Camp Chef Ranger II 2-Burner Stove (BS40C)
Published · Researched 2026-09-21
2026 lineup note: Current. Camp Chef's high-output tabletop 2-burner — 2 × 17,000 BTU cast-aluminum burners, matchless ignition, wind-baffle housings, 17 lb. The hunting/tailgating crowd's "big stove in a compact body": more BTU per burner than a Coleman 2-burner, built around a 20-lb propane tank instead of 1-lb cylinders. Not the Everest 2X (already in
/library/gear/camp-kitchen/camp-chef-everest-2x/) — the Everest is the backpacker-leaning 2-burner; the Ranger II is the heavier, hotter, tank-fed tabletop unit.
Overview
The Ranger II is Camp Chef's answer to campers who find Coleman 2-burners underpowered: two 17,000-BTU cast-aluminum burners (34,000 total — nearly double a Coleman Classic) under cast-iron cook tops, with wind-baffle burner housings, fully adjustable valves, and matchless piezo ignition. It ships with a 5-foot hose and regulator for a standard 20-lb propane tank — this is not a 1-lb-cylinder stove, and that's the point: long, hot burns for big pots, cast-iron skillets, and group cooking at the duck blind, tailgate, or basecamp. At 17 lb with 8-inch square grates it's firmly car-camping gear. Availability has been spotty in 2026 (out of stock at Walmart, Home Depot, Newegg in crawls) — it sells through in seasonal waves.
Key Specs
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Burners | 2 × 17,000 BTU cast-aluminum (34,000 BTU/hr total) |
| Fuel | Propane; 5-ft hose + regulator included (20-lb tank; tank not included) |
| Ignition | Matchless (piezo) |
| Wind protection | Wind-baffle burner housings |
| Cooktop | Cast-iron cook tops and legs; 8-in square grates |
| Dims | ~19.5 × 12.5 × 5–6 in (retailer listings vary slightly) |
| Weight | 17 lb |
| Model | BS40C |
Pricing
- List: $199.00 (BBQGrillShops).
- Street: $179.99 (Walmart, Home Depot, BBQGuys, D&B Supply — consistent 2026). Frequently out of stock at that price.
Warranty
1-year limited (per Home Depot's manufacturer-warranty listing). Exact terms UNVERIFIED (2026-09-20) from primary source — re-verify at campchef.com.
Community Verdict
The Ranger II is a hunting-camp and tailgate institution — "duck blind or tailgate party" is literally Camp Chef's own pitch, and owner reviews back it up: Walmart's 60-review set leans positive with multi-year owners ("using it all the time for two years... bought one for a friend"). The pitch is power-per-dollar: nothing else at $180 gives you 34,000 BTU on a tabletop. The trade-offs owners name: it's heavy and bulky for the output (17 lb for a 2-burner), the matchless igniter is the usual first failure, and it needs a 20-lb tank — no 1-lb convenience. The fit: hunters, overlanders, and basecamp cooks, not backpackers.
Images
[research workspace]— studio 3/4 angle, full stove (marketplace listing)[research workspace]— studio angle with hose/regulator visible (CampSaver listing)[research workspace]— front view, knobs + "Ranger II" script badge (Home Depot listing)[research workspace]— angle view, cast-iron cook tops (Ultimate Upland review)[research workspace]— close angle, burner housings + wind baffles (Newegg listing)[research workspace]— detail: burner close-up with "LIGHTWEIGHT / 17 lbs" marketing badge (marketplace listing)
Research date: 2026-09-20. Specs cross-verified across Home Depot, Walmart, Cabela's, BBQGuys, CampSaver listings. One candidate image showing Camp Chef's single-burner round outdoor cooker was excluded. All six images verified as the Ranger II BS40C: 2-burner tabletop, "Ranger II" script badge, cast-iron tops, piezo knob layout.
Long-term durability & warranty-claim reality
The Ranger II is simple steel and cast iron — owners report multi-year service with the usual piezo-igniter attrition (carry a lighter). Cast-aluminum burners hold up better than stamped-steel ones on cheap 2-burners. Camp Chef's parts support (replacement regulators, hoses, knobs) is solid through campchef.com. No class-wide defect pattern surfaced in this research pass.
Head-to-head vs closest rivals
- vs Camp Chef Everest 2X (
/library/gear/camp-kitchen/camp-chef-everest-2x/): the Everest is the lighter, more portable 2-burner (20,000 BTU/burner, 1-lb cylinders); the Ranger II is hotter per burner and tank-fed. Backpacking-adjacent → Everest; basecamp/tailgate → Ranger II. - vs Coleman Cascade 3-in-1 (
/library/gear/camp-kitchen/coleman-cascade-3-in-1/): the Cascade adds grill/griddle attachments and runs on 1-lb cylinders; the Ranger II wins on raw output (17k vs 12k BTU/burner) and tank economy. Versatility → Cascade; power → Ranger II. - vs Coleman Classic 2-Burner (
/library/gear/camp-kitchen/coleman-classic-2-burner/): the Classic is cheaper and lighter; the Ranger II nearly doubles the BTU. Big-pot group cooking → Ranger II.
Buying traps
- 20-lb tank required — the included hose/regulator does not fit 1-lb cylinders without an adapter; factor the tank into your setup.
- Stock is genuinely spotty: multiple major retailers showed out-of-stock in 2026 crawls. Third-party sellers marking it up to $220+ aren't a deal — wait for the $179.99 restock.
- The "Ranger II" name is also used loosely in older listings for the original Ranger — confirm model BS40C and the matchless ignition to get the current version.
- At 17 lb plus a 20-lb tank, this is not a "throw it in the trunk for a picnic" stove — it's basecamp equipment.