COOKWARE
Bushcraft Stove Review: Pick the Right Pocket Stove
When backpacking for your camping or hiking trip, you not only pack some clothes, food, and sleeping bags. Campers and hikers always need to prepare fast food and boil water when they are on their outdoor escapades. This implies that backpackers will need to carry with them burners they can use to prepare meals.
In most cases, backpacking stoves are small, lightweight, and compact, and consumes little space in your pack. These are the benefits of owning a backpacking stove and our Bushcraft stove review will give you a much better insight on this topic.
There are also a number of downsides surrounding backpacking stoves. After all, manufacturers need to make some compromises and sacrifices to attain the compact features and the lightweight aspects of these items. Backpacking stoves lack the capacity to undertake 10-20 cooking rounds. Additionally, you may be forced to carry a spare if you are going on an extended trip. Lastly, it can be difficult to balance large cookware on small stoves.
These negative aspects of the outdoor stoves are, however, insignificant. Most of these stoves will provide more benefits than downsides, making it easier for you to neglect the negatives that are associated with them. The aim of this Bushcraft stove review is to provide valuable information about this product and support its usage as one of the best outdoor stoves out there.
Review
Among the most significant pieces of gear for the outdoor adventurer or a backpacker is a lightweight and reliable stove – and you can thank the Germans for coming up with this efficient Bushbox Outdoor Pocket Stove. Today, the Bushcraft Essential is one of the leading brands in the market. This company delivers pocket stoves with outstanding features.
Before buying one of their stoves, you will need to consider various specifications that make them suitable for outdoor use. These aspects include:
Packaging
This medium equipment comes out of a small canvas bag in the form of stainless steel plates weighing about 0.6 pounds. Made by combining a series of stylish catches and sliding plates into different slits, this product stands approximately 4.5 inches high and comes with a grill, trivets, and ash plates. The trivets are used in holding anything from a cup of coffee to a frying pan.
There is no gas tanks or moving parts. To maintain the levels of engineering in German, it’s as elegant as any steel box can be. The fuel for this can be Trangia, twigs, or fuel cube such as Esbit.
Design and Durability
Bushbox stoves are compact in size are suitable for use on a backpacking tour. This is because the small equipment does not take up much space in the pack. The compactness and design of the stove, make it easy to assemble, pack, unpack, and disassemble. Owing to their compactness, the Bushbox models save so much space in the backpack.
As for the design, some air holes are strategically located around the stove’s perimeter and the lower grate which allows for entry and circulation of oxygen through the box, offering a more efficient burn. The access ports at the front offer ample space for small twigs and sticks to be added as the fire burns with the pot on top. Since the opening is positioned a few inches above the fire grate, hot materials are always held within the box making it simpler to include fuel as you go.
Furthermore, thanks to their stainless steel materials, the Bushbox offer maximum durability and are long-lasting. As a result, they can withstand all external conditions, including scratches, wear, and tear.
Make sure your stove comes with all the necessary components that make it operational. Items such as the ash pan, ground protectors, and heat shields can be an excellent addition to your kit. Always ensure these materials are available during your installation or assembly process.
Fuel Compatibility
A lot of backpackers get nervous when they want to acquire stoves for their outdoor adventures. This is mainly due to the amount they spend on fuel. Liquid canisters and well as the white gas can be expensive, particularly when these fuels are needed for an extended trip.
To get the Bushbox stove, fully operational, you will only need twigs, sticks, and leaves. These components are available locally and do not cost a dime. Therefore, choosing this stove is advantageous due to the fact that you do not have to spend on fuel.
The Bushbox can be used along with the Trangia alcohol burner. To do this, simply use one trivet to link two sides instead of the front panel with the access port. This process will offer stability required to support the cookware and fuel canister weight inside the firebox.
If you are using the Bushbox with fuel tablets, such as Esbit and hexamine, you can configure the grill as a supporting substance for fuel tablets, making it possible for the flame to reach the port and ensure high heating efficiency.
When burning hexamine, gel packs, or esbit, the grill can be put onto a higher setting, making it possible for the flames to reach the cookware, or you can simply turn the stove upside down and place the fuel on top of the base surface. The burner cools faster, making it possible for you to break the camp quickly. This stove is made from a hundred percent stainless steel and comes with the manufacturer’s logo – Bushcraft Essentials.
