The Firebox Gas Burner with its diffusion plate is hands down the best backcountry cooking system. For many people, backpacking isn’t about the food, but I’ve found that, especially with kids, some good food goes a long way to making the trip more enjoyable. In fact, I rarely take my kids backpacking without also bringing this stove.
There’s two parts to this system: the stove, which is the box portion, and the burner, which connects to your isobutane canister. The secret here, and what makes this the best stove for cooking, is the diffusion plate, which spreads out the flame, making it possible to heat a 10-inch pan. Yes, it’s still cooler out toward the edges, but this tiny little stove is every bit as capable of cooking as a full-size Coleman camp stove. I’ve cooked everything from fish the kids caught to cinnamon rolls on this thing (often in combination with the 10-inch fry pan).
As an added bonus, the Firebox Nano (which here serves as the stand for the Firebox gas burner) is also a stand-alone twig stove and can hold a Trangia Spirit Burner (see below), making it an extremely versatile backpacking stove. It won’t win you any prizes at the next /r/Ultralight get-together (the Firebox Nano on its own weighs 4.25 ounces for the titanium version), but you could be eating some delicious food in the backcountry. Did I mention it comes with a grill plate that turns it into a tiny gas grill?
| Specs | |
|---|---|
| Weight | 8.5 oz (240 g) |
| Size | 3 x 4.25 x .25 inches (folded) |
| Max people you can cook for | 3 |
