inch diameter chimney pipe comes in 7 disassembled pieces. This means you don’t need to roll it manually and risk cutting yourself.
This camp wood stove weighs about 15 pounds. While it’s not as lightweight as the titanium products on this list, it’s definitely manageable for most backpacking trips. It also includes 2 shelves that double as carrying handles. Like the Winnerwell Nomad and the Danchel Stove, the fire box has a window for proper fire management. The biggest thing that this stove is missing is a spark arrestor, which you’ll have to purchase separately.
To Sum It Up:
The YILI Camping Stove is a great product. I do appreciate that this tent stove includes a few extra useful items. These include the stove hook for easy cleaning and the stove jack. When it comes to affordable tent stoves, this is just about the best you’ll be able to find. Just remember to warm it up with a test burn before your first use.
Pros
- Affordable.
- Includes stove hook.
- Includes hot tent jack.
- Includes damper.
- Fire box has a window.
- Folding legs.
Cons
- Doesn’t come with a spark arrestor.
- Glass window breaks easily when tightening screws.
- Lower build quality than more expensive products.
Winnerwell Woodlander Large Tent Stove – Biggest Tent Stove
Winnerwell strikes again, this time with a much bigger product. Their Woodlander Large Tent Stove offers a 1500 cubic inch firebox! That’s a ton of space which means you’ll get more burn time out of this product. Unfortunately, this also means a heavier stove (30 pounds)- but that’s expected.
The Woodlander is made from 304 stainless steel, so you don’t need to worry about corrosion while using it. When fully assembled, the stove is a whopping 109 inches tall (measured up to the top of the chimney pipe). It’s also probably the most unique-looking tent stove on this list. The latches on this thing are super fancy-looking and they’re a nice touch. It’s tripod-style, with 3 spring-loaded legs that fold flat. Also, the chimney pipe comes in 5 segments, which makes for easy assembly.
To Sum It Up:
If you’re looking to heat up a medium-to-large tent, this is probably the best choice for you. The fire box on this stove is massive and will allow you to burn wood for a long period of time. While it’s not the most portable or affordable product, this is a quality tent stove.
Pros
- Huge fire box.
- Includes damper and spark arrestor.
- Includes ash scraper.
- Fire box has a window.
- 2 shelves double as handles.
- Includes 3.5 inch diameter chimney pipe.
Cons
- It’s heavy.
- It’s expensive.
The Types of Tent Stoves
For those of you who have never used or owned a portable wood stove for camping, let’s start off with the basics. The best way to categorize these products is by fuel type.
There are 2 main fuel sources for ten stoves: wood and propane. For my list, I’ve only recommended wood burning stoves. This is because these products are usually more lightweight, more eco-friendly and it’s much easier to access fuel (you can find firewood almost anywhere!).
Aside from fuel type, we can break down our hot tent stoves by weight and build.
Lightweight Tent Stoves are usually made from aluminum and are great for backpackers. You don’t need to be a bodybuilder to carry one of these through the woods.
Folding Tent Stoves are another convenient choice. These usually have few loose parts to worry about. You simply fold the stove flat and it’s ready for transportation.
Heavy Duty Tent Stoves are built for those who are looking to create massive fires. These have a large fire box with lots of room for big logs. A heavy duty tent stove may be made of anything from stainless steel to titanium to cast iron. Usually, these are heavy (well, duh)- but great for heating up large tents.
Why Buy A Camping Wood Stove?
Wood stoves for tents are useful in more than just one way. They’re most commonly used (as their name implies) for making meals. They allow you to safely whip up some grub without ever having to leave your tent.
If you’re not exactly the Gordon Ramsey of the wilderness, your tent stove can also help you stay warm. These are essential for cold weather camping, especially if you don’t have a tent heater on hand. Once you get a good fire going, you can keep a tent warm for hours. Of course, this will depend on the size of your tent and the product you buy.
Another huge plus of owning a tent stove is its ability to dry clothes. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been caught in the rain during a camping trip and been stuck with my sopping wet clothes. Having a tent stove can solve this issue. Once you get a good fire going, your clothes should be dry in no time.
How To Choose The Best Portable Tent Stove For You
Now that we’ve gone over the basics, let’s answer the main question that needs answering: what is it that makes for a great tent stove?
Here are the main qualities and features that you should keep an eye out for:
Look For Quality Materials
A good tent stove is one that’s made from great materials. My favorite is titanium. This is because it’s lightweight and highly heat resistant. Plus, it doesn’t corrode.
The only real issue with titanium is that it tends to blemish easily. It’s also a bit expensive.
Stainless steel is another great option for camping wood stoves. Like titanium, it’s super resistant to high temperatures and will never rust or corrode. It’s also ultra durable.
On the downside, stainless steel is quite heavy. Keep that in mind if you’re buying a wood stove for backpacking.
