Coleman Camp Stove Review: From a Vanlifer’s Perspective
Updated: Jul. 01, 2024
I bought the Coleman Cascade 3-in-1 Camp Stove before moving into a converted van, and I use it almost daily.
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A good—no, an excellent—camp stove is a must-have item for every type of camper. Whether you’re a car camper staying in established campgrounds, a campervan traveler scooping up dry camping spots in National Forests, or a backpacker sleeping in primitive wilderness sites, you need a way to prepare food. Cold-soaked oatmeal and jerky just doesn’t cut it all the time.
When I bought a campervan in 2023 and set out on an adventure with no time limit, I knew from the start that a top-tier camp stove was high on my priority gear list. I’d gotten away with cheap, single-burner models in the past, but knowing I was going to cook my every meal outside of my van for the foreseeable future meant I had to invest in a great one.
Naturally, I turned to Coleman, because the brand is by-and-large synonymous with camping. I researched a few models and ultimately decided on the Coleman Cascade 3-in-1 camp stove, partly because it includes all of my nonnegotiable features and partly because it was available at my local Academy store.
Ahead, I share everything I love about the Coleman Cascade camp stove after using it almost daily for seven months—and the very few things I’d change about it.
What is the Coleman Camp Stove?
The Coleman Cascade camp stove is a 3-in-1 dual-burner camp stove that comes with two cooktops: a cast iron grill and a cast iron flat griddle. You can also use any other type of pot, pan, or cooktop on the cast iron cooking grate.
With 24,000 BTUs of total cooking power, the Cascade camp stove is capable of making any meal a camp meal, which is why I highly recommend it. I’ve been living in a converted camper van for seven months and plan to live in it for many more, so having a highly functional and versatile camp stove (like having good camping storage boxes and good hiking boots) is a must.
The Cascade allows me to cook most of the meals I’d cook living in a house or apartment; usually, if I choose not to cook a certain something, it’s because I don’t want to deal with the related cleanup—not because the Cascade can’t handle it.
AMANDA CAPRITTO/FAMILY HANDYMAN
We Tried It
Coleman Cascade Camping Stove
Coleman Camp Stove Features
Instead of just dishing out praise for my favorite-ever camp stove, let’s look at the features so you can decide if it’s the right portable stove for you.
Propane-Fueled
The Cascade 3-in-1 stove runs on propane—and propane only. Don’t try to use it with a butane-propane mix or butane. It works with 16-ounce propane canisters, AKA the small green ones available at most outdoor stores. It is not designed to be used with larger propane tanks.
Two Burners
With two burners, you can cook your main dish and your side dish simultaneously, a luxury for any camper who has used a single-burner camp stove. The Cascade comfortably fits two 10-inch pots or pans next to each other; a 12-inch and a 10-inch pan can squeeze.
Dual Cast Iron Cooktops
The Cascade comes with both a cast iron grill cooktop and a cast iron griddle cooktop. The griddle is excellent for frying eggs, toasting bread, making quesadillas, and generally making any meal that cooks best on a flat surface. The grill is ideal for cooking meats. I’ve used it for steaks, pork chops, burgers, and kabobs.
24,000 BTUs
The stove is quite powerful, running at a maximum of 24,000 BTUs. I rarely run the stove at maximum capacity; I’ve only needed to in extremely cold temperatures (near or below freezing). For most meals, I find the low-to-medium settings sufficient.
Automatic Ignition
You won’t need a lighter handy for the Cascade 3-in-1: Flames appear at the click of the automatic igniter. In seven months of near-daily use (and often using the stove multiple times per day), I’ve had zero issues with the igniter.
Easy-Carry Handle and Regulator Storage
There’s a built-in handle on the bottom of the stove body, making it easy to carry around in one hand. The design also features built-in storage for the regulator, so it stays safe and doesn’t rattle around or get lost.
Removable Cast Iron Grate
The cast iron cooking grate on the Cascade stove comes off as a single piece, which is convenient and makes for easy access to the stove body for cleaning. However, I’ve found that the stove can still be quite hard to clean. There are several nooks and crannies that small food bits and oils can get stuck in, and the grate itself is a bit cumbersome to scrub.
Aluminum Body
The body of the stove is made of aluminum. It’s rather durable, which I learned after a gust of wind in wintery New Mexico blew down the table my stove was perched on. (No dings or malfunctions!). The aluminum is easy to wipe down, except for the parts that are hard to reach as mentioned above.
Wind Screens
When in use, the stove has three windscreens: The lid that flips up, plus two small screens that fold out to either side. These are also made of aluminum and do an okay job of blocking wind from affecting the flames. If I could ask Coleman to fix one thing in a future model of this stove, I’d ask for more robust wind protection. It’s sufficient in most cases, but in cold, windy weather, expect to be frustrated.
Flat-Fold Design
The Cascade stove folds flat when not in use. This makes it incredibly easy to store. I slide mine into the above-cab storage shelf in my van and still have room to store other things on top of and around it.
How We Tested It
I’ve been using the Coleman Cascade 3-in-1 Camp Stove for seven months at the time of writing. I use it almost daily while traveling and living out of my converted camper van. I’ve used it to make:
- Coffee (pretty much every morning)
- Hot tea and hot chocolate
- Popcorn
- Soup and gumbo
- Jambalaya
- Burgers
- Breakfast scrambles
- Burritos
- Pizza
- Steaks
- Pork chops
- Various pastas
- And probably more that I can’t remember!
