Camping in the winter is not for the faint of heart. It’s cold. It’s wet. And it requires a lot of gear and layers. But the best part about camping in the off-season is that it’s typically uncrowded, quiet, and beautiful.
I’ve always been a fan of sleeping outside. I love the smell of campfires, the fresh air, and waking up to the sun. I used to think winter meant less time doing the things I love, but as I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned I can spend just as much time outdoors during the colder months, as long as I pack the proper gear.
A self-proclaimed cold-weather wimp, I’m a big advocate of any piece of gear that helps me stay warm and cozy. Wet weather often makes it difficult to start a campfire, and many campgrounds prohibit open flames outright. A heat source is essential during wintertime camping trips, and as I planned and researched gear for this winter, I discovered an intriguing gadget from Ignik: the Skullet Portable Heater Stove.
As the name suggests, the Skullet is a heater and stove combined in one. It allows you to have your cake (or whatever you’re cooking up) and stay warm, too. It seemed like the perfect solution to my wintertime woes, and I was excited to see how it performed. I got one and headed for the hills for some chilly camp testing.
In short: The Ignik Skullet ($400) is a two-in-one heater and stove that has a push-start ignition and delivers 360 degrees of warmth for cooking and cozying up on chilly nights. It puts out 48,000 BTUs per hour, has adjustable legs, and a cooking vent pedestal that accommodates cooking pots and pans. It’s on the heavy side and takes a while to cool down, but overall, this heater/stove combo is a great (if expensive) addition to winter trips.
Compare the Ignik Skullet to camp stoves on GearJunkie’s guide to the Best Camp Stoves.
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Heater and stove all in one -
Auto-ignition -
Delivers incredible heat that’s great for warmth and cooking -
Insanely durable
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Adjustable legs make for a bit of a wobbly setup -
Takes a while to cool down -
Heavy
Ignik Skullet Heater Stove Review
Testing the Skullet
I split my time between Oahu, Hawaii, and Santa Cruz, Calif. After stints in Hawaii, Santa Cruz feels particularly cold, especially in the wintertime. To put this camping stove to the test, I spent some time warming up next to it and cooking meals on it under the redwoods.
I wanted to see if the Skullet lived up to expectations on a cold and stormy camping trip in Big Sur. My husband and I cooked on it both in dry conditions and in the rain and warmed up next to it between cold, wet hikes.
Construction & Sizing
The Skullet is well-made and heavy-duty (emphasis on heavy). Constructed from 100% metal, this thing is durable and can take a beating. That design also makes the Skullet heavy. At 16.5 pounds, it’s not ultralight by any stretch of the imagination.
You can purchase the Skullet on its own ($400) or as a cook set ($500), which includes adjustable tripod legs and a cast-iron skillet. For this review, I was testing the full Cook Set.
To use the Skullet, set it on a flat surface or attach it to the adjustable legs to find your perfect height. Then, hook it up to your propane tank, press the built-in ignitor, and the flame will light visibly within the stove.
Lit, the Skullet puts out 360 degrees of heat, similar to a patio heater. The cast iron is large and comes pre-seasoned, so it’s ready to whip up camping feasts right out of the box.
When you’re ready to pack up, the Skullet collapses to a fairly small size (8.6″ x 9.3″ x 10.6″), which makes transport easy.
Heat Power & Source
The Skullet works with propane fuel. Although Ignik does make its own smaller propane canisters (5-pound or 10-pound tanks), I used a standard 20-pound tank that you can buy at any grocery store. That significantly increased the setup’s weight and bulk when packing it into the car. With a 20-pound propane tank, the entire setup weighs nearly 60 pounds.
On the flip side, I wasn’t going to run out of fuel anytime soon. Using a larger tank is also more economical, rather than using smaller canisters, which require more frequent refueling. The stove has a 5-foot connector hose, so it’s easy to find the space to attach your propane.
The Skullet ignites with a push start, so there’s no need for matches or a lighter. It heats up quickly and delivers 48,000 BTU/hour of heat, which is a lot for a portable heater. You can open up the top vents to create an open flame, or you can keep everything enclosed. It feels like a lot like a backyard heater, letting off heat on all sides.
