Partner Steel – Cook Partner Stove Review: Camping Stove Designed for Compact Storage, Ease of Use, and Built like a Tank!
The best thing about buying quality camping equipment is it lasts a long time.
A good case in point is my Coleman propane camp stove. Back in the late 1970s, while out touring with bands, I purchased a Coleman stove. The idea was to use it for both making coffee and cooking as a way to both cut down on expensive restaurant meals and to try and eat a bit healthier.
Some laughed at my kitchen set-up in the back of a 5-ton truck but it worked.
I guess I was overlanding before it became a thing, it just happened to be in hotel parking lots or on hotel room balconies.
When I married and we took camping trips, the stove continued to work like a champ but age slowly caught up with it.
A number of parts were swapped out to extend its life but it was clear, after well over thirty years of service, it was time to start looking for a replacement.
I’d heard about the Cook Partner from Partner Steel and it looked well-made, unlike many of the stoves I’d been viewing at outdoor stores.
One unit I looked at almost sliced my hand opens as the edge of the lid was so sharp and it hadn’t been cleaned up in manufacturing.
Partner Steel has been in business since 1947 as a custom steel fabricator and to see the quality of work, just have a look at the welds on a stove.
They added the Cook Partner items to their product line-up and it’s been a success. They make a number of great items for outdoor use, especially for the rafting community.
Exceptional Weld Quality
Introducing the Cook Partner by Partner Steel Co. This is one exceptionally durable flat surface camping cooking stoves built to last.
Because of the US dollar exchange and shipping, I arranged to purchase a Cook Partner stove from Cascade River Gear.
I had it shipped to a campground in the Adirondacks we were going to be staying at while hiking around the Lake Placid and High Peaks area.
We checked in, set up camp and around dinner time I pulled the stove out.
This is when I discovered it wasn’t designed for disposable one-pound propane cylinders like my old Coleman. The regulator provided works with the larger five, ten and twenty-pound tanks.
This meant an evening drive into Lake Placid to find a hardware store where we purchased a ten-pound tank, something I had wanted to do anyway to get away from disposable cylinders.
By then it was late and dark so we decided to check out the Lake Placid Brew Pub; good food, good beer, good decision … We’ll try the stove out at breakfast!
Comes Apart for Easy Cleaning
To say these stoves are well designed is an understatement.
Some of the key features that were selling points for me:
- Built in the USA with Quality Steel
- 5052 Aluminum Construction
- Burner Assembly Crafted from 5/16” Diameter Stainless Steel
- Easily Removable for Cleaning
- Extremely Super Clean Welds
I purchased an 18” two-burner model which produces 10,000 BTU’s.
A windscreen is an option but well worth adding. As you can tell from my story above, each stove comes with a regulator and hose.
Find This Product Online:
- Cook Partner Stainless Steel Stove: Check Price
Stove Closed for Travel
The stove has a firm heavy-duty latch, not unlike those used on concert touring road cases for a tight seal when closed.
The recessed knobs for regulating flame and temperature are tucked nicely inside the unit, keeping them safe during transport.
Partner Steel offers a number of stove sizes for any use. These stove sizes include:
- 9” Two-Burner Unit
- 16”, 18” and 22” Two-Burner Units
- 26” Three-Burner
- 16” and 18” Four-Burner
- 26” Six-Burner
Some of the stoves have the option of break-apart hinges so a four-burner could be used as two, two-burners.
Griddle Offers Even Heating
Partner Steel offers a number of stovetop accessories and the one I purchased, which sees plenty of use are the griddle.
Crafted from food-grade aluminum, the griddle heats rapidly cleans easily due to its anodized surface and has easily grasped metal handles on both ends.
Can you smell the bacon?
Find Camping Griddles Online:
- Stainless Steel Camping Griddle: Check Price
The company also makes both an aluminum and stainless-steel coffee pot and five different sizes of Dutch ovens.
These ovens can be stacked to prepare an entire meal at one time, nest together and the lid also served double duty as a griddle or low frying pan.
