The Camp Chef Everest 2X has been the cooking setup at our cabin in PA for three years running. Before that, I was using a Coleman two-burner that I’d been nursing along since college. The day the Coleman’s regulator finally gave out, I ordered the Explorer 2X and haven’t looked back. Editor’s Pick If you […]
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The Camp Chef Everest 2X has been the cooking setup at our cabin in PA for three years running. Before that, I was using a Coleman two-burner that I’d been nursing along since college. The day the Coleman’s regulator finally gave out, I ordered the Explorer 2X and haven’t looked back.
Editor’s PickCamp Chef Everest 2X Two-Burner Stove
If you need serious cooking power at camp or a cabin, this is the stove. But it’s not for everyone, and I’ll explain why.
Check out The Upside of Downsizing‘s field review of the Camp Chef Everest 2X:
| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| BTU Output | 60,000 total (30,000 per burner) |
| Cooking Surface | 14 x 32 inches (448 sq in) |
| Weight | 30 lbs |
| Fuel Type | Propane (standard 20 lb tank) |
| Burner Count | 2 |
| Ignition | Manual (match/lighter required on base model) |
| Legs | Folding detachable legs included |
| Wind Screens | 3-sided snap-on included |
| Material | Painted steel |
| Price | ~$200 |
Two words: 30,000 BTU per burner. That’s 60,000 BTU total. For reference, most home kitchen burners put out 7,000-12,000 BTU. A standard Coleman camp stove does about 10,000 per burner.
The Explorer 2X will boil a big pot of water in about half the time of a regular camp stove. It’ll properly sear meat. It’ll run a cast iron skillet at temperatures that actually matter for cooking.
For car camping and cabin use where propane weight doesn’t matter, this kind of heat output changes what you can actually cook outdoors.
Key Takeaway: At 60,000 BTU total, the Explorer 2X has roughly 3x the heat output of a standard Coleman camp stove. That gap shows up every time you try to boil water or sear meat.
At the cabin, the Explorer 2X lives on the porch. We cook probably 80% of our meals on it during summer and fall trips. Breakfast is usually eggs, bacon, and pancakes for the whole crew — when both families are up, that’s 6-8 people. The two big burners handle a 12-inch skillet and a griddle simultaneously without breaking a sweat.
For camping trips, it rides in the truck bed. The legs fold up, but it’s still a big stove. You’re not backpacking with this thing — it’s strictly vehicle-based.
I’ve also used it during a power outage at the house. Hooked up a propane tank on the back deck and cooked dinner for the family like nothing happened. Not the primary reason I bought it, but having that capability is reassuring. If you’re thinking about emergency preparedness, a stove that runs on widely available propane is a solid piece of the puzzle.
Key Takeaway: The Explorer 2X doubles as an emergency cooking solution during power outages. Just hook it up to a standard propane tank on your porch or deck and you’re feeding the family like nothing happened.
The Coleman Classic is half the price and a third of the weight. For casual car camping 2-3 times a year, the Coleman is fine. But the second you try to cook for more than 2-3 people, or want to do anything beyond boiling water and heating canned food, the Camp Chef is in a different league.
Think of it this way: the Coleman is a camp stove. The Explorer 2X is an outdoor kitchen.
If you’re comparing camp cooking options across the board, check out our full best camp stoves and cooking gear compared roundup.
This stove checks a lot of boxes for home preparedness that people overlook. A standard 20 lb propane tank gives you roughly 20-25 hours of cooking time on medium heat. Two tanks and you’re covered for a week-plus of three meals a day for a family.
Propane stores indefinitely (unlike gasoline or butane canisters that lose pressure), and 20 lb tanks are available at every hardware store, gas station, and Walmart in the country. For the cost of a couple tanks sitting in the garage, you’ve got a cooking backup that works regardless of whether the grid is up.
I keep two full tanks at the house and one at the cabin. During that power outage I mentioned, we cooked on the Explorer 2X for two days before power came back. The kids barely noticed anything was different — they just ate dinner on the back deck instead of the kitchen table.
If you’re putting together a camp kitchen setup, the Explorer 2X is the centerpiece. Pair it with a decent set of cast iron and you’re cooking at home quality in any situation.
Key Takeaway: Propane stores indefinitely and two 20 lb tanks give a family of 5 over a week of cooking. The Explorer 2X turns your back deck into a fully functional kitchen during any grid-down scenario.
I have been cooking outdoors for years at our PA cabin, on camping trips, and during actual power outages at home. The Camp Chef Everest 2X has been my primary outdoor stove for three years now, cooking for groups of 6-10 people on cabin weekends and family camping trips. I have also used it as an emergency cooking setup during grid outages in NJ, running it off propane on the back deck when the power was down for two days.
My evaluation is based on real-world cooking feeding a family of five plus extended family over dozens of trips. I compare heat output, fuel efficiency, build quality, and practical usability against other camp stoves I have owned, including a Coleman two-burner I ran into the ground. I am not a professional chef. I am a dad who wants to cook real food outdoors without dealing with weak burners or flimsy hardware.
Car campers who cook real meals. Cabin owners who want a permanent outdoor cooking setup. Families who camp together and need to feed a crowd. Overlanders who have the vehicle space and want restaurant-quality heat.
Skip it if you’re a solo backpacker, space-constrained, or only boil water for freeze-dried meals.
The Camp Chef Everest 2X is overkill for most campers and exactly right for anyone who takes outdoor cooking seriously. The 60,000 BTU of heat output, rock-solid construction, and standard propane compatibility make it the best base camp stove on the market. It’s heavy and bulky, but that’s the price of cooking real food outdoors.
Running both burners on medium, a standard 20 lb tank lasts roughly 10-12 hours of cook time. For a typical camping weekend where you’re cooking breakfast, lunch, and dinner, one tank gets you through a long weekend with fuel to spare.
Not directly. The stove comes with a regulator designed for 20 lb bulk tanks. You can buy a separate adapter hose that connects to 1 lb canisters, but you’ll burn through those small cans fast at 60,000 BTU. Stick with the 20 lb tank — it’s more cost-effective and lasts way longer.
Yes, but propane performance drops below 32F because the gas pressure decreases in the cold. I’ve used mine in late fall at the PA cabin when temps were in the low 30s and it worked fine, just took a bit longer to heat up. Below 20F, you’ll notice a real difference. Keeping the tank out of the wind helps.
The Everest is smaller, lighter, and uses 1 lb canisters — better for casual car camping. The Explorer 2X has double the BTU output and uses bulk propane — better for group cooking, cabin setups, and emergency prep. If you’re cooking for more than 3 people regularly, the Explorer 2X is worth the extra size and weight.
Camp Chef makes a full line of 14-inch accessories that fit the burners: flat top griddle, BBQ grill box, pizza oven attachment, and a wok burner ring. The flat top griddle is the most popular add-on and turns the stove into a full breakfast station. I use the griddle for pancakes and the other burner for a coffee pot — feeds the whole crew at once.
No. This is an outdoor-only stove. Burning propane produces carbon monoxide, which is deadly in enclosed spaces. Use it on a porch, deck, patio, or at a campsite — never inside a tent, garage, or house. For fire and cooking safety, always keep propane appliances in well-ventilated areas.