The Camp Chef Pro 14 is a large freestanding camping stove designed to help you feed families and groups. Camp Chef makes a several variations and has tweaked its naming scheme and lineup over the years.
The first thing you need to know is that Camp Chef makes two main sizes of its freestanding camp stoves: 14-inch stove systems and 16-inch stove systems. They’re all very good, but the Pro Series has red flip out side shelves that make cooking outside much easier. I’ve now cooked on a 14-inch Camp Chef Pro for several years over multiple camping and hunting trips, as well as for backyard barbecues. In addition, I’ve used the Camp Chef BBQ Grill Box as well as the Camp Chef Griddle — and several other Camp Chef stoves along the way.
I’ll share my experience with Camp Chef stove outdoor cooking systems and accessories, give you my personal opinion on what makes the Pro series great, and recommend whether you should buy it or not. Here is what you need to know if you’re considering a Pro camp stove:
The Pro 60X Is Now the Pro 14
Camp Chef has now renamed its 60X series stove to the Pro 14. This change makes it easier for consumers to understand the size and fit of 14-inch Camp Chef accessories.The version I use is named the Pro 60X, but if you go to order this system from Camp Chef directly, you’ll now be ordering the “Pro 14” . . . even though the product SKU still has the PRO60X naming the convention. The key difference is that the front panel name is now Pro 14 and not Pro 60X. Seriously, that is only key difference.
I believe the “60X” came from the 60,000 BTUs you get in total from the two 30,000 BTU burners . . . but that probably wasn’t intuitive to consumers. Either way, Camp Chef has clarified its stove lineup for 2024 by more intuitively aligning its accessories to the 14-inch or 16-inch options. Now the accessory names match the stove names. If you buy a Pro 14 stove, you know that all the “14” accessories will work with it. Just remember this: If you find a “60X” still on the market — and many are still available — it’s sized for 14-inch accessories.
The Camp Chef Pro 14 Review
Each burner delivers a whopping 30,000 BTUs.The Camp Chef Pro 14 is basically a very large 2-burner camping stove. When you want to cook like a champion, it’s the stove you want — which is also why it’s one of our best camp stove picks. If you need an even bigger stove, you’d go with the 3-burner Pro 16. It has the same design, it’s just longer: 16-inches deep and uses the 16-inch accessories.
Each heavy-duty burner in the Pro Series delivers 30,000 BTUs. On their own, they work well with pots, pans and coffee pots of all sizes, but they really come alive with a versatile camp griddle and the aforementioned Deluxe BBQ Grill Box and pizza-ready Artisan Outdoor Oven. I recommend that you also nab a griddle if you don’t already have one. Camp Chef’s 14-inch Griddle works very well and I’m a big fan because it spreads heat well and has a good grease channel.
Meanwhile, back to the Pro 14/Pro 60X and my experience cooking on it.
In addition to the raw — and versatile — power, the key reason to buy the Camp Chef Pro 14 is to get a heavy-duty, freestanding camp stove system that’s also portable. The stout legs fold down, the wind screen comes off, and the two side shelves fold in. The result is a stove you can fold up and take camping.
I’m a big fan of how the Pro stove series packs up. The side tables fold up to cover the grill side. The legs fold up into the bottom. The entire stove can then fit into a handy carry case for easy travel and storage.Of course, the Pro 14 requires a willingness to deal with its weight and size — it weighs 48.5 pounds, which means one person can lug it out of the back of a pickup and to your camp or picnic site. While there is a built-in carry handle, we recommend that you grab a Camp Chef carry bag — or even the wheeled carry bag if you want that option. It’ll make storage and transport a bit easier.
On the other hand, the Camp Chef Pro 14 is 32 inches high and does not require a camp table or picnic table to use. That’s super cool in and of itself. We’re always running out of camp table space, so the Pro 14 is a welcome addition to multi-day camping trips.
The Pro 14 Design
Each 30,000 BTU burner is heavy duty, as is the cookware grate.The two 30,000 BTU burners are set lower under the grill than you’ll find in most small camp stoves. This allows you to adjust the flame and power to fit your needs. More importantly, it also lets the heat disperse on the way up for more even heating . . . while still allowing enough power for the Deluxe BBQ Grill Box and Pizza Oven accessories.
Basically, the Camp Chef Pro 14 burners are heavy-duty, powerful and a joy to use with most any cookware or accessory.
What I really appreciate about the Camp Chef Pro stove system is that it doesn’t require a table. I can set it up anywhere and get cooking quickly.Cooking in Wind
However, you should know that in swirling winds, the burners can flutter a bit more than you might expect. It’s a pro/con you make by going with the large open cooking grate design. Consider that the 448 square inches of cooking area is fairly open if you’re using smaller pots and pans. Why? When you have all that heat coming out of the 30,000 BTU burners, you want a bit of space for it to do its work. The downside is that those openings give swirling wind a place to blow.