Weight
If you are not certain as to whether or not to bring this product with you on your backpacking tour, you do not need to worry anymore. This item weighs about 0.6 pounds despite being manufactured from stainless steel materials. It’s an excellent option if you are looking for products that weigh little, and occupy less space.
Ease of assembling and use
Super easy to assemble and use, the package allows you to put the component together in seconds. The product is heirloom quality and designed to last, made from 100% stainless steel material. The assembly process is rather straightforward. You begin with one end, sliding two tabs of the back panel together with the side panel tabs until they go past the locking nib.
After that, include the other panel, pushing its tabs with those of the rear panel. Next, insert the grate and the ash pan into their slots. The last step involves sliding the 4 tabs on the front panel with the two on the sides, locking the four sides together.
Being a versatile tool, the Bushcraft can be used with pots of varying diameter. When using a cookware that has a larger diameter compared to the stove top, it’s essential to set the trivets such that the pot is elevated some distance above the stove. This aspect provides enough space above the cooktop. In turn, this prevents the heat from getting diverted out of the firebox sides.
Eco-friendly and user-friendly
This is a kind of stove that is mainly designed to meet the needs of the outdoor adventurer. The product utilizes renewable energy sources of fuel such as twigs, wood pellets, sticks, charcoal, leaves, and barks. As a result, there is less pollution, enhancing the conservation of the environment.
When it comes to cleaning and ash removal you will need to periodically check to see whether there is an ash buildup so you can empty the pan. There is no particular determinant amount, but once the formed ashes become too much, you’ll need to empty the pan. Put on the gloves and beware of hot embers when emptying the pan.
Value for money and guarantee
When it comes to price this Bushcraft stove is pretty cheap so it’s a perfect solution for those whose finances don’t allow big expenses on outdoor gear and you won’t have to break a bank to buy one as it can be found in a price range from $20 to $40 and considering what it offers for that price, we find it to be a great deal.
Today, the market is filled with numerous compact multi-fuel stoves. Some of these products are known for consuming so much space in our backpack while others can be broken down into small kit making it possible to carry them around when you are out on a backpacking adventure. Among the many options available, the Bushcraft stove comes in a Bushbox set and is ideal for backpacking as it takes very little space in your backpack.
The stove is made of various components that ensure its efficiency. These include a front panel containing a large rectangular access hole, which provides for quick access for adding the fuel, a grill, an ash pan, and two adjustable trivets that support the pot. The ash pan is designed such that it prevents any hot materials from scorching the surface by separating them from the ground.
The Bushcraft stove can be used in cooking and generating heat in various settings including hiking and camping. As mentioned, the equipment uses different kinds of fuels such as wood and other biomass fuels such as pine cones, coal, and tree bark. The stove can also be utilized with solid fuel tablets and the standard Trangia alcohol burner making it a versatile pack stove.
Although it might seem like this product is perfect, it has both pros and cons, so let’s have a look:
Pros:
- It’s a portable stove
- The stove is easy to use
- It’s a durable pocket stove
- It’s an eco-friendly stove
- The Bushbox is easy to pack
- It consists of a lightweight design
- It’s easy to maintain
Cons:
- Not suitable for extended trips
- Can be difficult to balance large pots
- The stove cannot take more than twenty cooking rounds
Are you really in need to balance and carry large pots when going out for a camping or hiking trip? If not, than these cons are really not “cons”.
Nobody enjoys doing chores. Unfortunately, even when you’re out in the wild these necessities can be unavoidable. Cooking, cleaning, heating, washing… these are simply requirements if you want to stay at all hygienic during your outdoor expeditions. Our best advice is to simply get them over with as quickly as possible.
The more efficient you are about these activities the faster they’ll be done and the quicker you can get on to enjoying fishing, hiking, hunting or other adventures. The easiest way to speed these things up is to utilize the right equipment and we think we’ve found a real wonder on the market. The Jetboil Flash adds a whole new level of convenience to outdoor water heating & cooking.
