Best camper van hob: gas, induction and diesel compared by heat, footprint, weight and price
· 12 min read
The hob is the cheap part of a van kitchen; the system behind it is the decision. On gas, the Dometic HB 2370 is the lightest and cheapest built-in and the Thetford Topline 922 the one with two real burners; on electricity, a €100 induction plate works only with 200 Ah of lithium and a 2 kW inverter behind it; on diesel, the Webasto X100 is the single answer and costs what the other two systems would. That is the short version of a spec-sheet comparison of six ways to cook in a van, ranked on total heat, counter footprint, weight and price — with the fuel, the cutout and the electrical draw shown as the makers state them.
I have not cooked on these side by side; the method box says what I did. The layout part is the point: every unit here is a footprint and a cutout you can place on the counter in VanPlot, next to the fridge and the gas locker it drags along, before the worktop is cut.
Best built-in gas
Dometic HB 2370
2.4 kg, 75 mm tall, 420 mm wide, ≈ €175 — the lightest and cheapest built-in.
Overall 7.1 / 10 · 2.4 kg · ≈ €175
Best gas-free (with a big battery)
Duxtop 9600LS (portable induction)
≈ €100 and no gas on board — if the van already carries 200 Ah of lithium and a 2 kW inverter.
Overall 6.7 / 10 · 3.3 kg · ≈ €100
Best two real burners
Thetford Topline 922
2 × 1.5 kW in a portrait 305 × 500 mm glass top that is worktop when cold.
Overall 6.4 / 10 · 5 kg · ≈ €275
Best for cooking outside
Campingaz Camping Kitchen 2 Multi-Cook
4.5 kW, no cutout, no inspection — the awning half of most full-time setups.
Overall 6.3 / 10 · 5.4 kg · price n/p
Best hob + sink
CAN FL1400 hob + sink
Hob and sink in one 716 × 340 mm cutout: the wet side of a small galley in one hole.
Overall 4.4 / 10 · 5 kg · ≈ €345
The comparison
| # | Product | Overall | Total heat | Counter footprint | Weight | Price | Fuel, cutout, draw (as reported) | W × H × D | Weight | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dometic HB 2370 Best built-in gas 2-burner gas hob, built-in | 7.1 | 2.8 kW 3.7 | 1,554 cm² 6.3 | 2.4 kg 10.0 | €175 9.5 | 1.0 + 1.8 kW burners, 204 g/h at 30 mbar; cutout depth 336 mm (Dometic) | 420 × 75 × 370 mm | 2.4 kg | ≈ €175 |
| 2 | Duxtop 9600LS (portable induction) Best gas-free (with a big battery) single-zone induction, countertop | 6.7 | 1.8 kW 0.0 | 1,032 cm² 10.0 | 3.3 kg 8.7 | €100 10.0 | 1,800 W at 120 V (US model; EU equivalents are 2,000 W at 230 V) — ~150 A from a 12 V bank through an inverter at full power | 356 × 64 × 290 mm | 3.3 kg | ≈ €100 |
| 3 | Thetford Topline 922 Best two real burners 2-burner gas hob, built-in, glass | 6.4 | 3.0 kW 4.4 | 1,525 cm² 6.5 | 5.0 kg 6.3 | €275 8.8 | 2 × 1.5 kW, 216 g/h; cutout 285 × 485 mm; 12 V ignition (Thetford) | 305 × 95 × 500 mm | 5 kg | ≈ €275 |
| 4 | Campingaz Camping Kitchen 2 Multi-Cook Best for cooking outside 2-burner + griddle, portable gas | 6.3 | 4.5 kW 10.0 | 2,100 cm² 2.4 | 5.4 kg 5.8 | n/p — | 2 × 1,800 W + 900 W griddle burner, 326 g/h; runs 5 h 30 on an R904 cartridge (Campingaz) | 600 × 110 × 350 mm | 5.4 kg | n/p |
| 5 | CAN FL1400 hob + sink Best hob + sink 2-burner gas hob with sink, built-in | 4.4 | 2.8 kW 3.5 | 2,434 cm² 0.0 | 5.0 kg 6.3 | €345 8.4 | 1.0 + 1.75 kW, sink included; cutout 696 × 325 mm (CAN) | 716 × 150 × 340 mm | 5 kg | ≈ €345 |
| 6 | Webasto Diesel Cooker X100 single-zone diesel ceramic hob, built-in | 0.8 | 1.9 kW 0.4 | 2,068 cm² 2.6 | 9.5 kg 0.0 | €1,600 0.0 | 0.9–1.9 kW, 0.09–0.18 l/h diesel; 0.3 A running, 8 A for the 4-minute start; hotplate 466 × 316 × 50 mm, casing 565 × 366 × 172 mm (Webasto) | 565 × 172 × 366 mm | 9.5 kg | ≈ €1,600 |
How these are rated — and what I did not do
I have not run these units side by side. This is a spec-sheet comparison: every number in the table is a manufacturer or retailer figure, linked per product and checked September 2026. Where makers publish energy figures under different conditions they are shown as reported and kept out of the score, because a number measured at 32 °C cannot be ranked against one measured at 25 °C. What can be ranked fairly is arithmetic on published dimensions, weight, capacity and price — the things that decide whether a unit fits your layout, what it costs you in payload, and what it costs per litre. That is what the score is.
