Review of four stove types for vans

[Van-Tramp]

@van tramp:

for too hot burners...use a 'simmer plate' or 'heat diffuser'.

Roger that, my heat diffuser was to just place another cast iron pan down, then my cooking pan on *it*. Once I figured that out, all was good again.

 

[simply lesa]

I like my alcohol stove for safety reasons. It uses a cotton wick and absorbs all the liquid so there's nothing to spill. The entire stove is the size and shape of a hockey puck so it won't tip over (and I use a pot-stand to prevent the pot from being unsteady).

Alcohol has less heat energy than other fuels, but it'll still boil a pint of water in about 8 minutes. Fast enough for me.

Id like to see your stove please.

Sent from my SM-T713 using Tapatalk

 

[sometimesido]

Id like to see your stove please.

Sent from my SM-T713 using Tapatalk

https://vanlivingforum.com/showthread.php?tid=26331&pid=329653#pid329653

 

[sometimesido]

Yes, that's why pointing out that Korean supplier for adapters

a high-output stove but very controllable for simmering

Heh. I live in Atlanta area and we fully expected power outage from Irma(it did, some still out), I went out to get one. 2 Walmarts in my area were completely sold out, went to Super H Mart (Korean grocery chain, located scattered through U.S. http://nj.hmart.com/stores/ )

Super H Mart had the burner sold out at their Houseware area, but I found some in the Meat section for $20.(Koreans love bbq) Also found 4pk of 227g cans for $4.

Best $24 I spent on van gear(I have none other ). I intend to bring it to next camping trip.

Oh, yes. We did get to use it. Works great.

 

[John61CT]

Yes, great aren't they?

If that one ever breaks, look at the Iwatani 35-FW. And keep picking up the $1 canisters, easy to go through them with chili, soups etc. and you never want to pay shipping!

The propane adapter helps with that if you don't need such extreme portability.

They also convert to a good built-in.

 

[sometimesido]

that Iwatani looks quality built. Added to my ever growing Amazon list.

oh man, did not know they have accessories for those.
https://www.amazon.com/BBQ-Plate-Iw...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=M0PZNNNAWEEVY3CBY31K

Ever heard of Korean Pork Belly dish? I thnk I'm sold.

 

[Gideon33w]

I initially went with a dual burner propane setup but found it overkill. I just ended up making needlessly complex meals and heating the van much more than I'd like. I've since switched to a single burner butane rig. I heat the van much less (an issue here in AZ) and make simpler meals (or cook one thing at a time) which makes life much easier. I also like that I get a lot more fine heat control with a cheap butane over an expensive propane stove. Plus, the propane setup was all hard mounted and I could only cook in the van. Whereas my tiny butane stove can come out for cooking outdoors.

 

[lenny flank]

Id like to see your stove please.

My Alcohol Stove:

https://lennyflank.wordpress.com/2017/03/14/my-alcohol-stove/

 

[lenny flank]

https://vanlivingforum.com/showthread.php?tid=26331&pid=329653#pid329653

Well that one's not my homemade stove--it's a Trangia I keep as a spare.

My homemade stove is made from two beer cans, some aluminum muffler tape, and a handful of cotton balls.  

 

[simply lesa]

I thought it looked like a Trangia, thats why i asked bc i know they dont come w a wick.... this is my alcohol stove

Sent from my SM-T713 using Tapatalk

 

[tx2sturgis]

I have both a single burner butane, and a single propane.  I'll take the butane first because it puts out a lot more heat than the propane.  It boils water more than twice as fast.

I own two of the single burner propane bottle-top burners, and one of them puts out probably twice the heat as the other one when both are turned up to high....I think its more about the design of the stove.

The one that puts out more heat can actually cook quite well.

 

[sometimesido]

I thought it looked like a Trangia, thats why i asked bc i know they dont come w a wick.... this is my alcohol stove

Sent from my SM-T713 using Tapatalk

My mistake for misreading your question.

 

[CityWoman]

Lenny, I just read your blog post about how you made your alcohol stove and I have a question. In that post, you wrote that you crunched up one can and put it inside the other. What is the purpose of doing that? I couldn't tell from the picture on my small phone, but is the "crunched up" can just sitting there on the bottom, crunched up for a reason, or is it that you essentially made a double-walled can with it? If the latter, why a double wall?

 

[lenny flank]

Lenny, I just read your blog post about how you made your alcohol stove and I have a question.  In that post, you wrote that you crunched up one can and put it inside the other.  What is the purpose of doing that?  I couldn't tell from the picture on my small  phone, but is the "crunched up" can just sitting there on the bottom, crunched up for a reason, or is it that you essentially made a double-walled can with it?  If the latter, why a double wall?

It's to make a top and a bottom for the stove.  I could have used just one can, cut it off and stuffed it with cotton for a wick, but that would leave dangerous sharp edges at the top. So I covered those with another cut-off can bottom, cut a new hole in the "bottom" for the wick, then sealed the seam with aluminum tape.

There are also plans on the Net for a double-walled version. Just do a Google for "soda can stove".

 

[CityWoman]

It's to make a top and a bottom for the stove.  I could have used just one can, cut it off and stuffed it with cotton for a wick, but that would leave dangerous sharp edges at the top. So I covered those with another cut-off can bottom, cut a new hole in the "bottom" for the wick, then sealed the seam with aluminum tape.

Ah, I see. You finessed the basic design. So, does that mean you never (or rarely ever) need to change the cotton?

Was wondering - is a soda can the popular choice because it's thinner and easier to cut? Would it also work to turn one tuna can on top of another and tape them together, if one cut a smaller hole on one end? Or would a wider version from a bigger can (soup, peeled tomatoes, etc.) have any advantage?

Sorry for all the dumb questions. I know zero about this stuff, but I am a DIY kinda gal.

 

[simply lesa]

Check zenstoves online for diy directions and more info than you ever thought of. (Grin)

Sent from my SM-T713 using Tapatalk

 

[lenny flank]

Ah, I see.  You finessed the basic design.  So, does that mean you never (or rarely ever) need to change the cotton?

Was wondering - is a soda can the popular choice because it's thinner and easier to cut?  Would it also work to turn one tuna can on top of another and tape them together, if one cut a smaller hole on one end?   Or would a wider version from a bigger can (soup, peeled tomatoes, etc.) have any advantage?

Sorry for all the dumb questions.  I know zero about this stuff, but I am a DIY kinda gal.

There's no such thing as a "dumb question".  

Yes, I modified the design a wee bit. 

The cotton does eventually start to carbonize, but it takes a long time. I change it out maybe once or twice a year. I use soda cans because the thin aluminum metal makes it easier to "crimp" the end of one can so it slides inside the other. The tape is just to stop any alcohol from leaking out before the cotton absorbs it, and to keep any flames from coming out the side of the stove while it's burning.

 

[lenny flank]

Check zenstoves online for diy directions and more info than you ever thought of. (Grin)

Yep, there are a billion different designs for alcohol stoves--some are more elaborate than others, but all of them give basically the same performance.

 

[Serenity]

We have the double burner and the little fold up hiking stove as a backup. It is nice to know there is an oven to get in the future. I miss eating lasagna.

 

[UptownSport]

Saw this on a Coleman box the other day (Fuel Price obv outdated) and though it would speak to  'Cheap' RV living, LoL.

Stove is a variation of  the Propane Coleman in the first post, except there's a fuel tank on front. (More at: The propane Coleman is a variation of this)
You'd recognize the stove from camping in the 60's or 70's, where you pumped the thing up before lighting.

Interesting how they lay it right out, in dollars and cents.



No idea how it runs on pump ethanol, it never runs out of fuel to try!