So much so that we’ve decided to provide you with a full write up of its features and how it could be used to make your next outdoor trip even more fun by minimizing your ‘chores’ time. So without further ado, let’s jump straight into discussing the features of The Flash Personal Cooking System in this Jetboil Stove review
Review
In less than two minutes the Jetboil Flash can help you prepare a hot drink or an instant hot meal. This is the ideal choice for anyone who is in need of efficient cooking/boiling energy. The Jetboil Flash is well-organized, lightweight and fast.
High fuel efficiency, and all-in-one package, means that you do not need additional cookware. Here are the specifications that make the Jetboil Flash Personal Cooking System special.
Packaging
The very first consideration to make when shopping for an outdoor cookware is packaging. The Jetboil Flash Personal is one of the lightest, weighing in at 0.88 pounds when removed out of the box. The weight along with the system’s dimensions (7.09 by 4.09 by 4.09 inches) makes the stove the ideal choice for backpackers. The cookware will fit comfortably in your backpack.
Apart from the weight and dimensions, the major benefit of the Jetboil Flash Personal cookware is simplicity. Basically, it contains fewer parts: 1 liter of the FluxRing cooking cup, adjustable burner, and fuel canister. The fuel canister and stainless steel burner stow suitably inside the cup. This makes backpacking remarkably easy.
Design & Durability
The cooking system’s construction is undoubtedly higher end with the burner being made of stainless steel and the cooking cup of aluminum. Both these metals are known for their durability, which is an incredibly important factor when assessing outdoors products. You want to know that a bit of rough and tumble won’t break your brand new stove, and we’re fairly confident you can be sure of the stove’s durability.
The cookware seems to be a cooperation of a well-made cooking cup and an unrivaled ignition system. Out of the box, you will observe at first glance the cute packaging. Each piece fits in the cup for easy transport. This simply signifies how resourceful and versatile the design is when compared to other backpacking stoves in the market.
The multipurpose plastic cover found at the bottom of The Flash Personal Cooking System’s cooking cup is very useful for the minimalist outdoor packer. You’ll find that it has three uses (that we can think of), namely use as a measuring cup, a small bowl, and as a protective cover on the bottom of the cooking cup to keep your hands from being burnt by the heat while you enjoy whatever is inside.
The cooking system has a clever tripod for added efficiency. The tripod is specifically engineered to be used on rugged terrain and accommodates the little stove perfectly. We think the idea has a fair bit of merit, and anyone who has spilt hot water on themselves before, is sure to agree. The tripod doesn’t add any inconvenience to your transportation needs either as it folds up and fits with the rest of the system into the cooking cup.
The cooking cup of The Flash Personal cookware not only includes something useful at its base (the plastic cover), but also at its top. Built into the neoprene upper lining of the cup is a wonderful little heat indication window. This window will slowly turn orange as the interior contents of the cup heats up, which is a highly resourceful feature when boil water.
You could probably tell that the cup is ready without this window when you are boiling water as the device tends to make a small bubbling sound and let off some steam. Where the heat indication window really shines is when you are cooking up a delicious rehydrated mini meal. Just sit back and relax and wait for the little window to turn orange to let you know your food is hot and ready to be consumed.
The Flash Personal Cooking System is ready to go in any weather thanks to the elemental resistance screen. The system not only runs off hot jet fuel, but protects its flame from wind and rain by utilizing a barrier around its flame area. This is great because when it is cold and rainy what can often help to brighten your mood the most is a nice cup of hot cocoa or coffee – this stove makes that possible.
Ease of Use & Efficiency
To use the stove, you have to link the canister to the clever tripod. There is an ignition button, which you have to push to turn on the stove once you have switched on the gas flow. The igniter has actually simplified your work. Then add water to the 1 liter cup and have it fixed to the stainless steel burner. The one liter capacity will allow you to prepare two cups of hot coffee or cocoa in two minutes.
Basically, the one liter capacity is sufficient, but you are strongly urged to boil less amount of water at a time to circumvent accidents. The reputation of the Jetboil Flash Personal cookware is attributed to its boil time. In actual fact, the boil time is the main reason why most outdoorsmen like the cooking system. Impressively, the stove boils one liter of water in two minutes under normal conditions, and four minutes in extreme conditions.