As it is a propane heater, the Skullet should not be used inside an enclosed space. Do not use it inside your tent or camper. It is strictly an outdoor cooking and heating system — which limits its usefulness somewhat.
Half of our time spent using the Skullet was in dry weather, but the other half was spent using it when it was wet outside or actively raining. We were pleased to find the stove started easily and worked well even in the rain.
It would be a great option for wet environments, areas enforcing fire bans, or at campgrounds that don’t have fire rings or allow open flame. With the Skullet, you can still cook and stay warm regardless of those factors.
Cooking With the Skullet
Cooking on the Skullet is quite possibly the best camp cooking experience I’ve ever had. It essentially felt like cooking on my home stove, but with a better view.
For starters, the legs allow you to raise this camping stove to the perfect height. You don’t have to squat or hunch over the entire time while you’re cooking. The heat the stove emits is powerful, but you can control it with a knob just like on a home stove. That allows you to easily simmer or cook at full blast.
The flaps on the top of the stove fold out to support larger pots and pans. Depending on how flat the surface is, the pan can become a bit wobbly when stirring. So be sure and keep a hand on the handle, just in case it slides around.
Drawbacks
Although I’m a big fan of the Skullet, I do have a few small complaints. If you don’t have a table or fire ring to set the Skullet on, the legs are a great option to raise the Skullet so you don’t have to crouch down the entire time you’re cooking. The downside is that if you aren’t on a perfectly flat surface, then the legs are a bit wobbly, which feels dicey while working with a hot stove.
The cast-iron skillet included in the Cook Set is large, which is perfect for cooking for families. It’s wok-style, though, so it doesn’t have any lip or edges; we lost some of the food over the side. It wasn’t a big deal for us, and my dog loved cleaning up the scraps, but depending on what you’re cooking, you might want a more traditional cast-iron with sides.
As mentioned, the Skullet weighs 16.5 pounds, with an additional 1.9 pounds for the legs, 10.3 pounds for the cast-iron skillet, and 20 pounds for the propane canister. As such, you’ll only want to use it at home, RVing, or for car camping. This is not for backpacking.
This stove also gets incredibly hot. That’s awesome, until it’s time to pack up. We should have had the foresight to cook first and then pack up camp. However, with the rain, we quickly took down our tent and packed everything up before cooking breakfast. After eating, we found ourselves sitting in the car for about 30 minutes waiting for the Skullet to cool down before packing it up.
Comparing the Skullet
How does the Skullet stack up against similar propane heaters? The Howl R1 propane fire pit has a comparable price tag at $350 and is similarly built from stainless steel. While that stove can reach a staggering 800 degrees F, it also isn’t designed for cooking. To me, that gives the Skullet a slight edge.
BioLite also makes a fire pit/camp stove combo called the FirePit+. It retails for $250, which is half the price of the Skullet with the full cook setup. The FirePit+ uses wood for fuel instead of propane, though. That makes a big difference in usability. Pressing a button to start your heater or stove is a lot easier than starting a fire. And while the FirePit+ does have a heat control system, it’s not as consistent as what a propane stove delivers.
Finally, it’s worth mentioning that Mr. Heater Portable Buddy Heaters cost less than $100, and unlike the Skullet (and the Howl R1 and FirePit+), they can be used safely in a tent or camper. That’s a huge advantage over these other products at a much lower price point. You could get a Mr. Heater and almost any stove off of GearJunkie’s guide to the Best Camping Stoves for less than the Skullet.
Ignik Skullet Heater Stove: Conclusion
The Ignik Skullet Heater Stove is the most unique camping stove I have ever tried and one of my favorites. Its $400 price tag is nothing to scoff at. But the fact that it doubles as an outdoor heater makes it a very functional piece of gear. In places that don’t allow open flames, or during fire bans, it’s a useful little camp companion.
While the skullet is heavy, it also packs down small and delivers 360 degrees of heat. Complete with a push-start ignition, detachable adjustable legs, and a large surface for pots and pans, it’s great for car camping, RVing, or enjoying in your backyard. With a full winter and spring of camping ahead of us, this heater-stove is going to get a lot of use around our campsites.
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