I'm thinking I really should have a stove, but most of my trips are at least 4 people. Any recommendations?

I use two separate single burner stoves. I've used two Primus Technotrails (canister style) but the last trip I used one of those and the other was a Primus ETA Power stove. The ETA did all the boiling (love that stove) and the other Technotrail did whatever was left. I like two separate stoves vs one double burner because if something did go wrong with a double burner, you might be stove-less. Just make sure they use the same fuel.

For years we have used 2 single burner stoves for 4-6 people in the BWCA but I have decided that the next trip when we have 6 I will take my 2 burner coleman. I always carry an extra generator just in case, it's about the only thing that can go wrong with a coleman.

I use two single burners. one is the one posted below a Brunton Raptor. It screws on a Canister and I like it because it comes with a pouch and fits into cups or pans, etc for simple packing (VERY SMALL) and comes with a pizzo lighter already to go on it, (NO Matches or Lighters needed). The other one is similar but does not hook on top of the canister but off to the side. Both are canister type stove's so one fuel source.

SunCatcher

Raptor Piezo Stove

The Coleman green suitcase is probably way too heavy and bulky. I use a Coleman Exponent Expedition folding 2-burner. Saw a used one at Voyageur North last year for cheap. A maintenance kit is less than $10. I usually spend $10-15 per week on fuel and cook & drink coffee a lot.

Yep, I would say that the Coleman Exponent would be the way to go. We used one one year and it worked quite well. It isn't that heavy. I think it was lost in a garage fire. We use two one burners now.

Cheapest option likely coleman sportster type one burner, or propane adapter style. Not the lightest, but they work well. Like cooking on a tower, but good simmer for the propane one. Maybe buy one real nice stove and a cheap one, then only bring the real nice one when you need only one. For bigger groups, with bigger pots, the dragonfly and nova stoves have great support, and good simmers. But they are spendy. Only thing about the exponenet is pan size, can't do two larger pots at the same time, one big one, one smaller one. Likely not a big deal.

Another satisfied user of the Coleman Xponent two burner foldable. Some in previous threads have indicated an issue with getting fuel canisters for it. I have never had an issue at REI or Cabela's. Both have had it when required. Both stores are a bit of a trip so I tend to buy what I perceive as a seasons supply. Also, don't forget it has a adapter available for other canisters, I purchased that from Campmor.

Boppa

We have a Exponent 2 burner and have liked it alot. Problem is it is the ONLY stove that uses the Powermax fuel. PMax is still available but is getting harder to find. I think REI just stopped carring it.
For that reason we have gone back to 2 white gas coleman stoves, 550B stoves to be exact. We have the older silver models, yet there are plenty of the newer copper color models on ebay,campmor etc. White gas is everywhere and is still cheaper over the long run than cannisters IMO and they run in COLD weather. Old Colemans never die either.
CB

Saw a 3 stove lot of 550 multifuels for $100 total on ebay(for all 3).
The 550B stove is shorter and more stable than the 400A models and the simmer alot better.

I use two single burner stoves... Coleman Dual Fuel for however many go.

Bruce

PowerMax adapter

butthead

MSR drogonfly with the big fuel bottle. Man how I love that jet engine sound that it makes.

Hard to beat a simmerlite. We use two for groups up to nine.

for a group of 8 we used an MSR Whisperlite and the Coleman green suitcase. No one in the group wanted to spend any more on gear and that is what was available. a couple of the guys offered to lug it to avoid spending more $$$. We ate very well and all parts of the meal were ready at the same time for all 8.

We use one burners and just bring more of them when the group gets bigger. Last year for a group of 8 we used 3 for all of our cooking.

Breakfasts were the only time we required all 3 at once. 2 of them with a griddle on them for the pancakes and the other to fry the bacon. we use the fire to cook some things too. I will never haul a green coleman suitcase into the BWCA again.

Now that we single trip all of our portages we will never go back to double tripping and the coleman stove stays home.

Before you can decide what is the best stove for YOU......you have to decide:
- what kind of meals your going to cook, i.e., just boil water or actually cook, simmer, stir, etc.

- will you use it in winter or just summer?

- you feel safer carrying white gas or cannisters?

- do you care about weight or size?

The folks at Midwest Mountaineering or REI can walk you thru these issues and help give you some options.

I personally am a MSR white gas stove guy. Never had one fail me in the field.

Good luck.