Storage after Use
To ensure the durability of the cookware, you have to store it correctly after every use. Once you are done cooking, turn the control valve off so as to put out the flame. Then go ahead and separate the cup from the base of the stainless steel burner. Have the stabilizer removed from the fuel canister. At that point, unbolt fuel container from the burner base.
Make sure you replace the plastic fuel cap. For easy storage, position the stabilizer in the bottom of the cup, followed by the burner base, and eventually the fuel canister. Place the lid to secure the items inside the cup. Never forget to disconnect the fuel cartridge once you are done cooking. To ensure the cup is not damaged, you are advised to wash it by hand.
Unique Features
Jetboil FluxRing Technology: The burner is handily connected to the cooking cup by use of FluxRing tech. This ensures there is minimal or no heat loss during boiling or cooking, thus better boil times.
Built-in Windscreen: Unlike traditional camping stoves that are known not to function properly in windy conditions, the Jetboil Flash Personal has a built-in windscreen that allows it to perform exceptionally in windy climate.
A Resourceful Neoprene Lining: The cooking cup is enclosed by a neoprene lining that maintains the warmth of drinks and food for the considerable time duration. The lining also incorporates a color changing window that always signals when food or drinks are hot.
Quick Ignition Ability: The quick ignition ability of The Flash Personal Cooking System makes it ideal for big families who will have multiple users handling it. There is an auto-start filament built into the system which enables the jet flame to be created without the use of matches. Anyone who has ever forgotten to pack matches for their trip will know that this is a big help.
Value for Money & Guarantee
The Jetboil Flash Personal Cookware is worth your every dollar. The price is reasonable when you consider its amazing features and performance, especially its boil time. At approx. $100, you get a fully functioning stove that prevails both in normal and windy conditions. Some individuals may consider it to be an expensive unit; but camping and hiking enthusiasts will appreciate the price.
There are compatible accessories and products that are sold separately, including: 1.5L cooking pot, 1.8L spare cup, 1L tall spare cup, and an 8-inch FluxRing fry pan. There is a manufacturer’s warranty for the cooking system in case it does not perform as expected under normal use. However, the warranty does not cover damages due to improper use, accidents, negligence, poor maintenance, and normal wear and tear.
The Jetboil Flash Personal is the best backpacking canister stove system that addresses the shortcomings of traditional cooking systems. The most defining feature of the Jetboil Flash Personal is the fact that it is an integrated stove system. As aforementioned, it combines a fuel cartridge with an effective built-in windscreen, stabilizer, stainless steel burner and a FluxRing cooking cup.
As far as the Flash Personal cooking system is concerned, every part has its unique purpose and contributes to the general performance of the stove. The FluxRing heat exchanger makes sure that the flame is uniformly distributed at the base of the cup so as to maximize fuel efficiency. The creative temperature indicator alerts you when food or drink is hot and cooked, saving fuel.
The adjustable burner is enclosed by an inbuilt windscreen so as to reduce heat loss and at the same time improve fuel efficiency. You really do not need a match to ignite the stove, since the push button electric igniter is enough to start a flame. This makes the Flash Personal System a very reliable choice for emergency situations other than regular outdoor adventures.
Pros:
- Stabilizing tripod base for added convenience & safety
- Plastic cover acts as a measuring cup, small bowl & heat protector
- Interactive cooking window indicates when food is hot & ready
- Fabric cozy provides helpful handle and attractive exterior
- The overall construction is high quality with durable materials
- Resistive barrier allows the stove to be used in any weather conditions
- Auto-start filament for matchless immediate ignition included
Cons:
- 32-ounce capacity only provides enough room for 1 or 2 people rehydrated meal preparations.
- Relying on the supply of isobutene and propane gas (unable to run off renewable energy)
- Does not work well in high altitudes and very cold climates.
A decent Jetboil stove is a worthwhile investment that can take hours off your outdoor ‘chores’ time over the course of years. The Flash Personal Cooking System is one of our favorite choices because of its clever design and easy portability. If you’re looking to create quick and easy meals or simply boil water for purification, then it’s a great option.
