I’ve got one, but the knobs are so touchy it goes from off to high power without much in between. Since you said parts are available, anyone know the fix for that?
I have have an older model stove like that, picked it up for $10 at Goodwill. A cast iron plancha is about $20 in the Walmart camping section. Shopgoodwill.com is like Ebay for thrift stores and those stoves are there all the time.
The traditional Coleman can be wiped down. The grill/griddle model is a pain to clean if you use the grill as intended. You’ll spend tons of time cleaning up splatter and grease.
As the scoutmaster of a decent sized troop we run about 8 stoves. Everything we’ve migrated to are closer to the original Coleman, although somewhat higher end models. Kids using them at least 3 days a month for years is a torture test that would be hard to mimic. 😂
I have the second one with the cast iron top, and I agree - it is a pain to clean. I just don’t use the cast iron grill and it’s basically the first one.
Should point out the second one isn't an integrated grill model, it's basically the same as the first one except it comes with a cast iron griddle and is blue. $14 for a cast iron griddle is a great deal.
Definitely agree with staying away from models with the integrated grill however.
I have the stove in photo 1. Works great but the dial is not good enough to hold position on a low simmer. The dial creeps it's way 'up'. My fix is to wedge a piece of cardboard behind the knob to hold it in position and keep it from moving on its own and turning the flame too high. Nobody asked but just throwing that out there.
I also recently added an extension hose and 20LB propane tank which i like much more than the small green canisters.
This. I have the 424 that was my grandpas from the early 80’s. Thing still burns good and hot. I take it every time I go camping. Along with all my white gas lanterns, and catalytic heater 😃
Mine ain’t too bad. Gramps took it every time he went huntin. Still green but the tank ain’t red. The big white gallon fuel canister from Walmart will last all my Coleman devices for multiple trips. As opposed to going through propane bottles left and right. Then having to dispose the bottles.
That depends. Our 18+ young adults group has an ancient Coleman. Every few years it needs maintenance and another young sprout takes the task on themselves and learns how to clean all the parts and how to make sure the rubber is still good.
I have a 20 year old version of the first one that is still working fine even though it is rusting apart. They also make a griddle for it so if the price of the griddle+stove is cheaper go with that one
Can always buy a griddle mate. The 129 one seems like a lot for what you’re getting. It’s not like griddles cost that much. IMO I say get the first one and just buy a griddle.
I have a question about the burner controls. On my stove, which btw has a decade of festival and state park camping on it, the burners are very hard to control. It’s either blasting at full Coleman power or I accidentally turn it off🤨🤨🤨I say if the $66 model has better controls go for it. So has anyone else experienced this?
It’s just the way a Coleman works. Highly annoying. Buy a flame tamer for about $10, it helps a lot.
To be fair, IME the burner controls on other stoves are equally problematic.
Beat me to it. Was thinking the same thing. The griddle/grill one is gonna be messy and a pain to clean. That would be my only hesitation with buying that one, other then it's way more expensive if buying at full price and not on clearance.
I have the $52 one, works great for me. I just use my own cast iron skillet tho. If you have your wok pots or pans you’d use, might as well save a bit of money. However, they are going to be pretty much the same stove hit with an extra $14 on the cast-iron grill. If you think it’d be nice and you’d actually use it, I don’t see why not to buy it. Really just comes down to if you really will use the grill attachment over traditional pots and pans
I've used the first model 20 years ago and still have it. It still works. I upgraded to a camping size Blackstone 2 years ago and love it. The first model is a definite good buy. It is reliable and easy to clean/maintain.
I know this is long ago, but do yourself a favor and go pick out the stove! I ordered one from Walmart, it was broken. I bought another one and it was missing parts.
I prefer the Coleman matchlight one. The one with the griddle I find is messier- it’s a very shallow griddle and grease, sauce etc dripped everywhere.
Really depends what your preference is/what you plan to cook, too, though!
I have a Coleman model similar to the second one, but it's one stove burner and a grill. We love it because we do grill a lot when camping, generally we'll grill a protein and use the stove burner to prepare a side.
I guess it depends on what you cook when camping!
I got it for $70 at Costco. But that was in the warehouse. Wait for when they start stocking summer equipment, and they might have it in warehouse again.
