Snow Peak Home & Camp Burner

Compact Cooking

Sitting down to a hot meal after a full day on the trail is always something to look forward to. The process of getting said meal made, however, can go either way. As with everything else in life, the right tool can make tasks such as campsite cooking much easier than it otherwise would be without it.

“This aptly named Home & Camp Burner is a crossover stove that can pull its own weight in either arena.”

Important factors to look into when shopping for a camp stove are ease of use, portability, and fuel type. We found that the Snow Peak Home & Camp Burner is a compact stove that fills the duty of camp stove as well as an alternate home stove very well.

In its compact form, Snow Peak’s clever design allows the unit to take up the space of a typical 750ml vacuum bottle, which means it would fit in a backpack’s side pocket, if required. It only weighs 3 1/2 pounds and is made of a combination of quality materials that include stainless steel, aluminum, and brass.

Like a toy Transformer, the compact stove unfolds and transforms to reveal a burner that can accommodate a 12-inch-diameter pot or pan or maybe even larger. During our testing, we found the burner’s feet to be stable, even when placed on a rocky surface. It may work well in a camp setting, but don’t confuse this unit as a full-fledged camping stove. The aptly named Home & Camp Burner is a crossover stove that can pull its own weight in either arena.

If you require an extra burner at home, this stove will do the trick nicely. Sometimes you may need a cook top at the dining table or even to cook up something in the backyard; this burner will serve you well. If you require a smaller, even more compact stove for your travels, you’ll probably want to look elsewhere. As compact as it is, we feel that this burner is very well suited for car campers and those with ample storage space. If you’re hoofing it with just a pack on your back, you’ll probably want to choose something even smaller.

Unlike many other gas-powered portable stoves, this unit runs on commonly found butane gas and not propane. Butane canisters are typically smaller and lighter than propane tanks and do last quite a while. The gas burns cleanly enough that with proper ventilation using them indoor isn’t an issue. Butane cans are usually sold for about $2 or $3 a can at grocery stores, as well as at camping and home improvement stores, so finding fuel isn’t a problem.

We took the Snow Peak Home & Camp Burner for an outdoor cookout on the side of a dirt trail that we enjoy frequenting. After unfolding it and setting it on a level surface, we attached a can of butane and turned the knob to get the flame ignited. A large knob helps activate a built-in auto ignitor and the control knob allows you to easily control the level of heat you require. It’s worth noting that according to Snow Peak the stove is not recommended to be used with cast iron, ceramic, or stone cookware. We used a stainless steel pan and kettle and both heated up quickly.

With enough heat output to help us stir-fry a pan of veggies and low enough heat control to slowly simmer a can of chili, we found that the burner was just plain easy to use. After we were done preparing our meal and a small pot of tea, we were able to pack up the burner in just a few minutes.

Would we use the Snow Peak Home & Camp Burner for our next vehicle-bound camping expedition? Absolutely. Would we use it at home for a backyard get together? Absolutely. We now find ourselves looking for a reason to use this burner. Perhaps you have something we can cook for you?

Editor’s Note: A version of this article first appeared in the September/October 2020 print issue of Tread Magazine.