Wood burning backpacking stove is one of the must-have tools when you are camping outside. Nothing is better than cooking and eating with friends and family members around a fire.
However, there are so many models available on the market, each of which has its own disadvantages and advantages. We have experienced and researched a lot of models to pick the 5 best wood burning backpacking stoves.
Here are the best wood burning backpacking stoves (2025 Update):
- Best Overall: Solo Stove Lite
- Best Budget: Ohuhu Camping Stove
- Ultra Compact: Lixada Camping Stove
- Fire-To-Electricity: BioLite CampStove 2
- Premium Choice: Solo Stove Titan & Solo Pot 1800 Combo
| Top 5 Best Wood Burning Backpacking Stoves | ||
|---|---|---|
Best Overall | Solo Stove Lite | Read Our Review |
Best Budget | Ohuhu Camping Stove | Read Our Review |
Ultra Compact | Lixada Camping Stove | Read Our Review |
Fire-To-Electricity | BioLite CampStove 2 | Read Our Review |
Premium Choice | Solo Stove Titan & Solo Pot 1800 Combo | Read Our Review |
Best Overall: Solo Stove Lite
- Smokeless design
- Fast boil time
- Durable
- A little bulky when being folded
Solo Stove Lite is 2014 winning wood-burning backpacking stove recommended by Backpacker Magazine and serious survivalists including Discovery Channel’s Matt Graham.
Solo Stove Lite’s special feature is the patented double wall design that creates clean gasification and secondary combustion. Burning materials are burned more completely and with less smoke.
You will get rid of toxic cooking smoke smells, protect the environment, and get boiled water much faster - 8-10 mins for 32 fl oz of water.
Solo Stove Lite is also durable as it is made of the stainless steel and nichrome wire. However, one drawback of Solo Stove Lite is that it is still a little bulky after being folded, making it’s a bit inconvenient for you to carry it along.
| Dimensions | Diameter - 4.25" & Height - 5.7" |
| Folded dimensions | Diameter - 4.25" & Height - 3.8" |
| Weight | 9 oz |
| Material | Stainless steel and nichrome wire |
| Highlight features | Smokeless design |
Solo Stove Lite is the prefect wood burning backpacking stove for everyone, especially those want a faster boil time and get rid of smoke smells.
Best Budget: Ohuhu Camping Stove
- 3-arm base support system holds the pot firmly
- Compact, lightweight, and sturdy
- Comes with some useful cooking accessories
- There is no significant drawback
Staying firm on the ground and holding the pot firmly are the two most important functions when it comes to a backpacking stove. Ohuhu Camping Stove meets the criteria well.
It is made of stainless steel, which is sturdy enough to stay firm on the ground. The 3-arm pot support system creates a much more stable cooking platform and distributes heat more evenly than other round support systems.
Despite being a rock-solid stove, Ohuhu Camping Stove is still compact and lightweight enough to be put in your backpack and travel all the roads with you. Plus, it can be folded in half of the height.
Ohuhu Camping Stove also comes with several necessary accessories. A plate for solidified alcohol burning - really necessary on wet days. A grill grid for BBQ - when you want some grilled meat.
| Dimensions | Diameter - 5.3" & Height - 6.1" |
| Folded dimensions | Diameter - 5.3" & Height - 3" |
| Weight | 14.2 oz |
| Material | Stainless steel |
| Highlight features | A 3-arm base support system, a plate for solidified alcohol burning, a grill grid for BBQ |
Ohuhu Camping Stove is the great & budget-friendly wood burning backpacking stove for all kinds of adventures.
Ultra Compact: Lixada Camping Stove
- Ultra lightweight and compact
- Come with a lot of optional accessories
- Not so sturdy
There are 4 Lixada Camping Stove models. All have one thing in common - the ultra lightness and compactness that can be folded flat for backpacking goodness.
Among them, the model 1 is the smallest and lightest one. (If you want a bigger one, you should choose model 2 or 3. And if you want a build-to-last one, you should choose model 4 as it is made of titanium.)