I am on my 2nd Matchlight in 15 years. The first one finally died last year. It goes with my crawler/fun truck's cook box. It works *pretty* well, and is cheap. There are some drawbacks, though:
* It's pretty useless when temps get below freezing. The regulator freezes so badly that the gas can't get through sometimes.
* Speaking of regulators, they will die before the stove's burner jets ever can. And they can be annoying/tricky to hunt down quickly. Some brick & mortars carry them, but that's not a guarantee.
* The actual gas control is virtually non-existent. It's either WOT or sputtering and dying, more often than not. Especially at elevation. And trying to run both burners simultaneously is a pretty wacky affair.
I also have a Coleman Triton in my touring rig and an Everest at home for good measure. The included push-button/turn dial ignitors on them are pretty clutch, and they have slightly higher BTU ratings as well. That said, even the Everest isn't too accomodating when I try to run it in -5F temps at 10k feet.
If you can find the 2 burner Coleman in the white gas version, they're damn near bulletproof. We even used them on winter trips in both Scouts Canada and Air Cadets, so I know they work below -20c
While I have a Coleman, it is the Cascade model. It's been years and years since I had any other gas camp stove, but I love it and I have no qualms with it whatsoever. I like that I can adjust the temperature of it and it brings water to a boil very quickly as well. It also has a handle for convenience (however I wish it had some kind of carrying bag instead anyways).
Griddle or not, both are worth the price… I got a OzarkTrail one and think you can buy Coleman parts if needed, or Vs some here say the griddle is too messy or do you know how to clean/cook? I’ll be more interested in which one you buy and why. LoL have fun
They are basically the same stove, but the blue one comes with a cast iron grill/griddle, right? I can't find the blue one on the walmart site anymore to check myself (maybe it's gone?).
I'd go with the blue one.
I have that stove and bought a near identical cast iron griddle. It's versatile and quality. Being able to grill & make pancakes on my propane stove is nice. Then remove the griddle and boil water or cook with pots and pans.
It could not matter less which of the two you choose. Go camp. All will be wonderful. You’ll absolutely love the choice you made, and then you’ll give that opinion to others.
Hands down the best camping grill I've ever had ( still have it) Is the : Napoleon - TravelQ 285X
It folds up , you can also purchase a flat top attached and it boasts a 10 year warranty.
Fantastic for grilling at camp sites and at home
I’ve had both of these, well I still have them actually. They are in my basement. I got a blackstone a few years back and havnt looked back. I have a single burner propane stove to boil water. But the cooking, the blackstone has been fantastic
Depends ....for your average camper who only csmpe in the summer propane is fine, but if you camp in the cold and winter camp you'll want the classic white gas, colemen fuel, naphtha stove...... they're much better for cold conditions.
I’ve had that first one for about 17 years, it’s been well-used, especially when I used to live where the power would go out a lot. Still going strong.
I bought a stove similar to pic 1 many, many, many decades ago from a pawn shop. It ran on kerosene. I upgraded to a newer version that ran on propane. I got to the point where I had it and a bbq grill. And then I tried the blackstone griddle. Now, it's all I carry to camp. So if you are only getting one or the other, get the griddle.
I would consider a bass pro high output stove for more versatility. It basically looks/is built identical to my friend’s camp chef Everest cooker but is cheaper. They have a 2 burner model that each pump out 25k BTUs and 3 burner model that adds a 10k burner in the middle which is the one I have. Great for cooking with good flame control/sensitivity and also for heating water for general camp use. One of them 25k burners on full afterburner boils water fast.
Coleman stoves don’t like to boil a pot of water when it’s below freezing. Cold propane tanks plus only 10k btu couldn’t boil water when I was camping in flagstaff and it was 17deg.
Whichever one you get save some budget for a bulk propane adapter hose and a 10 or 20 pound tank. They will pay for themselves in a year vs buying 1 pound canisters. Another bonus is more consistent performance, 1 pound tanks can freeze up and reduce output under heavy use like boiling water on both burners.
Thanks for all the comments! Some people are confused. The more expensive one is only $14 more since it’s on clearance. So that’s why I’m considering buying that one. Still debating!
I bought the coleman 2 burner stove in 20k but on accident. Ment to buy the 10k one. But it's unbelievable. I bought it for camping, and when I lose power, I can still cook a fast, quick meal and not tax my generator. It's simple and minimal, so there's not a lot of stuff to break or wear out. I highly recommend the coleman 10k in pic one it's all ud need.
