Camp Stove Fuel Calculator – Online Days Left per Canister

This calculator provides a reliable estimate based on typical fuel consumption rates. Actual results vary due to wind, ambient temperature, altitude, pot size, and whether you use a lid. For critical trips, we recommend testing your specific stove setup at home first — boil a measured amount of water and weigh the canister before and after to determine your actual burn rate (g/h). Use that number in the Stove Burn Rate field for the most accurate prediction.

Best method: Weigh it. Most canisters have the empty weight printed on the bottom (tare weight). Weigh your canister on a kitchen scale, subtract the tare weight, and you have the exact remaining fuel. For example, a 230g canister typically weighs ~130g empty and ~360g when full. If it weighs 245g now, you have 245 - 130 = 115g remaining (50%). The "float test" (floating in water) is unreliable and not recommended.

A 230g (8 oz) canister typically provides 1.3 to 2.3 hours of total burn time on high flame, depending on stove efficiency. For a solo backpacker cooking one hot meal and a morning coffee daily (~45-60 min/day total), a 230g canister usually lasts 2-4 days. For two people, expect about 1-2 days. For melting snow or cooking elaborate meals, consumption increases significantly. Use this calculator with your specific usage pattern for a personalized estimate.

Yes, significantly. In cold conditions (below 5°C / 40°F), canister pressure drops and stoves work harder, increasing fuel consumption by 20-40%. In sub-freezing temperatures, standard butane/propane mixes may struggle to vaporize. Tips for cold weather: use a 4-season fuel mix (higher propane content), keep the canister warm inside your jacket before use, use a liquid-feed stove design, or consider a white gas stove for serious winter camping. Select "Cold conditions" in the environment dropdown for a more conservative estimate.

Under ideal conditions (warm, no wind, using a lid, efficient stove), boiling 1 liter of water requires about 6-10 grams of fuel. In real-world backpacking conditions, expect 10-15 grams per liter. With wind or cold, this can rise to 15-20+ grams. Using a heat exchanger pot (like Jetboil) or a windscreen can reduce fuel use by 25-40%. Always use a lid — it cuts boil time nearly in half compared to an open pot.

Most camping canisters contain a blend of propane, isobutane, and butane. Propane performs best in cold (boils at -42°C), isobutane is good down to ~-12°C, and n-butane struggles below 0°C. Higher propane content = better cold-weather performance but typically costs more. For three-season camping, standard blends work fine. For winter or high-altitude trips, look for canisters labeled "4-season" or with higher propane/isobutane ratios. Fuel consumption (g/h) is similar across blends — the difference is whether the fuel vaporizes properly in cold conditions.

A good rule of thumb: budget 30-50g of fuel per person per day for simple meals (boiling water for dehydrated food + coffee). For more elaborate cooking, budget 60-100g per person per day. For snow-melting, budget 100-150g per person per day. Always carry at least 20% extra as a safety margin — running out of fuel means no hot food, no purified water (if boiling is your method), and potential hypothermia risk in cold environments. Use this calculator before each trip to fine-tune your fuel planning.