Camp Chef includes a windshield/backsplash, which helps cut side winds pretty well. For downdraft kinds of wind, I like to place an accessory on one side of the grill if I’m not using the burner. This trick helps block wind to the burner I’m using. Personally, I don’t consider wind performance much of a con, but you might want to consider this if you plan to cook in very windy conditions with smaller cookware.
Camp Chef Pro Stability
I like how easy it is to level a Camp Chef freestanding stove. Leveling helps keep grease and food on pans and griddles as intended.The steel folding legs with adjustable leg-levelers make the Pro 14 and 16 series stoves very stable. The grate is super strong, too — it can support a heavy dutch oven with ease.
The best use for the Camp Chef Pro 14 is for people who want to have a great experience while cooking. On one camping trip with just five people, I waffled a bit on whether to take the big camp stove or go small and light with a more portable table-top camp stove. I chose to go big and I’m glad I did. It’s just so much nicer to have a super sturdy cooking platform that works well. I cooked up bacon on the griddle and elk burgers on the Deluxe BBQ Grill Box. The next morning it was pancakes and coffee. So good.
If you have a cabin, some outdoor property, or go camping for a few days at a time, the Pro series stoves are an easy win. If you want to be the camp chef and wow your friends and family, again, go big and win. And if you want an outdoor cooking system that can live on your deck or patio . . . and still go camping, the Pro series are good choices, too.
In case this wasn’t clear, you’ll need to use a propane tank. Camp Chef recommends a 20-lb tank, but I’ve used a smaller 10-lb tank with good results.
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A Cooking System: 14-inch Accessories
The 14-inch accessory Grill Box and Griddle work well together and are easy to remove. If you want to cook up bacon burgers, this setup is hard to beat!The best way to think of a Camp Chef Pro stove is to consider it the core part of a versatile cooking system. You can have great success without any accessories, but you can amplify your experience by adding the pieces you want most. You can add both 1-burner accessories that fit one burner . . . or 2-burner accessories that fit both burners!
I recommend the 14-inch Griddle for sure, but you could opt for a larger two-burner griddle for more coverage. If you’re a smash burger fan, definitely get a griddle.
The Deluxe BBQ Grill Box has a nice cast-iron grill, and the lid locks shut, which also holds the grill in place. It’s a pretty smart design, actually. Plus, the Deluxe BBQ Grill Box works far better than I was expecting — it did a great job with elk burgers, which require more care and attention than your typical beef burger.
I haven’t tried the Pizza Oven myself, but like the idea. I’d rather bake pizza outside on a hot summer day than inside.
Bacon burger results!Ready for the Patio, Too
The size of the Pro 14 also makes it suitable as a back deck or patio stove and grill. If you want to do outdoor cooking at home, you can leave it setup outside and cover it with a Camp Chef Patio Cover. For me, cooking bacon outside on the back deck has been a revelation. No more stinking up the house or splattering grease in the kitchen. Plus, with the Griddle, I can cook up a lot of bacon at once, then store it in the refrigerator cooked. It’s handy for a quick high-protein snack, sandwich helper, or salad topping.
Pro tip: Once a week you can make it a habit to have an outside cook day where you cook up meats that you and your family can eat during the week. You’ll likely end up eating out at restaurants less, likely go to the grocery store less often, and you might even eat healthier overall.
Alternative Camp Chef Stove Options
As I mentioned above, for 2024, Camp Chef has consolidated its camp stove lineup into simpler options. The Pro series gives you folding legs, wind screens, and side tables.
If you’re on a budget, you can choose the Explorer 14 for half the price of the Pro series. You still get two great 30,000 BTU burners and a wind screen so your cooking performance will be excellent. The 14-inch accessories also work with the Explorer. The drawback is that it’s a bit less packable, slightly less refined and you don’t get the side shelves.
There are two benefits to the Camp Chef Pro 16 that you should consider. The first is that the 16 series, previously known as the Pro 90X, gives you three burners. The second is that it has a 16-inch front-to-back grill space. The drawback is increased weight and reduced packability.
The Bottom Line
All in all, the renamed Camp Chef Pro 14 and 16 series stoves deliver an outstanding outdoor cooking platform. The large 30,000 BTU burners are a joy to cook on, and the accessories deliver excellent performance and versatility. The only drawback is the size and weight. If you’re willing to pack the stove, you’ll definitely appreciate cooking on it. Very highly recommended.
