Best Stoves For Your Emergency Preparedness Kit

‍When putting together an emergency preparedness kit, it’s important to include a stove in your supplies, and there are several best ones to choose from.

Whether you need it to cook, or simply boil fresh water, having a stove on hand when other utilities are non-existent is a good part of any emergency plan. But, different people’s needs will vary, and knowing which model stove will best meet yours is crucial.

The 10 best stoves for your emergency preparedness kit are:

• Coghlan’s Emergency Stove
• Yimidear Portable
• Martin SG-228
• Gas One GS-3400P
• Coleman Powerpack
• Firebox Bushcraft
• Uberleben Stoker Flatpack
• Esibt 3-Piece Camping Stove
• EcoZoom Versa
• DoinMaster Outdoor

Choosing the best stove for your emergency preparedness kit can feel a bit overwhelming. Not only are there many models to choose from, but they also range in size, style, cost, and ease of storage. Narrowing down the options and figuring out which models are going to be best for your desires and budget can be challenging, but I’ve done the legwork for you, and am sure you will find one of the stoves on the list to be perfect for your situation.

I’ve spent a good amount of time lately thinking through my emergency checklist and collecting the items I think necessary for myself and my family, if and when a crisis were to strike. Having a good, portable stove is one of the top items on my list, so I’ve done the necessary research to decide which one to buy. Hopefully, my list will help you find the best stove for your needs as well.

‍What Are the Best Stoves for My Emergency Preparedness Kit?

Let’s face it…at some point, all of us are going to be in a situation where we are not going to be able to rely on the basic creature comforts that we take for granted in our daily lives.

Whether it’s a snowstorm that knocks out our power for a few days, or a pandemic that forces us to shelter in place, we all know that disasters can strike. Worse, if a true world crisis were to happen, we need to know that we could take care of ourselves and our loved ones for at least some period of time.

There are some great emergency kit books online, or you can come up with an idea of what you need to include in your kit on your own. Regardless, having access to a source that will allow you to prepare at least some basic meals is essential for most people.

Being able to heat food and water will make a big difference in the quality of your life during an emergency and having a stove that is easy to manage and is safe for indoor use is going to be key.

Knowing how many people you need to cook for, what types of foods you want to be able to cook, and how long you are going to need it are all going to be things to consider when you choose your stove for your emergency kit.

Let’s look at some of the best options for emergency-use stoves, depending on the size of your family, your budget, and your overall needs.

1. Coghlan’s Emergency Camp Stove

For the simplest and least expensive option, the Coghlan's Emergency Camp Stove is a great one.

This compact unit is not going to be best for a long-term emergency situation, but for those who need something fast, affordable, and easy, this one will get the job done.

Using only fuel pellets, this stove will be perfect for heating up small skillets, saucepans, or kettles for boiling water.

The stove is stainless steel, which makes it easy to clean and will stay intact for years. It also folds down for easy storage and can be transported to another place quickly.

The Coghlan’s stove comes with 24 fuel pellets and more can be purchased and stored as well.

The Coghlan’s stove sells for less than $15, which makes it a terrific stove to start with for any emergency preparedness kit.

2. Yimidear Portable Wood Camp Stove

For a stove that will still be portable and affordable, the Yimidear Portable Wood Camp Stove is a good product if you want to use regular wood for cooking.

This stove is less than seven inches tall when open and is less than a pound in weight. It also comes with a waterproof bag that makes it great for transporting and will keep it dry in times of a natural disaster.

One of the things about this stove that can be a huge pro (or con, depending on your situation) is that it uses wood to heat instead of fuel sources that need to be bought and also stored.

The ideal wood for this stove is small debris that is easy to find outside, an optimal option for times when purchasing fuel can be a challenge.

Of course, you’ll have to be somewhere that wood is accessible. But if you can find wood to burn, this unit is a good one to consider.

The Yimidear sells for under $20 and can be found in plenty of online sights and in camping stores.

3. Martin SG-228 Propane Hot Plate

For those who are looking for a more substantial stove for their emergency preparedness kit, the Martin SG-228 Propane Hot Plate is one you’ll want to look into.

This stove has two burners, which will give you a lot more versatility than the above two models.

Using propane fuel, this unit can be hooked to any propane source and used indoors or outdoors. The stainless steel is easy to care for and will resist rust, nicks, and scratches.

The Martin SG-228 has an automatic ignition that’s easy to use and has a pressure regulated gauge that helps food cook at a regular temperature and keeps the flame at a constant rate.

The hot plate is a good size, but still easy to store until you need it. At only 16 inches wide and 22 pounds, you can haul this stove to places that will make cooking convenient for you.

The Martin SG-228 sells for around $160 and takes no setup to begin using.

4. Gas One GS-3400P Portable Stove

If you want to stick with the hot plate model of stove, but don’t have the desire for or the room for a dual burner one, then the Gas One GS-3400P is the answer for your emergency preparedness kit.

Made of a strong alloy steel, this stove is as durable as it is resourceful. It can stand some harsh elements, but can also be used inside.

The Gas One is run off propane, which is a fuel source that is inexpensive and easy to keep stored for months at a time. You can also use butane to heat this one, which makes it more versatile, especially when different fuel sources may not be widely available.

The automatic ignition means you don’t have to waste your matches or lighter on this stove and it will be easy for just about everyone to ignite.

Weighing only three pounds, the Gas One can be transported easily. The stove sells for around $35 and can be shipped anywhere in the United States.

5. Coleman Powerpack Propane Stove

So you like the idea of a propane stove, but want something even smaller and more transportable than the two-burner or one-burner ones above? Then the Coleman Powerpack Propane Stove is going to be your best bet for your emergency stove.

