see also:

• bushwalking in Australia
• how not to get gastro or food poisoning when camping
• food for car camping on cold nights with a wood stove and pipe oven
• food for overnight bushwalks
• camp fires and fire restrictions
• gas or liquid fuel stoves for camping
• wood stoves for camping

• cooking is often one of the joys when camping - but for some, particularly minimalistic hikers, it can be just a simple task to get some nutrition

• see gas or liquid fuel stoves for camping

• these are perhaps the BEST option for most hikers
• easy, reliable, compact and light weight
• great for boiling water for drinks and rehydrating hiking packet foods, or for re-heating or cooking foods, and with a small fry pan will do your eggs and bacon and even a steak
• examples:
  • Soto Windburner - my favourite!
  • JetBoil
  • many other options

• these can be an option, especially in autumn or winter months when you would welcome the warmth
• BUT these are less reliable as you need dry firewood to be processed (hence you need a bushman's knife or axe), fire starter and a iron pot to boil water over it and perhaps a fry pan
• an option is also the tiny foldable titanium stoves designed for burning small twigs

• great in winter conditions to also give you warmth but they do weigh a few kgs and you still need firewood and gear
• see wood stoves for camping

• these can be useful for long multi-day through hikes as you can carry just the amount of fuel you might need whereas a gas stove requires a number of cartridges which will weigh more
• eg. traditional Trangia stove

• these give you lots of fuel options including gas cartridge, kerosene, alcohol but do have a learning curve in how to use them safely

• whilst you can use the above hiking stove options, having a car nearby means you can use heavier gear with more versatility and capacity

• this is particularly for those with LP propane gas bottles (these require correct transportation - always upright and external to your vehicle)
• see gas or liquid fuel stoves for camping

• great for those wanting to do a roast on a rotisserie
• NOT permitted during fire ban restrictions as counts as a “solid fuel” fire
• MUST never be used in enclosed spaces as very high risk of carbon monoxide poisoning - the silent camp killer

• this is the traditional favourite amongst die hard campers but does require the gear and the experience to get it right without burning the food or leaving the centre under-done
• obviously can only be used when permitted for fire ban restrictions
• generally requires a heavy, bulky Dutch oven

• a great option when fire restrictions allow it, especially if you have a hot tents (tents with wood stoves inside)
• see wood stoves for camping

• these are an option for keeping your pies warm while you are driving to your camp ground

• these are relatively new innovation but use a LOT of battery power although not any near as much as a 240V version
• https://aussieoffroad.com.au/products/rockarmor-12v-air-fryer 250W uses 18A and takes 55min to cook frozen chips

• these will rapidly drain your 12V battery!
  • a standard 100Ah 12V LiFePO4 battery only has 1200Wh - ie. it will last less than 1 hour of running at 1200W - need to also factor in the AC inverter is not 100% efficient!
• these are perhaps the best option for those with a caravan, lots of lithium battery capacity and solar generators
• a 1000W 12V-240V AC inverter will weigh about 2.3kg (500W weighs 1kg, 2000W weighs ~4.7kg)
• the battery will also need to have a sufficiently fast discharge rate to match the power (1200W will need at least 80A, 2400W will need at least 160A)
• the AC inverter should be well ventilated to prevent over-heating
• NB. a standard Anderson plus is only rated at 50A (ie. 600W) so you will generally be directly wiring the AC inverter to the battery terminals using a heavy duty cable
• NB. AC inverters designed for cigarette plugs can only output ~120W max.
• see AC inverters

• perhaps the best option for those with the gear to support it as an adjunct to the gas stove
• can be used on a Total Fire Ban day whereas wood stoves and portable gas BBQs generally are not permitted
• most are rated at 1200-2400W but these can be used with a 1500W AC inverter or even smaller inverter as long as not used at full power
• some are rated at 600W which are more suitable for camping without an extensive solar power system
• can run one at 600W (1Ah of 12V battery used per minute of use) to cook a steak which will generally require 2 minutes to get to 240degC then a further 8 minutes of cooking which equates to at least 10aH of battery consumed
  • eg. https://kickassproducts.com.au/products/kickass-quickfire-portable-600w-electric-bbq-induction-cooktop-combo-cooktop-bbq?variant=48884737704215&currency=AUD

• also use a lot of battery capacity