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Camp Chef Pro 60X Review

A premium freestanding stove with side-tables, powerful burners, auto-ignition, and decent wind resistance
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Camp Chef Pro 60X Review (Once you transport and setup this stove where you want it, the cooking experience is top-notch as long as it's not too...)
Once you transport and setup this stove where you want it, the cooking experience is top-notch as long as it's not too windy.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Price:  $320 List
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Manufacturer:   Camp Chef
By Penney Garrett and Mary Witlacil  ⋅  Nov 10, 2022
62
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#7 of 13
  • Boil Time - 25% 7.0
  • Fuel Efficiency - 25% 9.0
  • Simmering Ability - 20% 7.0
  • Ease of Use - 15% 3.0
  • Portability - 15% 2.0

Our Verdict

The Camp Chef Pro 60x is a luxury car camping stove with premium features and powerful burners. It performed well in many of our categories, proving quite fuel-efficient and boasting a fast boil time in our windless test and an above-average score in our wind test. It is heavy, expensive, and could have been designed to be less awkward to carry with a little forethought. However, it is the only stove in our review with integrated side tables for storage and prep. At 30,000 BTUs per burner, it boasts the second most powerful burners of any stove in our review and has an auto-igniter that works consistently well. If cooking fancy backcountry meals for large groups of people counts among your favorite pastimes, then this stove might be a reasonable — if not indulgent — option for you.
REASONS TO BUY
Powerful
Fast boil time
Fuel efficient
Freestanding
Fold-out side tables for prep
REASONS TO AVOID
Heavy
Expensive
Awkward to carry
Time consuming to set-up

Editor's Note: Review updated November 10, 2022, to reflect new fuel efficiency, boil time, and ease of use metrics.

Name Change
Camp Chef is now calling this stove the Pro 14 on their website. We contacted them to ask if anything else had changed, and they informed us that they only changed the name on the website to distinguish the Pro 60X as part of their 14" line (they also have 16" systems). Nothing about the design or structure of this stove has changed.

Compare to Similar Products

 
camp chef pro 60x
This Product
Camp Chef Pro 60X
Awards  Top Pick Award
Best Designed Stove
Editors' Choice Award
Best Overall Camping Stove
Top Pick Award
Best Multi-purpose Stove and Grill
Best Buy Award
Best Bang for the Buck
Price $299.99 at Backcountry
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$390 List
$389.99 at Backcountry
$190 List
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Check Price at Backcountry
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$30 List
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Bottom Line A beastly freestanding stove with high-end features, fast boil times, above average wind resistance, and high-output burnersA durable, powerful, and fuel efficient stove with excellent features and wind resistance at a premium priceA high-performing stove that boils fast, resists wind, simmers well, and is easy to cleanAn all-rounder for outdoor cuisine, we love this stove, grill, and griddle combo and the flavorful meals cooked on cast ironAn absolute bargain, this versatile little stove cooks any single-pan or pot meal you task it with
Rating Categories Camp Chef Pro 60X Camp Chef Mountaine... Camp Chef Everest 2X Coleman Cascade 3-in-1 Gas One GS-3000
Boil Time (25%)
7.0
8.0
9.0
7.0
3.0
Fuel Efficiency (25%)
9.0
10.0
5.0
5.0
2.0
Simmering Ability (20%)
7.0
7.0
9.0
8.5
7.0
Ease of Use (15%)
3.0
9.0
8.0
9.0
7.0
Portability (15%)
2.0
5.0
6.0
8.0
9.0
Specs Camp Chef Pro 60X Camp Chef Mountaine... Camp Chef Everest 2X Coleman Cascade 3-in-1 Gas One GS-3000
Total BTUs 60,000 40,000 40,000 24,000 9,000
Number of Burners 2 2 2 2 1
Cooking Surface Dimensions 32" x 14" 25.25" x 12.5" 21" x 9.5" 22" x 13.2" 8.25" x 8.25"
Piezo Ignitor Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Measured Weight 44.7 lbs 14.63 lbs 13.97 lbs 12.95 lbs 4.1 lbs
Average Boil Time (1 liter of water, wind & no wind) 4 min 46 sec 4 min 25 sec 3 min 21 sec 4 min 35 sec 8 min 45 sec
Boil Time (1 liter of water, wind from a box fan) 5 min 40 sec 4 min 46 sec 3 min 25 sec 4 min 23 sec 13 min
Boil Time (1 liter of water, no wind) 3 min 53 sec 4 min 04 sec 3 min 17 sec 4 min 29 sec 4 min 30 sec
Cooktop Material Nickel-plated steel Aluminum Nickel-coated steel Aluminized steel Enamel Coated Steel
Packed Size 35" x 14.5" x 9.25" (height not including legs) 25.25" x 14.25" x 5.5" 27" x 15.5" x 8.25" 22" x 12" x 4" 14" x 12" x 3.5"
Burner/Flame Diameter 5" 3.5" 4.75" 3.5" 2.875"
Distance Between Burners (center to center) 16" 11.75" 12.25" 7.75" N/A
Windscreen Yes Yes Yes Yes No
BTU per Burner 30,000 20,000 20,000 12,000 9,000
Type of Model Freestanding Tabletop Tabletop Tabletop Tabletop
Fuel Type Propane - large 20# tank Propane - large 20# tank Propane Propane Butane
Model Number PRO60X MS40AX MS2HP 2157356 GS-3000