Each metric is scaled 0–10 across this set (best = 10, worst = 0), then weighted:
- Total heat — 30 % (higher is better)
- Counter footprint — 25 % (lower is better)
- Weight — 20 % (lower is better)
- Price — 25 % (lower is better)
- Total heat is the sum of the makers' burner ratings (gas) or the rated electrical input (induction, diesel) — comparable as heat delivered to the pan only roughly, since induction transfers a higher share of it.
- Footprint is the unit's outside W × D on the counter; for the CAN combination it includes the sink, which is why it ranks low on that metric.
- Prices: alternate.fr (Dometic), UK retail × 1.17 (Thetford, CAN), US typical × 0.92 (Duxtop), planner preset (Webasto X100). The Campingaz price was not captured this run and is excluded from its score.
- Fuel systems (locker, regulator, inverter, battery) are not in the table — they are the subject of the how-to-choose section, and they outweigh the hob.
No affiliate links: product links go to the manufacturer or the spec page the numbers came from. If a spec here is wrong, tell me and I will fix it and note the change.
How to choose: the hob is the cheap part
A hob is a €100–350 decision that drags a €500–2,000 system behind it. Gas means a sealed locker with a drop-out vent, a regulator, a tested line and — in Germany and France — an inspection; the gas-locker rules post has the dimensions and the 100 cm² vent. Induction means a 2 kW inverter, heavy cable and 100–200 Ah more lithium than you would otherwise carry; the battery sizing post shows what 75 Ah of cooking does to the bank. Diesel means one appliance, one exhaust, and the Webasto X100’s price. Decide the system first; the hob follows.
Then the counter. Two burners side by side (Dometic, CAN) want 420–716 mm of width and a 370 mm-deep counter; the portrait Thetford wants 305 mm of width and 500 mm of depth — a different counter. A portable plate wants a drawer 360 mm wide. The kitchen dimensions guide has the 90 cm worktop height and the 45/60 cm aisle these sit in.
Where you actually cook decides more than the spec sheet. Most van cooking happens outside under an awning in summer and inside in a hurry in winter. A built-in hob plus a €60 portable for outdoors is the combination most full-timers arrive at; the table ranks both.
The hobs, in order
1. Dometic HB 2370Best built-in gas
Overall 7.1/10 · 420 × 75 × 370 mm (11.7 L outside) · 2.4 kg · ≈ €175 (€174.90 alternate.fr, Sep 2026) · reported: 1.0 + 1.8 kW burners, 204 g/h at 30 mbar; cutout depth 336 mm (Dometic)
The lightest, flattest, cheapest built-in here: 2.4 kg, 75 mm tall, 420 mm wide, ≈ €175. Its 1.0 + 1.8 kW pair is a cooking burner and a simmer ring, which is how most van meals are cooked anyway. No glass lid, so the counter loses 420 × 370 mm permanently — the trade against the Thetford.