For those who know they may need a stove that can be quickly packed up and transported easily, this little stove is fantastic. At less than a pound, and only 13 inches wide, you could easily put this burner into a knapsack or other carrying device.

Even though it’s small, The Coleman Powerpack has a powerful flame, which can be easily adjusted for temperature control. And, since it runs off propane, you can hook it to a large propane tank when you have the space, or carry smaller, compact tanks when you are on the go.

At less than $60, this stove is a great choice for those who plan to cook full meals over a flame, but don’t want a unit that is going to break their budget.

6. Firebox Bushcraft Camp Stove Kit

Sticking with the idea of finding the best stoves for ease of use and compatibility is this awesome unit, the Firebox Bushcraft Camp Stove Kit.

The cool thing about this stove is its complete compactness and convenient design. Though some may not like the fact it needs to be put together before each use, others will love the fact that it folds flat and can be stored just about anywhere.

That said, the assembly is easy and can be done in less than five minutes. The hinged panels make it a snap – literally! – to set up.

Wood pellets can be used to heat the burner, but can also be substituted for charcoal or actual firewood, making the variety of heat sources as versatile as the transportation of this stove. The bottom of the stove has a ton of holes, that help keep the fire lit and the grate is adjustable.

Unlike some of the above models, there is no way to adjust the flame on this stove, as it serves almost more like a campfire design. But, for those who truly want a survival-type unit for heating food or boiling water, the Firebox Bushcraft is going to serve your purpose well.

The Firebox Bushcraft costs around $100 and ships easily to any of the 50 states.

7. Uberleben Stoker Flatpack Stove

Another great model for those who want a stove that is completely compact, folds flat, and can use a variety of fuel sources is the Uberleben Stocker Flatpack Stove.

Backpackers and campers have boasted about this unit for years, and it’s no wonder. Finding a stove that can easily fit in with the rest of your camping equipment is crucial when spending time outdoors, and is also a great benefit to stashing in an emergency preparedness kit.

This stove can be a bit more complicated to assemble than the one I mentioned before, but once you get the hang of it, you may be surprised at how pleased you are with the actual construction of the Uberleben.

The large opening makes it easy to feed wood inside for a solid flame to ignite. This stove is also great because you can use pine cones, pine needles, bark, and other items easily found in nature to keep that flame going strong.

It may look small, but cooking an entire meal over the Uberleben’s flame is simple, and at only 14 ounces, you can pack tons of other supplies into your emergency kit without worrying about the weight of your stove.

The Uberleben retails for about $50 and comes in two options – a titanium exterior or a stainless steel one, making this stove not only reasonably-priced, but attractive as well.

8. Esbit 3-Piece Camping Cook Stove

Here’s an attractive and affordable option for anyone’s emergency kit who is interested in one that is easy to use and can use various fuel sources to ignite it.

The Esbit 3-Piece Camping Cook Stove can get your basic needs met with little effort involved.

One of the best features of this stove is that it comes with its own pot and lid, making cooking pretty effortless and taking the guesswork out of deciding how large of a pot you can use with the flame. However, you can substitute out the included pot if you wish.

The Esbit also comes with its own mesh bag, and is made out of heavy-duty aluminum, which can withstand any elements you may find yourself exposed to. The stove can be used indoors as well, since the heat source is fuel pellets that burn pretty clean.

It’s also possible to use wood with the Esbit, but it may take longer to get the flame to an acceptable temperature than it will with the fuel pellets.

Fuel pellets are inexpensive and additional ones can usually be purchased wherever the stove retails. Fuel pellets also store easily and will stay good for years at a time.

The Esbit 3-Piece Camping Cook Stove weighs about a pound and can be purchased for less than $40, a great price point for an item you may not use often, but will bring you peace of mind to have on hand.

9. EcoZoom Versa Camping Stove

For a stove that will offer you tons of versatility, take a look at the EcoZoom Versa, one of my favorites on this list.

The price is a bit higher than the average price of the others on my list, but there is a good reason for this.

The EcoZoom Versa is a compact unit that provides a big punch. Not only does it have a wide cooking space, but it can be used as a stove, a campfire, or a heating source because of its large surface and intense heat output.

Made of a solid ceramic exterior, the EcoZoom clocks in at just over 15 pounds, not exactly ideal for a stove you want to be able to pack up quickly and easily, but its substantial weight will feel significantly more solid than most and can really be a good option if you are as interested in heating a space for warmth as you are in being able to prepare meals.

The EcoZoom can use wood, biomass fuel, or charcoal, which makes it a great option when you’re not sure what sorts of heating sources you may have available in an emergency situation.

Though it’s not super light, the two stainless steel handles on each side of the cylindrical surface make it easy to transport when needed.

At a price of around $150, the EcoZoom is definitely not the cheapest stove on my list. But, for a unit that will provide you with ample cooking space and warmth, this stove is worth every penny.

10. DoinMaster Outdoor Camping Stove

Anyone who has a bunch of people to feed knows that – though some of these smaller stoves may be ideal for storage – they will make feeding a crew much more time-consuming and challenging.

If you have a large family to feed, you are going to want to consider the DoinMaster Outdoor Camping Stove as your emergency stove of choice.

Weighing in at just over ten pounds, this stove can be a bit more cumbersome to transport but is foldable when not in use or needs to be moved from spot to spot.

Not only is the cooking surface larger than most, but this stove is also super useful for those who want to cook inside, or heat a space, as it has a stove pipe to vent any smoke to the outside.

The DoinMaster can heat a space of 510 square feet quite easily. Even better, you can be cooking on it, or boiling water, while also heating up your area.

At the price of over $200, the DoinMaster isn’t for everyone. But if you want a stove that will feed a large group and help heat a space in an emergency, the DoinMaster might be best for you.