Camp Chef Vs Partner Stoves

Jeff Knoll

Adventurist
Researching stoves for my Charlie Truck build and I see most people rave about their Partner Stoves. Camp Chef has a wide selection of models including what looks like a Partner Stove knockoff.

What am I missing? Why is Partner so popular? A couple of the Camp Chef offers twice the BTU's.

Keep in mind I have a utility bed and it is already a big girl, so a few pounds saving is not going to make the truck look good in yoga pants.

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Partner Stove

Price: $265.00
Features

  • Includes Lid
  • Half the weight of other stoves
  • 10,000 BTUs
  • High grade aluminum
  • Rust Free
  • Dimensions - 12" x 18"
  • Weight - 12lbs

Link

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Camp Chef Mountaineer $199.99

Features/Specifications:

Aluminum design is both lightweight and durable
Rust-resistant
Matchless ignition
Convenient carry handle
Folding, three-sided windscreen
Suitcase-style latching lid
Bulk tank regulator and 5-ft hose included
Fully adjustable heat-control knobs
Two 20,000 BTU burners
Cooking area: 12.5" x 24 " (302 sq. in. total)
Closed dimensions: 25.25" x 13.75" x 5.25"
Made in America

Link

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Camp Chef Everest Price: $99.92

Size: 4.25" H x 23.5" W x 13.5" L


Convenient Carry Handle
Two 20,000 BTU burners
Stainless Steel Drip Tray for Easy Clean Up
Dimensions: 13.5" L x 23.5" W x 4" H
High power for fast, efficient cooking
  • Two 20,000 BTU burners.
  • Three-sided wind barrier.
  • Fully adjustable heat-control dials.
  • Matchless ignition.
  • Stainless steel drip tray for easy cleanup.
  • Powerful burners fight windy conditions.
  • Emergency preparedness recommended.
  • Convenient carry handle.
  • Regulator adaptor for a 1-lb propane cylinder included.(Adapter hose available for the Bulk bottle around $25.00)
  • Dimensions: 13.5 inch L x 23.5 inch W x 4 inch H.
  • Total output: 40,000 BTU/hr.
  • Weight: 12 lbs.
Link

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Camp Chef Ranger II $94.99

FEATURES:
  • Compact size for camping
  • Lightweight design for easy transport
  • Cast aluminum burner
  • 17,000 BTUs
  • Fully adjustable heat control dials
  • Includes regulator and 5’ hose
  • Total output: 34,000 BTUs/hr (17,000 each burner)
  • Dimensions: 12.5”L x 19.5”W x 5”H
  • Burner grate dimensions: 8” x 8”
  • Weight: 15 lbs
  • Model: BS40C
Link


And then I stumbled onto this. I am sure the wife will like the idea of an oven, I am pretty sure this won't fit in the location I have planned for the cooktop but I am including this for conversation. No that's not me.

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Camp Chef Delux Oven
$199.99

From cooking up a hearty breakfast skillet to baking fresh cinnamon rolls, the possibilities are endless when you bring the Camp Chef Deluxe Outdoor Camping Oven and 2-Burner Stove.
Perfect for camping, emergency preparedness, or virtually any outdoor adventure! It features two 7,500 BTU brass range burners and a 3,000 BTU oven capable of power up to 400°F, letting you take all the cooking capabilities of a home oven and range with you wherever you go.

Features and Benefits:

  • 3,000 BTU oven heats up to 400°F and easily fits 9” x 13” pan inside
  • Great for baking muffins, casseroles, Dutch oven dishes and more
  • Two 7,5000 BTU brass range burners for portable stove top cooking
  • Quick-and-easy matchless ignition
  • Non-stick enamel cooking surface for high-performance cooking
  • Fully adjustable heat-control dials help you cook with the right heat/power
  • Insulated, efficient oven box plus built-in oven heat gauge to monitor and bake meals to perfection
  • Folding lid provides 3-sided windscreen protection
  • Durable stainless steel construction
  • Compact size with convenient carry handles for easy transportation and storage
  • Powered by disposable 1-lb. propane bottle, or bulk tank using bulk tank hose adapter (all not included)

Link
 
I’ve had one of the large iron Camp Chef stoves when I had room for one. It worked as expected but weighed a ton and was not very space efficient. I haven’t had one of the models you show above so I can’t comment on those. I replaced it with a Partner Steel stove and absolutely loved it. It was significantly higher quality, worked perfectly, and was very finely adjustable, also space efficient and bomb proof.

