Liquid-fuel camping stoves

If you live in a climate comfortable for outdoor cooking, a suitcase-style dual-burner liquid fuel (i.e. white gas) camping stove will prove versatile and rugged. I own a vintage Coleman 425 that was a gift from my father-in-law. My wife's family used this stove back in the 1970s on car camping trips, and it still works terrifically. It’s easy to light, and easily accommodates larger pots and pans.

The caveat with these is that the fumes are horrible, which isn’t a problem out of doors, but you’d better have some kind of powerful active ventilation if you’re going to use one indoors. If the power’s out, outside goes this stove.

Smaller white gas backpacking stoves, and miniature canister stoves all have the same problem to varying degrees, and I really don’t feel comfortable using them indoors at all, even with a window cracked. They’re a great backup option, but I’ll only use them in the great outdoors of my patio.