The idea of cooking dinner over a roaring campfire sounds delightful when you’re picturing it in your head. In reality, though, campfire cooking can be irritating, difficult or even disastrous when you’re a novice camper. The BioLite EcoZoom Versa camping stove offers a solution for occasional campers (like me!) who want to spend more time relaxing and less time taking care of dinner. I tested it out to see if it’s really as simple as they say.
What is the BioLite EcoZoom camping stove?
The BioLite EcoZoom Versa camping stove is a portable rocket stove that generates a ton of heat without a ton of fuel. This off-the-grid appliance has a cylindrical design that creates ample insulation, making it more efficient in burning fuel sources and concentrating heat. Rocket stoves run off combustible, flammable materials that can be easily gathered at a campsite, like wood, twigs and dried leaves. No more lugging heavy fuel canisters around when camping!
Just like the highly acclaimed (and Family Handyman-approved) Solo Stove Bonfire, the EcoZoom Versa produces minimal smoke as it burns. Its stainless steel handles feature convenient silicone grips, allowing you to effortlessly move the stove around—even while it’s fired up! And you won’t need to worry about burns; this rocket stove’s heavy insulation keeps it cool to the touch, keeping your hands and campsite safe.
BioLite EcoZoom Camping Stove Features
The BioLite EcoZoom camping stove measures about 1 foot high and 1 foot wide, and weighs only 14.5 pounds. The cylindrical stove has a solid flat bottom and two handles on each side with silicone grips, which prevent you from burning your hands. There are two doors on the side. a larger one in the middle for fuel and a smaller one beneath it for airflow. It comes with a support rack to position next to the doors, which holds up long pieces of wood, like split logs and branches, as they’re fed into the combustion chamber. On top of the stove is a 10-inch cast iron cooktop that works with a variety of cookware. A hole in the center of the cooktop allows flames to peek through, making it perfect for toasting marshmallows.
How We Tested It
Setting up the EcoZoom rocket stove is outstandingly simple—just put it on the ground, open both the doors, position the support rack in front of them and add your fuel. Though you can use charcoal for your fire, I chose to test it using biomass. One of the most appealing aspects of this camping stove? You can quickly build a roaring fire using easily scavenged materials, like twigs and dried leaves, rather than searching for large pieces of firewood or lugging heavy fuel canisters or coals to your campsite.
I loosely filled the middle chamber with biomass, as overpacking will prohibit oxygen from flowing through, inhibiting combustion. Next, I used a standard pocket lighter to set a few leaves alight, and stepped back to watch the magic happen. In less than a minute, I had a steady flame flickering in the central chamber! Because twigs and leaves burn up quickly, I had to keep my eye on the fire and feed it every few minutes to keep it going. Fortunately, I didn’t need to hover over the BioLite EcoZoom for long! It’s designed to conserve and focus heat, meaning pots placed on top of this stove get hot fast. I was able to heat up a cast iron skillet in a matter of minutes, just as if I was cooking over a high flame on an indoor stove. And because pots and pans sit flat, cooking on this camping stove really is just as easy as cooking inside.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Under 15 pounds
- Multiple fuel sources
- Handles for easy relocation
- Durable cast iron materials
- Burns much longer than other camping stoves using less fuel
- Can use foraged material from site as fuel
Cons
- Can generate a lot of soot
- A little bulky
FAQ
How do I start a fire in the EcoZoom camping stove?
To start a fire in the BioLite EcoZoom Versa camping stove using wood, first add a base of small twigs and kindling (like dried leaves) and set it alight, then gradually add thin pieces of wood (like sticks and small branches) piece-by-piece until you have a roaring fire. Once the wood burns down to a smoldering bed of coals, you can add larger pieces of wood, if using.
The EcoZoom camping stove can also be used with charcoal. Simply load a few briquettes into the upper chamber, and use kindling or a piece of paper to get the fire started.
What kind of cookware can you use with the EcoZoom Camping Stove?
Any piece of cookware with a flat or round bottom can be used on the EcoZoom camping stove, like Dutch ovens, skillets, saucepans, tea kettles and coffee pots. You can also lay a grill rack on top of the stove for direct, flame-kissed cooking. And if you want to get serious with your grilling at the campsite, be sure to check out our review of BioLite’s fire pit cooking kit.
What Other Reviewers Had to Say
Amazon buyers are praising this camping stove for its quickness and efficiency.
Five-star reviewer, C. Davis, writes, “We live in the country and have had a few short power outages lately for some reason. The electricity was out a few mornings ago, and I decided to break it out and fire it up to heat some water for tea and then to make some scrambled eggs. I just used sticks from the yard and it worked perfectly! I don’t think it could be easier to operate!! Love it!”
“I love this thing. I worried a little because some of the videos look like it cooks too hot. The fire can be easily controlled with the lower door. I boiled 2 quarts of water in a Dutch oven in about 10 minutes,” shares Renee Fowler, a verified purchaser.
“To say that I’m impressed is a massive understatement. These days with the As Seen on TV wild claims, I had assumed that their claims would be somewhat overstated. If anything their claims are far short of the results I got,” writes another five-star reviewer, Dan Mimms.
Final Verdict
Though I’ve been camping several times, I am by no means an experienced camper, and have always found campfire cooking to be an annoying process with underwhelming results. For me, the BioLite EcoZoom camping stove changes that. It’s easy enough for an occasional camper to get spectacular results with minimal effort. Better still, you can cook on top of it just like you would in your kitchen.
Where to Buy the BioLite EcoZoom Camping Stove
The EcoZoom Versa rocket stove is available on BioLite’s website and Amazon for around $150. Gone are the days when eating good on the trails means a peanut butter and jelly sandwich!
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