LPG Cylinder Sizes for Mobile Catering UK: Which Size for Which Use? (2026)
Last updated: May 2026
Pick the wrong LPG cylinder and you either run dry mid-service or lug a 47kg bottle around for a job a 13kg would have covered. This guide explains exactly which propane cylinder size suits which mobile catering setup, and how to work it out from your own appliance list.
For UK mobile catering, the propane cylinder is the single point of supply that powers everything off-grid, and choosing the right size is widely regarded as the difference between a smooth trading day and a cold griddle at lunchtime. The standard recommendation is to match the cylinder to your total appliance load and your busiest day, then size up one step so you always have headroom in cold weather.
Last updated: May 2026
LPG Cylinder Sizes for Mobile Catering at a Glance
UK propane cylinders come in a small number of standard sizes. The figures below are approximate published weights and energy contents (propane holds around 13.8 kWh of energy per kilogram); full weights vary slightly between Calor, Flogas and other suppliers.
| Cylinder (propane) | Gas content | Approx full weight | Approx energy | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6kg propane | 6kg | ~13kg | ~83 kWh | One small appliance — a single boiling ring, a water boiler, a compact fryer |
| 13kg propane (red) | 13kg | ~28kg | ~180 kWh | The mobile catering workhorse — most coffee vans and single-griddle trailers |
| 13kg patio gas (green) | 13kg | ~27kg | ~180 kWh | Clip-on convenience for lighter setups and BBQ-style appliances |
| 19kg propane | 19kg | ~38kg | ~262 kWh | Busy trailers running two or three appliances together |
| 47kg propane | 47kg | ~80kg | ~649 kWh | High-demand kitchens, festivals and static pitches with multiple burners |
If you only remember one thing: the 13kg propane cylinder covers the majority of mobile caterers, the 19kg is the upgrade once you add a second or third appliance, and the 47kg is for high continuous demand or anywhere a delivery and changeover is impractical mid-event.
Why Cylinder Size Matters More Than People Think
Cylinder size affects three things at once: how long you can trade before a changeover, how much weight you are carrying and storing, and — the one most caterers miss — how much gas the cylinder can actually deliver per hour. Get the first two right but ignore the third and you can still end up with a fryer that won’t hold temperature on a freezing December market.
The reason this is a specialist decision rather than a generic one is that mobile catering runs off-grid in real UK weather. A cylinder that performs perfectly on a warm August festival can struggle on a frosty roadside breakfast pitch, because propane has to vaporise inside the bottle before it can reach the burner. Choosing the right size first time is exactly the kind of costly mistake that is easy to avoid with a bit of planning.
It’s Not Just Capacity — Vaporisation Rate Is the Hidden Limit
Every cylinder has a maximum rate at which liquid propane can turn to gas, called the vaporisation rate. As gas is drawn off, the liquid cools, and if you pull gas faster than the cylinder can vaporise it, the pressure drops and your burners weaken — you’ll often see frost form on the bottom of the bottle.
Feature: a larger cylinder has more liquid surface area inside. How it works: more surface area means propane can boil off faster without the bottle getting too cold. Outcome: a 47kg cylinder can comfortably feed several high-output appliances at once, while a 6kg or 13kg may struggle to keep up with two big burners running flat out in winter.
This is why a setup that runs fine in summer can falter in the cold, and why busy kitchens often run a larger cylinder — or two cylinders linked with an automatic changeover regulator — even when the capacity of a smaller bottle would technically last the day. If your appliances total a high combined output and you trade through winter, size up for vaporisation, not just for runtime.
How to Work Out the Cylinder Size You Need
Work from your appliances, not from guesswork. Start by listing every gas appliance and its rated output in kilowatts (it’s on the data plate or in the manual), then add them up. As a rough conversion, propane is consumed at about one kilogram per hour for every 13.8 kW of burner running at full tilt — so you can divide your total kW by 13.8 to estimate maximum gas use per hour.
Here are the real propane ratings for popular mobile catering appliances, with the full-burn gas use worked out:
| Appliance | Rated output | Approx gas use at full burn |
|---|---|---|
| Fracino Atlantis Mini Gas water boiler | 1.8 kW | ~0.13 kg/hr |
| Fracino CON2ELPG coffee machine | 5.0 kW | ~0.36 kg/hr |
| Parry AGFP table-top fryer | 5.8 kW | ~0.42 kg/hr |
| Infernus twin-tank fryer | 7.4 kW | ~0.54 kg/hr |
| Parry PGF800G griddle | 8.25 kW | ~0.60 kg/hr |
| Lincat DF4/P fryer | 10.5 kW | ~0.76 kg/hr |
Two things to keep in mind. First, appliances cycle on their thermostats — over a full trading day, real average consumption is usually only 30–60% of the full-burn figure, because burners idle once they reach temperature. Second, the full-burn total is what tests the cylinder’s vaporisation rate, so use the combined kW figure to decide whether a single cylinder can keep up, and the duty-cycled figure to estimate how long it will last.
A typical mobile coffee setup running a Fracino Contempo CON2ELPG alongside a gas water boiler totals under 7 kW — a single 13kg cylinder handles that easily. A breakfast trailer with a big griddle and a twin fryer running together can push past 18 kW at full burn, which is where a 19kg or 47kg cylinder, or a twin-cylinder manifold, earns its place.
How Long Will a Cylinder Last?
Runtime depends on the energy in the bottle and how hard you run your appliances. A 13kg cylinder holds roughly 180 kWh; a 19kg around 262 kWh; a 47kg about 649 kWh. Divide the energy by your average running load to estimate trading hours.