Are you an avid camper, hiker, fisher or general outdoors enjoyer? If so, then you’ve probably already discovered the amazing benefits of having a decent campfire. An outdoor stove takes that one step further and provides you with not only warmth and light, but a convenient fireplace to cook/boil water over as well. Add to that functionality the USB charging ports built into BioLite Wood stoves and you’ve got the best thing since portable tents.These smart stoves are absolutely amazing. As such, we’ve decided to write a full BioLite stove review on our favorite one: The BioLite Wood Burning Campstove. We’ll cover the good, the bad and the ugly about this little stove in this review. So if you’ve been looking for a camp stove in general or at this one in particular, then be sure to read this review. We’ll start with the specifications.
Review
Packaging
This unit will be shipped to you in a 5 by 5 by 8.3 inch box that weighs 2.9 pounds. The unit itself is lightweight and compact, weighing in at 2.1 pounds. This means that you should have no trouble fitting it in a backpack in case you need to carry it with you on a hike. Plus, it definitely won’t weigh you down.
The stove consists of two main components: the stove itself and the power module (where the USB port, fan and internal battery are located). The power module can be placed inside the stove when not in use, reducing its size considerably to be the same as a 1-liter Nalgene water bottle. It also has a grill top for balancing your pots when placed on top the stove. It also comes with a nylon stuff sack that you can place it in after unboxing for proper storage.
Design and Durability
The BioLite Wood Burning Camp stove is a sturdy piece of equipment built to make outdoor fire use easy. Its technology features are some of the best in the outdoor stove industry, including both a USB charging port and fans to help fires burn hotter. That it runs off biomass as well makes this stove particularly attractive due to emergency and environmental benefits.
The stove’s frame is mostly made up of aluminium. This metal is known for being both strong and lightweight, which is a great combination for any portable item. Although still too heavy to carry on extremely long hikes, we certainly think it’d earn an easy spot in the car or boat transport as well as short backpack trips.
The creators of the stove have made it a good size in terms of dimensions, not adding more than needed but not leaving anything crucial out either. You might want to test carry an item of similar weight and dimensions to ascertain whether this stove is right for you.
Overall the shape and outer design of this stove are well thought through. They complement its inner, smart technology design well, by making it functional. We appreciate that they’ve kept it relatively small so as to make it easier to transport. There are a few other feature worth mentioning though, so here’s our take on the main features to be aware of if you’re thinking about buying this stove.
Unique Features
This stove comes with some rather unique features that give it an edge over the competition.
Thermoelectric Generator: This BioLite Campstove allows its owners to personally generate electricity from nothing more than burning wood. This means that you can choose to take a variety of USB chargeable items with you when visiting the great outdoors and charge them as you cook or boil food/water. This thermo-electric generator is perfect for those who want to enjoy the great outdoors while remaining contact-able.
You’ll get approximately 60 minutes of talk time on regular smart phones from 20 minutes of charging time on a strong fire. We’d recommend turning off your electronic devices now and again anyway to enjoy the outdoors more, but in general this is a fantastic concept. The best part about it is that the thermo-electric generator technology works off principles and airflow, meaning it’s usable for as many times as you want or have wood for. No running out of battery charge ever again!
Burn Increasing Fan: The internal fan and gas jets built into the BioLite Campstove is ideal for outdoors people who want to get their fires up and running quickly (and don’t we all?). Having appropriate kindling or dry wood certainly helps, but isn’t a necessity with this cool stove’s design.
The HI/LO set-able fans push air into your fire which improves the combustion system. You’ll get a hotter, more efficient flame, much faster, and some find the air circulation helps with smoke control as well. If you intend to get started on making your fires late in the evening, this is a perfect choice for you.
Biomass Fuel System: The BioLite Campstove takes renewable energy to a whole new level. The system not only runs off renewable biomass like twigs and sticks found while out and about, but also takes that renewable energy and turns into electrical energy to charge your devices with! We love that it’s not reliant on coals or petroleum. It’s a much more environmentally friendly approach to fire starting and we give it a big thumbs up for that.
NOTE: This stove would be useful in emergency situations because it is not reliant on petroleum or electricity to start. You can charge your electronic devices from it, despite power line outages using just biomass (twigs and wood) from your surrounding gardens. Stay on the grid!
User Friendly Interface: The big, ON button, and easily discernible USB charging port on the BioLite Campstove, are just a couple of the user friendly features of the design. When looking for a smart camp stove you ideally want something that anyone can use. This system makes it easy to start fires by storing a little charge to fan your initial fire starting with.