I happen to be in the market again at this point for another vehicle and just purchased another Partner Steel stove. Asked on my experience with my first, I didn’t consider any other option.
 
Because PSS are bomb proof - a stove you're kids will give to their children. High quality and workmanship coming together to provided a superior product that I call my filed microwave, in that it heats so efficiently an quickly. The other samples you offered are just not as efficient or durable in the long haul if you use your stove on a frequent basis. Even the knock-off you cited has design flaws that I see in the picture you will grow to regret. The PSS has worked for me in all conditions and even served as a field expedient tent heater in a really bad cold snap. Best $ I've spent - buy once, cry once.
 
I got the Camp Chef Oven for my 1st fathers day, I've made more things in it than I thought I would in the past 5 years
, it is bulky and not the best stove out there ,but I love it, mine came with a griddle from Costco and it's red
. It's nice to keep things warm in the oven , when your still cooking
 
It really depends on your needs.

As far as the Partner Steel stoves are concerned, they come in several smaller sizes in terms of footprint. The burners themselves are advertised as 10,000 btu, but tbh, burners in many homes are in the 7,500 btu range which is enough to make world class chili. There're some rumors that they're underrated, but if you ever wanted more power out of these stoves, you could just swap out the low pressure regulator for a high pressure regulator and open it up a bit.

These stoves are quite amazing (having cooked on several but not owned, I'm doing a custom solution), flame control is great and you can use them to make sauces and stuff for a real glamping trip. Partner Steel is also pretty cool too because they will sell you individual parts like just the burners in case you want to build your own enclosure for something not as large in terms of thickness or if you just want the burners because you want something to fit under your fridge. High School Metal shop skills are really all you need to fabricate something to house the burners.

You're paying for the flexibility, while the Camp Chef is the better deal, esp if you see it on sale, it might not as easily fit into a vehicle system you have planned.
 
I've got the Camp Chef Everest (the red one pictured above). I haven't had it long enough to speak to longevity, but I'm happy so far. It's definitely not up to the quality of construction that Partner puts out, or even the old Coleman stoves we grew up with. But its as good or better than the new Coleman's I've seen. Not a factor so far. I'm not going to be rafting down the Grand Canyon with it. Heat output is epic, but it throttles down just fine for simmering or whatever other gourmet intentions you have. If your risotto is not cooked correctly, it won't be the stove's fault. You also won't have to wait very long for your coffee in the morning. I have heard that the push-button igniters don't last. We haven't had any trouble yet, and it's a nice feature while it holds up. We use it when camping and when cooking out in the back yard so that one person is not banished to the kitchen. It does go through propane quickly, but that may be a symptom of how I am using it rather than the efficiency of the burner. I can press the throttle to 20,000 btu. When I do, it burns fuel at that rate. If I backed it off to half that, it would presumably burn a lot less fuel. I don't get out often enough that it's a factor.

Downsides :

(1) The new models (like mine) have plastic latches. No problems so far, but it feels cheap.
(2) There isn't really a carrying handle. There's a recess in the bottom for your fingers, but it doesn't balance right and feels awkward. I have a $2 hardware store handle on my bench to fix that problem.
(3) It's very shallow. Dad used to have an old Coleman that was a little thicker, but had room to put a propane bottle or two inside. I preferred that form factor, but that stove disappeared somewhere over the years. With the Camp Chef, I have to find another spot for the bottles.
 
