Cheap vs. Expensive vs. Old Camp Stove Comparison

There are a lot of camping stoves these days to choose from, but there are only a few folding camping stove options and I decided to do a little side by side comparison and see if if the cheaper Coleman Fold n Go is a better buy than the more expensive Jetboil Genesis. Then just for fun we'll take a look at a new to me vintage Coleman 425B camp stove.

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[jdisdetermined]

My dad and I always get all kinds of grief for it, but we both love the old school white gas Coleman stoves and lanterns. Something about them, the smell, the way you have to pump them manually. They have such a strong “yeah, I’m camping” vibe compared to modern plastic/propane stuff. The stuff is over 50 years old and still works great. They can sit for 10 years and then fire right up again, the gas has never gone bad. They’re just classic cool. 👍👍

[nathanaguirre]

The problem with the old Coleman stoves is that once you buy one for around $10 dollars you have to buy EVERY one you find in the same price range. I used to go to garage sales every weekend and thrift stores so over the years I have accumulated so many that i just feel guilty if i see another one and don't buy it. Its almost like an illness. But if they're made to handle camping I feel like they'll basically last forever. The comments are a true testament to how great they are

[mbusch]

I've eaten a lot of great meals of a Coleman camp stove. Brings back a lot of great memories.

[redbeartactical]

I run a 3 burner Coleman suitcase stove when we are camping, the smell of white gas stoves burning brings brings back so many memories of camping with my family as a kid

[amishmafia]

I’ve had many stoves over the years. I’m full time and really put them through the paces. Most have broke or malfunctioned in short order. Others where just not suitable for my use or price was nuts. Last year I came across a Coleman 425E in new condition and bought it for $15.00 usd. I replaced the rubber pump gasket with the leather one. 2 for $9.00. I purchased the propane adapter $21.00. So I can use gasoline or propane. I also mounted piezoelectric starters for each burner. $6.00. $51.00 total and It all fits inside the steel case.
It’s the best hard use multi-fuel stove I’ve ever had. Easy parts replacement because it is a classic collectors stove. Parts are all USA or Canada.
Hands down.. Bang for the buck.. The old Coleman’s are the way to go….

[johnnyholcombe]

I have 8 of these old Coleman stoves from the early fifties to late eighties and 2 single burner and a back pack stove, I love these stoves and all work great.

[hawkeyeted]

There's something to be said for the compactness of the Jetboil, but I still LOVE my Coleman white gas stove. It travels everywhere with me when I'm on the trail.

[gerardhoran]

I was a stalwart Coleman fan until my wife blessed me with the Genesis System for fathers day last year. The full kit is the way to go, boiling water for pasta is a dream, frying eggs/steak and the cleanup afterwards is a no brainer. Then it ALL tucks away into a neat package. At first I balked at the price but after using it I am a Genesis Fan.

[juliopinzon]

I was watching the whole video just to see the nostalgic Coleman 454 in action. I do snow camping often in high altitude low temperatures where the propane tanks begin to choke and flame out. I also hate to see discarded used tanks littering all over. If I need fuel I get some from my rig and get going. They do take some maintenance but its like going over your rig and making sure it wont leave you stranded. Happy trails TrailRecon I love your work.

[gordonirf]

The 425 just needs a few drops of motor oil on the cork and they come right back to life. Also you need the take your thumb off the hole when on the pull stroke. I think you will find in very high altitudes the propane doesnt work as well as the 425 will. I also like that the 425 is a dual fuel stove. They will also run on plain gasoline.

[StrokerStevens]

My most fond memories growing up was camping in the 70’s and we had a common stove exactly like you have there! I remember pumping that thing up getting ready so my mom could make coffee, eggs, and bacon on it.

[Enjoymentboy]

Very interesting comparison and testing. Thanks.

I've found over the years that propane is NOT for me. I am so sick of those little bottles running out and the inevitable hunt for them only to find them at astronomical prices. I'll stick with naphtha/unleaded. And I also find that far too many people focus solely on how hot a stove can get as if they only know how to cook on high. When I cook at home I use the whole heat range from low to high so why would I not do the same out in the woods? I find how evenly the heat is spread and how consistent it is to be far more important than if it can smelt lead in under 30 seconds. Another test which I never see done is how long a full tank of fuel will last on high heat. Knowing how much fuel I will likely use is a very convenient thing so that I neither run out nor take more than is needed.

[Tex]

That Jetboil is the best stove I have ever used! I LOVE mine and highly recommend it! I have the 2 burner stove and the satellite burner with a coffee press. The best thing about it is that it takes 4 complete turns to go from off to high. LOTS of heat control! Awesome system!

[cmhooter]

The tabs on the tank of the old Coleman stove should have the date numbers stamped on them. I have a 3 burner from 1970. Also a little machine oil on the leather plunger will revive that old leather right up.

[xenaguy]

14:00 Looks to me like not only is the JetBoil burner larger, but the grille is closer to the flame also. If the Coleman was lower, it would be hotter. Looks like ~1/2" difference.

[scottsgirldanno]

Whoa, wait a second Did I miss What is that beautiful green machine behind you? I know about the blue Chief, did I miss a video of this green one? Love the color. I almost got one like that recently but there was just too much rust in the fenders and floors. Keep the great videos coming, thanks TONS!!!

[KH-qyrt]

I have an Old Coleman stove that my Mother-in-law used when she was Camping from the 1960's to the late 1990's. she gave it to my wife who used it every time she went camping. we love the sound it makes and the old old lantern we have as well (we actually had a newer model but it didn't make the hissing sound that is so much a part of camping, so we found an old one). My wife and I have enjoyed watching your videos through the years, we bought a Ram truck almost 2 years ago (after driving a Jeep for over 10 years and trail riding with The Jeep Junkies up here in Alberta), so when you switched to a truck i was curious to see the places you would be going to. i look forward to more of your product reviews and your travels. If you are ever up in Alberta Canada, we be happy to take you up the mountains here and in British Columbia.

[ridesar]

The good news is that last I checked for my old model 460's you could still get parts from Colman. Lots to be said for those old white gas stoves but they do require more attention than the newer propane ones and you can get more fire than you wanted if you are not mindful of the handling of liquid fuel.

[mackereldude]

Having refurbished two old Coleman stove like the one you have, there is usually two things that go bad. One is the leather seal on the pump dries out. Soak it in oil for a few days and try it. The other problem is the rubber gasket on the fueling cap gets little cracks and leaks air causing a loss in pressure. Fix both of those problems and you should be good to go.

[marissafinn]

Using the equipment from same era-ish as the chief, such a cool idea. Really looking forward to that!