Four Single-Burner Portable Cooktops: Choose by Carry, Then by Heat

Four Single-Burner Models, One Question: How Do You Carry It?

Cooking outdoors rarely fails because of a shortage of heat. It fails on smaller things: the stove will not fit in the boot, the support gives way under a cast iron wok, the flame leans away in the wind, and the batteries were left at home.

The SPG series answers those practical points by splitting one product category into four models.

1. Start With Transport: Three Weight Bands

• SPG-20O — 6 inches wide, 2.2 lb, carry case included, runs on butane or propane: backpack and emergency-kit scale.

• SPG-24O — 8 inches wide, 3.8 lb, foldable legs and carry case, 3.5 inches thick when folded: fits in the boot without taking space.

• SPG-30O and SPG-36O — 10 and 12 inches, 4.5 lb and 6.2 lb: the "loaded once and left there" class, better suited to stalls, RV side tables and a fixed spot in the yard.

Between 2.2 lb and 6.2 lb the difference is not a spec — it is whether you will actually bring it every time.

2. Then Match the Number of Eaters: 8,000 to 25,000 BTU

The four models run 8,000, 12,000, 15,000 and 25,000 BTU. Boiling water and noodles for one is comfortable at 8,000 and frugal on gas; a three- or four-person car camp usually settles between 12,000 and 15,000; stir-frying at wok heat, or a full pot of seafood, is where the 25,000 BTU high-pressure burner earns its weight.

Matching the burner to the group is cheaper than defaulting to the largest: surplus heat costs fuel and adds kilos.

3. Burner Type Is Not Jargon

• Open burner (SPG-30O) — the flame shape is visible, which suits cooks who adjust by eye.

• Sealed burner (SPG-24O / SPG-20O) — spills stay out of the burner box, so cleanup is quicker.

• High-pressure burner (SPG-36O) — built for hard heat, paired with a cast iron wok support and a high-flow regulator so a full wok sits steady.

4. Two Hidden Costs Outdoors: Wind and Batteries

Most models ship with wind guards, so a sea breeze or a draught through a valley does not flatten the flame. All four use piezo ignition — no batteries, no cords, it lights wherever it is set down. At a campsite that is usually worth more than another thousand BTU.

5. Fuel Chosen on Site

A 1-lb propane cylinder is the lightest option, a 20 lb-plus tank lasts longest, and butane behaves differently in the cold. In this series, the SPG-20O accepts butane canisters, the SPG-30O and SPG-24O take both 1-lb cylinders and bulk tanks, and the SPG-36O runs the high-flow bulk route. At full output, a 1-lb cylinder carries the SPG-30O for roughly 1.5 hours and the SPG-24O for about 2 hours.

A closing note: a portable stove is not better for being stronger. It is better when it travels, lights, and stays put. Settle those three, then read the spec sheet.

Models and configuration: SPG Series Single-Burner Portable Cooktop