Our Analysis and Test Results

We loved testing the Camp Chef Pro 60x as long as we didn't have to carry it too far. This powerful freestanding stove has premium features like 30,000 BTU burners and fold-out side tables. Sadly, these great features come at a cost. This stove is expensive, heavy, and awkward to carry around. Once it was in position, though, we loved using it.

Performance Comparison


camp chef pro 60x - tabletop stoves allow you to enjoy cooking with a view of the beach...
Tabletop stoves allow you to enjoy cooking with a view of the beach and aloha vibes.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

Boil Time


This metric involved two tests. We boiled water on each stove in a windless garage and then we simulated wind with a box fan and boiled again before ranking the stoves based on an average between the two. The Pro 60x had an average boil time of 4 minutes 46 seconds, which was among the best times in our review. In the windy test, it boiled 1 liter of water in the presence of 2-4 mph wind (measured by a pocket anemometer) in 5 minutes and 40 seconds. This was a slightly above-average score, though we would have expected better for the price and power. Then in the wind-less test, it had a boil time of 3 minutes and 53 seconds, which was one of the faster boil times in our review.

With two 30,000 BTU burners — the second most powerful burners in our review fleet — we would have expected this stove to also have the second-fastest boil time. Especially in the wind-less test. This just wasn't the case. We think the slower relative boil time is due to the space between the burner and the cooking grate, as well as the minimal windscreen. This stove has a detachable and foldable windscreen that provides some resistance from a cross-wind, and it also has a sizable drip pan that protects the flame from any wind that might circulate under the stove, but it does not provide enough protection to ace our windy boil test. While boil times do tell us something meaningful about overall performance, it should not be a deterrent if you think this stove is right for you. The Pro 60X has powerful burners with excellent flame control, and the burners produce enough heat to keep up with whatever feast you can concoct.

camp chef pro 60x - boiling water for pasta is quite quick with this stove.
Boiling water for pasta is quite quick with this stove.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

Fuel Efficiency


Beyond evaluating each stove for how quickly it boiled water in windless and windy conditions, we also measured how fuel-efficient each was compared to one another. The Pro 60x is very fuel-efficient, similar to other stoves that are only compatible with a large propane canister. Over the two tests, this stove used an average of 1.12 ounces or 0.28% of the fuel in our 11-pound propane tank. In our wind test, it used 2.24 ounces of fuel, and in the windless test, our scale did not discern a change in the weight of the propane canister at all.

camp chef pro 60x - the windscreens, recessed burners, and full-size drip pan coalesce...
The windscreens, recessed burners, and full-size drip pan coalesce to make the Pro 60x more wind resistant than other freestanding stoves.
Credit: Mary Witlacil

Simmering Ability


With 30,000 BTUs per burner, dialing in the appropriate heat settings with the Pro 60Xcan take some patience and finesse. It has a nice low setting, but the medium setting is quite high, and the flame jumps up pretty quickly. As you get used to fine-tuning the knob, finding the delicate in-between temperature settings becomes easier. The flame does go very low and cooks beautifully with nearly the same feel as cooking on an indoor stove. When cooking a full-size meal, this stove shines, and it's clear it was designed to accommodate backcountry feasts. That said, the design is such that the flame is several inches away from your cookware, which means a breeze can flow between the flame and your pot, causing the flame to whip around. Typically when this happened to us, the flame would stay lit, but there were a few times when it went out, and we had to re-light the burner. This happened with all our freestanding models due to their open and airy designs.

camp chef pro 60x - managing the flame of the pro 60x on a windy beach day.
Managing the flame of the Pro 60X on a windy beach day.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

Ease of Use


The Pro 60x is one of the more challenging stoves to use. The legs fold under the table and lock into place when not in use. To unfold the legs, you press a quick-release button to swing them into position. Out of the box, most of the legs swing out with ease, but our reviewers suspect the buttons will become dirty and less easy to release over time.