You can easily fold the stove flat and put it inside your backpack and carry it to anywhere you go, it’s no bigger than a typical book. The stove comes with an alcohol tray, adding convenience and versatility that let you cook even in wet environments.
Lixada Camping Stove has a lot of optional accessories, from pots, cups, folding sporks to knives, nonstick pan, and wire saws.
However, Lixada Camping Stove is not so sturdy. You need to be careful or your meal would fall onto the ground.
| Dimensions | 4.3"W x 4.3"L x 3.5"H (Model 1) |
| Folded dimensions | 5.9"W x 4.7"L (flat) (Model 1) |
| Weight | 4.9 oz (Model 1) |
| Material | Stainless Steel (Model 1) |
| Highlight features | Optional: Alcohol Tray, Cookware Mess Kit (750ml pot, 420ml cup and a folding spork), Camping set. |
Lixada Camping Stove is the wood burning backpacking stove for those value the compactness.
Fire-To-Electricity: BioLite CampStove 2
- Aluminum Legs helps the stove stay firmly on the ground
- Internal Fan Jets to circulate air for improved combustion and smoke reduction
- USB charge output with Turning-fire-into-electricity function
- Cannot be folded
- A bit heavier and bigger than a typical backpacking stove
BioLite CampStove 2 is a great wood burning backpacking stove with top technologies.
When you go camping for long days, batteries and portable power banks are must-have accessories. However, in longer adventures, normal batteries wouldn’t be enough. BioLite CampStove 2 has the feature to turn stick-and-twig burning into electricity.
It can generate and store 3 watts of usable electricity in the internal battery for USB charging of LED lights, mobile phones, and other devices. The battery can store up to 2600 mAh that excess sufficient power to charge devices, even without a live fire.
The jet system using the battery has 4 fan speed settings to circulate air for improved combustion and efficiency. BioLite CampStove 2 is smokeless and can boil 1 liter of water smokelessly in 4 - 5 minutes.
There are three legs to hold the stove firmly on all kinds of grounds. In front of the stove, there are three LED columns to show the level of fire, air, and battery.
The biggest drawback of BioLite CampStove 2 is that the stove is heavier and bigger than a typical backpacking stove.
| Dimensions | Diameter - 5" & Height - 8.3” |
| Folded dimensions | Diameter - 5" & Height - 8.3” |
| Weight | 33 oz |
| Material | Stainless steel |
| Highlight features | Internal Fan Jets to circulate air for improved combustion and smoke reduction, USB charge output with Turning-fire-into-electricity function, Smart LED Dashboard, Aluminum Legs |
BioLite CampStove 2 is the smokeless backpacking stove that can be used as a portable thermopile power bank for long day trekkings.
Premium Choice: Solo Stove Titan & Solo Pot 1800 Combo
- Smokeless design
- Fast boil time
- Durable
- Come with Solo Pot 1800 Camp Stove Combo
- Heavier and bigger than a typical backpacking stove
Solo Stove Titan is a bigger version of the Solo Stove Lite. They are pretty the same, both smokeless and efficient.
However, the Titan has a faster cooking time and allows you to cook larger portions for 2 - 3 people.
In return, The Titan is almost twice as heavy as the Lite, doesn’t come with an alcohol tray, and of course, costs a bit more.
The included Solo Pot 1800 is durable and can contain about 61 Fl.oz (1800mL).
| Dimensions | Diameter - 5.1" & Height - 7.9" |
| Folded dimensions | Diameter - 5.1" & Height - 5.6" |
| Weight | 16.5 oz |
| Material | Stainless steel and nichrome wire |
| Highlight features | Smokeless design, Solo Pot 1800 Camp Stove Combo |
Solo Stove Titan is a great choice if you want to cook large portions.
How To Choose The Best Wood Burning Backpacking Stoves?
To choose a suitable wood burning backpacking stove, you should consider these four:
- Size and Weight: It’s the most important to be compact and lightweight to be a backpacking stove so that you can carry it all the roads you go.
- Stay firm on the ground and hold the pot firmly: You won’t want your meals to end up on the dirt. So, make sure the stove stable enough or you will need to be really careful everytime you cook.
