At any outdoor supply store, you may be amazed at the selection of camp stoves available. The amount of choice can be overwhelming, particularly for someone who has not done a lot of camping before. Usually the stoves fall into two main groups. One group is meant for backcountry camping where everything you need is carried on your back. The stoves place a premium on being as small and lightweight as possible. This unfortunately means that they can be very expensive and hard to use. They almost universally have a single burner.
The other type of stove is meant for car camping. Though still portable, these stoves weight a lot more and commonly have two different burners. They are meant for situations where you are cooking 5 or 10 feet from your car. They prioritize cooking convenience over being as lightweight as possible.
Another difference between stoves is the type of fuel they use. More compact stoves often use white gas which is a type of liquid fuel. A small amount of fuel lasts a long time so it's ideal for backpacking. Car camping stoves are more likely to use a small propane tank. These are not light enough to backpack with, but are very convenient to use. If your needs are primary car camping, feel free to buy a less expensive and heavier stove. Trying to use a tiny stove meant for backpacking at your picnic table will be frustrating since they are often not very easy to use.
Choosing a Camping Stove