Choose A Portable Wood Stove
When backpacking or traveling, portability is key. The more you’ll be transporting your tent stove on foot, the lighter it should be.
Some of the products on my list weigh 5 pounds or less, which is nuts! The best tent stoves for backpacking are usually made from titanium.
If you’re car camping, then you won’t have to worry about weight as much.
A lot of the best wood stoves for tents also come with their own carrying case, which is always nice.
Think About The Chimney Pipe
You can’t have a proper tent stove without a chimney pipe. This is the mechanism that takes the exhaust smoke from your fire and carries it outside of the tent.
Most of the time, chimney pipes are designed to protrude from the ceiling. Your tent should already have a stove jack to outlet smoke.
There are different sizes of chimney pipes. In general, the larger the diameter is, the more cooking power you’ll get from your stove.
With some tent stoves (usually the stainless steel ones), the chimney pipe will come in disassembled segments.
For many other products (specifically titanium tent stoves), the chimney pipe comes as a single sheet of metal. In this case, it’s your job to fold the chimney into the correct, cylindrical shape. This can be difficult to do if you don’t have a buddy to help you out. You should also be careful not to cut yourself on the sharp edges of the metal.
If you need a little help rolling your chimney pipe, you might find this instructional video super helpful:
Is Your Hot Tent Stove Easy To Set Up?
It’s always great to find a product that’s easy to set up and take down. Folding tent stoves will make your camping experience much less stressful. These are able to fold into a flat shape without taking up much space.
I prefer products that come with only a few pieces. This way, there aren’t a slew of loose parts to worry about every time you set the stove up.
Tent Wood Stove Anatomy and Extra Features
While some tent stoves have nothing but the basic features, others are equipped with extra elements that make them stand out. Let’s go over all of the parts you might find in a product.
Spark Arrestor – A device that sits at the top of your chimney pipe and prevents sparks from flying into the air. These are super important, especially in dry environments. Without a spark arrestor, you risk starting a forest fire! Most tent wood stoves come with one- but not all of them do.
Damper – The mechanism you can use to adjust the airflow into your stove. These are essential for keeping your fire under control. Every product I’ve recommended includes a damper.
Fire Box Window – A plate of glass that allows you to look into the fire box while your wood is blazing. These are great for making sure your fire is burning well, or even just for setting an ambience.
Tent Shield – Another important aspect of fire safety, the tent shield is essentially a mat that goes under your stove. It’s meant to protect your tent floor from the fire.
Ash Scraper – A handy little tool to help you clean out soot and residue from your stove.
Hot Water Tank – An attachment that hangs off the side of your stove. This makes it possible to boil water while your fire’s burning.
Safety Over Everything
When it comes down to it, fire is dangerous. Even if you’re using a top of the line wood camping stove, there’s always some level of risk. You should always take precautions.
Always make sure that your stove is on stable ground when using it. Also, keep all dry or potentially flammable items far away.
Make sure you’ve inspected the stove and chimney pipe before you start burning. Ensure that the door to your fire box is able to close completely. Also, make sure that there are no gaps in your chimney pipe.
If you start to notice smoke building up inside your tent, get some ventilation immediately. If you can, get out of your tent until the smoke has cleared up.
If you sit in a tent that has too much smoke, you risk getting carbon monoxide poisoning. This can be deadly and needs to be taken very seriously. If you start to feel dizzy, lightheaded, nauseous or short of breath, get out immediately.
Never leave your stove unattended. Never touch the walls of the stove or chimney pipe with your bare hands while a fire’s going. Trust me, it will be hot.
Also, don’t load the fire box up with too much wood.
A Few Tips For Using Tent Stoves
Before using your tent stove for the first time, you should warm it up. Take it out into an open area, set it up and get a small fire going. This will break in the metal and burn away any nasty chemicals that are lingering in your stove.
A lot of campers recommend putting a layer of dirt on the bottom of the fire box before burning wood. This might make the metal last longer.
Make sure to keep your product as clean as possible. You should wash and dry each piece of the stove after every use.
When it comes to fuel, it’s always useful to have extra on hand. I recommend gathering more logs than you think you’ll need and keeping a pile close by.
Conquerwild’s Conclusion
Using and operating a tent stove isn’t super difficult. However, choosing the best product can be. I’ve done my best to break down everything you need to know before making a final decision.
With all things considered, there’s one tent stove that really stands out above the rest.
Our Top Pick Is…
The Winnerwell Fastfold Titanium Tent Stove!!
Not only is this the best tent stove on this list, but it’s also the most lightweight! It’s got a massive chimney pipe, a 900 cubic inch fire box, a durable titanium shield and a super simple foldable design. This tent stove is a winner in all aspects.
If you want another fantastic product that’s a bit more affordable, consider the YILI Outdoor Camping Stove.
