In order to be able to cook nice meals and have a functional kitchen you are going to want to have a stove. But having a stove in a van means you need to heat the stove whether it be propane or electric. That can easily impact both your van layout and your build. This post goes through the pros and cons of a fixed stove vs. a portable camp stove to help you decide which is the best van life stove for you and your build!
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This decision might be easy for you if you only plan on eating peanut butter sandwiches in your van. Or on the flip side if you’re a chef and can’t live without a really nice stove and oven. We were somewhere in the middle. We really wanted our van layout to function well long term and included in that was how we could use the kitchen. So we looked at some fixed stove top options but ultimately the installation of it deterred us. Not to mention the hefty price tag to comes along with a fixed stove. On the flip side though we didn’t want to feel like we were camping every day. Here are some pros and cons of both and which one we ultimately chose!
Portable Camp Stoves
There are a lot of different options for portable camp stoves. You can find single burners or double burners. Some use small canisters of butane while others run off propane.
We have this 2 burner portable propane camp stove. We chose a 2 burner stove because we wanted to have the ability to cook 2 things at the same time. Having only 1 burner would limit the way we could cook and honestly end in us eating less vegetables. We are really happy with this one! This single burner option is really similar and also smaller to store because it’s almost half the size!
Here’s a breakdown of the pros and cons of a portable camp stove. This will hopefully help you decide if this option is right for you!
Pros of a Portable Camp Stove
Portable Camp Stoves Are Inexpensive!
Portable camp stoves are inexpensive! You can find one for anywhere from $20-$100. Places like REI, Camping World, Amazon and even Walmart all sell options for camp stoves making it really easy to find one. So a portable camp stove is definitely a budget friendly option!
- As well canisters of butane and propane are incredibly affordable! One Coleman propane canister usually costs us about $4 dollars at Walmart. That usually lasts us about 3 weeks of cooking every day.
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So Much Counter Space
Because it’s portable it means that it doesn’t stay on the countertop all the time. When you’re not using it you definitely want a dedicated place to store it so it doesn’t move while you drive.
That leaves so much open counter space! Not having a fixed stove means you can use that counter space for whatever. And then when you want to cook on the stove you can just make a spot to use it!
We love having so much of our countertops cleared off. It makes the kitchen area feel so much larger. It also makes it a lot easier when we’re cooking because we can choose where to put the stove and where to cut food items or prepare other ingredients.
You Don’t Need to Run Propane Lines in Your Van
One of the biggest advantages to having a portable camp stove is that it doesn’t require any work to install. You buy the stove, a canister of propane or butane and you’re good to go! You don’t need to run propane lines or anything like that in your van.
- It makes the stove set up so much quicker and easier! If you’re building out your van on a tight timeline this might be a big factor for you!
Folds up Easily to Store Away
Storing anything in a small space is tricky and it’s especially hard if it’s a large item. If it’s something you use frequently you want it to be easily accessible otherwise it’s annoying to take out every day. Our stove has legs that fold up to keep the stove closed and also make it easier to store! The back and sides fold up and down to catch any messes while you’re cooking and then make the top of the stove when you’re ready to put it away.
- It’s really well designed in order for it to be stored away!
- We store ours in a drawer above our fridge. It fits perfectly with a long, thin container next to it with the propane connector, lighter, spatula, knifes, and a few other cooking items.
If you choose to have a portable stove top you definitely want a dedicated space to store it. It should be somewhere close to the kitchen that doesn’t require moving 27 other things in order to get to it. Otherwise it becomes really inconvenient and you might find yourself not wanting to use it.
- If you store it with stuff on top make sure to use these nonslip mats! We put the stove, the mats and then our pan on top and it doesn’t fall or make a lot of noise while we’re driving!
You Can Cook Outside
Ideally we would stay at amazing camp sites every night where we can have our doors open and nothing but nature and beautiful views around us. Obviously that’s not always the case and we do frequent a good ole Walmart or Cracker Barrel parking lot every now and then. But when we are in really good spots a portable stove can be brought outside to cook outside! It’s really nice when you’re cooking something especially fragrant. Or if it’s a really nice night and you want to enjoy the outdoors more!
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Cons of portable camp stove
As with everything there are always a few cons. Here are the cons of having a portable camp stove in your van.
Have to Move it & Set it up every day
While it’s awesome to have all that extra counter space it does mean that you need to move the stove every day. In order to cook you need to take it out and set it up. Then when you’re done cooking you need to put it away. So if that daily set up is going to drive you crazy a portable camp stove might not be for you.
This is something that we thought would definitely begin to wear on us after a while. But it surprisingly hasn’t! It doesn’t feel like that big of a deal to have to take it out and put it away every day. It’s something that we’ve just gotten used to and feels normal now.
Requires a Little More Effort to Cook
Because you have to take the portable camp stove out it requires a little more effort to cook. So if you want to heat something up quickly or make a piece of toast it can sometimes feel like a big ordeal just to heat up a piece of bread. I won’t lie there definitely are times where I do feel like that. Especially on days when I know we’re leaving so I know we have to be quick and then put everything away. But we’ve also gotten used to some things just taking a little bit longer in the van. A stove is definitely not the only one so it’s something you just adapt to.
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Requires Buying Propane (or Butane) Canisters vs Having a large Propane Container in the Van
Having a portable camp stove means you need to buy small canisters of propane or butane. A Coleman propane canister lasts us about 3 weeks of cooking every day. They’re not expensive and are easy to find at places like Walmart. We’ve actually never had a problem finding them which is nice! But it does mean that you need to buy those most often because they don’t last extremely long. A fixed stove means you likely have a larger propane container that might be able to last you a few months.
