Jetboil Genesis Basecamp Stove System Review: The Benchmark of Car Camping Stoves

Does your choice in camp stoves affect what and how you can cook? Absolutely. Will this particular stove take your camp cooking to the next level? I think so.

Recently, I’ve felt like I was going through camp stoves like going through bags of ice. One would work great, and I was excited because it didn’t break the bank to purchase. But ultimately, right when I needed it, craving that coffee or salivating over a slice of bacon, something would fail.

This went on for years. I would try others and budget myself a little more, but the stoves were either not practical for my situation or they, too, would also break before their time.

One day, Jetboil’s Genesis Basecamp fell into my lap. When it did, not only did it check off all the major boxes I was looking for, but it also stepped up my cooking game. And with easy cooking, complete control, practical storage, and top-notch efficiency, my only camp worry nowadays is what I want to cook.

In short: If you’re on the search for a reliable investment in a camping stove system that you don’t need to replace after your first year, listen up! Jetboil launched the Genesis Basecamp stove in 2016 with the sole purpose of having a simple, practical system to cook with that will last. Fast forward 7 years, and Jetboil has barely changed anything because it still has that reputation. Here’s our full review of the Jetboil Genesis stove and Basecamp stove system.

To see more of the best camping stoves on the market today, check out GearJunkie’s guide to the Best Camping Stoves.

Jetboil Genesis Basecamp Stove Review

First Impressions

The Jetboil Genesis looks chunky but is astonishingly light. The stove sits in a cylindrical carrying bag with a zipper along the middle. When unzipped, the bag folds open with ease, granting access to all its contents.

It also isn’t packed so tight that it’s annoying to pull out or put away. Unlike a backpacking sleeping bag, Jetboil designed this bag to keep all its contents perfectly in place while making it easy to pack away when done.

Once opened, the ceramic nonstick pan comes out first. The pan sits upside-down with the rest of the stove and kit nested inside. Pulling out the stove is easy with a small metal ring.

The stove gently unfolds after the removal of the two small rubber straps that hold it in place. The orange color conjures up some spicy ideas. An added bonus is the manual ignition switch on each of the burners. Long gone are the days of the hair-burning lighter ignitions.

The 5L pot is very large, and it has a grooved bottom so that it sits comfortably on the stovetop without the worry of accidentally bumping into it while cooking. At the base of the bag, there is a clear plastic windscreen that will fit around both burners together. Finally, the small propane connector hose sits snugly inside the top of the bag, and it works for the standard 16-ounce canisters, or any other sizes with the same valve.

In the Field

I didn’t plan on going camping the day I got it, but it inspired me. The first thing I did was boil some water for morning coffee. It worked amazingly fast.

Later in the day, I decided to try both burners at once. I had some ravioli that I needed to boil and some chicken breasts that I intended to pan-sear.

So, after I got the water boiling in the pot on the left burner, I turned the dial down to simmer. I was blown away by the sensitivity and control of the dial. I then turned on the pan and let the chicken sear to perfection. Even with both burners on in tandem, the fuel on the fire never seemed to run out.

Added Bonus

For more long-term testing, I’ve used the Genesis for coffee each morning for over 2 weeks. The 16-ounce propane tank has lasted me and still hasn’t shown signs of running out.

I also haven’t tested it yet, but the Genesis can connect to other Jetboil systems with the Jetlink adapter on the right burner, potentially linking up endless cooking ideas.

Genesis Downfalls

One downfall I found with the system, and it is my own fault, was on the handle of the pan. It is flimsy and wrapped in plastic. I accidentally left the handle folded next to the pan when I was cooking bacon one morning — and completely melted and burned the plastic on the handle. So now, I’ll have to put some electrical tape around it and hopefully never forget to unfold it before cooking.

The propane metal tube link could be a factor, as well. If the stove were to accidentally fall off a table or tailgate, the stove will be just fine, but I can see the tube breaking. The adapter is the same as on most camp stoves, but with this stove design, the three components (two burners and fuel) take up a bit more room.

The Jetboil Genesis: From 2016 to Now

What you see now is what launched in January 2016. Nothing has changed except for an increase in price. So aside from typical inflation, the stove has remained almost untouched.

There are a few logos that weren’t there before and I did notice the two black hinges are slightly different when folding the system to pull out or put away. But ultimately, why deviate from something that remains arguably the best two-burner camp stove system on the market, from one of the pioneers in the outdoor cooking industry? We reviewed this same system in 2015 and can confirm that it’s just as good now.

Jetboil Genesis Basecamp Stove: Final Thoughts

To be fair, $400 is a very steep price. However, this stove is not only worth it for its complete design but also because of its simmering powers and efficiency. You are going to spend more money on propane over the years if you buy a cheapo stove from Walmart than you are buying this thing. And the cheapo will break on you. Trust me!

The point is that the Jetboil Genesis is expensive, but worth it. You get so much for your buck that the bang will help you forget about the purchase to begin with. The sky is the limit with what you can cook on it, and I personally can’t wait to find out what else we cook up this summer.