Updated info on my personal debate over which camp stove to purchase. I should add, that for the last 15 plus years we have had the luxury of a stove built into our Lance camper for family camping that handled our cast iron. For the wife and I when we do minimalist camping we have had a Jetboil for over 10 years that has been incredible.
We ordered the CampChef Mountaineer from Backcountry.com and it showed up the next day. It took all but 2 minutes for me to realize this stove would not meet expectation. The gauge of material the stove is built out of is O2thin. I don't see how it could possibly hold up.
PartnerStove it is. The wife does have some concerns about the lower BTU rating on the partner, so we will see if it meets her expectation. She wanted the switch to a Soto stove, but it was simply too big for the location I plan to store the stove.
 
Updated info on my personal debate over which camp stove to purchase. I should add, that for the last 15 plus years we have had the luxury of a stove built into our Lance camper for family camping that handled our cast iron. For the wife and I when we do minimalist camping we have had a Jetboil for over 10 years that has been incredible.
We ordered the CampChef Mountaineer from Backcountry.com and it showed up the next day. It took all but 2 minutes for me to realize this stove would not meet expectation. The gauge of material the stove is built out of is O2thin. I don't see how it could possibly hold up.
PartnerStove it is. The wife does have some concerns about the lower BTU rating on the partner, so we will see if it meets her expectation. She wanted the switch to a Soto stove, but it was simply too big for the location I plan to store the stove.
I think you both will be satisfied with the output of the PSS. Actually I can't imagine what your wife is accustomed to cooking with, regarding BTU output. Perhaps a Pratt & Whitney F100 military jet engine? :D

My experience with the PSS output has been greater than my expectation... in fact I refer to it as my field microwave, it heats so quickly. I've actually had to adjust my food preparation and my level of attention just to keep up with how quickly it cooks, since I normally use an electric stove at home.

I refer to it as a "legacy" piece of camping equipment. Its sturdy construction and durable components will outlast me and I'm sure my children, and their children, will fight over who gets it. :thumbsup
 
I think you both will be satisfied with the output of the PSS. Actually I can't imagine what your wife is accustomed to cooking with, regarding BTU output. Perhaps a Pratt & Whitney F100 military jet engine? :D

My experience with the PSS output has been greater than my expectation... in fact I refer to it as my field microwave, it heats so quickly. I've actually had to adjust my food preparation and my level of attention just to keep up with how quickly it cooks, since I normally use an electric stove at home.

I refer to it as a "legacy" piece of camping equipment. Its sturdy construction and durable components will outlast me and I'm sure my children, and their children, will fight over who gets it. :thumbsup

This is what I use at home.



This is what I use when camping:

 
Those are impressive units. I see you embrace the concept of, "go big or go home". :wow

I hate to be blunt but I think of you're accustomed to the output of those units then you'll likely be disappointed with the PSS.
 
Those are impressive units. I see you embrace the concept of, "go big or go home". :wow

I hate to be blunt but I think of you're accustomed to the output of those units then you'll likely be disappointed with the PSS.

I have a Kovea KGB-1312 running on propane, so BTUs are in the 20k range. I just use the Snow Peak as a secondary system. It creates a lot of smoke when cooking so it needs to be away from everything anyway.

The wife does have some concerns about the lower BTU rating on the partner, so we will see if it meets her expectation. She wanted the switch to a Soto stove, but it was simply too big for the location I plan to store the stove.

swap out the low pressure regulator for a high pressure one and just tune it to what she needs.

*dusting hands off*
 
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our Camp Chef Everest is a good stove reliable, I can not say much about the matchless ignition system it's not very good so we use a clicker lighter to lite the burners, but what I can say about the stove is the 2 20,000 btu burners that adjust to low flame heat to high w\o any issues or problems is one asset I like about this stove. It's a easy clean up stove were it comes apart easily for clean up. I liked the Camp Chef stove a lot I bought their single burner dual fuel stove too. I heard good things about the Partner Stoves we just chosen the Camp Chef over the Partner.
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Because PSS are bomb proof - a stove you're kids will give to their children. High quality and workmanship coming together to provided a superior product that I call my filed microwave, in that it heats so efficiently an quickly. The other samples you offered are just not as efficient or durable in the long haul if you use your stove on a frequent basis. Even the knock-off you cited has design flaws that I see in the picture you will grow to regret. The PSS has worked for me in all conditions and even served as a field expedient tent heater in a really bad cold snap. Best $ I've spent - buy once, cry once.
X2
 
