Everyone who goes camping wants great weather, but Mother Nature doesn’t always cooperate. However, with a little foresight in purchasing camping gear — like a hot tent stove — inclement weather need not spoil the adventure.
Of course, the purchase of a hot tent stove will also require the purchase of a “hot tent” that will safely vent smoke. Once you’ve made that decision, you’ll still face choices in picking the best hot tent stove for your camping and budget preferences.
Read on for some help in finding the hot tent stove that’s right for you. You’ll also find a buyer’s guide and answers to frequently asked questions.
Our Top Picks
Best Overall
Camp Chef Alpine Heavy-Duty Cylinder Stove
Budget Option
DOALBUN Outdoor Portable Wood Burning Stove
Premium Option
WINNERWELL Nomad View Large Tent Stove
Best Overall
Camp Chef Alpine Heavy Duty Cylinder Stove
Great performance at a reasonable price is the definition of “best overall.” Those terms perfectly define the Camp Chef Alpine Heavy Duty Cylinder Stove. That’s why it’s at the top of our list of hot tent stove recommendations.
The steel Camp Chef Alpine is heavy, weighing 73 pounds. That, of course, means you’ll need help getting it into a tent. But once it’s inside, the Alpine will bring toasty warmth to even the largest tents.
The Camp Chef Alpine features a large cooking surface capable of handling a couple of large pots or pans. Also, for convenience, the log grate, accessory shelves, spark arrestor, and legs of the Camp Chef Alpine are stored inside the stove cylinder.
Pros
- Large cooking surface
- Holds lots of wood
- Great for heating big tents
Cons
- Chimney may be difficult for some users to install
- Manufacturer recommendation for chimney cleaning is burdensome
- Smoke may be a problem in windy weather
Budget Option
DOALBUN Outdoor Portable Wood Burning Stove
If you’re looking for an affordable hot tent stove packed with features, the DOALBUN Outdoor Portable Wood Burning Stove is a worthy option.
The steel DOALBUN stove earns our recommendation as the best hot tent stove for budget-conscious campers for many reasons. For just one, its two stainless steel side shelves provide plenty of handy room for pots, pans, and kettles.
In addition, the DOALBUN stove’s heat-resistant front glass allows you to keep a close eye on how it is burning wood. And the adjustable door damper helps you adjust the stove’s heat output. The DOALBUN stove weighs less than 15 pounds, making it easy to transport and set up.
Finally, the DOALBUN stove is ideal for heating the interior of your tent. It’s capable of keeping a tent housing six campers comfortably warm on cold evenings.
Pros
- Well-designed and well-constructed
- Easy assembly
- No warping at high heat levels
Cons
- Burns wood too quickly
- Paint is not as durable as some users might expect
- Vent pipes may get stuck together
Premium Option
WINNERWELL Nomad View Large Tent Stove
Of course, the main reasons for having a tent stove are cooking and warmth. But there’s another reason, too — the ambiance a wood fire brings to camping.
With dual glass viewing windows, the WINNERWELL Nomad View Large Tent Stove provides a full panorama of your fire. But that’s just one reason it is our recommendation as the premium hot tent stove.
Looking further at the WINNERWELL, you’ll discover it includes dual side shelves. The WINNERWELL stove also has dual dampers for complete control of airflow and wood burn rate.
Finally, the WINNERWELL Nomad View stove’s stainless steel construction means it will never corrode, promising years of use for cold-weather camping.
Pros
- Accommodates fairly large logs
- Excellent for cooking
- Top-quality fit and finish
Cons
- Windows may be subject to cracking
- May not be adequate for larger tents
- Stainless steel may be somewhat thin
Best Ultralight
DANCHEL OUTDOOR T6/TSG
Weight is always a primary consideration for camping gear. Even if you’re car camping or RV camping, lightweight gear is appreciated for the ease with which it can be moved and set up.
That’s why our list of recommendations for hot stove options includes a “best ultralight” category. And there is no better ultralight hot tent stove than the DANCHEL OUTDOOR T6/TSG. Weighing less than 5 pounds, the DANCHEL stove is an option for backpacking.
The titanium DANCHEL OUTDOOR T6/TSG stove is less than half the weight of a comparable stainless steel stove. But it still offers high resistance to warping and provides exceptional heat conductivity.
The DANCHEL stove features six large air intakes, along with a rotary damper, to control combustion efficiency. Plus, its spark arrestor ensures it is safe to operate in your hot stove tent.
Pros
- Easy cleaning after use
- Works great even in very cold temperatures
- Long burning time
Cons
- Chimney pipe is difficult to assemble
- Legs need to be more sturdy
- Damper is inadequate
Most Durable
Guide Gear Outdoor Wood Burning Stove
Campers who are serious about adventuring in the great outdoors truly appreciate durability in their gear. As far as hot tent stove choices, the Guide Gear Outdoor Wood Burning Stove is as durable as they come.
