Can the GSI Outdoors Pinnacle Radiant Butane Stove Simmer Food Without Burning It?

Published 11/04/2026

Question:

My wife and I do quite a bit of camping, and we usually cook breakfast and dinner right at our campsite. The little stove weve been using gets plenty hot, but its almost impossible to turn the flame down without everything sticking to the pan. Im looking at the GSI Outdoors Pinnacle Radiant Butane Stove GSI34XB and wondering if the ceramic burner really makes a difference when cooking at lower temperatures. Can I use it to simmer something like chili or soup without constantly stirring to keep it from burning?

asked by: Brian

Expert Reply:

Hey Brian! Absolutely! The GSI Outdoors Pinnacle Radiant Butane Camping Stove # GSI34XB would be a great choice for the kind of cooking you're doing. What makes this one a little different from a traditional camp stove is the radiant ceramic burner. Instead of concentrating all that heat in one spot, it helps distribute it more evenly across your cookware, and the low heat simmer control lets you dial things back when you're cooking something like chili or soup. You'll still want to give everything an occasional stir, especially with thicker foods, but you won't have to fight with a burner that's either blasting away or barely staying lit.

And don't let the 9,000 Btu output fool you into thinking it's just for boiling water. You've got plenty of heat when you need it, but the real benefit is having more control when you don't. I also like that it has built in ignition, so you're not digging around for a lighter, and the wind shielded burner helps keep things cooking consistently when there's a little breeze at camp. At just 3.6 lbs, it's easy to pack away in the included carrying case when dinner's done.

I'm curious, do you usually cook at a picnic table or have a dedicated outdoor kitchen setup at your campsite?

expert reply by: Heather A