Bought a $30 camping stove from the gas station. Big mistake.

I was heading out to Shenandoah last Friday and realized I forgot my stove. Stopped at a Shell station and grabbed this little butane burner for thirty bucks. First night it worked okay, second night the valve started sticking and the flame went all wonky. Third night it just wouldn't light at all. Stuck eating cold beans for breakfast. Has anyone else had luck with those cheap emergency stoves or am I better off just spending the money on a real camp stove next time?

3 comments

3 Comments

murray.drew1d ago

Nah, I gotta disagree a little. I've actually had decent luck with those gas station stoves for short trips (like 2-3 nights max). Sounds like you just got a lemon. They're definitely not built to last, but for the price they can get you through a weekend if you test them before you leave.

brian_smith61d ago

Yeah @murray.drew, I gotta push back a little, those things are basically junk even for a weekend.

elliot_patel11h agoMost Upvoted

I grabbed one of those cheap butane stoves from a convenience store before a trip to the Blue Ridge last year. It worked fine for the first couple of days but on day three the regulator just gave out. Cold eggs for breakfast is rough, I feel your pain. What worked for me was just accepting it as a one time use thing and then buying a proper Coleman stove from a sporting goods store later. That thirty dollar burner got me through the first night but the cheap build quality is just not worth it for anything more than a backup.