Your Camp Stoves are Obsolete (This is So Much Better!)

The Case for Switching to Induction Cooktops for Camping

Author

Ark
June 09, 2025

Gas camp stoves have been a staple for outdoor enthusiasts for decades, reliably cooking meals in the wilderness. However, they’re starting to feel outdated, and it might be time to retire them. Propane, kerosene, and butane can be a hassle—sourcing fuel in remote areas, storing canisters, and dealing with the mess. Last summer, I found myself scouring a small town for butane, and let’s just say it wasn’t the highlight of my trip. Enter the induction cooktop: a lightweight, portable alternative that could change the game for campers like me who spend a lot of time in remote places.

A New Way to Cook Outdoors

This isn’t a paid ad—I bought this induction cooktop myself to test it out. It’s compact, doesn’t rely on traditional fuels, and promises a cleaner cooking experience. To see if it could replace my gas stove, I decided to cook breakfast on it: morel mushrooms, green garlic, and eggs, all prepared on the back of my flatbed trailer (which, by the way, makes an excellent makeshift kitchen counter).

The setup was simple. Unlike gas stoves, induction cooktops need electricity, which can be a challenge in the middle of nowhere—trees don’t exactly come with power outlets. But many of us already carry portable power stations for camping. I plugged the cooktop into one, leveled it with a shim (because apparently, I can’t park my trailer straight), and got to work.

Cooking with Induction: The Experience

Using a cast iron pan with a bit of oil, I sautéed freshly foraged morel mushrooms and green garlic—immature garlic plants sliced like green onions for a mild, delicious flavor. The cooktop heated up quickly, with precise controls to adjust the temperature. It maintained a steady heat, cooking everything evenly. I turned it off briefly to crack in some eggs, added a pinch of salt and pepper, and fired it back up with the push of a button. The result? A fragrant, perfectly cooked breakfast that smelled as good as it tasted.

The power station, at 85% charge, drew 713 watts and estimated it could run the cooktop for about two hours. Cooking my meal used roughly 5% of the battery, meaning one charge could handle multiple meals. Eating straight from the pan on the trailer felt like the perfect camping moment.

Powering the Cooktop

The real advantage of this setup is how it integrates with modern camping gear. Instead of hauling fuel canisters, you can charge the power station with a portable 400W solar panel. Even on a cloudy day, my panel estimated it would take two hours to fully charge the station from 88%. On a sunny day, it’s even faster—about 40 minutes to replace the energy used for one meal. For overlanders or vehicle campers, you can also charge the station via your car’s cigarette lighter or power point, making it versatile for different setups.

Why Ditch Gas?

Gas stoves, especially butane ones, produce a nice hot flame, and I get the appeal of cooking over fire. But the inconvenience of fuel—running out, storing canisters, or making emergency trips to town—can outweigh the charm. Induction cooktops eliminate that hassle. The energy comes from a power station charged by solar or your vehicle, which is especially practical in sunny summer months when most camping happens.

This particular cooktop costs just over $100, with double-burner versions around twice that. For comparison, Afrey (the brand I tested) has a deal for these units at $599, and their larger, more powerful models with greater storage capacity are $1,999. These bigger units are heavier but ideal for extended trips. I’ve been using Afrey’s power stations for nearly a year, and they’ve become indispensable. If they “grew legs and ran away,” I’d replace them immediately—they’re that reliable.

Is It Practical?

This setup isn’t for everyone. Backpackers will find it too bulky, and if you love the primal feel of cooking over fire, you might miss the flame. But for car campers, overlanders, or anyone tired of dealing with gas, this is a game-changer. The convenience of plugging into a power station, charged by solar or your vehicle, makes cooking in the wild simpler and cleaner. I’m excited to use this all summer and see if any drawbacks emerge, but for now, I’m ready to kiss gas stoves goodbye.

For those interested, check the links below for the sale prices on these cooktops and power stations. They’ve transformed how I camp, and they might do the same for you.

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