Ozark Trail butane camping stoves were recalled, and plenty of people used them indoors during cold weather

When temperatures drop and power grids strain, you are more likely to reach for whatever heat and cooking source you have on hand, even if it was designed for a campsite instead of a kitchen. That is exactly what happened with Ozark Trail butane camping stoves, which were later recalled after reports that they could explode or catch fire. The recall collided with a winter of rolling outages and tight budgets, leaving many people using these compact burners indoors just to stay warm and fed.

The story is not only about a single faulty product, but about how you weigh risk when the alternative is shivering in the dark. It exposes the gap between how manufacturers expect you to use gear and how you actually use it when cold weather, high bills, and emergencies push you to improvise.

How a budget camping stove became a cold‑weather lifeline

If you have shopped the camping aisle at a big box store, you have probably seen the compact Ozark Trail butane burners stacked near tents and fuel canisters. The recalled units were marketed as tabletop stoves, small enough to tuck into a closet yet powerful enough to boil water or fry a pan of eggs, and they were sold as an affordable product for campers and casual outdoor cooks. That combination of low price and portability made them an easy impulse buy, especially for families trying to stretch a paycheck.

Once winter hit and storms or grid problems cut power, those same stoves migrated from garages and car trunks to kitchen counters and living room coffee tables. Instead of simmering soup at a campsite, you might have used one to heat canned chili indoors or to warm a single room by letting the flame run longer than the instructions recommend. The Ozark Trail branding, with its association to mainstream outdoor gear, likely reassured you that the stove was safe enough, even as you pushed it far beyond the controlled, open‑air conditions it was designed for.

What regulators say went wrong with the Ozark Trail design

The safety problem did not come down to a single careless user, but to a defect serious enough that federal regulators stepped in. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, often shortened to The Consumer Product Safety Commission, announced that specific Ozark Trail Tabletop 1‑Burner Butane Camping Stoves could explode or catch fire, creating a serious burn and fire hazard to consumers. In official language, the Ozark Trail Tabletop, Burner Butane Camping Stoves Recalled Due, Serious Burn and Fire Hazards, Imported and Sold, Walmart notice spells out that the burners can erupt violently enough to cause injuries such as second‑degree burns.

Regulators focused on model BG2247A1, a designation printed on a gray label inside the fuel compartment, and they warned that the stoves could burst or ignite even under normal use. Reporting on the recall notes that the affected units carry the Ozark Trail logo on the front and were imported and sold by Walmart for between $8 and $45, which put them within reach of almost any household budget. When a device that cheap and that common can suddenly fail in a way that sprays flame or shrapnel, the risk is not theoretical, especially if you are running it in a cramped apartment or a small camper van.

The recall that tried to catch up with real‑world use

By the time the recall was announced, thousands of people had already used these burners in ways the manufacturer never intended. The Consumer Product Safety Commission formally moved earlier this winter to pull the Ozark Trail Tabletop 1‑Burner Butane Camping Stove from circulation, describing the product as a serious burn and fire hazard to consumers in its official Ozark Trail Tabletop, Burner Butane Camping Stove Recall. The agency’s language is blunt: the stove can explode or catch fire, and that risk exists even when you think you are using it correctly.

Follow‑up analysis of the recall underscores that the hazard is not limited to your hands or the burner itself. If a canister ruptures or a flame flares out, it can ignite nearby gear, tents, or surrounding areas, which is especially dangerous in a cluttered room or a packed car. A separate advisory on the same recall stresses that the Ozark Trail Tabletop stove can set fire to camping gear, tents, or surrounding areas if it fails, a risk that only grows when you place it near curtains, bedding, or cardboard boxes in a home, as described in the second Ozark Trail Tabletop discussion of how a flare‑up can spread beyond the stove itself.

Walmart’s role, and how you are supposed to respond

Because the stoves were imported and sold by Walmart, the retailer is now at the center of the response. Official recall pages explain that the affected Ozark Trail camping stoves were sold in Walmart stores and online, and that the company is responsible for coordinating refunds or replacements. If you want to check whether your unit is covered or start a claim, you are directed to the retailer’s customer service channels, including the main Walmart help portal that handles returns, safety notices, and contact options.

Walmart also maintains a dedicated recall page that lists affected products and the steps you should take if you own one. The Ozark Trail Tabletop 1‑Burner Butane Camping Stove appears there with instructions to stop using it immediately, disconnect the fuel canister, and follow the process for a refund or other remedy. That information is collected under the company’s broader recalls section, which is where you can verify model numbers, see photos, and confirm whether your stove matches the recalled design before you decide what to do next.

Explosions, burns, and the specific model to look for

For you as a consumer, the most urgent question is whether the stove in your closet is the one regulators are worried about. Reporting on the recall spells out that the recall covers model BG2247A1, with that exact model number printed on a gray label inside the fuel compartment, and that the stoves carry an Ozark Trail logo on the front panel. The same coverage notes that they were imported by Walmart and sold for between $8 and $45, and that the Consumer Product Safety Commission said the stoves can explode or catch fire, leading to injuries such as second‑degree burns, details that are laid out in the recall covers model BG2247A1 notice.

