⛲ Camping Stove Fuel Runtime Calculator
Calculate exactly how long your canister or propane fuel will last based on stove BTU output and cooking style
| Canister Size | Fuel Weight | 4,000 BTU/hr | 8,000 BTU/hr | 10,000 BTU/hr | 15,000 BTU/hr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100g Iso-Mix | 3.5 oz | ~3.8 hrs | ~1.9 hrs | ~1.5 hrs | ~1.0 hr |
| 230g Iso-Mix | 8.1 oz | ~8.8 hrs | ~4.4 hrs | ~3.5 hrs | ~2.3 hrs |
| 450g Iso-Mix | 15.9 oz | ~17.2 hrs | ~8.6 hrs | ~6.9 hrs | ~4.6 hrs |
| 1 lb Propane | 16.4 oz | ~11.5 hrs | ~5.8 hrs | ~4.6 hrs | ~3.1 hrs |
| 220g Butane | 7.8 oz | ~6.2 hrs | ~3.1 hrs | ~2.5 hrs | ~1.7 hrs |
| White Gas 32 oz | 32 fl oz (~2 lbs) | ~13.0 hrs | ~6.5 hrs | ~5.2 hrs | ~3.5 hrs |
* Assumes 55% stove efficiency at mild temperature. Actual runtime varies with conditions.
| Canister | Fuel Weight (g) | Fuel Weight (oz) | Total Weight w/ Can | Best Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100g Iso-Mix | 100g | 3.5 oz | ~5.6 oz (159g) | 1–2 day solo |
| 230g Iso-Mix | 230g | 8.1 oz | ~12.7 oz (360g) | Weekend trip |
| 450g Iso-Mix | 450g | 15.9 oz | ~24 oz (680g) | Multi-day group |
| 220g Butane | 220g | 7.8 oz | ~14 oz (397g) | Car camping |
| 1 lb Propane | 454g | 16 oz | ~1.3 lbs | Portable stove |
| 20 lb Propane | 9.07 kg | 320 oz | ~37 lbs full | RV / base camp |
| Cooking Style | Iso-Mix (g/person/day) | Propane (oz/person/day) | White Gas (fl oz/day) | Alcohol (fl oz/day) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boil-water only | 10–15g | 0.4–0.6 oz | 0.5–0.8 fl oz | 0.7–1.0 fl oz |
| Dehydrated meals | 15–25g | 0.6–0.9 oz | 0.8–1.2 fl oz | 1.0–1.5 fl oz |
| Standard cooking | 25–40g | 0.9–1.4 oz | 1.2–2.0 fl oz | 1.5–2.5 fl oz |
| Full camp cooking | 40–60g | 1.4–2.1 oz | 2.0–3.0 fl oz | 2.5–4.0 fl oz |
| Coffee + 3 meals | 55–80g | 2.0–2.8 oz | 2.5–4.0 fl oz | 3.5–5.0 fl oz |
Fuel for Camping Stove comes in various kinds, and the right choice depends on the type of the stove. Most stoves work only with one kind of Fuel. Some rare models fit to use different Fuel, but almost all have limits.
For instance a stove that works with liquid Fuel does not work for gas or alcohol, and the other way around.
Types of Fuel for Camping Stoves
Propane belongs to the most used Fuel for Camping Stove. The Jetboil Genesis Basecamp is popular and reliable for camp, because it works with propane. Models of Coleman with propane are known because of easy use and fast cooking, which makes them good for camping trips, park meals or cooking outside.
A good two-burner propane Camping Stove found for under hundred dollars, and it can cook during several hours with a throwaway propane tank. A Camping Stove with propane using a small five-pound tank only costs a few dollars to refill.
Butane also enjoys popularity among campers. Some stoves are even dual Fuel, able to work with propane and butane. Pressed gas in cans for backpack stoves usually mixes propane with butane or isobutane.
The usual sizes of cnas are four ounces and eight ounces. For shorter trips cans weigh less and are more simple to use, because they already are pressed. They screw directly and form a ready base for the stove.
One downside is that you never know how much Fuel stays in the can, although Jetboil recently launched a small scale to help that. Can stoves are simple, burn clean without soot and widely trusted, but they do not work well in cool weather.
White gas offers another choice. It is like car gasoline, but lacks the extras of car gas. It has weak smell, burns clean and lets you control it well.
It is sold in quart or gallon cans, but can be a bit expensive. A stove that uses white gas usually connects too a refillable Fuel bottle. Some stoves also work with kerosene or unleaded car gas.
But using kerosene is not the best answer, because it is less available and commonly sold in big half-gallon cans at home stores.
There are adapters that allow you to change the input for a propane tank to other valves, which helps when you switch between Fuel types. This even adds trouble during the choice of gear. A little wind can blow away the heat, which wastes Fuel and extends the Runtime for boiling water.
So built-in systems with a stove and jar that blocks wind became very liked. To count how much Fuel to bring on a trip, you think about the mealplans, specs of the Camping Stove and a bit of math.
