Best Fishing Stoves

The Trakker Armolife CG4 is a 3500W compact stove standing on four height-adjustable legs. Its four broad supports hold frying pans and toasters, and piezo ignition sits at its base for quick lighting.

It's built from aluminium, copper and stainless steel, with an oversized pre-heat tube for efficient combustion. The legs set anywhere from 9.5 to 11.5cm for levelling, and it folds to 11 x 11 x 9.5cm inside a nylon bag.

It suits carp anglers on longer sessions who cook proper meals as well as brews. Next to the Sonik Sizzla Superstove, it has more output and a wider frame, though the Sonik holds a gentler simmer. For me, it's the best compact fishing stove in this line-up.

To be fair, it's heavier than the Armolife CG-3 and dearer than the Sizzla. For anglers who fry breakfasts and want a level pan on a lumpy swim, though, I think it's the one to buy.

Low-heat control is the whole point of the Sonik Sizzla Superstove, a 2800W compact stove. Its Heat-Kontrol burner spans a wide temperature range, and Low-Flow gas ports hold the flame steady when it's turned right down, which is what simmering needs.

Four folding legs adjust infinitely and finish in rubberised anti-slip feet for a level, grippy stance. It takes EN417 screw-thread butane or propane canisters on an extended braided hose, lights by piezo and folds to a neat 95mm cube.

Anglers who cook stews, eggs and proper meals on the bank, rather than just brews, will get the most from it. Next to the Trakker Armolife CG4 it has less output but finer flame control, while the Trakker Armolife CG-3 is lighter to carry and has more heat.

To be fair, its 2800W is less than either Armolife stove offers, so big kettles take longer. For anyone who simmers more than they boil, though, I think it's superb value.

Trakker's Armolife CG-3 puts 3,500W through an oversized pre-heat tube, the same output as the bigger Armolife CG4, from a stove that folds to 9 x 9.5cm and packs away in a nylon carry bag.

Its frame mixes aluminium and copper alloys with stainless steel, and it sits wide and low for stable cookware. Piezo-electronic ignition is built into the base, and folding legs make it quick to set up on arrival at the swim.

Mobile anglers and overnighters who walk to the swim with everything on their back are who it's for. Next to the Sonik Sizzla Superstove it has more heat and less weight, while the Go Systems Sirocco costs less and pairs a separate windshield with a remote cartridge.

To be fair, three slim supports make a narrower base than the CG4's four, so big pans need care. For anglers who count every gram, though, I think it's the Armolife to pick.

Fed from a Go System EN417 cartridge on a remote hose, the Go Systems Sirocco Gas Stove is a 3000W burner that brings a litre of water to the boil in 3 minutes 45 seconds.

Steel and brass piezo auto-start, precision flame control and a separate windshield all come with it. A wide footprint steadies it on uneven ground, the pan support handles pans up to 18cm wide and a carry sack keeps it together.

Day anglers and overnighters who mostly brew up, cook simply and like knowing how long a brew will take should get on well with it. Next to the Trakker Armolife CG-3 it has less output but costs less, and it's cheaper than the NGT Profiler, which lifts the cooking off the floor.

To be fair, its build isn't as substantial as the Armolife stoves, and the pan support stops at 18cm. For a cheap stove with the gas on a hose, though, I think it's very good value.

Nine inches off the ground on quick-fold locking legs, the NGT Profiler Stove is an elevated 2.4kW cooker with piezo ignition that lights it automatically, so you can cook from a chair instead of your knees.

Its large recessed hob improves gas efficiency and gives pans a steady seat. It runs on butane canisters, which sit underneath the body, and a hard case comes with it, which keeps it tidy in the car between sessions and protects the hob.

Static anglers on long sessions who'd rather not cook kneeling in the mud will appreciate it most. Next to the Go Systems Sirocco it has less heat but a far comfier cooking height, while the Prologic Blackfire C-Series packs much smaller and costs less.

To be fair, 2.4kW is modest next to the Armolife stoves, and butane dislikes frosty nights. For long static sessions, though, I think it's a very comfortable and tidy way to cook.

The Prologic Blackfire C-Series is a 3,000-watt compact stove made for carp sessions, from short overnighters to longer campaigns, and it takes EN417 cartridges of mixed butane and propane gas.

Adjustable flame control sets the heat, an anti-reflective coating gives it a robust finish and it packs to 110 x 80 x 75mm in a mesh pouch. That mixed gas copes better than straight butane on cold nights, which matters from autumn onwards.

It suits budget anglers and beginners who want brews and simple meals without carrying much at all. Next to the NGT Profiler it has more output and packs far smaller, while the JetBoil Flash Carbon is a much dearer stove with its own FluxRing pot.

To be fair, its build is basic next to the Armolife stoves. For anglers on a tight budget, though, I think it's the best value pick in this line-up, and an easy one to recommend.