One of the key features that distinguish this stove from others on the market is its two foldable wings that function as side tables. These fold out easily to rest on the stove's side handles and are a great space-saving feature. Though, you could probably afford two tables and two tabletop stoves for the price of this one.

camp chef pro 60x - the side-tables in action. they are spacious enough to make it feel...
The side-tables in action. They are spacious enough to make it feel like you have a backcountry kitchen counter whenever you use this stove.
Credit: Mary Witlacil

The windscreen is detachable and folds up when not in use. To install the windscreen, you simply attach it to the lip of the stove with the four tabs on the screen. While no aspect of the setup is particularly difficult, it is more labor-intensive than setting up other stoves in our review.

To swing the legs open, you press the silver button to the right of...
To swing the legs open, you press the silver button to the right of our reviewer's thumb.
Once you fully swing the legs out, the button locks into place...
Once you fully swing the legs out, the button locks into place, making the legs quite secure once they are open.
Here our reviewer is adjusting the height of one of the legs. Each...
Here our reviewer is adjusting the height of one of the legs. Each of the legs has an adjustable knob on the bottom of the leg so you can make sure the stove is level when you set it up on unstable ground.

Cleaning and maintaining this stove requires more attention and care than other smaller models. To clean the drip pan, you have to unscrew a wingnut before lifting out the cooking grate. Then you can scrub down the drip pan, which is under the burners. The drip pan can be removed to clean it more thoroughly and more easily maneuver your scrubby around the burners, but this would require wrenches, time, and dedication. While not an insurmountable obstacle, cleaning this drip pan is undoubtedly more laborious than wiping down other stoves.

camp chef pro 60x - the cleaning of this stove is quite a bit more involved than most of...
The cleaning of this stove is quite a bit more involved than most of the other stoves we tested.
Credit: Penney Garrett

Portability


If you've read this far in the review, it should come as no surprise that the Pro 60x scored low in terms of portability. Weighing in at 44.7 pounds, it is by far the heaviest stove in our review. With packed dimensions of 35" x 14.5" x 9.25" excluding the legs, it proves unwieldy in addition to its heft. While it does have two folding side handles and a fixed handle on the back, the folding handles can be challenging to secure into position.

camp chef pro 60x - testing camping stove portability. side handles can make it...
Testing camping stove portability. Side handles can make it reasonably easy to carry this beast of a stove short distances.
Credit: Mary Witlacil

If you want to carry the stove a longer distance, you will want to use the fixed side handle. Easier said than done because the folding side-tables that double as a lid for transport don't have a latch to hold them in place. This means you either need to carry the stove with the lids pointed toward your body or risk having them swing open while you transport the stove sideways. Either way, it makes for an awkward carry that could be rectified with a simple design solution. We hope that future iterations of the stove address this problem.

camp chef pro 60x - this stove is big and heavy and, disappointingly, there is no latch...
This stove is big and heavy and, disappointingly, there is no latch to keep the side tables stowed in place during transportation. We had to keep the closed side tables against our legs when carrying to avoid them flopping open.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

Should You Buy the Camp Chef Pro 60X?


The Pro 60x is a high-end stove, and the price tag reflects this reality. If you are looking for a heavy-duty stove with premium features to cook lavish backcountry feasts, and you want a stove that is compatible with tons of extra accessories (like a pizza oven, barbeque grill, or a griddle), then the price and weight are unlikely to be a deterrent. This stove has powerful burners with excellent low-end control, so it can cook as well as some home kitchens (if not better). For many outdoor chefs, these extra features will prove unnecessary and are unlikely to make up for the steep price tag.

What Other Camping Stoves Should You Consider?


If you arrived at this review because you are looking for the perfect luxury camping stove but crave something more portable, we love the Camp Chef Mountaineer. It is well-designed, durable, and earns top marks in nearly all of our review metrics. The JetBoil Genesis Basecamp is another excellent option for a design-conscious gear nerd looking for a feature-rich stove that pairs with a lot of accessories.

camp chef pro 60x - some stoves have impressive flames due to large burners outputting...
Some stoves have impressive flames due to large burners outputting 30,000 BTUs each. However, this doesn't guarantee the fastest boiling or best wind resistance.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

Penney Garrett and Mary Witlacil