Coleman Cascade 328 3-Burner Camping Stove review

The Cascade 328 is the three-burner member of Coleman’s lidded Cascade family assessed here. This article covers the current US listing for model 5444, SKU 2157316, in green/Hickory Moss—not every Coleman stove that has used the number 5444. The exact page describes three adjustable burners, a push-button Instastart igniter, two wind guards, a carry handle and a removable grate. The linked 5444 Series manual supplies the operating limits. At the research check, Coleman’s exact product page displayed an unavailable/out-of-stock state; availability changes, and this observation is not a lasting stock claim.

Three burners are useful only if the cookware fits together

The maker’s stated layout is three 8-inch pans or two 12-inch pans at the same time. That gives this model a distinct role from the two-burner Cascade 222 and Triton 5461, each of which is listed for one 10-inch pan plus one 12-inch pan. A third position can support a separate task, but the 328’s documented arrangement does not mean three large pans fit. Check actual bases, handles and the space available on your table; nominal pan diameters do not capture every geometry.

Coleman’s 28,000 BTU/h figure is total input, but the manual shows the distribution is asymmetric: two burners are rated at 11,500 BTU/h and one at 5,000 BTU/h. So the third position is not equivalent to either of the main burners, and adding the total does not tell you which pot boils faster. The product page says the burners are adjustable and uses the Even-Temp name, but does not establish a controlled temperature test or a reliable low-simmer range. This assessment treats the controls as adjustable and the water-boiling use as ordinary pot cooking; it does not promise delicate simmering or a particular boil time. Coleman’s separate “up to one hour on high” cylinder statement is also a manufacturer claim, not a measured trip forecast.

Use the exact cylinder and regulator instructions

The linked manual identifies pressure-regulated propane, a preset 5430 regulator and 16-ounce disposable cylinders. It says not to invert the cylinder. The current product page names the cylinder as separately sold and lists the stove, grate and two wind guards in the package. An answer in Coleman’s product-page support section says a 20-pound tank can be connected with a particular high-pressure Coleman hose. That conflicts with the linked 5444 Series manual’s “use only 16 oz disposable propane cylinders” instruction. Because the sources disagree, this review does not recommend the alternate hose arrangement; seek corrected instructions for the exact SKU before using anything other than the manual’s stated cylinder.

The two guards are fitted to the lid. The manual shows assembling them as baffles, but does not document permission for an additional separate windscreen. Keep the stove outdoors and on a sturdy, level surface. The manual calls for 12 inches of side and 48 inches of overhead clearance from combustible materials, a leak check with soapy water outdoors, the preset regulator and Coleman-approved parts only. Its warnings also prohibit enclosed use and unattended operation. Do not treat an integrated wind baffle as permission to put the stove in a tent, vehicle or sheltered room.

Case size and carry weight need a second look

The exact Coleman page labels the stove’s weight as 18 pounds, but does not say whether this is minimum, packaged or fueled. That raw listing is not the finder’s manufacturer-listed minimum weight, which remains unknown. The page’s dimensions read 24 by 17.34 by 34.28 inches. The third figure is unusually large for a lidded stove case; it is retained as the maker’s page value rather than silently corrected to another number. If it must fit inside a vehicle drawer, cargo bin or case, confirm the closed dimensions from Coleman or measure the exact unit before relying on a listing image.

The stove, fuel, larger cookware and cooking table make this a drive-to-camp option rather than a walk-in burner. Its handle is useful for moving the closed stove, but it does not reduce the full system’s weight. Account for the separately bought cylinder, any table, cooking vessels and cleanup supplies. The manual cautions against grease accumulation and requires safe shutoff and storage; use and pack the appliance as instructed, not simply as a picture suggests.

Where this exact 328 fits in the comparison

The 328 is worth considering when three concurrent cooking positions are a real requirement and your meal can use the documented three-small-pan or two-large-pan layout. The Cascade 222 and Triton have two positions and simpler two-pot layouts; the 222 lists a handle and Instastart, while the reviewed Triton SKU 2157352 is match-lit and its specifications do not list a handle. The Triton+ SKU 2157318 is a different Ignition configuration; do not substitute it when checking a seller’s package. None of the three is an MSR 80/20 EN 417 canister stove, and none has evidence here approving a separate screen.

Bottom line: The Cascade 328’s defining benefit is a genuine third simultaneous burner, not an assumption that all three deliver the same heat or all large pans fit. Before buying, resolve the exact SKU, the manual-versus-support disagreement about larger cylinders, the unusual page dimensions, and current availability with the seller or Coleman. The assessment is a source-based comparison, not a hands-on test.