Propane stove - looking for recommendations

[PlethoraOfGuns]

Cast iron is the only way to go. Buy it once, of course buy it old and used and cheap, and use it forever. Those Partner look amazing! Maybe they used somewhere at a reasonable price? Also, why isn't anyone considering cheaper liquid fuel stove as an alternative to the expensive propane stove?

 

[jacqueg]

What liquid fuel would that be? A big advantage that propane has is that it is readily available just about anywhere. I used it in Japan in 1968...

Since HDR brought Partner Stoves to our attention, I've checked eBay a couple times for them, but my guess is they don't show up there very often.

 

[GntlStone]

I left all my cast iron at my home base when I left in October, I thought it was too heavy. But dang, I missed it. So I bought a pretty nice 10-incher here at Q. then blew the seasoning by overheating. And of course, I don't have a real oven in my van. So I found this -

I also really like Cowboy Kent Rollins
https://youtube.com/c/CowboyKentRollins

He has a great videos (10) on buying, seasoning, cleaning, and restoring seasoning cast iron.

Most of his cooking and originates off grid, on the trail in a chuck wagon, so is applicable here.

I love me some cast iron. I use a chainmail scrubby and a bit of water to clean while the pan is warm, then dry over low heat after towel drying and oiling the inside slightly.

 

[PlethoraOfGuns]

Coleman has been making liquid fuel stoves since, well, since forever. You can get them to run on diesel, kerosene, gasoline, and naphtha. We would want to get one that runs on naphtha, which is commonly called white gas, or just Coleman/camp fuel. Basically gasoline without all that harmful gunk that they add to it. Diesel and kerosene are messy and gasoline smells terrible when cooking. Naphtha can be had at any Walmart for $7-8 per gallon. Or at your local outdoor store for $12 per quart. Comes in non-pressurized container that you can recycle when it's empty. Liquid fuel stoves have many advantages over propane, but propane wins with the convenience and ease of use. In our modern world of instant satisfaction and throw away product mentality, nobody considers liquid fuel stoves.

 

[Freelander]

I bought a Duel Fuel Coleman and its still in the box. Coleman fuel is about $12 a gallon and Ethanol free gas is less than $2.50 more places. I use Ethanol free in my small motors, if I can find it.

 

[PlethoraOfGuns]

Yikes that is expensive! The Walmarts on the east coast have it cheap. And yes, the dual fuel stoves! I'm curious if anyone has done the math as to which is cheaper to run, propane or coleman fuel, dollars per btu or something. I have a couple of old Coleman 2 burner stoves stashed somewhere at my mom's place I could go back to using. I just feel real ****** chucking those empty green canisters in the garbage.

 

[abnorm]

Use a hose and refillable bottles.....I have a baby 1 Gallon as well as several 5 Gallon standard BBQ size

https://www.acehardware.com/departm...rs/propane-cylinders-and-accessories/8221889?

Mr. Heater 12 ft. L Brass/Plastic Excess Flow Soft Nose P.O.L Hose Assembly - Ace Hardware

 

[PlethoraOfGuns]

Yea, I hear ya there. That's just more stuff to deal with. At that point, liquid fuel is more convenient for me.

 

[hdobob]

http://www.thundergroup.com/app/stx.productdetail.asp?did=1479

Works perfect.

Mod Edit, the above link is for a propane stove. please note that there is no price and you must create an account to see a price. very fishy.

we need a complete description with any links.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Propane and butane stoves are safe to use indoors: combustion exhaust is water and CO2.

Gasoline and diesel stoves combustion outgases unhealthy byproducts: nitrous oxide, formaldehyde, other volatile organic compounds (depends on type of gas and additives), soot.  Use only in well ventilated areas.

 

[nature lover]

Just my own humble opinion and there’s nothing humble about me. I would not use a propane butane or any other kind of open flame stove in the camper without proper ventilation.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Proper ventilation is a relative term.
 - Proper ventilation for a propane flame is making sure there is enough oxygen to insure complete combustion.
 - Proper ventilation for a gas or diesel flame is making sure all combustion byproducts are exhausted (that is unless you don't mind breathing them in).

 

[jacqueg]

Just my own humble opinion and there’s nothing humble about me. I would not use a propane butane or any other kind of open flame stove in the camper without proper ventilation.

Nothing humble about me either!

And I agree with you 100%. that's why I have a kitchen shelter. When the shelter is not up, I usually do without hot food. Although I do have a portable table I can use outside if I am motivated.

