Camp stove vs griddle
- Coleman Triton 2-Burner Propane Stove, Portable Camping Cooktop
Coleman Triton 2-Burner Propane Stove$83.99Check priceSpec sheet - Blackstone 1814 Propane Gas Griddle, 17 Inch, Black
Blackstone 1814 Propane Gas Griddle$159.99Check priceSpec sheet
The short verdict
- Buy a camp stove if your menu leans toward boiling, simmering, or anything cooked in a pot: coffee, pasta, camp stews, canned food.
- Buy a griddle if your menu leans toward breakfast, burgers, or anything you would normally cook flat in a skillet, for a crowd.
| Camp stove (Coleman Triton) | Griddle (Blackstone 1814) | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $83.99 | $159.99 |
| Burner output | 22,000 BTU total (2 burners) | Not broken out by zone in the listing |
| Cooking surface | 17 in | 17 in flat-top steel plate |
| Best for | Pots, pans, boiling, simmering | Pancakes, eggs, bacon, smash burgers, stir-fry for a crowd |
| Can boil water in a pot | Yes | No, without a separate pot burner |
| Cleanup | Wipe down burner grates and drip tray | Scrape flat top, season with oil after cleaning |
| Group size it suits best | 1 to 4 people, one-pot meals | 4 or more, multiple items cooking side by side |
What can a griddle cook that a camp stove cannot?
A flat-top griddle gives you one continuous cooking surface, so you can run eggs, bacon, pancakes, and hash browns at the same time without juggling separate pots and pans on separate burners. That makes a griddle the better tool for a busy camp breakfast for a family or group, where a 2-burner stove would force you to cook in batches. See more menu ideas at camp kitchen setup.
What a griddle cannot do is hold liquid. There is no way to boil water for coffee, pasta, or a pot of chili on a flat-top surface without adding a separate burner, which is where a traditional camp stove still earns its spot in the kitchen box.
Do I actually need both a stove and a griddle?
Many experienced car camping families end up with both, since they cover different halves of the menu: stove for coffee, oatmeal, and dinner in a pot, griddle for breakfast and burger night. If you are only buying one to start, think about which meal you cook most often at camp. Families that eat a lot of pancake-and-egg breakfasts lean griddle; families that cook more one-pot dinners lean stove.
How does propane usage compare between the two?
Both run on the same propane fuel system, so the shared burn-time math applies to either one: a 1 lb cylinder holds about 21,600 BTU, and higher-BTU appliances burn through that faster. Griddles often run wider or multiple burner zones under the flat top, so total fuel draw can be similar to or higher than a 2-burner stove depending on how many zones are running. Check your fuel math on the propane calculator and see the full breakdown on the propane burn time chart.
Which one is easier to clean at camp?
The camp stove, generally. Wiping down burner grates and a drip tray is quicker at the end of a trip than scraping down a flat-top griddle surface and re-seasoning it with oil to prevent rust before it goes back in storage. A griddle's larger, flatter surface is also easier to actually cook on, so most people accept the extra cleanup step as a fair trade.
Which should a first-time car camping family buy?
A 2-burner camp stove, in most cases, since it covers more of the basic menu, boiling water for coffee and pasta, heating canned soup, simmering a one-pot dinner, in a single compact appliance. A griddle is a strong second purchase once you know your group actually wants big breakfast spreads at camp. See the full lineups at best camp stoves and best camping griddles.
Other options on both sides
Gas One Portable Butane Camping Stove with Case$24.99Check price
Royal Gourmet PD1301S Portable 3-Burner Tabletop Gas Griddle$86.96Check priceSpec sheet
GasOne B-5350A Propane Burner Cooker$116.99Check price
Coleman Classic 3-Burner Propane Stove$156.12Check priceSpec sheet
Blackstone OTG Tabletop Griddle with Hard Cover$199.99Check priceSpec sheet
Camp Chef Big Gas Grill$499.99Check price
Keep planning
Frequently asked questions
Can I cook everything on a griddle instead of a stove?
Not quite. A griddle handles anything cooked flat, eggs, pancakes, burgers, stir-fry, very well, but it cannot hold liquid, so boiling water for coffee, pasta, or a pot of soup still needs a separate burner or a small camp stove alongside it.
Is a griddle worth the extra price over a camp stove?
If your camp menu is breakfast-heavy or you regularly cook for four or more people, yes, since the larger continuous surface avoids cooking in batches. If your meals are mostly one-pot dinners and coffee, a camp stove alone covers more of what you actually cook.
Do griddles use more propane than camp stoves?
It depends on the model and how many burner zones are running underneath the flat top, but a multi-zone griddle can use similar or more fuel than a 2-burner stove at full output. Check the BTU rating on the specific griddle and compare it against the propane burn time chart.
What size griddle do I need for a family of four?
A 17 to 22 inch griddle comfortably fits a full breakfast for four people cooking in stages, eggs and bacon first, pancakes after, without needing to reheat the first batch. Larger 22 inch and up models give more room to cook everything at once for bigger groups.
Is it safe to use a camp stove or griddle inside a tent or vestibule?
No. Never run a fuel-burning stove or griddle inside a tent, a vestibule, or a closed car, because carbon monoxide builds up fast and is odourless. Cook outside in open air, away from tent walls and flammable gear.
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Used only to send the list. You can also read every setup free on this site.Researched guidance, not professional advice. Figures are published specifications or clearly labelled conventions; check your own gear's manual and your campground's rules.