Most of our trips are 2 or 3 couples and we bring a single burner stove per couple. One year we did nine people on two single burner stoves: one for the rice or pasta, the other for the sauce, chili, or other main course. Having done 9 people that way, I don't see the need for a special stove for large groups. Current stove of choice is the MSR Windpro for ease of use, simmer ability, and quiet. Lots of choices out there for your specific interests.

waldo- i do "real" cooking, not just boil & dump, summer/fall use only, I haven't used anything except propane (which I hate because I had one misfire badly on me), and I care somewhat about weight and size....those big coleman suitcase stoves are out.

I have used the Coleman Exponet on two trips for 4 people. Really is hard to beat for the two burner convenience and size/weight. A very nice stove IMHO.

I recently bought a MSR dragonfly because it has a bigger pot support. Bigger groups means bigger pots and I like the extra stability after couple tipped kettle incidents.

My old Coleman green single burner is the backup because it has a wider base.

dogwoodgirl;
take a good look at 'MSR WindPro'.
Canister fuel, large pot support, very stable, very adjustable flame.
If you think you need another burner one of the small burners that screw right to the canister [Brunton Crux, MSR Pocket Rocket] would be a good match, very small/lite, and use the same canisters.
A setup like this will likely take less space and weigh less than the propane setup used.

butthead

I was looking at the jetboil group cooking setup- anyone use that? reviews?

Dogwoodgirl,

What setup did you end up going with? I also cook real food, and, like you, I refuse to lug a green suit case in. My current setup involves an MSR Dragonfly and a Jetboil, with the the 2L pot and the fairly small fry pan. I actually had two Jetboil stoves but one of them melted on me, so I am considering my options for a third burner. Was thinking about the MSR Reactor, but I don't think it can do much beyond boiling water.

Anyone ever use the Camp Chef two burner? I have been looking at those for my next group trip.

This - OR this folded - looks like this - a BWCA.com friend converted it to use Isopro.

Coleman use to make a collapsible two burner stove. Essentially just two burners connected in one sturdy but collapsible frame. I really enjoyed it. It was very light, efficient, stable, and long enough to hold two 10" skillets or a skillet and a large pot. I was surprised it did not have more success in market place. Jetboil must have done a better job with marketing.

I know that does not help you much, but if you come across one that is in good shape, it is worth having.

Yeah, anyone see that Jetboil Genesis suitcase? Weighs like 10 pounds. MSRP is $350 but I think Midwest Mountaineering has it on close-out for $250. It's laughably heavy. I swear, somebody at Jetboil is trying to prove some point about the viability of such a product and told the engineers to design it heavy as possible.

seems like everyone has recommended some really good stoves. I just use a little MSR pocket rocket because it's ideal for my girlfriend and I. Not the sturdiest platform but with a little caution it's not an issue. Can't refill the fuel containers as it's an alcohol/propane mixture, but they're cheap from REI, The middle sized $6 container is enough for a 6 day trip cooking a lot (we cook a lot). This last trip we had 5 ppl go, we just brought my friends Snow Peak pocket rocket and used em side by side. I love em because they're basically inconsequential in the space they take up.

We use the tree burner Stan's Sport. 2, 25,000 btu burners and 1, 10,000 btu burner. This thing is a beast.

Coleman single burner Sportsman 2. dual fuel silver colored. We take two of these stoves and one gallon of fuel for 9 people every year. Most recent trip this past May we brought home about 1/2 gallon unused. Did quite a bit of cooking over the fire. I had one of these stoves back in the 70s while in the Boy Scouts. They are available for about $59 and are extremely reliable. If you buy one try to locate a plastic case usually available for about $10.

We bought a Camp Chef Everest last year. Top rated two burner stove, with two 20,000 btu burners. No problem with simmer. The great thing about this stove is the wind had no affect on it on those windy days.

We base camp and cook big breakfasts and dinners. We use the Camp Chef on a Cabelas roll up table for our cooking station. Makes preparing food for 6-8 hungry guys way easier.

Our kitchen is the two burner Camp Chef, and 2-3 Jet boils for just boiling water.

I'm here to basically echo Fizics.

In my experience, a group of 4-5 does well with two smaller stoves like the MSR pocket rocket, using them side by side. Just split your dehydrated food (or whatever you're cooking) into two portions. If we're cooking a larger meal, fish, fried potatoes, steaks, etc. we use the fire.

The MSR Pocket Rocket is what I actually own and I do recommend it.