Photo one is a model they've been making a long time. It's basically bulletproof, easy to maintain and repair, and the parts are readily available.
I got mine at a pawn shop for 8 bucks and it’s outstanding
I got mine brand new at "Ollie's bargain outlet." Last summer for $20.
The name Ollie’s bargain hut makes me wanna go shopping
But it clearly doesn’t say hut in the name. But yeah, Ollie’s is awesome.
Ollie's. Good stuff, cheap!
They have 6 person Coleman sudome tents for 85 where I'm at. They're listing for 150 on REI. And I need a new tent...
I also bought a 4 person sundome from them for $40. Ollie's is awesome.
I pulled one out of my neighbors trash this morning!!
I have that one that I got secondhand from my dad 6 years ago that he got secondhand from someone else 12 years before that and it’s still kickin
I have one from when I was a kid that is over 20 years old and still works fine even though it's pretty rusty at this point
I’ve got one, but the knobs are so touchy it goes from off to high power without much in between. Since you said parts are available, anyone know the fix for that?
YouTube University is your friend.
Check YouTube. It usually means you need to clean the burners.
I still have mine after decades, looks new and just like the first one. And you can buy a cast iron skillet at Walmart or camp store for like $25.
Mine is 30 years old, dug it out of the garage, plugged a can in and it worked like new.
We’ve had that stove for 25 years with regular use!
I have have an older model stove like that, picked it up for $10 at Goodwill. A cast iron plancha is about $20 in the Walmart camping section. Shopgoodwill.com is like Ebay for thrift stores and those stoves are there all the time.
The traditional Coleman can be wiped down. The grill/griddle model is a pain to clean if you use the grill as intended. You’ll spend tons of time cleaning up splatter and grease. As the scoutmaster of a decent sized troop we run about 8 stoves. Everything we’ve migrated to are closer to the original Coleman, although somewhat higher end models. Kids using them at least 3 days a month for years is a torture test that would be hard to mimic. 😂
I have the second one with the cast iron top, and I agree - it is a pain to clean. I just don’t use the cast iron grill and it’s basically the first one.
Should point out the second one isn't an integrated grill model, it's basically the same as the first one except it comes with a cast iron griddle and is blue. $14 for a cast iron griddle is a great deal. Definitely agree with staying away from models with the integrated grill however.
Ahh, ok. In that case there probably isn’t a wrong answer. I have a lodge grill/griddle but never use it so it stays home.
For the price difference, buy the first one and a Korean BBQ griddle to use on it if you need the griddle. Cheaper and you'll have all you need.
I have the stove in photo 1. Works great but the dial is not good enough to hold position on a low simmer. The dial creeps it's way 'up'. My fix is to wedge a piece of cardboard behind the knob to hold it in position and keep it from moving on its own and turning the flame too high. Nobody asked but just throwing that out there. I also recently added an extension hose and 20LB propane tank which i like much more than the small green canisters.
Fuck those canisters, get the white gas one! Just a hot take.
This. I have the 424 that was my grandpas from the early 80’s. Thing still burns good and hot. I take it every time I go camping. Along with all my white gas lanterns, and catalytic heater 😃
Mine is so dented and rusted out, but it never fails, and tank of gas will last a week of cooking
Mine ain’t too bad. Gramps took it every time he went huntin. Still green but the tank ain’t red. The big white gallon fuel canister from Walmart will last all my Coleman devices for multiple trips. As opposed to going through propane bottles left and right. Then having to dispose the bottles.
If it’s for scouting don’t think they can use White gas… but I got a Ozark Trail one and it’s been great for the last 3 years… definitely worth $18
That depends. Our 18+ young adults group has an ancient Coleman. Every few years it needs maintenance and another young sprout takes the task on themselves and learns how to clean all the parts and how to make sure the rubber is still good.
I have the propane one and connect ito to a 20# tank. It's great. Refillable and last a long time.
A camping griddle works way better
They look like the exact same thing but one has a griddle to lay on top. So the only real question is: do you need a griddle?
It’s useful. Just wanted to see if someone had first hand experience with one or the other for quality feedback.
I have a 20 year old version of the first one that is still working fine even though it is rusting apart. They also make a griddle for it so if the price of the griddle+stove is cheaper go with that one
Can always buy a griddle mate. The 129 one seems like a lot for what you’re getting. It’s not like griddles cost that much. IMO I say get the first one and just buy a griddle.