That means even beginner fire starters should be able to get the flames going in this stove. For those who have tried fire starting themselves, you’ll know it’s not always as easy as it looks, especially if your wood is damp. That’s why the user friendly fans and gas jets to help start this stove’s fires are so great.
Value for Money and Guarantee
Once you consider how much you will actually be saving in terms of purchasing fuel for a gas powered stove, the decision to get the BioLite Campstove becomes easy. Furthermore, you also don’t need to buy any extra emergency battery packs in case your phone dies on you.
The unit costs approx. $130 on Amazon. It is currently not available on the BioLite website, so people looking for this unit will have to purchase it on Amazon. Once you add up the specifications, it is easy to tell that getting the BioLite Campstove will provide you with great value for your money.
We would definitely recommend this BioLite Wood Burning Campstove to anyone looking for a high quality piece of fire making and cooking outdoor equipment. Do, however, ensure that you are aware of the size and weight of the item prior to purchase. To get it to your outdoor spot you’ll have to transport it!
In addition, we’d also recommend taking a couple of small fire-starting cubes and some waterproof matches with you when you head out. This will make the fire-starting process even easier, though the design of the camp stove makes that pretty easy already.
A final note is to choose pots and pans to use with this system that are metal, no more than 10 inches in diameter, and no more than 8 pounds in weight. Other than that, this stove is ready to go. You’ll find it adds a whole new level of cool to your outdoor experience and makes cooking/boiling food/water so much easier. When it comes to camp stoves it can be worth digging a little deeper in your pocket to get a great multifunctional product, that will go the distance with you.
PROS:
- Compatible with most common USB devices
- Can generate better flames than average stoves because of its fans and gas jets
- Easy to use scalloped upper design supplies a sturdy surface for pots and pans
- Cool to the touch safety conscious honeycomb exterior
- Aluminium frame is lightweight and strong
- Smart technology runs completely on biomass fuel which is renewable and readily available
CONS:
- Slightly heavy
- Somewhat bulky
(Some may find that carrying a portable camp stove around is too inconvenient when they know they can just find sticks and build a fire on the ground at their destination site).
A pros and cons list is good to ensure that you get an unbiased review, and we hope that you agree with us that the pros more than make up for the cons. This is based on our educated opinion, and we are confident in recommending this stove as one of the most highly efficient, easy-to-use and useful outdoor stoves around. If you take it to the great outdoors for off-grid living, you will not be disappointed.
Every year, thousands of hikers and backpackers head into the back country and wilderness to enjoy the beauty of nature. If you are one of those happy campers you know the need for a small, lightweight, reliable stove that heats warm nutritious delicious meals time after time. One of the best ways of cooking in the outdoors is with an alcohol burner stove because of their simple, no moving part design and readily available fuel.
So simple, in fact, that there are D.I.Y versions, but if you want a durable, well made, quality burner, with a design that stands the test of time, you cannot choose better than the Esbit Brass. These awesome little stoves have been tried and true, world favorites for decades.
With all its qualities the Esbit Brass Alcohol Burner Camping Stove with Variable Temperature Control is the perfect companion for any outdoor adventure or expedition, whether you are making a short day trip, a long weekend or a week of back country trekking. Kayakers, mountain bikers, as well as any others who want to enjoy nature, will find this little stove a welcome addition to their pack.
Review
Packaging
This alcohol burner will ship in a box just a little bigger than the product dimensions, which are 6.8 x 6 x 2 inches. The product weighs 3.2 oz and when shipped will weigh 4 oz. It will come already put together, including a leak proof rubber seal.
Durability and Design
The Esbit stove is made under German quality assurance systems in high quality, corrosive free brass that can take a few knocks without showing any signs of damage, not that dropping it down the side of a mountain is a recommended test for durability. The actual stove has no moving parts and there are no burners to break or wear out so they are not as susceptible to damage as some other types of cookers.
It is robust enough to cram into a small space in your pack and takes up minimal space. This durability ensures that you won’t find yourself with a broken cooker when you arrive at your remote campsite after 8 hours hiking.
