Camp'Bistro 3 review: outstanding value for money for a gas stove and griddle
18.6.2026
Translation: Jessica Johnson-Ferguson
Pictures: Martin Jud
I set out to find a fully fledged mini gas grill. Instead, I discovered an affordable camping stove with a griddle – the Camp'Bistro 3 from Campingaz.
I do, in fact, own a really good kettle grill by Outdoorchef. However, even though it’s compact, it’s too big for our new flat’s tiny balcony. That’s why I’ve temporarily banished it to the garage.
I’m not willing to give up grilling the odd sausage on my balcony, though, so I need to find a portable grill. Lured in by an attractive price tag, I end up buying what is, strictly speaking, a camping stove with a griddle. The griddle offers about the same amount of space as a dinner plate.
Portable gas grills that made my shortlist
I start by looking for a suitable product in the Gas Grill category on Galaxus. I find three models that make my shortlist.
What I like about the Party Grill 400 is its compact size, its price of around 90 francs and the fact that it’s a kettle grill. That said, some buyers have mentioned the inferior quality of the lid, and that there’s no included pressure regulator.
I like almost everything about the Campingaz Attitude 1200 2go CV. Thanks to the lid with its built-in temperature gauge, you can set the heat very precisely for meat, mushrooms and cheese. It’s sturdily built and has good reviews. But my wife points out that it wouldn’t exactly be easy to store given its dimensions of 59 × 47 × 36 cm. Not to mention the attached gas cylinder and a hefty overall weight of 13 kilos. Fair point. Too bad, as I find the price very reasonable for what the grill offers.
I'm a bit puzzled that Kemper’s Smart Barbeque costs almost the same as the Attitude (140 francs): It offers way less. There’s no lid, no temperature gauge, and it’s made of cheaper aluminium. On the other hand, this compact gas grill, weighing just 2 kilos and measuring 47 × 34 × 11 cm, is exactly the size I'm after.
If the Kemper grill weren’t so expensive, I’d have bought it on the spot. But given the price, I hold off on buying a grill altogether.
Portable gas cooker plus griddle for just 50 francs
A few days later, the subject comes up again. It’s bugging me that I haven’t found the right grill yet. What if I went for a griddle instead of a grill plate? A few minutes later, I find a model in the Camping Stoves section that looks very similar to the Kemper grill that has a griddle and costs less:
I’m impressed.
But then, as I keep scrolling, I spot an almost identical grill with even more to offer: the Camp'Bistro 3 camping stove. It’s a gas cooktop with an extra griddle at an even lower price. That means it can be used for grilling and, say, cooking pasta in the event of a blackout. However, the grilling surface is on the small side – roughly the size of a large plate. You can still fit four large veal sausages side by side. That’s more than enough for our two-person household:
Finally, I’ve found what I was looking for! About 50 francs gets me a gas cooktop that includes a griddle and a plastic case for storage.
How the camping stove and griddle work
To fire up the Bistro 3, which measures 34 × 28 × 14 cm and weighs just over 2 kilos, you need a CP-250 gas cartridge. It supplies gas to the camping stove on the right side, under a flap. The cartridge is only 20 cm long and 7 cm wide, but still holds enough gas for a long barbecue session. We’ve already used it to cook meat on three occasions and there still seems to be gas left.
After inserting the cartridge,you secure it with a lever and connect it to the stove. To ignite the flame automatically, you turn the control knob all the way.
If you’re not after a cuppa right now but planning a barbecue instead, make sure to place the griddle on the Bistro 3 before lighting it.
During my grilling session, I’m amazed at how much heat this little stove can generate. So much so that I only run it at full power for the first few minutes each time. The stove’s heat distribution is a bit uneven, so grilling meat on it takes some getting used to. Especially since I’m used to my kettle grill, which gives off heat very evenly. In other words, you need to keep an eye on your sausages. I take a patient approach, set the heat to medium and turn the food a little more often than I would on a proper grill.
I loved the Camp'Bistro 3 from the word go. While it may not quite measure up to a kettle grill, it’s perfect for limited spaces. The griddle is coated and relatively easy to clean.
In a nutshell
Compact and great value for money
I was surprised to find that 50 francs could get me a solid griddle gas stove that not only delivers but is also really fun to use. The heat doesn’t distribute quite as evenly as with a kettle grill, and there’s no lid. But I’m happy to forgive this compact little grill for that. After all, it’ll fit on even the most modest of balconies and can be neatly stowed away in its case.
What I particularly like is that it would have me covered during a longer power outage. After all, the Bistro 3 doesn’t just do BBQs – it also boils water. That’s something neither an electric grill nor a gas-only grill can offer.
However, if you’ve got a large household or host regular barbecue sessions, this stove isn’t going to cut it. But for our two-person household and small balcony, the Campingaz Camp'Bistro 3 is just right. And, yes, we’ll be taking it on our next camping trip.
Pro
- Great value for money
- Compact and portable, comes with a carrying case
- Gets very hot quickly
- Cooking and grilling options
- CP-250 gas cartridge lasts longer than expected
Contra
- Uneven heat distribution requires attention
- No lid, no temperature display
- Grilling area limited to two people
Martin Jud
Senior Editor
martin.jud@digitecgalaxus.chI find my muse in everything. When I don’t, I draw inspiration from daydreaming. After all, if you dream, you don’t sleep through life.
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