The Coleman 425 camping stove is a classic. Remaining mostly unchanged in its design and function, buy one from this line today, and it will perform with the same level of quality as one 20 years old and last for another 20 years.
Coleman Camp Stoves
Due to the quick popularity of their well-known Coleman lantern, the Coleman Company released their first camp stove in 1923. With the addition of the camp stove to their inventory, the company quickly established itself into the family camping realm as well as the big business of wartime gear. The famous 425 stove is amazingly similar to this first Coleman stove creation. What Coleman produced were some of the best quality products with a basic functionality that was stable in the marketplace. Although there are a variety of camping stoves in the camping gear world today, both from Coleman and many other manufacturers, you can count on this stove to stand the test of time - both from the past and into the future.
The Vintage Coleman 425 Camping Stove
When the 425 line of camping stoves was first generated, its basic design included a small suitcase style stove, complete with a dual burner powered by gas. If you search sites like eBay or even your local garage sale, you are likely to still find these historic stoves - often in like-new condition.
The New 425 Camping Stoves
Relatively little has changed with the basic 425 design, except for multiple numbers and letters incorporated into the model number. You will find them currently on sale at Amazon. The nostalgia of these stoves in part is what makes them so attractive even amongst the new technology involved in camping today. If you went camping as a child, no doubt your family had one of these timeless stoves.
Current Features
Whether you opt for the less expensive used model or the shiny new version, the Coleman 425 camping stove will offer you the same consistent features you would expect from any basic car camping stove.
- Two Burners: Although there are two burners with the 425 model, one is considered the main and the other the auxiliary. The main burner receives the most gas, as it is first along the fuel line. Therefore it also generates more heat and is the best one to use for boiling or high heat cooking. Overall this stove provides 14,000 BTUs with one burner, or when using both, 7,500 BTUs on the main and 6,500 BTUs on the auxiliary.
- White Gas Powered: The advantage of white gas over propane is usually only obvious to those who have given the Coleman stove a trial run. The gas fuel is widely available and inexpensive to buy. One gas canister will provide ample high heat for two hours or low heat for 7.5 hours.
- Consistent Hot Flame: You can count on this stove to deliver a consistently hot heat source for cooking. Expect it to boil one quart of water in four minutes on high heat. The white gas functionality also enables this stove to keep a high heat even at very high elevations. The 425 stove does require a match to light.
- Pump Up Operation: Most definitely the challenging part about this style of Coleman stove is the slightly complicated pumping operation. In order to enable the gas to flow nicely, ensuring adequate heat and flame, the canister must be pumped - creating the necessary pressure. Although this process is a bit tricky for the first time user, it is easy to master after a few attempts. Luckily, Coleman was thoughtful enough to place easy-to-follow instructions securely stuck to the inside of the stove's lid.
- Compact Design: Although this is definitely a car tent camping style stove - too large and cumbersome for backpacking - it is fairly lightweight and compact. The suitcase style design, complete with carrying handle, makes it an easy stove to pack with the rest of the gear in a car, van or RV. The removable fuel tank, along with any other necessities such as a fuel funnel, matches, hot mitt or cleaning pads, tuck nicely inside.
- Windscreen: The cover along with two side flaps help to keep the flame lit under most mild wind conditions.
- Stability: Once you find a solid surface, such as a picnic table or tailgate, this stove provides an incredibly stable set up for hot cooking pots.
Reliable Camping Stoves from Coleman
You can easily find this durable stove designed with Coleman superior standards as a vintage model for around $10 to $40 or brand new for closer to $90. Either way you go, you are certain to find a reliable workhorse to pass down from generation to generation. Who could beat that with an item such as a camping stove? Certainly the Coleman 425 camping stove provides the kind of product tradition you would like to find with all camping, hiking, backpacking gear and equipment.