Built as one system, the JetBoil Flash Carbon 1.0L pairs its burner with a 1-litre FluxRing cooking cup and an insulating cosy. Half a litre boils in 100 seconds, and that speed is the main reason to buy it.

A push-button igniter lights it, the bottom cup works as a bowl and measuring cup, and a canister stabiliser comes in the pack. At 371g, it packs to 104 x 180mm, and a 100-gram can boils around 10 litres.

Roving anglers and overnighters who mostly boil water for brews and dehydrated meals will get the most from it. Next to the Prologic Blackfire C-Series, it's a much bigger spend, but you get a full system with a cup and cosy rather than a bare burner. The Fox Cookware Infrared Stove V2 is the other fast-boil route, with a low infrared burner on a long hose.

To be fair, it's tall on its canister and it's built for boiling rather than frying. For quick brews on the move, though, I think it's the best fast-boil stove in this line-up.

Fox's Infrared Stove V2 swaps a standard burner for an infrared one, producing higher, more concentrated heat while using less gas. It runs at 1760W and can be up to 30% more efficient with Fox Cookware Power Boil pots.

Underneath, the body is stainless steel and aluminium on three folding legs, and a long hose keeps the canister away from the burner. An extra pan stand means standard pans work on it too.

Session anglers who brew up all day and want to save gas are the ones it's built for. Next to the JetBoil Flash Carbon, it's cheaper and sits lower, though the JetBoil puts a hard figure on its boil time. The Fox Cookware Cookstation is the step up if you want proper meals.

To be fair, the full efficiency gain depends on Fox's own pots. For anglers who get through a lot of gas, though, I think it's a smart, efficient choice.

A full outdoor kitchen in one unit, the Fox Cookware Cookstation pairs an 8kW burner with piezo ignition and runs on EN417 butane-propane mixed cartridges. It cooks on a flat non-stick griddle or a non-stick BBQ grate, or works as a standard stove.

Its non-stick lid doubles as a large pan or wok and closes up into an oven. It weighs 4.9kg and packs to 34 x 34 x 22cm in a polyester carry bag.

Long-session anglers who cook real meals on the bank are who it's for. Next to the Fox Infrared Stove V2, it's a different beast, built for frying and grilling rather than quick brews. The RidgeMonkey Grilla Cookstation Single Hob is lighter and cheaper, with a side table and drip pan, while the Fox adds the griddle, grate and oven lid.

To be fair, it's heavy and one of the dearest options. For anglers who take bankside cooking seriously, though, I think it's the best cook station in this line-up.

Low, flat and stainless steel, the RidgeMonkey Grilla Cookstation Single Hob has one 4.1kW burner, an ignition button and a fully adjustable gas knob. It's made to sit on a table, bench or shelf on rubber-footed folding legs.

A recessed drip pan sits under the rubber-capped pan support, and a removable side table fits either end. It weighs 2kg, folds to 65mm deep and has a pre-heat pipe that helps gas vaporise in the cold.

Anglers who like a tidy, stable cooking area on longer sessions will get the most from it, especially with a bivvy table to stand it on. Compared with the Fox Cookware Cookstation, it's lighter and cheaper but less versatile, while the Sonik Sizzla 2Burna adds a second burner.

To be fair, one hob means one pan at a time. For the angler who cooks for one with a kettle or a pan, though, I think it's a sound, well-made choice.

Two burners fold out of the Sonik Sizzla 2Burna, each with its own dial control, and push-button ignition lights them. It opens out, connects to a gas canister and stands on anti-slip rubber feet.

A cooking griddle comes with it for warming or toasting food. Set up, it's 50cm long, and it folds to 21.6 x 12.5 x 28cm with a carry handle for the walk to the swim.

Pairs sharing a swim, or anyone who cooks breakfast and a brew at once, will get the most from it. Where the RidgeMonkey Grilla Cookstation Single Hob gives you one strong hob with a side table, the 2Burna gives you two burners. The NGT XT Twin Stove System is the other twin-burner route, with a carry case in the kit.

To be fair, it costs a little more than the NGT. For anglers who cook two things at once, though, I think it's a strong, well-built hob.

NGT's XT Twin Stove System gives you two independent 2.3kW burners, for 4.6kW in total, plus a griddle plate and a carry case in one kit. It runs on NGT butane or propane 450g gas canisters.

Packed, it folds into a compact unit, and it opens into a stable cooking platform. The griddle is made for bacon, burgers, sausages and quick meals, while the second burner keeps the kettle going alongside it.

Anglers who cook proper meals on longer sessions, or share a swim with a mate, will get plenty from it. Compared with the Sonik Sizzla 2Burna, it's the cheaper of the two twins, with 2.3kW from each burner. The RidgeMonkey Grilla Cookstation Single Hob is better made but has one burner.

To be fair, it's a plainer build than the dearer cook stations. For brews and fry-ups on a budget, though, I think it's a very sound twin-burner kit for the bank.