Find Camping Dutch Ovens Online:
- Camping Gear Dutch Ovens: Check Price
Additionally, Partner Steel makes the Jon-Ny Partner, a stainless-steel camp port-o-potty, a water purifier unit, an aluminum stretcher table that is 23” wide by 72” long and 32” high with spots for tie-downs and a hand washing station. The company’s products are featured and used quite heavily with western rafting companies.
I can’t say it enough just how well built these stoves are. I can easily see it lasting as long or longer than my old Coleman. And in these days of disposable products, that’s a good thing.
Partner Steel openly welcomes its customers to stop by and visit their facility in Pocatello, Idaho and if you have questions about any of their product line, feel free to call or email them.
Adding this comment for others that stumble upon this webpage (years after the review was written!). This is a GREAT stove. I picked my single-burner version at Overland Expo West in Flagstaff, Arizona.
For those having trouble getting the burner assembly reinstalled after removal (usually for cleaning or stowing the hose): speaking only for the single burner stove, it’s really easy to just put the edge of the grill onto the edge of the stove perimeter, then just use your finger or thumb to gently push downward to get the gas tubes to line up. Super easy! No need to bend anything (at least for the single burner), as mentioned in one of the other comments. I’m not sure why the company is reportedly suggesting to bend things.
I expect this stove to last the rest of my life and am thrilled with its durability, reliability, and simplicity.
I purchased the two burner folding model a couple of years ago while in Utah and have nothing but praise for it. Could use more Btu sure, but it’s fine. Like the option of separating the two halves if I want to downsize for any reason. Haven’t yet. Did miss the wind guard, so picked up a piece of sheet aluminum that I bend and stand up on one of the corners. Works fine.
Fair amount of dollars to purchase, last forever.
Awesome! A post I can also participate on as i also have this same stove. Previously I was an avid white water rafter, and all the rafting companies use these stoves, as they indeed are indestructible. This is the type of item you dont see advertised, you dont find in a store, and often never even get mentioned anywhere as they are for people “in the know.”
Ill add my own findings:
Pros:
– Its a “buy it for life/once” item. You will never need another stove.
– Its well built, this thing commands respect. Its like looking at a wolf stove, you can tell it is SOLID.
– I like that the knobs will never get damaged as they are recessed.
– The latch is awesome.
– Carry handle, hose, 1 lb propane adapter, all solid and helpful for versatility.
– Word of mouth pride and unique, this thing is legit
Cons:
– Upon set up, at least for the stove i got, the burner assembly is a PITA to put back on the body once you remove it to get the hose. I called them on this and they say bend the fittings down, but even still i have trouble with placing the grill back on. I have to hold both burner outlets down while trying to align them up with the dials and its difficult. This might be “fixable” though
– Similarly, upon take down, you have to plan around the burner and the now detached hose (assuming you store this inside.) This can take time to get it just right. Note this is only an issue if you store the hose inside, just as the first con ive listed.
– Expensive, even as a buy it for life item this is a huge pill to swallow. Note it is well over $100 more than the other BEST reviewed stoves out there.
– The heat control is “ok” Its not exactly precise. Could be better.
– I do not like the way the wind faring is held in place. The metal wire that sticks out can be annoying and must be bent up during use to prevent the faring from moving. Not too big of a deal – but those long wires must constancy be minded when using, closing, and putting the grill on.
– Need to invest more for a case (optional)
– Finally, note that the hose is long, so often in detaching the long hose from the propane tank, the hose still contain pressurized propane which then vents off (fast) into the air.
Neutrals:
– Edges are sharp, be careful
– 10K BTU i nothing special. Pretty much most stoves in this size range produce this. I feel for the price they could offer a bit more….POWER!!!!
Note I am just adding facts/experience to contribute to this AWESOME website.
Good comments. The burner assembly can be a bit fiddly at times but overall, I find it slides into place fairly easily as we take it out just about everyday while traveling to clean underneath. I don’t store the hose in the stove but I know that can be a challenge. I’ve seen some modifications for the wires that hold the wind deflector. Haven’t got around to trying this yet. I use a 10 lb tank and simply shut the propane off and let the excess in the hose burn off before disconnecting.