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heads-up on alcohol stoves

Posted: Thu Apr 25, 2013 4:58 am
by helen&tony
Hi
These are on at £100.00 again...good deal
Cheers
Helen

Re: heads-up on alcohol stoves

Posted: Thu Apr 25, 2013 7:55 am
by Rebiam
Hi Helen - where from?

Cheers

Re: heads-up on alcohol stoves

Posted: Thu Apr 25, 2013 8:36 am
by helen&tony
Hi
Apologies...I was in such a rush to get the dogs out , I forgot the link:
http://www.compass24.com/detail/index/s ... gory/34081
I've just ordered one...I've seen them....they're good stuff!
Cheers
Helen

Re: heads-up on alcohol stoves

Posted: Thu Apr 25, 2013 8:42 am
by Driver+Passengers
Nice!

I just bought a Trangia for the Bongo kitchen, though.

Re: heads-up on alcohol stoves

Posted: Thu Apr 25, 2013 9:00 am
by mikeonb4c
I'm tempted. Is it easy to get fuel for these?

Re: heads-up on alcohol stoves

Posted: Thu Apr 25, 2013 9:23 am
by Driver+Passengers
mikeonb4c wrote:I'm tempted. Is it easy to get fuel for these?
compass24.com wrote:These cookers work on unpressurised methylated spirits ...
I recently picked up a 5L bottle online for £20 delivered - that's not an awful lot less per litre than you'll get in hardware/outdoor shops - typically £2-£4 for 0.5l. Some supermarkets or perhaps garages may stock it.

It's easy enough to get hold of if you remember where you got it last time, though I've had to hunt around in the past. ;)

[Edit: I've also read that very cheap meths can have up to 50% water in it - the stuff I got was certified 96% alcohol, I think. For trangia, they recommend adding 10% water to prevent sooting. The cheap stuff may not cook as efficiently per ml as better stuff.]

Re: heads-up on alcohol stoves

Posted: Thu Apr 25, 2013 9:52 am
by mikeonb4c
Very useful Matt, and thanks. I wonder if this brand is same quality/item as Origo. I'm still tempted :-)

Re: heads-up on alcohol stoves

Posted: Thu Apr 25, 2013 10:14 am
by helen&tony
Hi
Mike
I ordered one because the gas supplies here are a bit dangerous...most people have their gas bottles refilled at the petrol station :shock: :shock: :shock: ...no safety involved, and no checks....officially, yes....BUT...and I reckon the bottled gas on forecourts isn't much better!
Methelated spirit / industrial alcohol...same thing...just that meths is coloured, but I never found it difficult to find...and at a pinch you can use lamp oil...
These stoves are a lot safer, PLUS you don't have to shell out on a gas bottle and find space in the Bongo for all the gubbins. I am assured they work well, and are pretty hot!
Cheers
Helen

Re: heads-up on alcohol stoves

Posted: Thu Apr 25, 2013 10:24 am
by Driver+Passengers
Alcohol stoves are typically more expensive to run than gas.

Re: heads-up on alcohol stoves

Posted: Thu Apr 25, 2013 11:15 am
by helen&tony
Hi
Matt...
We only use ours for the odd cuppa coffee...everything else is cooked outside on the barbies...so for our purposes, any difference will hardly show, cash-wise!
Cheers
Helen

Re: heads-up on alcohol stoves

Posted: Thu Apr 25, 2013 12:22 pm
by mikeonb4c
I like the idea of these for the reasons Helen states (esp compactness when gas bottles eliminated) and because they should perform better in cold temperatures. Fuel availability is my only concern, but if the purple stuff is ok to use then that should simplify things (for the amount i'll use it, fuel cost is not a major issue). I wonder if this make is as robust as the Origo?

Re: heads-up on alcohol stoves

Posted: Thu Apr 25, 2013 1:25 pm
by winchman
I have just bought one of these
http://www.snowandrock.com/pws/UniquePr ... tAodaHwAuQ
Fastest brew ever!

I have a couple of these brand new I can put in the forsale section if any one wants one? Its a very good copy of the trangia at a fraction of the price
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hi-gear-Cook- ... 0577037781

Re: heads-up on alcohol stoves

Posted: Thu Apr 25, 2013 4:01 pm
by helen&tony
Hi Mike
A fellow Bongo owner here in the village has one...I'll pop in and see...anyway, said owner uses "the purple stuff" which is readily available here (although not the same as in the UK), and it whips up a treat!...As for being durable...it looks like the company does a fair bit of "boaty" stuff, and wouldn't sell crap...so...I ordered one!
Cheers
Helen

Re: heads-up on alcohol stoves

Posted: Thu Apr 25, 2013 4:35 pm
by briwy
We have one but find it rather smelly when used inside. Spot on outside though.
We get the fuel in France where it's used as a cleaner from supermarkets and quite a bit cheaper than here.

Re: heads-up on alcohol stoves

Posted: Thu Apr 25, 2013 4:41 pm
by Driver+Passengers
That Primus Eta looks the business! I've got a pocket rocket (wink, wink) but have struggled with gas as the pressure drops near the end, or in the cold, and you don't know how much you've got left or how long it'll last, etc... You can get 4-season gases, but I've now got the Trangia too - a little slower and can be a bit smelly, but overall and in all conditions, more reliable, IMO. I bet the copies no worse.

However, as for boy's toys/kitchen apparatus - I'm now hankering after a Ghillie Kettle (or Kelly Kettle, Storm Kettle, etc...).

This little tinker (F1 Storm Kettle) is <0.5kg and boils a pint in 5 minutes using just twigs and pine cones - http://www.thestormkettleshop.com/page12.htm. It's just so cute! ;)