- If the smaller canisters were hard to find we would say this is a big disadvantage but because they are so easy to buy this really isn’t a con for us at all!
Fixed Stoves
A fixed stove because it is mounted on the counter top similar to how a cooktop is mounted in a traditional house kitchen. There are two main options that we have seen in vans. Getting a propane stove that uses propane that is stored somewhere in the van or having an induction stove that uses electricity to heat it.
- A third option that is a little different is a stove and oven combo. If you are an avid baker or someone you really wants an oven this is an option. It’s definitely more expensive and physically larger to fit. But it does give you more options in terms of how you can cook in your van!
Here are some of the pros and cons of having a fixed stove in your van. After looking through the pros and cons of both stove options hopefully you can identify which one has more advantages for you and your van!
Pros of Fixed Stove
No Daily Set Up
With a fixed stove there is no daily set up in order to use the stove. It’s on your counter top so all you need to do is light it or turn it on and you’re ready to cook! It means there is one less step involved in cooking within your van. So if daily set up of things like cooking is not for you then a fixed stove is probably your kind of set up!
- This means that no matter where you are parked if you’re in a rush or not you can easily cook something!
Aesthetically a Fixed Stove Looks Nice!
A fixed stove definitely looks nice aesthetically. It makes the kitchen area look like a legit kitchen. For us in such a small space function wins out over aesthetics because we need the van to function well first before we think too much about how it looks. But if this is important to you there is no debate a fixed stove looks a lot nicer than a portable camp stove does!
Fixed Stoves Feel More like Cooking in a Traditional House
Cooking on a fixed stove definitely feels more like you’re cooking in a traditional house. There is no set up similar to a traditional house kitchen. You just take out your pan and whatever you’re cooking and get started. It just depends on if you’re okay with your van feeling like a van or if it’s important to you for it to feel like a traditional house.
- I will say I was worried it would feel like we were always camping when using our portable camping stove. But it really doesn’t! Yes, it’s an extra step to take it out but then once it’s out it feels completely normal to use it to actually cook food. So if you can get past the initial set up then it does feel similar to cooking in a traditional house!
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Cons of Fixed Stove
Fixed Stoves Take up a Lot of Counter Space
While on one hand no daily set up is nice it does mean that a certain amount of your counter space will always be taken up by the stove. That will leave you with less open counter space to prep food and use other appliances like a kettle or anything else you might have.
It’s also going to impact your overall kitchen layout. Because you need a specific amount of space for the stove to be. Then you need it to be relatively close (or at least able to be connected) to the propane canister (if you’re using propane) to heat it.
- For us in our 148 wheelbase Ford Transit we didn’t feel like we had enough space in our kitchen area to give up that much counter space to a fixed stove. If we had a longer wheelbase with a larger kitchen we might consider it more. So definitely think about the overall size of your van, your ideal kitchen layout and how you want to be able to use that space.
Fixed Stoves Are More Expensive
This was one of the biggest reasons we did not end up choosing a fixed stove. Our portable camp stove cost $60 when we bought it which is pretty affordable! Many of the popular fixed stove options for vans cost anywhere from $150-500. Additionally you need a large canister of propane (if you’re using propane) as well as lines for the stove to run no matter if it’s propane powered or an induction cooktop that has to be connected to your electrical system.
If you buy a single burner portable camp stove it can cost you only about $20. So you can spend a fraction of the cost by getting a portable camp stove than if you choose to have a fixed stove. If you’re trying to do your van build on a budget this might be a large factor for you.
- It’s worth mentioning that you can always upgrade to a fixed stove top. If you start out with a portable camp stove (because it’s less expensive and requires no installation) but realize you hate putting it away every day then you can modify your kitchen to install a fixed stove. You would need to cut a hole to drop the stove into. But it’s a lot easier to upgrade that way than to install a fixed stove to start and then decide it’s not worth it because then you’re left with a big hole in your countertop.
More Installation Required with Fixed Stoves
No matter if you choose an induction or propane stove it requires more installation than a portable camp stove. To simply put it on the counter means you need to cut a hole in your countertop for it to fit and secure it. Then if it’s propane you need to run propane lines in order for it to heat up. If it’s an induction hookup you need to connect it to your electrical system and ensure you have enough power to use it regularly.
If you have experience (especially with propane) than this might be no big deal to you. We were a little apprehensive about running propane lines in our van. But we have seen so many people that have fixed stoves and have done it safely so that’s not to say that it’s impossible. But if you do attempt it definitely do your research prior to installation!
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Requires Storing a Larger Propane Container in your Van Layout
A fixed stove that runs on propane means you are going to need to store a large propane container in your van. This is going to greatly impact your van layout. Those containers are pretty big for a relatively small space so it’s best if you can plan around storing that when you are deciding on your layout. It should also be secured and vented so it’s safe and won’t move around while you drive.
In our shorter wheelbase we’re not sure where we would store a large propane container. We have our 2 6-gallon fresh water containers and 5-gallon grey water container underneath our sink so it would have to go in one of the benches. Which would just mean we have less space to store items such as camp chairs and our hiking gear such as backpacks. So for our specific van and our layout it would be hard to fit it along with all the other things we want to have.
Hopefully after going through the pros and cons of both a portable camp stove and a fixed stove you have a better sense of which one is right for you and your van. It depends on a lot of factors such as your cooking habits, the size of your van, and what’s important to you! So ultimately make sure to choose whatever will work best for you! If you live in a van, bus or RV we would love to know which option you chose and why!
