If you own the recalled Ozark Trail tabletop butane stove, stop using it indoors for any reason

If you keep an Ozark Trail tabletop butane stove in your camping bin or emergency kit, you now have a serious safety problem sitting on the shelf. Federal regulators have linked this compact burner to dangerous malfunctions that can cause fires, explosions, and severe burns, and they are urging you to stop using it indoors for any purpose. The recall is broad, the risks are real, and the safest move is to treat this as an urgent household hazard, not a minor product glitch.

What exactly is being recalled

The product at the center of the recall is the Ozark Trail Tabletop 1-Burner Butane Camping Stove, a compact single-burner unit marketed for camping, tailgating, and backup cooking. You might recognize it by its low-profile rectangular body, integrated butane canister compartment, and the Ozark Trail branding that has made it a staple in the outdoor aisle. Reporting on the recall identifies this specific model as the one tied to multiple explosions and burn incidents, with regulators warning that the design and internal components can fail in ways that suddenly release and ignite fuel, turning a small stove into a blast source in seconds, according to detailed accounts of dozens of dangerous malfunctions.

Federal safety officials describe this as a large-scale recall, not a niche correction. A formal notice explains that approximately 201,000 Ozark Trail butane camp stoves are affected, and that the hazard is not theoretical but documented through real-world failures where units caught fire or exploded during normal use. The Consumer Product Safety Commission, which oversees such recalls, has singled out these Ozark Trail stoves because they can catch fire or explode, a risk that is magnified in enclosed spaces where heat, fuel, and limited ventilation combine into a volatile mix, as spelled out in a recall alert covering 201K units.

Why indoor use is especially dangerous

Using any portable gas stove indoors carries extra risk, but the issues identified with this Ozark Trail model make that risk unacceptable. When a stove has a defect that can cause uncontrolled gas release or ignition, an enclosed room turns a small flare-up into a fast-moving fire that can trap you and your family. In a kitchen, garage, or tent, there is less space for heat and flames to dissipate, more nearby combustibles like cabinets and fabrics, and fewer escape routes if the unit suddenly erupts, which is exactly what regulators say has happened in multiple cases involving this tabletop burner.

On top of the fire and explosion hazard, indoor use of a malfunctioning butane stove raises the threat of toxic gases building up before you even see visible flames. Incomplete combustion can produce carbon monoxide, and a faulty regulator or burner can make that more likely by disrupting the fuel-air mix. Safety notices about gas appliances repeatedly stress that defects in regulators and valves can create both fire and poisoning risks, which is why the Consumer Product Safety Commission is not just advising you to be cautious but explicitly telling you to stop using the recalled Ozark Trail Tabletop 1-Burner Butane Camping Stove and to take it out of service immediately, a directive spelled out in the agency’s official recall notice to Consumers.

What regulators and Walmart are telling you to do

Regulators are not leaving much room for interpretation about your next steps. The Consumer Product Safety Commission’s recall notice instructs you to stop using the Ozark Trail Tabletop 1-Burner Butane Camping Stove right away, even if it appears to be working normally. You are not being asked to wait for a repair kit or to schedule an inspection. Instead, the guidance is to treat the stove as unsafe, disconnect any butane canister, and remove it from your living space so it cannot be used again by you or anyone else in your household.

The recall also lays out a clear remedy so you are not left holding a dangerous product with no recourse. The notice explains that you should return the recalled stove to any Walmart retail store, where you are entitled to a full refund for the unit. Walmart is identified as the importer and seller of these stoves, and the recall specifies that the product was manufactured by China Window Industry Co., which helps you confirm that your particular burner is part of the affected batch. By following the instructions in the recall and bringing the stove back to Walmart for a refund, you are doing exactly what federal safety officials and the retailer are asking you to do to close the loop on this hazard, as detailed in the recall instructions from Walmart.

How gas regulator failures turn stoves into hazards

Behind the scenes of a recall like this is a familiar mechanical villain: the gas regulator and its related components. The regulator is supposed to control the flow and pressure of butane from the canister to the burner, keeping the flame steady and predictable. When that part is flawed, it can leak or deliver fuel unevenly, which is exactly the kind of failure that can cause sudden flare-ups or explosions. In a separate case involving O-Grill portable gas grills, federal safety officials warned that the regulator on those grills could leak gas that might ignite, describing the defect as a fire and burn hazard to consumers, a pattern documented in a recall focused on the regulator Hazard.

Manufacturers themselves have acknowledged how small imperfections inside a regulator can snowball into serious danger. In a separate product recall, Camp Chef explained that an internal part of the gas regulator component of certain Products could have a burr that might wear or tear a seal, potentially causing a gas leak. That admission, and the company’s decision to voluntarily recall the Product, underscores how even a tiny manufacturing flaw in a regulator can compromise the entire appliance. When you combine that kind of vulnerability with a compact tabletop stove that people are tempted to use in kitchens, RVs, or tents, you get the kind of risk profile that justifies a sweeping recall, as seen in the Camp Chef Product recall notice.

Warning signs your stove’s regulator may be failing

Even if your specific Ozark Trail stove is covered by the recall, it helps to understand what trouble looks like in any gas regulator you use in the future. Plumbing and gas specialists point to several clear warning signs that a regulator is not doing its job. These include weak or uneven burner flames that flicker or change size without you adjusting the control, heavy soot buildup on cookware or around the burner, and odd sounds like hissing or whistling near the regulator or hose. Any of these symptoms suggest that gas is not flowing at the correct pressure or is escaping where it should not, which means the unit poses safety risks and can damage the appliance over time, as explained in guidance that lists Several signs of a faulty gas regulator.

