As a family with young kids, safety when camping is a key consideration. When looking into going further “off-grid” as part of a camping trip, I decided to look into buying a camping stove. But are camping stoves safe?
Camping stoves are perfectly safe when used correctly. Always ensure you use them on a flat surface to avoid them falling over and setting surrounding materials on fire. Never leave a lit stove unattended, especially with kids around. Always make sure you leave the stove to cool before removing the gas canister and make sure you store it in a dry place.
Read more to find out how to remain safe when using a camping stove and our tips to improve your cooking experience.
Can a camping stoves be used indoors?
This is a common question that I thought I would address here in two parts.
Can you use a camping stove inside your tent?
You should never use a camping stove inside a tent. Tents are flammable and it only takes one mistake to burn your whole tent down.
Can you use a camping stove inside your house?
If you would like to use a camping stove inside your house, this is fine, as long as you take adequate precautions.
- Use it on a flat surface, such as a worktop
- Ensure you have a heatproof mat underneath the stove
- Keep out of reach of children
- Don’t leave unattended.
How to stay safe when using a camping stove
- Place the stove on a flat surface.
- Make sure you have slotted the gas canister into the stove correctly or that you have connected to the gas line fully before lighting the stove.
- When lighting the stove, try and do so in an area sheltered from the wind. This will ensure that you can light the stove quickly without too much gas escaping.
- Turn the knob to the right gently and listen for a click. This means that the gas is coming out and it is ready to light.
- Always make sure you turn your stove off when cooking to ensure you don’t waste gas and leave the flame burning.
- Remove the gas canister when the stove is not in use. Doing so will reduce the likelihood of gas escaping from the canister and reduce the possibility of an explosion.
- Make sure that the stove has cooled down first before you remove the gas canister. The stove itself will be very hot and could burn you if you touch it.
- Try and store your stove and canister in a dry place. This will ensure they are protected from the elements and prolong the useful life of the stove
- Do not cook inside your tent. Whilst I’m sure you may be the best camping chef in the world and you will take every precaution possible, there is always the risk that you will set your tent on fire. Try and create a good shelter for cooking under, such as a tarp, rather than going inside your tent if it is raining.
- When cool, clean the stove as best you can after each use. A clean stove will burn more efficiently and therefore use less gas to cook your food. You also help to avoid any possible malfunctions of the stove.
Further tips to stay safe when using a camping stove
Use your stove on a table
Putting your stove on a table will provide better stability for the camping stove, reducing the risk of it falling over.
The camping stove being on a table will also reduce the likelihood of it being knocked over by someone walking past.
It will also help improve your cooking experience as you won’t be hunched over the stove whilst cooking.
Ensure you have enough camping gas
Make sure you take enough camping gas with you. The camping stove will be hot when in use, so if you have to change the gas partway through cooking this could lead to burns.
Alternatively, if you wait for it to cool down, you will need to start the heating process again, which could waste valuable gas.
Consider using a tarp over your cooking area
In a separate post, I discussed the use of a tarp over a tent to provide extra protection from the rain. The same theory can be applied to tarping over your cooking area, providing you with a dry area for cooking.
Conclusion
So, are camping stoves safe? Yes, but you need to make sure you take adequate precautions when using one and never use it in your tent!