Usefulness of small stoves

golok

golok

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I don't know much about small, portable stoves. But recently, I came across one that caught my attention. I was told it is extremely useful and does not emit any order.

There are quite a number of stoves being used for outdoor outings. So I was wondering if this type of stove will come in handy as opposed to other more sophisticated portable stoves.
 
Not sure on the small stoves... but I do like big grills! Big grills and steaks, bbq, or fish!

P.S. Theres a book out called the Barbeque bible thats pretty good when it comes to recipes! Jamaican jerk sauce! :cool:
 
If you are on the move, the small stoves are priceless.

The cheap ones are usually disappointingly slow, and the stoves with good performance are usually disappointlingly expensive.

I can hike for three days in the winter, even boiling all my water, on one pint of white gas with my MSR Whisperlite stove. In 5 minutes, I can have hot noodles, only taking off one mitten to work the throttle and light the thing.

There are also stoves which use most common liquid fuels: automotive gas, white gas, kerosene.

Here's a link to REI's stove section:

http://www.rei.com/online/store/Cat...categoryId=4500001&stat=7747e#stoves_and_fuel

Scott
 
I have a MSR firefly that I have had for a long time and it is the best little stove I have used. It will boil a qt of water in five minutes, but it sounds like a fighter jet at take off. It will never be known as a stealth stove.On the other hand fellow campers know when they hear it the coffee will be ready real soon and they're burnin daylight.
 
I have an MSR Pocket Rocket, which uses a fuel canister and burns an isobutane/butane mix. Very, very portable and mess free. I have used it on several trips and recommend it.
 
I have had a lot of different models, the one I use today is the tiny stove by Snowpeak also sold at REI: This feather-light, super-compact stove is barely noticeable in your pack it is made of Titanium, and has an instant 10,000 BTU's of cooking power! The stove performs well in cold temperatures (I have cooked sitting on ice) and can be reduced to a true simmer for actual cooking, not just boiling water.
 
The stove you have pictured in your post is a sterno type stove. You can't adjust it very much and you have to carry extra cans of sterno fuel for them.
I carry an old squad stove in my pack. It is an old army stove and it has served me well. It uses unleaded gas and is an old pump system. I can repair it myself and I am comfortable with it. Newer and more lightweight stoves are available. I just like the old dependable squad stove I have used for 20 years.
 
I have had a MSR Whisperlite Internationale since the late 80s and it still works well. I have replaced the seals in the pump once. I believe its a multifuel, but I've always used white gas. It is hard to beat for a small stove-at least as good as a one burner Coleman and it's smaller.
 
I picked up a little Coleman one burner model that was rebuilt at the factory for under $20.00. Very small package that has worked for several years. It will work with several fuels and does a great job.
 
I just built one of the Pepsi G stoves. It's an amazing burner. Only has two settings, high, and off. But it's hot, it's fast, it's light.

The other reason I mention this is that alcohol is a simple, somewhat primitive fuel that can be produced in long term "survival" situations compared to the other cooking fuels, excepting wood. Having the ability to burn alcohol and learning how to distill the concentrated varieties is something to consider in a long term survival situation.

Phil
 
Regarding REI: beautiful catalog; high prices. Look at REI catelog and buy stoves from Campmor.

Coleman "Multifuel" is dependable, allows actual simmering, and burns naptha (white gas; Coleman fuel), karo (w/change of part), and automobile unleaded. No priming required, but you need a funnel or equiv. on fuel bottle to fill attached tank. I've tried, and liked, all MSI models over last half of forty years of steady backpacking, but the Coleman Multifuel is my "keeper."

TAL
 
Alcohol and Esbit stoves are very popular with the ultra-light backpacking crowd these days, as well as us long-haul bicycle tourists. You can make your own (see http://wings.interfree.it/html/main.html ) or buy alcohol stove sets cheaply (try the swiss army stove at http://www.southsummit.com/swiss_army.html ). The best alcohol stove is the Trangia, which for some reason is hard to find in the USA. The Esbit stoves are the lightest but less convenient than alcohol. You can see those at http://www.southsummit.com/Esbit Stove & Fuel Tablets.htm . Gasoline stoves are faster cooking but a lot more trouble, and when I am cooking dinner it's because I'm stopped for the day anyway and have a little time. The alcohol and Esbit don't stink up my pack, either. Make sure you use a windscreen as it speeds up cooking time a lot.
 
Strongly second all prior suggestions on using wind screens. heat blown sideways doen't get the soup hot.

Alcohol generates about half the energy as Coleman fuel for a given weight of fuel. If weight is a factor, that could be a consideration.

TAL
 
A lightweight option is to use an Esbit stove. It's also cheap and there are no liquid fuels to worry about.

(I did a random google search so that if you want more info you can follow up on it through the following link)
http://www.monmouth.com/~mconnick/esbit.htm

But if I'm backpacking I stick with a white gas stove for simmer control.
 
You are correct TAL, but the weight of gas stoves is much more than alcohol stoves, which can also be made with no moving parts, don't create varnish as they burn and so on. The trade off is the lack of simmer control. Additionally, alcohol can be carried in lighter plastic containers much more readily available than the petroleum fuels.

Everyone must balance their own personal tradeoffs in making the choice.

I have a bunch of different small stoves and alcohol is currently my preference for my uses. But I also don't simmer most of the time, which the alcohol stove does poorly.

Phil
 
I have only used one camping stove extensively, an MSR Whisperlite, but have never had problems with any kind of fuel varnishing. I am on my second stove, having burned dozens of gallons of white gas over the last 15 years or so.

I like it, but it does add weight and can be complicated to start when it is sooty.

Some friends have used the simple alcohol stoves. My observation of their activities is that those stoves take a really looooong time to do any cooking. If it is freezing or colder, it can even become physically impossible to boil a quart of water (heat is lost to the enviroment as fast as it goes into the water.)

I haven't looked extensively, but I would be open to an alcohol stove if its output was high enough and it was extremely light.

Scott
 
"Coleman fuel" is naptha - lighter fluid. I have never had a problem with fuel varnishing or with using fuel that is years old. Good point on weight and simplity issues. That's why I like the Coleman Multifuel - aluminum fuel tank. As for fuel bottles, aluminum fuel bottles are pretty light. In the end, any small stove that works is a plus.
 
Actually, when you look at the Material Safety Data Sheet for Coleman Fuel, you learn it is: 45-50% solvent naptha; 45-50% aliphatic petroleum distallates; 2% Xylene; and 2% Toluene. It is less volatile than white gasoline. Coleman claims it is better for your burning appliance.

White gasoline (AKA "white gas") is rarely found today. Gas stations in resort areas out west used to (1960's) have separate pumps for it. You brought your container and filled up. I haven't seen such a pump in twenty years. Apparently, Coleman Fuel (and competitve products in cans) and the increasing popularity of butane and propane burning appliances have killed of demand for white gasoline.

Unleaded automibile gasoline contains additives that make it better as a fuel in an internal combustion engine but that will damage your stove unless it is designed to use that fuel (usually means stainless steel vs carbon steel parts). The Coleman Multi-fuel Stove, and competing products, are rated to burn unleaded gasoline as well as white gas and Coleman Fuel.
 
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