I could have used the Camp Chef Everest 2 Burner Stove on my last trip to the Rockies when just about everything I tried to cook came out terribly. I found out about this stove from a friend who told me he used it to cook for a dinner party when his stove stopped working. That sounded a bit exaggerated to me, so I checked it out, and discovered that the Everest had some pretty impressive features.
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Things to Consider Before Buying a Camping Stove
You’ll need a portable camping stove to keep everyone in your party well-fed for your travels unless you plan to eat only trail mix and energy bars during your weekend (or week-long) trip. If you camp a lot in the “front country,” or in an area close to our vehicle, you’ll need a camping stove, which has more features than the more compact “backpacking” stove.
Before you buy a stove, think about how many people you’ll have to feed. A two-burner stove should be sufficient for groups of four or less. Add a third burner to a two-burner stove for five to seven campers. If you’re cooking for a group of eight or more, a large freestanding two-or-three burner stove is your best bet.
The Camp Chef Everest 2 Burner Stove
Compared to industry leader Coleman, the Camp Chef Everest has more BTUs than the Coleman Triton (20,000 per burner to the Triton’s 11,000 per burner), and it saves you time and frustration with a built-in igniter. This stove is perfect if you plan on doing a lot of cooking on your trip and are looking to prepare a variety of foods.
Pros:
- Igniter lights on first strike, every time
- Higher BTUs improve cooking experience,
- Flame has good wind shelter
- Extra wide, use two full-size pots pans simultaneously
Cons:
- Not enough info on what connector hose to use
- Stove can get quite hot, so you need to handle with caution
- The silver paint on the stove chips after extensive use
Features and Benefits
Controls
The Camp Chef Everest has heat-control dials, so you get the right temperature and flame reach for different foods. The stove lets you adjust heat from a low simmer to a high heat to prepare a variety of dishes. This isn’t your run-of-the-mill stove with one setting. The stove’s two burners get quite hot and can handle all your recipes that require several heat levels.
You’ll need to get used to the unmarked burner controls. There aren’t any indicators for low, medium or high flame, but you’ll be able to figure what heat level works for particular foods after a few uses.
The matchless ignite button sits on the face of the stove. If you grip the stove too hard when you push the igniter, it may cause the unit to slide backward. You can prevent this by placing the stove on a picnic table or other non-slippery surface. It would be easier to handle if button pushed downward, but just having an igniter button gives it an advantage over many other camp stoves.
If you’re worried about wind fanning the burner flames (or causing food to slide off pans or out of pots), the Everest has wind guards on both sides of the stove.
Heat and Food Preparation
If you have to cook for a large group of friends, this 24-inch wide stove accommodates two full-size pots and pans. It’s lightweight, weighing in at 12 pounds. Unlike some other camp stoves, it quickly heats and boils food, so you won’t need to watch the stove longingly while soup warms.
Cook more slowly and it’ll take longer to get to your desired temperature, and you’ll use an average amount of propane. You can control the amount of heat used and conserve propane or use more fuel for faster preparation. If you’d like to calculate the fuel usage try out calculator. The two 20,000 BTU burners offer you more power than most inexpensive and mid-priced camping stoves.
The Camp Chef Everest provides a great backup for at-home emergencies. If your range stops working and you need to fix dinner (like my friend), the Everest comes in handy. While I wouldn’t go as far as saying the Everest prepares food just as well as your home range, it can cook more food quicker and more evenly than most camper stoves.
Propane
You will need a hose to connect to a large propane tank, but you can use the supplied connector for small bottles. If you have trouble fitting the hose, you may need to check for the proper adapter. The unit does have an adapter for the common four packs of propane you buy at BBQ or sports stores.
Most camping stoves use propane. You may be confused about how to safely attach the propane bottle to the stove if you’re new to using camp stoves. In this video from the JRK Family Outdoors Video Channel. While this video doesn’t use an Everest as the example stove, it will give you a primer on how to use propane with a camping stove.
Transport
This lightweight, portable stove weighs 12 pounds. There’s a handle so you can carry it, though it might be uncomfortable if you have to move it long distances by yourself.
Clean up
There’s a stainless steel drip tray to catch grease, and the burners are recessed under the wire rack and are conveniently located for easier cleaning.
Construction
The nickel-grated steel grate is durable and engineered to hold your full-sized pots and pans with no problem. Built of high-quality steel, the Everest can withstand hours of regular cooking, carrying and cleaning.
This stove has a sturdy wire rack which rivals the racks on many home ovens. If you tend to be a little harsh on your stove, the Everest can take it.
Camp Chef Everest Alternatives
Coleman EvenTemp Griddle
An addition to the Coleman Eventemp Stove, the Eventemp griddle lets you make a whole variety of meals you couldn’t prepare with the stove alone. It lets you make pancakes, bacon, sausage, eggs, burritos and all your favorite meals in the park, in the backwoods, or at a tailgate party.
- Made of durable cast aluminum, the Camp Everest is high quality steel.
- Has a grease cup you can empty while cooking; the Everest doesn’t.
- The Everest uses fill-sized pans and may accommodate small griddles
Coleman Basic Propane 2-Burner Stove
Another favorite Coleman model, you may find the Coleman Basic Propane 2-Burner Stove more to your liking if you’re on a budget or if you’ve always used Coleman products and don’t want to switch. The Coleman Basic has less heating power than the Camp Chef, but if you only need a stove to heat up soup, coffee and make simple meals, this will keep you covered.
- The Coleman Basic has 14,000 BTUS total; the Camp Chef Everest has 40,000
- The Everest has an ignition button, but you need a match or lighter to ignite the Coleman.
- The Everest is almost 2x more expensive than the Coleman Basic.
Conclusion
The Camp Chef Everest two-burner camping stove offers you a lot of power in its sturdy, nickel-coated steel frame. When you’re hungry from a day of hiking or biking, and you just want to eat a good, hot meal, lets you cook just about any meal you want with full-sized pots and pans. You won’t need to struggle with matches or lighters; the auto-igniter will get things up and running for you.
Easy to clean and carry, the Stove will let you cook more creatively on your next camping trip.