Take a coffee trailer pulling an average of about 2 kW once you account for thermostat cycling. A 13kg cylinder (180 kWh ÷ 2 kW) gives roughly 90 hours of trading — comfortably a week or two of event days. Now take a busy breakfast unit averaging 6 kW across griddle, fryer and water: a 13kg lasts only about 30 hours, so a 19kg or 47kg makes far more sense and saves you swapping bottles mid-rush. Always keep a full spare on board regardless of size — running out is never worth the gamble.
Patio Gas vs Propane Cylinders — Which Connection?
Both patio gas and red propane cylinders contain propane, so both are fine for cold-weather mobile catering. The difference is the valve and the regulator they use, and that affects which sizes you can get.
Patio gas (the green Calor cylinders, in 5kg and 13kg) uses a 27mm clip-on regulator that pushes on by hand — convenient and tool-free, which is why lighter setups and BBQ-style appliances often use it. Red propane cylinders (6kg, 13kg, 19kg and 47kg) use a screw-on POL valve with a left-hand thread and take a separate screw-fit regulator. The bigger 19kg and 47kg bottles only come as red propane, so any high-demand setup will be on the screw-fit system.
Whichever you use, commercial catering appliances are rated for propane at 37 mbar, so the regulator must deliver 37 mbar — not the 28 mbar used for butane. Hoses and regulators should be the correct type, in date, and the whole installation should be commissioned and signed off with a CP44 gas safety certificate by a Gas Safe engineer with the LPG and commercial catering endorsements. If you are converting a vehicle from scratch, our guide on how to convert your food van to LPG walks through the regulator, hose and pipework side in detail.
Spare Cylinders, Changeover and Safe Storage
However you size your main cylinder, plan for a changeover. Many trailers fit an automatic changeover regulator across two cylinders so that when one empties, supply switches to the spare without interrupting service — invaluable for a busy unit that can’t afford a cold burner. For a quieter pitch, a single cylinder plus one full spare on board is usually enough.
Cylinders should be stored and used upright so the valve stays in the vapour space, kept outside the serving area or in a dedicated cylinder locker ventilated at low level (propane is heavier than air and sinks), secured against falling, and kept away from drains, gullies and ignition sources. Turn the gas off at the cylinder whenever you stop trading, not just at the appliance. These habits are a core part of running a compliant, safe setup and they reassure event organisers and councils too.
What It Costs to Run
Refill prices vary by supplier, region and season, but as a rough guide a 13kg propane refill typically starts from around £35, a 19kg from around £50, and a 47kg from around £90. Patio gas tends to sit a little higher per kilo for the convenience. You will also usually pay an initial refundable cylinder agreement or deposit when you take your first bottle, from around £30 depending on size and supplier.
Per kilowatt-hour, LPG remains one of the cheapest ways to put serious cooking power into an off-grid unit, which is why it stays the standard fuel for mobile catering. If you are pricing up a complete setup, our guides on how to start a mobile coffee business in the UK and the best LPG fryer for mobile catering show how gas, equipment and running costs fit together. Power is the other half of going off-grid — see the LPG generators range if you also need electricity on your pitch.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size LPG cylinder do I need for mobile catering?
Most mobile caterers run a 13kg propane cylinder, which suits a coffee van or single-griddle trailer. Move up to a 19kg once you run two or three appliances together, and a 47kg for high continuous demand or festivals. Add up your appliances’ kW, then size up one step for cold-weather headroom.
How long does a 13kg propane cylinder last in a catering trailer?
A 13kg cylinder holds around 180 kWh. A coffee trailer averaging about 2 kW gets roughly 90 trading hours from it; a busy breakfast unit averaging 6 kW only about 30 hours. Real runtime depends on how hard your appliances work, since burners idle once they reach temperature.
Can I use butane cylinders for mobile catering?
No — use propane only. Butane stops vaporising at around 2°C, so it fails on cold UK trading days exactly when you need it. Propane vaporises down to about minus 42°C and all commercial catering appliances are rated for it at 37 mbar. Butane is for patio heaters and indoor leisure use.
What is the difference between patio gas and propane cylinders?
Both contain propane. Patio gas (green, 5kg and 13kg) uses a tool-free 27mm clip-on regulator; red propane cylinders (6–47kg) use a screw-on POL valve and a separate regulator. The larger 19kg and 47kg sizes only come as red propane, so any high-demand setup uses the screw-fit system.
How many appliances can one cylinder run at once?
It depends on the cylinder’s vaporisation rate, not just its capacity. A 13kg comfortably runs a coffee machine and a water boiler; running two large fryers or a big griddle flat out in cold weather can outpace it, causing pressure to drop. For high combined output, use a 47kg or link two cylinders with an automatic changeover.
Do I need two cylinders and an automatic changeover?
Not always, but it is worth it for a busy unit. An automatic changeover regulator switches to a full spare the moment the first cylinder empties, so service never stops. A quieter pitch can manage with one cylinder plus a full spare on board. Either way, never trade without a spare.
What regulator do I need for catering appliances?
Commercial catering appliances need a 37 mbar propane regulator, matched to the cylinder valve — clip-on for patio gas or screw-fit for red propane. The 28 mbar butane regulator is not interchangeable. Hoses and regulators should be in date and the install signed off with a CP44 by a Gas Safe engineer with LPG endorsement.
How should I store LPG cylinders on a catering trailer?
Store and use cylinders upright, outside the serving area or in a ventilated cylinder locker vented at low level, secured against falling and away from drains and ignition sources. Propane is heavier than air, so low-level ventilation matters. Turn the gas off at the cylinder, not just the appliance, whenever you stop trading.