Over the last couple of years, I've used portable stoves far more than my kitchen range!

First, my husband and I renovated an abandoned house, and it took months before we had the power and propane lines hooked up. During that time we cooked on our two-burner portable propane camping stove and mini boat grill.

Now, when we're not at home, we're either camping in our van or staying at a studio in town that lacks a kitchen. At the latter, we cook with a portable induction burner and a toaster oven.

In truth, this isn't the first time I've relied on portable stoves; it's covered much of my life. From cooking in a hurricane recovery zone to backpacking to unconventional housing situations, I've come to love and depend on portable stoves of all sorts. But they're not for everyone. Here's how to decide if a portable stove is right for you.

A portable stove is any cooking device you can easily pack up and transport in your car. The most common ones run off propane or electricity. Depending on which you choose, they're great for:

Whether you choose a gas-burning or electric stove depends on what you're using it for and whether you have access to electricity and/or a ventilated space.

While some gas burners are rated for use inside, they will lower the air quality. However, if you're in a place without power, gas is an obvious and excellent choice.

The first consideration, of course, is whether gas or electric makes the most sense for your situation. Beyond that, here are some other features to keep in mind:

Coleman has made these forever, and their Classic Propane Gas Camping Stove is still the best for quality vs. price. Coleman and many other manufacturers make much fancier ones as well, which are also great, but at three to four times the price.

With features like 20 power settings, Duxtop's 9600LS isn't the cheapest induction burner. But it's one of the best for cooking with extra precision while taking up minimal space.

The Jetboil cooking system is a canister-based single-burner stove, so it's small, but powerful and more stable than most. It'll boil water for coffee or heat up your soup in just a few minutes, even in the wind.