In addition to using the included cast iron griddle and grill with the stove, I’ve used a 10-inch cast iron Dutch oven, nonstick pans, stainless steel pots and pans, and a ceramic-coated Dutch oven. I’ve also used the cooking surface directly to toast bread and warm tortillas.
This stove has come along with me from Miami, Florida to Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories, Canada at the shore of the Arctic Ocean. It has performed exceedingly well in various weather conditions, from below-freezing temperatures to sunny and 75. I’ve also used it at altitudes ranging from sea level to above 9,000 feet, and considering the usual deviations in cooking times associated with altitude, it has exceeded my expectations.
Notably, winter winds in New Mexico once blew over the table that my Coleman stove was perched on; it took a rather hard tumble, but I never noticed any performance detriments or even cosmetic damage. (OK, so there is some cosmetic damage at this point, but not as a direct result of its perilous fall.) Ten points to Coleman for durability!
While I test a lot of gear to eventually review it, this Coleman camp stove review is happenstance. I bought the stove with my own money because I needed a good portable stove for van life, and several months after the fact, I decided I ought to review it. All that to say: You can trust that this review is the product of a genuine experience with the product.
Pros
- Two burners
- Automatic ignition (no lighter needed)
- Comes with cast iron grill and griddle
- 24,000 BTUs total cooking power
- Works with most 16-ounce propane canisters
- Lightweight and easy to carry
- Integrated storage for the fuel regulator
- Durable build
- Works well with all types of pots and pans
- Flat build is easy to store
Cons
- Average wind resistance—could be better
- Relatively heavy
- Nooks and crannies are hard to clean
FAQ
Can I hook up a 20-pound propane tank to a Coleman stove?
No, Coleman camp stoves are designed to be used with 16-ounce (1 pound) small propane tanks. There are adapters available that may allow you to use larger propane tanks with Coleman camp stoves, but it is not recommended by the manufacturer.
Is it safe to use a Coleman stove in the house?
It’s not recommended to use any propane or butane stove indoors. Coleman camp stoves are designed for use outdoors or in extremely well-ventilated areas. Burning propane gas releases carbon monoxide, a gas that can build up in the bloodstream and cause a life-threatening emergency. Follow the instructions on the owner’s manual of your Coleman camp stove to ensure you’re using it safely.
Can a Coleman stove boil water?
Yes, a Coleman stove can boil water. The Coleman Cascade camp stove is extremely efficient at boiling water. I use it almost every morning to make coffee; it boils water in a kettle in a matter of minutes. Different Coleman stoves will have different boiling times; boiling times are also affected by temperature, altitude and wind.
What Other Reviewers Had to Say
Customer reviews and reviews by other gear testers of the Coleman Cascade 3-in-1 Camp Stove are largely positive. Gear testers praised the Cascade for simmering efficiency, durability, and portability while criticizing the could-be-better wind resistance. Some gear testers complained about the slow boiling time, but I don’t personally agree with that; my experience has been that the stove is efficient at boiling water.
Customer reviews indicate that buyers love the Cascade for its sturdiness and durability, as well as the multifunctional cast iron cooktops and dual burners. They love that it lights easily and that the cast iron grill and griddle come with a carrying bag to keep them in good condition (and keep oil or cast iron conditioner off of other items in your cabinet).
Coleman Camp Stove vs Eureka
The Eureka Ignite is another popular automatic ignition, dual-burner camp stove. It’s strikingly similar to the Coleman Cascade—it even has a similar appearance, down to the color. The Ignite is slightly less powerful than the Cascade with 20,000 total BTUs (10,000 per burner). It also works with 16-ounce propane canisters.
Where the Eureka Ignite exceeds in performance compared to the Coleman Cascade is in wind resistance. The design of the Ignite is much more square, and the side windscreens are much larger. A friend of mine has the Eureka Ignite stove, and we’ve used it dozens of times when camping together. It most definitely blocks the wind better than the Coleman Cascade does.
One notable difference between the two stoves is the cooking grate. The Cascade features a robust cast iron cooking grate, while the Ignite features a stainless steel grate that’s lighter but slightly less stable to use, in my opinion. That is, the cast iron grate on the Cascade feels stickier (in a good way) and it’s difficult for pots or pans to slide around.
All in all, though, the cooking experience is very similar on the two stoves. You can’t go wrong with either option. If budget is a factor, the Eureka Ignite is less expensive by about $85.
Final Verdict
I highly recommend the Coleman Cascade 3-in-1 camp stove for car campers and van campers. Individuals traveling in a class A or class C RV may already have a sufficient stove inside their rig, but I’d still recommend the Cascade for outdoor cooking. After using this stove almost every day for seven months, I’ve found it to be highly capable of cooking a variety of meals, quick to boil water, and easy to use and store. I wish it had better windscreens and was easier to clean, but overall, I give it two thumbs up.
Where to Buy the Coleman Camp Stove
AMANDA CAPRITTO/FAMILY HANDYMAN
We Tried It
Coleman Cascade Camping Stove
The Coleman Cascade 3-in-1 Camp Stove is available at most outdoor retailers. You can likely find it in person at Academy Sports & Outdoors, Dick’s Sporting Goods, REI, Cabela’s, and Bass Pro Shops. Online, it’s available at many of those retailers and on Amazon.
Originally Published: July 01, 2024