Reasons to buy
- 2.4 kg and 75 mm tall — the lightest, flattest built-in gas hob here
- Flush-fit, 420 mm wide: leaves worktop either side in a 1.2 m galley
- Cheapest built-in in the guide
Reasons to avoid
- No glass lid — no worktop over it when off
- 1.0 kW auxiliary burner is a simmer ring, not a second cooking burner
- Needs a gas locker, regulator and a drop-out vent: the hob is the cheap part
Not a planner preset yet; place a generic item and type these dimensions and weight in. Specs: dometic.com, alternate.fr.
2. Duxtop 9600LS (portable induction)Best gas-free (with a big battery)
Overall 6.7/10 · 356 × 64 × 290 mm (6.6 L outside) · 3.3 kg · ≈ €100 (US$100–130 typical, Sep 2026, ×0.92) · reported: 1,800 W at 120 V (US model; EU equivalents are 2,000 W at 230 V) — ~150 A from a 12 V bank through an inverter at full power
The cheapest and smallest way to cook in a van, and the one with the biggest bill attached: 1.8 kW through an inverter is 150 A, and the inverter and lithium it needs weigh and cost more than a gas system. Scored on the plate alone it is second; scored as a system it is a full-timer's choice with a 200 Ah bank. For a van that already has that bank, it removes the gas locker and the inspection.
Reasons to buy
- No gas locker, no drop-out vent, no regulator, no G607/EN 1949 inspection line
- Stows in a drawer; the counter is a counter when you are not cooking
- Cheapest way to cook in a van
Reasons to avoid
- 1.8 kW is 150 A at 12 V: a 2 kW inverter and 200 Ah of lithium is the real price
- 30 minutes of full-power cooking is ~75 Ah — see the battery post before you commit
- Single zone; a second unit doubles the draw
Not a planner preset yet; place a generic item and type these dimensions and weight in. Specs: manualslib.com, amazon.com.
3. Thetford Topline 922Best two real burners
Overall 6.4/10 · 305 × 95 × 500 mm (14.5 L outside) · 5 kg · ≈ €275 (£220–250 UK retail, Sep 2026, ×1.17) · reported: 2 × 1.5 kW, 216 g/h; cutout 285 × 485 mm; 12 V ignition (Thetford)
Two equal 1.5 kW burners and a glass top that is worktop when cold. The portrait 305 × 500 mm footprint suits a counter along the wall better than a landscape hob, and it is the shape to pick when width is scarce and depth is not. 5 kg and 95 mm under the counter.
Reasons to buy
- Two equal 1.5 kW burners — two real pans at once
- Portrait 305 × 500 mm shape suits a narrow counter against the wall
- Black glass top doubles as worktop when cold
Reasons to avoid
- 5 kg, twice the Dometic
- 95 mm deep under the counter
- Portrait layout puts one pan behind the other on a shallow counter
Not a planner preset yet; place a generic item and type these dimensions and weight in. Specs: thetford.com, caravanningequipment.co.uk.
4. Campingaz Camping Kitchen 2 Multi-CookBest for cooking outside
Overall 6.3/10 · 600 × 110 × 350 mm (23.1 L outside) · 5.4 kg · price n/p (price not captured this run) · reported: 2 × 1,800 W + 900 W griddle burner, 326 g/h; runs 5 h 30 on an R904 cartridge (Campingaz)
The most heat in the guide — two 1.8 kW burners and a griddle — with no installation, no inspection and no cutout, for a price I could not capture this run (excluded from its score). It is the outdoor half of the standard full-timer setup: a built-in inside, this under the awning. Cartridge gas is the running cost.
Reasons to buy
- 4.5 kW total — the most heat in the guide
- Cooks outside under the awning, which is where most van cooking happens
- No installation, no cutout, no inspection
Reasons to avoid
- Cartridge gas: R904/R907 cost per kWh is several times bulk LPG
- 60 × 35 cm to stow
- Not a fixed installation — nothing for the counter when it rains
Not a planner preset yet; place a generic item and type these dimensions and weight in. Specs: campingaz.de, diy.com.
5. CAN FL1400 hob + sinkBest hob + sink
Overall 4.4/10 · 716 × 150 × 340 mm (36.5 L outside) · 5 kg · ≈ €345 (£269–320 UK retail, Sep 2026, ×1.17) · reported: 1.0 + 1.75 kW, sink included; cutout 696 × 325 mm (CAN)
Hob and sink in one 716 mm cutout is the whole wet side of a small galley in a single hole. The footprint metric punishes it because the number includes the sink; judged as hob-plus-sink it is compact. The 340 mm depth sets your counter depth, and the auxiliary burner is a 1.0 kW ring.
