Van conversion series: camping stoves installation guide

Whip Up Mouthwatering Meals Wherever You Wander

Cover image: Drifters - Huey on Camplify_

Food brings the whole family together, and what better way to enjoy your favourite flavours than on the beach, in the forest or up a mountain?

When imagining life on the road, you might picture canned beans, Clif bars and café bills. But with a quality camping stove, you can dine in delight at every campsite - especially if you build a kitchenette to suit your van layout and travel lifestyle.

You’ll find heaps of cooker options for meal prep on the move, from portable gas stoves to slide out kitchens and induction cooktops. Considering the myriad camp stoves on the market these days, picking the best one for your van conversion can be a challenge.

So to get you off to a sizzling start, we’ve put together an introduction to cooking inside a van. With the right stove set up, you can prepare delicious camping recipes wherever your van life adventure takes you!

*Before you turn up the heat, make sure to install proper ventilation in your van. This will extract any fumes given off by the stove, keeping your living space safe.

As a van owner, you can earn over $10,000 each year by hiring it out on Camplify. As a holidaymaker, Camplify helps you to find the perfect rental so that you can experience the joys of van life without having to own one yourself.

Interested? Learn more about Camplify here_.

Camp Stove Fuel Types

YUGEN I on Camplify

Gas Camping Stoves

Fast and convenient, gas stoves are the go-to choice for many van lifers.

Canister Fuel

Usually running on propane or butane, these are preferred for their easy storage, high energy efficiency and wide availability (most servos stock replacements).

Setup is simple, too: just attach a canister to your stove as per its instructions and twist the knob for instant, constant flames. From there, food is heated by both the bottom and sides of your pan, which means nice, even cooking. There’s also no need for special ventilation when you’re using canister fuel.

That said, it’s hard to tell how much gas is left in the canister so you could end up running out of fuel when you’re deep in the wilderness! Not ideal, especially considering it doesn’t last as long as liquid fuel. What’s more, canisters aren’t reusable so the cost of buying new ones every so often adds up (and it’s not great for the environment, either).

Liquid Fuel

You can also run your camping stove on liquid fuel, such as white gas. While this fuel type takes a little more time to set up, it also lasts longer, is more powerful and generally delivers a better cooking result than canister fuel! To top it off, liquid gas is eco-friendly because you can reuse the bottle.

But bare in mind that this bottle needs to be stored safely and securely, taking up valuable interior space compared to a relatively small and lightweight fuel canister. Lastly, you’ll probably have to ignite your flames with a lighter rather than an ignition switch, so don’t forget to bring one along!

Discover more about canister fuel and liquid fuel here.

Alcohol Camping Stoves

Vancooktops that run on alcohol are thought to be the safest way to cook inside a van, as they are pressure free with no risk of fuel leakage.

Burning on nothing but denatured alcohol, this fuel source is easy to find and relatively inexpensive. Then all you have to do is pour it into the burner and ignite. In mere seconds, you’ll be cooking your feast over a quiet flame.

Alcohol fuel holds about half the energy by weight of butane and propane. Its (proportionately) lower heat output brings much longer cook times - you could be waiting up to 10 minutes to boil water for your morning coffee!

These featherweight stoves are also highly sensitive to wind, so a windscreen is vital at all times. Some models include an integrated windscreen surrounding the burner, an awesome finishing touch that helps capture any heat.

Electric Camping Stoves

The main advantage of electric cooktops is that you don't have to worry about harmful gas emissions. They're also cheaper to run than gas cookers, especially if you've installed solar panels on your van.

However, these cookers aren’t the best for off-grid camping trips or extended excursions into the wild - they run on electricity, so will accelerate battery drainage! Electric stoves also take a relatively long time to cool down, which can be a safety hazard if you’re cooking inside a van.

Induction Cooktops

While they’ve got a similar look to smooth-top electric stoves, induction cookers operate quite differently. With no burners beneath the surface, an induction plate uses electromagnetic energy to heat cookware directly. Essentially, the coil underneath reacts with any ferrous pot or pan, heating it up immediately.__

And when you’re done, the induction plate turns off instantly with pretty much zero cool-down time. The flat surface is also super simple to clean with a single wipe!

But the best part? Induction cooking is seriously efficient, delivering approximately 80%-90% of its heat energy to your pan (compared to gas stoves at about 40% and electric cookers at roughly 70%). Basically, you’ll use heaps more gas to cook your food than electricity required to power your induction cooktop.