- Smokeless features: A smokeless stove not only protects your health, protects the environment, but also cook the meals about 50% faster.
- Other accessories: You may want to consider a stove that comes with an alcohol tray, pots, grills grid for BBQ, or fire-into-electricity technology.
Who Makes The Best Wood Burning Backpacking Stoves?
Ohuhu
- Ohuhu was founded in 2013. It is an American home and lifestyle brand that manufacturers from car accessories, personal care products, creative tools, to camping appliances.
- They are famous for their simple, high-quality, and affordable products. For that reason, Ohuhu owns countless Amazon #1 best sellers.
- They are the brand you should look into when finding the best wood burning backpacking stoves.
Lixada
- Lixada is a brand that manufactures products for those enjoy camping, running, cycling, swimming, snow skiing, fishing, and other outdoor activities etc.
- Lixada is a young company led by a young team. They have the creative and are willing to learn. Lixada is quite a promising company.
- Lixada’s backpacking stoves help you enjoy camping with greater comfort, convenience, and style.
Solo
- Solo Stove was founded in 2010 as a small camping-stove manufacturer. They focused on the customer and building simple, high-quality products. Over the years, they have gotten bigger and bigger. Now Solo Stove is one of the biggest brands in the industry.
- Their double-wall innovative design is really a game-changer. They put a higher standard on backpacking stoves - they must be smokeless and have a shorter boil time.
- They also produce a lot of accessories for cooking outdoors as their mission is to help you to reconnect to what really matters by sitting and eating around a fire.
BioLite
- BioLite has a meaningful story behind their business. They believe that advanced technologies, built on sustainable business practices, have the power to change the world.
- Three billion people live in energy poverty. They lack safe and reliable ways to cook, charge, and light their lives.
- Based on the heat-to-electricity technology, BioLite Camp Stove and BioLite Home Stove provides customers with smokeless fire and thermo-electrics. They also reduce up to 90% of toxic emissions and save up to 50% of fuel.
- Their BioLite Camp Stove is the best wood burning backpacking stove for those want to break the boundaries of life outdoors.
FAQs
Can you get carbon monoxide poisoning from a wood burning stove?
Yes. It is possible and very dangerous as CO is an odorless, colorless, tasteless but highly poisonous gas. CO produced by a stove is normally not enough to cause death, however, it can cause headaches, weakness, nausea, dizziness, and vomiting.
So when you are using a wood burning backpacking stove, you need to remember to use an airtight stove and not to stay in a small airtight place.
If you can afford, a smokeless stove is a great choice for you.
Is a wood burning stove bad for your health?
If you expose to wood smoke for a long time, it is super bad for your health. However, if you use the wood burning stove in the right way, you won’t need to worry too much about your health, and even it can keep you warm and cozy in the shivering cold of winter.
Don’t use the stove in an airtight place and do sit upon the wind. If you can afford, a smokeless stove is a great choice for your health.
Is a wood fire bad for the environment?
Wood smoke is bad for the environment. It causes smog, acid rain, and other problems. To reduce the footage of wood burning, you can use wood pellets instead - the material is made from sawdust and other lumber byproducts that produce much less waste. And if you can afford, a smokeless stove is a safe choice for the environment.
How do you start a fire in a wood stove?
First, you need to compress some flammable papers like newspapers, laying them into firebox just in front of the door. Lay a few 2-inch strips of cardboard on top of the compressed papers and several pieces of small dry wood and bark on top of the cardboard.
Now, you burn the paper and keep blow gently until the fire catches the cardboard and the wood.
How far should a wood stove be from the wall?
The National Fire Protection Association sets standards for wall clearances that are at least 36 inches. If you attach a piece of 28-gauge sheet metal to the stove’s backside, the distance can be reduced to 18 inches. If you allow one inch of air space between the sheet metal and the stove, the recommended clearance is only 12 inches.
Conclusion
Above are my full review of the best wood burning backpacking stoves. Hope that the information in this article will help you find the suitable backpacking stove for you.