 

[Ramblin McPete]

I just ordered a Partner. I went with single burner with windscreen for a minimalist set up. Looks like an awesome piece of kit that should last forever. Will take a couple of months to get it, but by that time hopefully we will have our shots and can travel again.

 

[maki2]

Lets look at facts. Propane stoves are standard equipment in most commercially built RVs. So there. Is an awful lot of fear propne stoves. generated in this forum that is not reality based regatding

Here is a quote from the website propane 101
Carbon Monoxide is the product of incomplete gas combustion often because appliances are improperly adjusted. Properly functioning propane appliances will produce what is called an "ideal burn" during combustion and present no danger of Carbon Monoxide poisoning.

Of course flames do use up oxygen which is needed for combustion but that is easy to offset by opening a window a small amount. But in reality very few vans or RVs are truly airtight.

In my opinion for what it is worth there are two other concerns. One will be clearance from combustible materials but that can be addressed as part of the cooking area setup during you build design.. The other will be a potential danger from a defective connection to the souce of the gas be it a geen bottle or a large tank. But that gas is scented and you could keep a soap bubble tester on hand if you like a belt and suspenders approach. Your equipment needs to be in good working order and part of that is making sure the physical connectios are properly threaded and seated when screwed together. Yuou also need to be sure the appliance is fully shut off when not in use. If you are absent minded then cooking outside when using gas would be a wise choice.

Of course I wont be worrying on your behalf, I have enough other things to think about. Do what want, just dont start any forrest fires because I want to look at the trees and have more choices of places to camp during the spring, summer and fall.

 

[highdesertranger]

Wow McPete congrats. Please do a follow up/review. those stoves have an excellent reputation. Highdesertranger

 

[Ramblin McPete]

It was a splurge for sure, but I am sick of buying junky gadgets and then replacing them every couple of years. I figure it will be worth it to have real quality, so let's hope they are as good as they claim. Thanks for mentioning them or I would not have known about them.

 

[Ramblin McPete]

I have a Martin single burner that sits on top of a 1 lb propane tank already. So this will give me a second burner option and I will use an adapter to use a small tank on the Partner as well. Two small cooking options, and easy to pack away.

 

[XERTYX]

I season all of my cast iron with regular old vegetable oil. Crisco shortening if I have it. Or lard.

I heat it in the fire until its white hot, let it cool. Sandpaper it. Heat it white hot again and while it's still glowing add the grease. Nice satisfying grease fire. Heat it again. More oil more fire. As it cools slather it up really well and it drinks in the oil.

I do this every so often to burn off any rancid oil in the metal. Infrequently I'll heat it up well and douse it with vinegar. You're looking for it to insta boil the vinegar. That'll pull out some nasty black gunky oil.

Heat it up again and give it a spray of dollar store coconut oil spray. And let cool. Protip: you can use any flavor IME of cooking spray oil on it so long as it doesn't have soy lecithin in the ingredient list. The soy lecithin will burn into a pool of rubbery goo that easily peels off but leaves an unseasoned area beneath.

As far as stoves I love butane for temp control. Propane for value. I had one of the ozark trail 2 burners and used on 20lb bulk tank and it lasted forever. But eventually it fouled up with gunk because I had a droop in the hose that collected oil from inside the tank and it all shot into the stove and blew out the regulator.

I have even used a modified sterno can stove with great success before. Sterno is gelled fuel obviously and gelled fuels like those sold as fire starters I was wary of. So I would refill it after use with a blend of methanol and 90% isopropyl alcohol. Stirred it into the gel and that worked well until the gel material finally degraded. Then it would not stay lit consistently. (The 10% water in the isopropyl methinks)

Your average can of water chestnuts that has a bottom lid that's smaller than the top one was just the right size for a pot holder. Remove top and bottom lid. Drill some holes in for airflow and it would make jets that pulled into the burner as opposed to out of the burner like beer can alcohol stoves.

Useful trick in the apocalypse, or if every Walmart and sporting goods store in your area is out of stock of butane and you dont have another stove. Necessity is the mother of invention after all.

 

[JDub]

Camp chef, with the oven.  -crofter

Cabelas has free shipping. Link to supply catalog listing.

https://www.cabelas.com/shop/en/cam...J6ev7gomen1seudaKGMaApvjEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

That's what I got! Love that thing. I understand the new ones have temp control like regular ovens but it doesn't take much to learn to regulate the heat. Hint for anyone buying one. Make sure you get an IN oven thermometer to add to it vs the one CC provides externally...

Cheers!