Flame Regulator
The Esbit Alcohol Stove has a flame regulator so you can choose to cook with fully open heat, partly open for simmering or close it to extinguish the flame. The regulator has a unique and practical fold away handle that allows you to adjust the flame without getting your fingers close to the hot burner. Esbit was the first to introduce this design feature.
It essentially will not fail to work so long as you have fuel and it can be placed in a wind sheltered spot. The secure, sealed lid means you can close any unused fuel in the stove rather than decant it back into a fiddle bottle or worse, have to waste.
Fuel for alcohol stoves is relatively easy to find and inexpensive to buy at many universal retailers. It is cheaper than most fuels for alternative stoves. The stove has a low profile so there is less likelihood of accidental tipping over while cooking, although caution should always be taken with any naked flame.
Fuel
The required fuel is relatively lightweight and you only need to pack the amount you need for the estimated meals so no unnecessary weight. Fuel is always on hand; just fill the stove and light it. You don’t need to scramble around looking for dry firewood when it has been raining all day.
Ultralight hikers can buy fuel in larger quantities and decant into suitable smaller bottles to pack. These are advantageous for carrying smaller quantities, but should be unbreakable, leak proof, and the better ones, have pouring measurements and flip-top caps for ease of use.
You can use the Esbit Alcohol Stove with alternative purpose made equipment, for instance the Esbit Pot Stand. The latter is designed for easy placement and removal of the stove, as well as for easy adjustment of the simmer regulator when in use.
Manufacturer Recommendations
For simple, delicious meals, it is best to plan for one pot cooking that is water based. Each meal should take about 20-30 minutes to cook and use about 2/3ounce of fuel with 2 cups of water for two normal servings or one large serving.
Cook meals to a basic recipe with 2 cups of water. Always cover with a lid to be more efficient and bring to the boil. When boiling, stir in the chosen ingredients and bring to boil again with lid. Either turn down to simmer and let the fuel run out. Leave the meal to sit covered for another 5 – 10 minutes.
Use easily transportable foods like rice, small shape pasta, noodles, whole or rolled grains, dehydrated vegetables and fruit, dried meat, fish, and eggs (if you can carry safely). If weight is not so much an issue you can take fresh vegetables, cans of beans, fish, etc. Use first, those ingredients that may deteriorate or break.
All stoves can be dangerous, so a list of precautions:
- Always consider the weather conditions before lighting
- Do not cook on any inflammable surface
- Remove all flammable materials close by
- Have an extinguisher of some description on hand
- Never leave a fire unattended
Value for the Money
This product is generally beloved by those who have used it and they state that this product is definitely worth the money. Moderately priced, you are getting a product that works, and is leak proof. While there are some more pricey, and less pricey, this alcohol burner is worth the price you pay.
As a basic description, the Esbit Alcohol Stove looks like a small metal can with a series of holes around the rim. At first glance it may be easy to think such a simple looking stove should be easy to copy but Esbit stoves have a few extra important features that continue to make it a market leader.
On closer inspection, you will see an inner cylinder wall which is one the reasons the Esbit Alcohol Stove is so efficient and reliable. When filled with suitable fuel, some of the fuel fills that compartment between inner and outer walls. When the fuel is lit, evaporation develops pressure gradients that ensure the flames burn forcefully through those specifically sized and placed perimeter holes for maximum heat and efficiency.
PROS:
- Made from quality, corrosive free brass
- Covered with a secure brass lid fitted with a durable rubber seal
- Compact dimensions -2 x 6 x 6.75 inches
- Lightweight – 0.2 lb
- Has a low profile setup
- Flame regulator for simmering and shut off
- Flame regulator has a folding handle
- Fuel can be carried in the stove
- Manufactured to German design standards
CONS:
- Small, easy to lose
- Can develop cracks on the outside over time that will leak
- Does not match all Esbit stove kits
- Have to remove the Heat Control portion to adjust
- The flame is orange instead of blue
There are various reports that the stove will operate efficiently over many altitudes from sea level up to 12,000 feet, although the higher altitudes may mean colder temperatures do make the stove more difficult to light. Again, however, reviewers have reported using the stove at below freezing levels and it is worth noting that Scandinavian military forces use alcohol stoves all year round when temperatures drop to below -30 F.
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