Now for the downsides. Induction stoves are generally much more expensive compared to gas cookers. They also require cookware to be ferrous, meaning you’ll need to buy a whole new set if this isn’t the case.

To test your pots and pans, check if a magnet sticks to their bases. If so, they’re induction-ready!

Our pick: Philips Premium Collection Ultra-Thin Induction Cooker

Functions And Features

Glam Vanning on Camplify

Happy with a simple cooktop? Maybe you’d prefer a cooktop and oven combo? Would you rather a cooktop and grill or even only a grill? What about a slide out kitchen?

There’s no shortage of variations when choosing a camp stove, so you can find one with all of the right features for your culinary needs! Whether you want to fry, simmer or roast, you can buy a camping stove that will get the job done.

And when it comes to design, your camping stoves will be pretty similar to the one you left at home. Think of features like detachable pan stands, flame failure protection and toughened glass lids. You can even get yourself a combination unit complete with a cooker and sink!

Portable Stoves…

If you plan to spend most of your time exploring and relaxing beyond the confines of your van, then you’ll probably want to get a portable gas stove that can join in on the adventure.

Not only is this a great way to save money on your build, you’ll also be saving valuable room inside of your van. Your interior living space can stay fresh and clean, keeping countertops free for all sorts of other uses! Not to mention that you’ll never have to fall asleep to lingering smells...

Of course, you’ll need to take your portable stove in and out of storage every time you cook, which can get slightly cumbersome. But the real downside is that you’ll have to fuel this compact little stove with smaller containers, rather than a larger, more cost-effective tank.

All in all, though, we think a portable camping stove is a solid choice for any van lifers wanting the freedom to cook up a storm in the great outdoors!

Our pick: Gasmate Classic 2 Burner Stove

...Versus Built-In Stove Tops

Aalto Van Co // Sandy on Camplify

If you don’t mind spending a bit more time and money on your build, then installing an inset stove (and plumbing fuel lines) will create a real kitchen feel inside of your van.

Best suited to larger van conversions and long-term van lifers, you’ll be able to cook a proper meal no matter the weather - without the unpacking and packing away of portable stoves.

Inset cooktops look awesome too, really taking your home away from home to the next level. And if you’re concerned about a subsequent lack of space, you can buy a cooker with a cover that transforms it into a counter when not in use.

But be warned: their installation is fairly complex. And if set up incorrectly, gas systems are a serious fire and toxicity hazard - especially in a tight space like a van. So leave your built-in stove’s installation to the plumbing pros.

To protect not only your unique creation but also your loved ones and any hirers who roam the roads in it, you must get a certified gas fitter to connect the stove. This will ensure that your gas appliance’s installation, regulation and pipework meets the criteria for a Compliance Certificate and is safe for everyday use.

Given it’s such a vital safety feature, we’ll hand you over to this expert guide on gas installation in vans for more information. Alternatively, call a local gas fitter for tailored advice on your cooker’s installation.

Our pick: Smev 8000 - 2 Burner Hob With Lid

Slide Out Kitchens

Drifters - Huey

Slide out camp kitchens are a genius way to enjoy all of the cooking features your heart desires without taking up almost any internal space! That means more room for a comfy lounge area and spacious sleep setup.

A fully equipped slide-out kitchen can include not only a cooktop, but also a grill, cooler, chopping board, serving bench, sink and secure storage unit for all of your utensils. When your stomach starts to rumble, simply pull the drawer out and you’re ready to go.

The only ‘’disadvantage’’ of this layout is that you’ll have to cook outside. To many, this is actually a bonus - if you’re going to whip up a meal surrounded by nature, Australia’s the best place to do it! And if the weather does take a turn, your rear door can provide relief from rain.

Our pick: Dometic Slide Out Kitchen

Complete Your Kitchen Setup With A Camp Oven

Why not include a classic camp oven in your van conversion? Large enough to feed the whole family, these crowd-pleasers create the richest flavours and most delicious textures.

Non-porous and lightweight, a spun steel camp oven heats quickly so is fantastic for cooking on top of a gas stove. That said, a cast iron camp oven may be better suited to portable stoves and slide-out kitchens, as their thickness retains heat very well when you’re cooking outside.

Check out this beginner’s guide to learn more about this foodie favourite, such as how to season a camp oven and where to find the best camp oven cooking recipes!