Anyone can go out for a long hike or go camping and be uncomfortable, but it takes experience and some flexibility to truly make yourself comfortable out in the bush, and having hot drinks and hot food when you need it certainly goes a long way to achieving this.
Given the constant fire dangers we face in Australia, along with many restrictions around open fires, heating food and water can be a major issue here. To get the heat you need for cooking in a safe and reliable manner a hiking stove is a must.
This semi-essential piece of equipment has many options on both price and size, so read on and find out about some of the best hiking stoves to suit your outdoor needs.
| JetBoil Flash Hiking Stove | MSR PocketRocket 2 Hiking Stove | Coleman Peak 1 Trekking Stove | MSR Whisperlite International Multi Fuel Stove |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Our pick  | Best Value  |  | |
180 x 104 x 104 mm | 82 x 42 x 42 mm | 90 x 55W x 90 mm | 200 x 150 x 120 mm | |
Aluminium & Stainless Steel | Steel | Steel / Plastic | Steel | |
4,500 | 8,200 | 10,000 | 7,300 | |
Isobutane/Propane | Isobutane/Propane | Butane/Propane | Shellite/Kerosene/LPG | |
100g/hr | 227g/hr | 227g/hr | 200g/hr | |
Piezoelectric | Manual | Manual | Manual | |
427 g | 70 g | 190 g | 423 g | |
1 year | 1 year | 1 year | Limited Lifetime |
Best Hiking Stoves Australia
JetBoil Flash Hiking Stove
Best For Boiling Speed
The JetBoil Flash Hiking Stove is a basic model that specializes in boiling water and boiling water fast. This stove is highly fuel-efficient when you are out of the wind, it is also highly efficient at boiling water inside its 1L pot.
Some key features of the JetBoil include a water temperature indicator on the side of its pot panel to allow you to know when the water is about to boil and avoid spillovers. The pot itself is insulated and has a very secure connection along with the electric ignition.
For those who like to move fast and then cook or heat water and food on the go – the JetBoil’s features make it very easy to use, you simply connect the two pieces, fill your pot with water, turn it on and wait a minute or so. The one downside is its inability to simmer liquids or foods – so if you like to sit back and simmer a meal, then this is not really for you.
Customer reviews are all very positive for this stove and while it may not be the best hiking stove you can buy, it’s simple, reliable and the included pot means you won’t have to carry any extra pots or pans with you, just lots of freeze-dried food sachets.
MSR PocketRocket 2 Hiking Stove
Best All Rounder
When it comes to the best backpacking stoves on the market – the MSR PocketRocket 2 is the champion. This is an improved version of the original PocketRocket that has been around for decades.
The improved version is affordable, versatile and very light. It’s able to operate in almost any environment, including windy campsites and can be used to boil water or drinks fast or alternatively to slowly simmer your meal.
It’s not quite as efficient on its fuel usage as other stoves, particularly if you constantly use it in the wind – meaning fuel supplies may create extra weight for you. While the stove connector is great at holding a range of pot sizes, it also means you need to carry an extra pot which will add to the stove’s overall weight.
Customer reviews squarely point to a stove that is one of the best on the market with overly positive feedback, so given this and its price point being under $100 means you really can’t go wrong with this little stove that can do just about anything you need it to.
Coleman Peak 1 Trekking Stove
Best Value
When comparing the best hiking stoves in Australia, there are a lot of variables with price being a big one, especially for those who don’t go out as often as they would like. The Coleman Peak 1 is the cheapest brand named hiking stove you can find, but don’t let the price fool you, this stove is effective at cooking but just not as fast or efficient as its more expensive cousins.
It’s a similar design to the MSR PocketRocket, however, it is almost three times as heavy and also requires extra or separate pots or pans to be carried. It tends to not burn overly hot but yet can use more fuel per hour than the other stoves, making it good at slow cooking, but not great if you need a hot tea real fast.
Customer reviews tend to be quite overly positive or negative with not much in between. The price is low and it does what it says it will do, so this is enough for most people. However, when you compare it to its more expensive competitors – it does have some failings.
If you are an occasional hiker and only head out for weekends, then this stove will be just fine and manage your food needs, however, if you head out more often and for longer, you would be best upgrading to the MSR PocketRocket
MSR Whisperlite International Multi Fuel Stove
Best For Base Camps