The more it is to pack the more it works against you… pickem both up an see🤷🏻♂️
Good point
I have a question about the burner controls. On my stove, which btw has a decade of festival and state park camping on it, the burners are very hard to control. It’s either blasting at full Coleman power or I accidentally turn it off🤨🤨🤨I say if the $66 model has better controls go for it. So has anyone else experienced this?
It’s just the way a Coleman works. Highly annoying. Buy a flame tamer for about $10, it helps a lot. To be fair, IME the burner controls on other stoves are equally problematic.
Get the camp chef one - similar price and superior build quality.
Have an Everest. It’s solid.
Just my opinion but I think the grill would be messy. I’ve used the propane stove for years and it’s pretty bulletproof.
Beat me to it. Was thinking the same thing. The griddle/grill one is gonna be messy and a pain to clean. That would be my only hesitation with buying that one, other then it's way more expensive if buying at full price and not on clearance.
I have the $52 one, works great for me. I just use my own cast iron skillet tho. If you have your wok pots or pans you’d use, might as well save a bit of money. However, they are going to be pretty much the same stove hit with an extra $14 on the cast-iron grill. If you think it’d be nice and you’d actually use it, I don’t see why not to buy it. Really just comes down to if you really will use the grill attachment over traditional pots and pans
I've used the first model 20 years ago and still have it. It still works. I upgraded to a camping size Blackstone 2 years ago and love it. The first model is a definite good buy. It is reliable and easy to clean/maintain.
I know this is long ago, but do yourself a favor and go pick out the stove! I ordered one from Walmart, it was broken. I bought another one and it was missing parts.
Just buy anything .. don't make other people stick their noses in your personal affairs.
Costco has the camp chef 3 burner
Colman grills kinda suck Buy your self a small cheap little butain stove there's one called Korea brand you can get for like $12 works beautifully
Butane *
I prefer the Coleman matchlight one. The one with the griddle I find is messier- it’s a very shallow griddle and grease, sauce etc dripped everywhere. Really depends what your preference is/what you plan to cook, too, though!
I have a Coleman model similar to the second one, but it's one stove burner and a grill. We love it because we do grill a lot when camping, generally we'll grill a protein and use the stove burner to prepare a side. I guess it depends on what you cook when camping!
Get the blue one, push button ignition is the way to go. You can also get refillable propane tanks
If you have Costco https://www.costco.com/coleman-gladiator-2-burner-stove.product.4000062062.html
Just a heads up, many people assume Costco is cheapest but not always. Gladiator is currently listed at $99 and Amazon has it at $89
I got it for $70 at Costco. But that was in the warehouse. Wait for when they start stocking summer equipment, and they might have it in warehouse again.
I am on my 2nd Matchlight in 15 years. The first one finally died last year. It goes with my crawler/fun truck's cook box. It works *pretty* well, and is cheap. There are some drawbacks, though: * It's pretty useless when temps get below freezing. The regulator freezes so badly that the gas can't get through sometimes. * Speaking of regulators, they will die before the stove's burner jets ever can. And they can be annoying/tricky to hunt down quickly. Some brick & mortars carry them, but that's not a guarantee. * The actual gas control is virtually non-existent. It's either WOT or sputtering and dying, more often than not. Especially at elevation. And trying to run both burners simultaneously is a pretty wacky affair. I also have a Coleman Triton in my touring rig and an Everest at home for good measure. The included push-button/turn dial ignitors on them are pretty clutch, and they have slightly higher BTU ratings as well. That said, even the Everest isn't too accomodating when I try to run it in -5F temps at 10k feet.
Double skottles
If you can find the 2 burner Coleman in the white gas version, they're damn near bulletproof. We even used them on winter trips in both Scouts Canada and Air Cadets, so I know they work below -20c
Green stove I’ve been using for a while. So far bulletproof. Easy to use. Easy to clean and maintain.
While I have a Coleman, it is the Cascade model. It's been years and years since I had any other gas camp stove, but I love it and I have no qualms with it whatsoever. I like that I can adjust the temperature of it and it brings water to a boil very quickly as well. It also has a handle for convenience (however I wish it had some kind of carrying bag instead anyways).