Reasons to buy
- Hob and sink in one 716 mm cutout — the whole wet side of a small galley
- One smoked-glass lid covers both
- 5 kg for hob and sink together
Reasons to avoid
- The 340 mm depth fixes your counter depth
- 1.0 kW auxiliary burner again
- Sink is small; the footprint number is for the pair, not a hob
Not a planner preset yet; place a generic item and type these dimensions and weight in. Specs: jacksonsleisure.com, dcleisurestore.co.uk.
6. Webasto Diesel Cooker X100
Overall 0.8/10 · 565 × 172 × 366 mm (35.6 L outside) · 9.5 kg · ≈ €1,600 (EU street, planner preset, Aug 2026) · reported: 0.9–1.9 kW, 0.09–0.18 l/h diesel; 0.3 A running, 8 A for the 4-minute start; hotplate 466 × 316 × 50 mm, casing 565 × 366 × 172 mm (Webasto)
Last on the spec metrics — 9.5 kg, one zone, ≈ €1,600 — and the only unit here that needs neither a gas locker nor a battery bank. It cooks from the van's diesel tank at 0.09–0.18 l/h with a sealed exhaust. For a builder who has decided against gas and does not want 200 Ah of lithium, it is the one answer, and the price is the price of not buying either system.
Reasons to buy
- Cooks from the van's own tank — no gas, no battery bank
- Sealed combustion, exhaust outside
- The only gas-free option that does not need 200 Ah
Reasons to avoid
- 9.5 kg and a 172 mm-deep casing under the counter
- Three-minute warm-up and one zone
- The most expensive hob in the guide by a wide margin
In the planner: pick Hob (2 zone) and choose the preset “Webasto X100 diesel hob” — it drops in at these dimensions and this weight, so the fit and the axle load are checked before you order. Specs: webasto-comfort.com, prokes-auto.com.
FAQ
Gas or induction hob in a camper van?
Gas if you want to cook without a large battery: a two-burner hob draws nothing electrical and 200–216 g/h of LPG at full power, but needs a sealed gas locker with a floor vent, a regulator and, in Germany and France, an inspection. Induction if you want no gas on board: a single 1.8–2 kW zone pulls 150–170 A from a 12 V bank through an inverter, so half an hour of full-power cooking is about 75 Ah — realistic only with 200 Ah of lithium and a 2 kW inverter. A diesel hob (Webasto X100) avoids both, at 9.5 kg and the highest price here.
What cutout does a two-burner camper hob need?
Dometic HB 2370: 420 × 370 mm outside, 336 mm cutout depth; Thetford Topline 922: 305 × 500 mm outside, 285 × 485 mm cutout, 95 mm below the counter; CAN FL1400 hob and sink: 716 × 340 mm outside, 696 × 325 mm cutout. Portable units need no cutout and a drawer to live in.
How much gas does a camper hob use?
Makers quote 204 g/h (Dometic HB 2370), 216 g/h (Thetford Topline 922) and 326 g/h (Campingaz Multi-Cook, three burners) at full power. Real cooking runs one burner at part power: 40–60 g a day for a couple, so an 11 kg bottle lasts months. The gas locker, not the bottle, is the space cost — see the gas-locker rules post.
Can you run an induction hob off a van battery?
Yes, with the bank sized for it: 1,800 W at 12 V is 150 A, which needs a 2,000 W pure-sine inverter, 4/0 (95 mm²) cables and a lithium battery rated for that discharge. A 100 Ah AGM bank cannot do it. Budget 60–80 Ah for a day's cooking and add that to the fridge before sizing solar.
Which is lighter, a gas hob or induction?
A built-in gas hob is 2.4–5 kg; a portable induction plate 3.3 kg. The weight is elsewhere: an 11 kg LPG bottle is 23 kg full plus a steel locker, and the induction route adds a 2 kW inverter (7–12 kg) and 100–200 Ah of extra lithium (11–28 kg). Both routes land in the same 30–50 kg once the system is counted.