The Guide Gear stove makes our list of recommendations for best hot tent stove options on the strength of its galvanized steel and cast iron construction. There’s no doubt it’s a heavy stove, weighing just over 40 pounds, but the durability provided with that weight is well worth the extra pounds.
With its included side shelving units, the Guide Gear stove is handy for cooking. Plus, it is more than ready to keep the inside of your tent toasty warm.
Pros
- Top-quality steel stove pipe for venting
- Easily heats dozens of square feet of space
- Easy to set up
Cons
- Rusting may be an issue
- Smoke escapes easily when stove door is opened
- Door gasket could be stronger
Choosing the Right Hot Tent Stove for Winter Buyer’s Guide
In choosing a hot tent stove, your first step is to decide on the type of camping for which you’ll be using it. There are, for instance, ultralight stoves made of lightweight materials such as titanium that weigh less than 5 pounds. They also are collapsible and thus can be great for backpacking.
Next on the scale of hot tent stoves are portable models. They are usually made of stainless steel and weigh between 12 pounds and 30 pounds. These stoves have rudimentary airflow control mechanisms but will require frequent addition of wood to keep burning.
At the top of the list are hot tent stoves designed for large tents. Frequently referred to as “glamping stoves,” they can weigh dozens of pounds. Usually made of alloy steel or even cast iron, glamping stoves can accommodate large quantities of wood and can generate significant heat.
If you plan to use your hot tent stove for cooking, look for a model with a large top surface area. The best hot tent stoves for cooking will come with side-mountable racks.
As a final note, hot tent stoves are designed for use only in tents that are equipped to handle them. Those will usually be large canvas tents with accommodations for venting smoke through the tent roof.
Choosing the Right Hot Tent Stove Frequently Asked Questions
As you’ve contemplated our list of hot tent stove recommendations, you’ve probably come up with a number of questions. Read on for answers to some frequently asked questions about hot tent stoves.
What features are needed in a hot tent to accommodate a stove?
Whatever you do, never attempt to use a hot tent stove in a tent not specifically designed to accommodate a stove. Doing so all but certainly guarantees you’ll set your tent on fire.
A hot tent will most often be constructed of canvas, although there are some synthetic tent materials that can safely handle the heat of a stove. When buying a hot tent, get one that is larger than you think you’ll need. That way, you can be sure the stove will be far enough away from the tent wall for safety.
A proper hot tent also will include a stove jack — sections of stovepipe, which will allow safe venting of smoke and excess heat through the tent roof. Most hot tent stoves also will include stovepipe sections to ensure safe use.
The stove jack will exit the top of the tent through a piece of special heat-resistant material. In no circumstance should you ever simply cut a hole in a regular tent to accommodate a stove and stove jack.
How should a hot tent stove jack be secured outside the tent?
A stove jack should extend at least 6 inches above the highest point of a hot tent. In some instances, that will require the installation of guy lines to keep the stove jack secure.
Ropes with metal rings or clips on the ends are sufficient as guy lines. However, you’d be better off using some type of wire with rings or clips to reduce the risk of fire danger from a secured stove jack.
How should a hot tent stove be maintained between camping trips?
As with any piece of camping gear, maintaining your hot tent stove is crucial for its long-term safe operation. Be prepared to do some maintenance on your stove after each cold-weather camping trip, particularly after the last trip of the season.
First, if the metal of your stove is subject to rust, go over it lightly with a wire brush. Recognize, though, that the development of some light rust is inevitable and won’t harm the operation of your stove.
Pay particular attention to the folding legs and the door of your stove when removing rust. After the rust is removed from those pieces, use blade oil to keep them operating smoothly.
You should also remove creosote buildup from the stove jack. Creosote, a byproduct of burning wood, is highly flammable. It can be knocked or scraped off of stove jack sections after every camping trip. Stove jack components should be deep-cleaned annually for safety.
Another maintenance chore for your wood stove is correcting any deforming in stove jack sections to ensure proper fit. Also, check your stove damper regularly for proper operation.
Wrapping up Choosing the Right Hot Tent Stove for Cold Weather
The information in this post has left you well-equipped to make a great decision on a hot tent stove for your future camping trips. And if you live in an area where cold weather is frequent, a hot tent stove is an investment to seriously consider.
In the meantime, Beyond The Tent offers advice on a full range of camping gear, from cookware, to saws, to backpacking quilts. Take a look at those posts and the wealth of other information at Beyond The Tent to help improve your outdoor experiences.
- About the Author
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Jim Thompson grew up tent camping with his family, and was introduced to backpacking with the Boy Scouts. He attended a military college, where he was introduced to rappelling, an outdoor activity which he has not pursued.
Jim holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Georgia, and spent 35 years as a newspaper writer and editor before become a writer for Apple Pie Media.
Jim can be reached at jimt3rd@yahoo.com