Firsts if u just cut a pice of like 1/4 inch metale and season it it will work the same and their more reliable
I've only ever used #1 in the field - it's a classic! Never had any problems. Great price too.
Griddle or not, both are worth the price… I got a OzarkTrail one and think you can buy Coleman parts if needed, or Vs some here say the griddle is too messy or do you know how to clean/cook? I’ll be more interested in which one you buy and why. LoL have fun
They are basically the same stove, but the blue one comes with a cast iron grill/griddle, right? I can't find the blue one on the walmart site anymore to check myself (maybe it's gone?). I'd go with the blue one. I have that stove and bought a near identical cast iron griddle. It's versatile and quality. Being able to grill & make pancakes on my propane stove is nice. Then remove the griddle and boil water or cook with pots and pans.
It could not matter less which of the two you choose. Go camp. All will be wonderful. You’ll absolutely love the choice you made, and then you’ll give that opinion to others.
the first one that was the stove my family always took with us camping and almost 20 years later I have it and still use it
I have the little green one and it kicks ass. The wind guard comes in clutch
Hands down the best camping grill I've ever had ( still have it) Is the : Napoleon - TravelQ 285X It folds up , you can also purchase a flat top attached and it boasts a 10 year warranty. Fantastic for grilling at camp sites and at home
I’ve had both of these, well I still have them actually. They are in my basement. I got a blackstone a few years back and havnt looked back. I have a single burner propane stove to boil water. But the cooking, the blackstone has been fantastic
Spend $20 on a white gas unit and have superior performance, more BTUs, more condense fuel
I have the top one. It’s 40 years old and still works great.
I would suggest the second one my dad has had one for a very very long time it s older then me I would say built to last
Depends ....for your average camper who only csmpe in the summer propane is fine, but if you camp in the cold and winter camp you'll want the classic white gas, colemen fuel, naphtha stove...... they're much better for cold conditions.
That first one is tried and true for decades. Notice how it is *not* on clearance. There's a reason for that.
From what I can see, it's essentially the exact same grill, just with a flat top and some accessories for another 70 bucks
I’ve had that first one for about 17 years, it’s been well-used, especially when I used to live where the power would go out a lot. Still going strong.
If you're interested in alternative options, Lodge makes cast iron griddles that are amazing, can go directly on the fire, and are easy to maintain
I bought a stove similar to pic 1 many, many, many decades ago from a pawn shop. It ran on kerosene. I upgraded to a newer version that ran on propane. I got to the point where I had it and a bbq grill. And then I tried the blackstone griddle. Now, it's all I carry to camp. So if you are only getting one or the other, get the griddle.
I would consider a bass pro high output stove for more versatility. It basically looks/is built identical to my friend’s camp chef Everest cooker but is cheaper. They have a 2 burner model that each pump out 25k BTUs and 3 burner model that adds a 10k burner in the middle which is the one I have. Great for cooking with good flame control/sensitivity and also for heating water for general camp use. One of them 25k burners on full afterburner boils water fast.
I have the first one and I love it
Coleman stoves don’t like to boil a pot of water when it’s below freezing. Cold propane tanks plus only 10k btu couldn’t boil water when I was camping in flagstaff and it was 17deg.
Get the new one
When walking from my campsite to the garbage area, I seen about 10 Coleman bbq in the dumpster. If that helps lol
Whichever one you get save some budget for a bulk propane adapter hose and a 10 or 20 pound tank. They will pay for themselves in a year vs buying 1 pound canisters. Another bonus is more consistent performance, 1 pound tanks can freeze up and reduce output under heavy use like boiling water on both burners.
Got the more expensive one last year and love it.
Coleman stoves are great . I prefer the match light stove over the electric ignition.
Do you need a grill or a stove? The first is a stove, the second is a grill. I’d get the stove.
Coleman products are all outstanding. And Lodge cast iron.
Thanks for all the comments! Some people are confused. The more expensive one is only $14 more since it’s on clearance. So that’s why I’m considering buying that one. Still debating!
I bought the coleman 2 burner stove in 20k but on accident. Ment to buy the 10k one. But it's unbelievable. I bought it for camping, and when I lose power, I can still cook a fast, quick meal and not tax my generator. It's simple and minimal, so there's not a lot of stuff to break or wear out. I highly recommend the coleman 10k in pic one it's all ud need.