Video explainers on the recall reinforce the same warning in plainer language. One short segment labeled RECALL states that The Consumer Product Safety Commission says these Ozark Trail Tabletop stoves can explode or catch fire, and it explicitly names the Ozark Trail Tabletop 1‑Burner Butane Camping Stoves model BG2247A1 as the product to stop using. That clip, which highlights the word RECALL and repeats that The Consumer Product Safety Commission is involved, is part of a RECALL message aimed at getting your attention before you light the burner again.

Why so many people still used them indoors anyway

Even with those warnings, the reality is that you may have felt you had no better option when the power went out and the temperature inside your home started to match the temperature outside. Local coverage of the recall notes that Ozark Trail camping stoves sold by Walmart are under recall because they pose an explosion risk, but it also acknowledges that these compact burners were widely used as emergency cooktops and improvised heaters. In some cases, the same reports describe how the Ozark Trail logo on the front and the low price point made the stoves a default choice for storm kits, a pattern reflected in the description that Ozark Trail camping stoves sold at Walmart pose an explosion risk.

Another brief explainer underscores the scale of the problem by pointing out that Walmart is recalling more than 200,000 Ozark Trail butane camping stoves because they can explode, a figure that hints at how many households might have relied on them. When you hear that 200,000 units are affected, as stated in a short video that says “walmart take a look at this is recalling more than 200,000 Ozark Trail butane camping stoves because they can explode,” you can infer that a significant slice of those owners probably used the burners indoors at least once during cold weather, a point driven home in the 200,000 clip that repeats the Ozark Trail name and the explosion risk.

The hidden indoor risks: fire, burns, and carbon monoxide

Even if your particular stove never explodes, using a butane burner inside a closed room carries its own set of dangers. Safety guides on indoor camp stove use emphasize that carbon monoxide poisoning is a real threat whenever you burn fuel in a confined space, especially if ventilation is poor. One detailed explainer on Safe Ways to Cook Indoors with a Camp Stove in 2025 warns that when you use a camp stove indoors, carbon monoxide can build up quickly and become deadly, and it urges you to Learn how to safely use a camp stove indoors in 2025 and Avoid common mistakes that trap fumes, advice that is spelled out in the Safe Ways guidance on carbon monoxide poisoning.

Separate guidance on whether it is safe to use camping stoves indoors adds that open flames can ignite nearby materials and that portable burners should never be left unattended. A detailed breakdown titled Is It Safe to Use Camping Stoves Indoors explains that while some setups can be used inside with strict precautions, many common models are not designed for enclosed spaces and should not be left unattended because of fire and burn risks, a caution that appears in the Is It Safe discussion of how to Use Camping Stoves Indoors. When you combine those baseline hazards with a defect that can cause an explosion, the margin for error shrinks to almost nothing.

What the recall tells you about butane stoves more broadly

The Ozark Trail case is not the first time regulators have flagged problems with portable butane burners, and it likely will not be the last. International safety databases include recalls for other brands, including a Twin Portable Butane Stove, where officials warned that certain components such as O‑rings or seals could fail and leak gas, potentially leading to a fire. The formal notice, titled Twin Portable Butane Stove Reason the product is recalled, explains that the defect can allow gas to escape and ignite, and it outlines what consumers should do to stop using the stove and seek a remedy, as detailed in the Twin Portable Butane Stove Reason the advisory.

When you line up those examples, a pattern emerges: compact butane stoves pack a lot of energy into a small, inexpensive package, and small flaws in valves, seals, or housings can have outsized consequences. The Ozark Trail Tabletop recall, with its warnings about explosions and second‑degree burns, fits into that broader story of how portable burners can fail. It is a reminder that you should treat any butane stove, regardless of brand, as a piece of pressurized equipment that demands respect, regular inspection, and strict adherence to the manufacturer’s instructions, especially if you are tempted to bring it indoors.

How to check your stove and what to do if you own one

If you are not sure whether your stove is affected, your first step is to locate the model number and compare it with the recall information. Official summaries under The Brief on the Ozark recall explain that Ozark brand camping stoves have been recalled after reports of explosions that caused injuries including second‑degree burns, and they walk you through what you can do if you own one, including checking for model BG2247A1 and contacting Walmart for a remedy. That guidance is bundled in a consumer‑facing overview labeled The Brief, which spells out both the hazard and the steps you should take.

Once you confirm that your stove matches the recalled design, you should stop using it immediately, disconnect the butane canister, and store both in a cool, well‑ventilated area away from open flames until you can return or dispose of them according to the recall instructions. If your unit is not covered but you have been using it indoors, you should still reassess your setup: improve ventilation, invest in a carbon monoxide detector, and consider switching to equipment that is explicitly rated for indoor use. The Ozark Trail recall is a stark reminder that the line between “camping gear” and “emergency home appliance” is thinner than it looks, and that you need to understand the risks before you cross it.

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