Question propane stove

[AlHatter]

So those tiny green cans of propane that walmart sells - how long do those last? I mean obviously it varies on what you are doing but if you had to estimate how many meals you could cook with each one using a one burner stove - what would your estimate be?

 

[Almost There]

You'll probably get several days out of one of the 1 lb cans if just for heating water and small amounts of cooking.

If you're using it for the Mr. Buddy, not so much. As in less than an evening of heating on high.

They are the absolute most expensive way of cooking.

I switched 4 winters ago to a single burner butane stove. I buy my butane cans in bulk at K & B tools in Quartzsite during the winter and take a case of them with me in the spring to use over the summer because I am not near a low cost source all summer.

I cook twice a day and go through a canister of butane about every 4 days. Any longer cooking times like making spaghetti sauce or chili, I save for when I can use the 2 burner propane stove outside but it's hooked up to a 20 lb tank.

 

[DLTooley]

I’d say maybe a week, for cooking for one. The 20lb tanks are much cheaper, but have an upfront cost. Keep your eyes open for one used. Refill at an rv place or a distributor.

I keep a couple of 1lbs around so I can run my 20 completely dry. I can find a spot to refill before they run out without hassle.

 

[lenny flank]

They are the absolute most expensive way of cooking.

For a comparison, my alcohol stove will typically take around a quart of denatured per month (depending of course on how much I cook), which runs me about six bucks at Walmart.

 

[XERTYX]

It depends on the BTUs (British thermal units) of the stove or heater. I have a 2 burner stove I use outside with a 20 lb and havent filled it since the summer and it's still probably half full. I definitely would have gone thru 3 or 4 maybe even as many as 10 1 lb bottles by now and I dont use it every day. I had a Coleman bearcat I believe was the model tent heater on my boat one winter and I only got 6 hours of heat and it was relatively low BTU. Just remember to use extreme caution burning any fuel inside as combustion produces carbon monoxide (CO) which binds to your blood just like oxygen and causes you to pass out and eventually can lead to death from a lack of oxygen. Use adequate ventilation and it's a good idea to use a CO detector inside. When you buy the stove it should give an estimate on the package. As has been mentioned a butane stove may be a better option for many reasons. They're usually a flat cooktop so less likely to tip over. Most single burner propane stoves screw on top of the bottle so they stand about a foot tall and more likely to tip over. Also closer to the roof if using in a vehicle. Butane also isnt approved to use indoors BUT is approved for indoor use in a restaurant so this leads me to believe they're cleaner burning.

 

[Seminole Wind]

as far as butane burning cleaner than propane, well that is mostly a bad assumption. there are thousands if not millions of homes across the country that have propane cook tops. just as clean as butane. in some areas of the country "propane" delivered to homes is a mix of propane/butane especially in the summer. both can be very clean burning. there are tons of propane fired "direct vent" room/space heaters that their exhaust fumes/gasses are just dumped into the room. no chimney or vent pipe to the outside.

many of those come with built in O2 (oxygen) depletion sensors that shut them down or sound alarms if the O2 % drops to much but i have yet seen one with a built in CO (carbon monoxide) sensor

lots of fork lifts, floor waxers, zambonies as such run on propane instead of gas or diesel as the fumes/exhuast is far less toxic

 

[Weight]

less toxic, but still deadly.

 

[AlHatter]

Cool. Thanks for the info everyone.