For the recalled Ozark Trail Tabletop 1-Burner Butane Camping Stove, you should not wait for these symptoms to appear before acting. The recall is based on documented failures, not just theoretical risk, and regulators are telling you to stop using the product regardless of how it looks or sounds. That said, learning to spot regulator problems is still valuable, because you may own other gas appliances, from backyard grills to patio heaters, that rely on similar components. If you ever notice weak flames, soot, or strange noises on those devices, you should shut them down, ventilate the area, and have the equipment inspected or replaced before using it again.

Why “no incidents yet” is not a safety plan

It is tempting to think that if your particular stove has not misbehaved, you can keep using it carefully, especially if you rely on it for camping or as a backup during power outages. That logic is exactly what safety regulators are trying to counter. The recall is not limited to units that have already failed; it covers the entire production run that shares the same design and components that have been implicated in explosions and burn injuries. When a defect is systemic, your personal track record with the product does not change the underlying risk that the next use could be the one where a regulator sticks, a seal gives way, or a canister overheats.

Past recall campaigns show how dangerous it can be to assume that “no problem so far” means “no problem at all.” In the case of the Ozark Trail Tabletop 1-Burner Butane Camping Stove, reports of explosions and fires have already surfaced, and regulators have concluded that the hazard is serious enough to warrant pulling more than 200,000 units from circulation. That decision reflects a pattern of dangerous malfunctions, not isolated user error, as documented in coverage of dozens of incidents tied to this stove. Treating your own unit as an exception to that pattern is a gamble with stakes that include house fires and life-altering burns.

How to check if your stove is part of the recall

To protect yourself, you need to confirm whether the burner in your gear closet is the recalled model. Start by locating the product label on the stove body or packaging, which should identify it as the Ozark Trail Tabletop 1-Burner Butane Camping Stove. Look for the Ozark Trail logo and any model numbers or batch codes printed near the fuel compartment or underside of the unit. If you bought a compact, single-burner Ozark Trail butane stove from Walmart in recent years, you should assume it is affected until you verify otherwise, because the recall covers a large volume of units imported and sold through that retailer.

Once you have the identifying details, compare them with the information in the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s recall database, which lists the exact product name, importer, manufacturer, and remedy. The notice specifies that the stoves were imported and sold by Walmart and manufactured by China Window Industry Co., and it explains that Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled stoves and return them to any Walmart retail store for a full refund. Matching your stove to that description is enough to confirm that it is part of the recall, and at that point your next step is to follow the return instructions in the official CPSC recall for the Ozark Trail stove.

What this recall says about portable gas gear in general

The Ozark Trail recall is not happening in a vacuum. It fits into a broader pattern in which portable gas appliances, from grills to camp stoves, are periodically pulled from the market because of defects in regulators, valves, or fuel systems. The O-Grill portable gas grills recall, which centered on a regulator that could leak gas and ignite, shows that even well-known brands can ship products with hidden flaws that only emerge after consumers start using them at scale. When regulators describe a component as a fire and burn hazard to consumers, they are acknowledging that the design or manufacturing process allowed a critical safety system to fail, as documented in the O-Grill regulator hazard recall.

For you as a consumer, the lesson is that portability and convenience should never override basic safety checks. Any time you bring a gas-powered device into an enclosed or semi-enclosed space, you are stacking risks that depend on every component working perfectly. The Ozark Trail Tabletop 1-Burner Butane Camping Stove recall is a reminder to treat recall notices as essential reading, to register new gear when possible so manufacturers can reach you, and to think twice before using any camp stove indoors, even if it is not currently under recall. The pattern of past recalls shows that problems often start with a small internal defect and end with a major safety campaign, which is why staying informed and acting quickly when a recall hits your gear is one of the most effective protections you have.

How to stay on top of recalls that affect your home

One of the challenges with safety recalls is that they rely on you actually seeing and acting on the notice. Many people never hear about a recall until long after the fact, which means hazardous products stay in kitchens, garages, and gear closets long after regulators have sounded the alarm. To avoid that gap, you can build a simple habit of checking recall databases for categories of products you rely on, such as cooking equipment, heaters, and pet food. In a high-profile pet food case, for example, brands like Gravy Train and Kibbles ‘N Bits were recalled because of the presence of an euthanasia drug, and officials emphasized that Additional details are available in the full recall notice on their website, a reminder that the most complete safety information often lives in those official documents, as seen in the pet food recall where Additional details were crucial.

For the Ozark Trail Tabletop 1-Burner Butane Camping Stove, the most important step you can take is immediate and concrete: stop using the stove, disconnect any fuel canister, and bring the unit to Walmart for a refund as directed by the recall. After that, consider taking inventory of other gas-powered devices in your home and checking whether any of them have been subject to similar safety actions. By treating recall notices as part of your regular household maintenance, alongside checking smoke alarms and replacing filters, you give yourself a better chance of catching the next hazard before it turns into an emergency in your kitchen, garage, or campsite.

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*This article was developed with AI-powered tools and has been carefully reviewed by our editors.