Burning To Buy A Stove? Then Read This: Stove
Buying Guide
Mike Davidson
Gone are the days when you have to bring a very bulky and very
dangerous stove when you go camping. The stoves of today are
small, lightweight and very efficient, not to mention very
safe. One of today’s portable stoves would probably be your
best buddy when you go out camping.
Here are a few factors that you might want to look at when
choosing your very own stove.
Price
Generally stove prices can range from $20 - $200, depending on
the brand and fuel; however, you can probably find a good
quality type at around $50 - $90, or maybe even cheaper if
you’re a good bargain finder.
Efficiency
Efficiency is often measure in BTU or British thermal units;
however, you’d be hard pressed to find someone who actually
understands the terminology. Generally 25,000 – 30,000 BTU is a
good range. Another measure of efficiency however, is boiling
time. This is the measure of how long your stove can run on
high with a full tank of gas. But watch out for this figure,
your stove might boast a 1 hour running time, but on 32 ounces
of fuel. 10 minutes of burning time with one ounce of fuel is a
fair measure.
Performance
Performance is measured by the time it takes for the stove to
boil a quart of water under ideal conditions (ideal fuel, new
stove) both at 70 degrees Fahrenheit and at sea level. A good
range would be 3-5 minutes. A good performance stove will
ensure faster cooking especially if you’re on the go.
Fuel
Most stoves come in either solid, liquid or gaseous fuels, here
is a profile of each.
Alcohol
Pro: Clean burning, stable and safe.
Con: Alcohol burns at a cool flame so it doesn’t pack much heat
when burned, you’d be hard pressed to find stoves that burn with
alcohol. In addition, alcohol burns with invisible flame, so
there is a danger of a fire spreading.
Blended Fuel
It is a mix of butane propane and/or isobutane. You can buy it
in disposable canisters and tanks.
Pro: If it is blended with isobutene, the fire is more
efficient even if the pressure in the canister gets lower.
Blended fuel is more dependable than simply butane or isobutene
and safer than simple propane.
Con: It loses efficiency if used in temperatures below 30
degrees Fahrenheit and higher altitudes.
Butane
Butane is sold in disposable canisters and is pressurized when
bought; this type of fuel is typically popular in Europe.
Pro: It is very efficient and provides a high temperature
Con: It cannot be used in cold surroundings, mainly
temperatures below 5o degrees Fahrenheit and it doesn’t burn as
hot as blended fuel
Gasoline
Gasoline is the liquid fuel that powers most cars, however
stoves like this should only be used as a last resort and you
should make sure that the fuel has an octane content that is
below 86 and is unleaded.
Pro: Burns fast and very hot
Con: This fuel is very poisonous, even the fumes can be a bit
nauseating, not to mention the soot being toxic. The soot may
get into the food you are cooking so it’s best to keep the food
covered at all times. It is also hard to keep gasoline going in
extreme cold. There is also a need for an extra pump to
increase the pressure because of its liquid form.
Isobutane
Isobutene ha a chemical structure close to butane, it is used
for plane fuel. Isobutene comes in disposable canisters.
Pro: It burns more efficiently than butane and can be used in
temperatures down to 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
Kerosene
Kerosene is probably the oldest type of fuel and is also used
in jet fuel because of the heat it generates.
Pros: It is available anywhere and burns very hot in any
condition.
Con: Like gasoline, the soot from kerosene is also very
poisonous. It also burns with a lot of soot. Generally kerosene
burners get clogged quickly because of the excess soot. And like
gasoline, needs an extra pump because of its liquid form.
Propane
Propane is a highly combustible, clear gas that is used in most
household stoves and barbecue grills. Propane comes in
disposable canisters.
Pro: Propane burns with a very hot and steady flame. There is
practically no soot with a propane flame. In addition to that
it has good cold weather performance.
Con: Not very good for very trepid and high altitude locations.
White Fuel
Pro: This fuel is very inexpensive and can be bought by the
gallon at almost any supermart. It burns in almost any weather
condition and unlike others can withstand low temperatures and
high altitudes.
Con: The fuel is a liquid and will therefore need a pump to
keep the pressure steady.
Wood
Pro: Wood is as old fashioned as you can get, but if you have
an excellent source like for example the twigs on the forest
floor, a wood stove would be a good idea.
Con: A wood stove would be hard to use during rainy season
because wet wood is hard to heat up.
About The Author: For more great stove information and
resources check out:
http://www.juststoves.info
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