I got the Camp Chef Oven for my 1st fathers day, I've made more things in it than I thought I would in the past 5 years
, it is bulky and not the best stove out there ,but I love it, mine came with a griddle from Costco and it's red
. It's nice to keep things warm in the oven , when your still cooking

I can second that. I think your stove is great especially all that food you have made for us out on the trail!!
 
We just started replacing coleman and campchef stoves with PSS on our Scout troop. The ability to take out the stove top and burners to clean the stove is just short of magic. What we see fail first on most stoves is the fuel line connector, on the PSS stoves it is fully supported by a welded in tab.

Mike
 
Here's a great article on BTUs that may help dispel the belief that the higher the BTU for a camp stove burner, the better:
Decoding BTUs: How Much Cooking Power Do You Really Need?

As mentioned above in this thread, the average home gas burner is 7-8,000 BTU. Having a two burner camp stove in that range or a bit higher (we are cooking mostly outside) is going to do what we all want to do.

The Coleman burner used under the popular Skottle is 10,000 BTU.

A lot of higher BTU burners are meant for higher power jobs, not simmering, making soups and chilis, or pancakes and bacon & eggs, etc, though if they can be adjusted low enough, can be used for that. If you primarily do a lot of wok/stir-fry and searing, quick hot cooking, higher BTUs are helpful.

If you love cooking in general, and enjoy cooking for others and entertaining, having a mix of BTU output is great, like a two burner camp stove and an additional high output (12-15,000 BTU) side burner like discussed in the duel-fuel single burner thread.

I LOVE my Partner 22, said to be two 10,000 BTU burners. After having used it steadily for over two years and more than 600 nights out in all sorts of weather and environments, I have absolutely no complaints. Ease of use, adjustability from low simmer to high searing, ruggedness, and ease of cleaning are all top-notch. I rarely crank the burners to 10, and usually use it about halfway.

It's better than any other stove I've owned in over 50 years of camping, and has been more than up to the task of cooking everything I've wanted to cook.

The griddle they sell (bottom image) is rock-solid, too, and does a great job on everything from bacon, eggs, and pancakes to searing steaks and salmon, grilling veggies, whatever. I had a Coghlan griddle that worked for a while, then warped. Was a pain in the ass to cook with.

I consider both my Partner items to be legacy pieces, as @TangoBlue mentioned above, that both my kid and her kid will enjoy long after I'm gone.

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..
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I've gotta say, I don't really get the partner steel obsession. The biggest issue for me is the BTUs. I get that 10k is more (way more) than enough indoors or in calm weather, but it's totally inadequate for high wind. Even with a wind screen, you could be looking at 20 minutes to boil water for coffee. You could be literally incapable of searing meat. If PS is supposed to be the best of the best, then I think it should have enough power to deal with harsh conditions.

I have no doubt that the stove is high quality, but there are lots of incredibly reliable stoves, which isn't surprising because it's a super simple device. There's just not a lot to screw up. To me, the quality seems to be largely an aesthetic issue. It has a lot of steel, and the fit and finish are very clean. It just looks great. But is it really going to work that much better than a Coleman?
 
I guess the main obsession with PSS is that it uses common stove parts and easy to repair. Replacement parts are cheap and easy to find. 2 needle valves, $9.00. Replacement stainless burner, $10.00. 2 valve knobs, $5.00. Burner mixing tube, $15.00 short, $19.00 long. Getting to those parts to fix is easy too. That also makes it easier to clean.

But if you really want 20,000 BTU burners contact PSS and ask if they may make it for you. They'll also customize other parts too. More or less bars on the grill. Or, like they did for me, a longer hose so I can keep the propane tank on the Tacoma. I guess that's another reason for the obsession with PSS.
 
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