Watch THIS Before You Buy an Alcohol Stove!: Alcohol Stove Battle - Testing 11 Different Stoves

[@neilgutteridge6405]

What is it with ultra fast boil times......isn't life fast enough without worrying about boil times when you are trying to relax on a camping trip.Just chill people,these stoves boil water plenty quick enough,why rush the experience.Brilliant little stoves as a back up too if wood isn't available for a wood burning stove or it's damp where you are camping.Essential kit to keep as a back up if it isn't been used as your main cooking source.Great vid,thanks for taking the time to make it.

[@williambranham6249]

I enjjoy being stove free but not fire starter free.

[@nathansharp3193]

I can't believe they ever boiled with all these people watching.

[@danielcharbonneau222]

Hahahahah.

[@mademoiselledusfonctionell1609]

More exciting than watching paint dry.

[@robertennor1143]

Mademoiselle - if it was one colour, of course you are right - but if it were 14 different colours - all your fav colours - think you might have to change your mind some........

[@PaulWoods1982]

Totally brilliant. :D

[@EdwinDekker71]

😂

[@vitryugun5371]

1:30 I am from Ukraine, tomorrow we expect second blackout induced by Russian bombing of our electricity grid, so it is no wonder I finding great relief in watching how alcohol stoves are created/operated. Learned about them two days ago, and find them totally fascinating. Already ordered one, hope it will manage to arrive at my local post service before russian rockets will fall on our energy infrastructure. But if it won't happen - I now know at least three ways to create them from used tin cans. :)

[@bicyclethief]

the comedic timing of the pause followed by "it's a knock off" was gold

[@billmcentire9923]

I have used the same Trangia for over 20 years and it still works great. If I want speed I will take my Rocket stove or Jetboil with me, but that's not what the alcohol stove is all about. After it cools down I can screw back on the top with fuel in it and throw it back in the pack. I have made stoves and bought other alcohol stoves over the years but I always go back to my trusted Trangia.

[@Murgoh]

Yes, if you want maximum speed you don't use an alcohol stove anyway as gas stoves are jus so much faster. Alcohol stoves are great for their ultimate reliability, nothing ever goes wrong with a Trangia, they just work every time. Yes, a full Trangia set is kind of heavy and takes a lot of space but you can trust it to warm your food or drink in all conditions as long as you have fuel and something to ignite it with.

[@OverlandOne]

I have the evernew titanium. When I bought it about 5 years ago it was about $30. I have been very happy with it and, I use it to make coffee in the morning as I travel the US in my van. Very detailed testing and excellent video.

[@karenputt6668]

Still watching this video 2 years later! Thank you for doing the work.

[@SovietGrazz]

I feel like the best figure of comparison is simply 'boil time' i.e. how long you can make your pot boil. Therefore, I've created a table ordered by boil time, then wait time until boil, then weight, then cost: 3:32 (8:42) 26g $3 Lixaa 3:30 (8:17) 110g $15 Trangia 3:07 (8:37) 88g $19 Solo Stove 2:16 (8:11) 44g $19 Boundless Voyage 2:01 (7:15) 14g $0 Sprite Can DIY 1:52 (6:32) 13g $25 MBDC Elite 1:37 (7:54) 12g $10 Turbo Gnome 1:36 (6:24) 28g $3 Fancy Feast DIY 1:10 (6:45) 14g $20 MBD Elite Pro 0:59 (6:48) 36g $43 Evernew 0:00 (0:00) 50g $1 Walmart DIY (FAIL) Observations: The most efficient stoves (longest boil time) are also those that take the longest to start boiling. Lixaa and Trangia seem the best, depending on which design you prefer, and if you care about weight. MBDC Elite or Fancy Feast is best if you don't care about efficiency and just want a quick boil. Also - I feel like whether you use a pot stand or not can make a big difference. Pot size will definitely matter.

[@sinrock85]

Best comment ever 😂

[@c.viewer9800]

Amazed at this comment .. awesome info ..thanks

[@samhain9394]

Invaluable comment considering the second thing we use a camp stove for is to boil ramen noodles for 3 minutes, it helps if the stove can actually do that. I wonder what would happen if he ran this same test with 2oz of fuel?

[@martinerhard8447]

You cannot directly compare boil times because the boils are not the same. If a stove has more heat output then the boil will be stronger so the stove will vaporize more water in the same time. It is no suprise that the weakest stoves in your tests boiled water the longest since those have the weakest boil

[@ltstaffel5323]

@@martinerhard8447 I don't think that's true, the video shows that all the stoves ended their burn with basically the same temperature, so I don't think their heat trajectories during boil were very different.

[@billmcentire9923]

I have used the same Trangia stove for over 20 years and love it.

[@mplynch71]

Where did you get

[@johnhildenbrand2642]

Kinda happy with my Trangia's, respectable boil times, respectable burn times, middle of the road price, and between the lid and simmer ring your able to transport fuel between burns if necessary, and you can modify the temp/efficiency if you don't need full boil. I can even live with firebox soldering both of mine for me, but I'm definitely glad I watched this all the same!

[@QuantumMechanic_88]

Some folks think this alcohol stove phenomenon is fairly new . My first one was made 55 years ago from a tomato paste can and burned moonshine . I have the Trangia and military issue Svea , but have yet to see a factory made that works better or as well as home made . My tip for cold weather = Cut a small strip of aluminum from a can . Bend it to fit inside the stove and place a small piece of trioxane on the strip to heat the stove and get the alcohol to vaporize . This works at 50 below zero . This is a great video and much appreciated . Thanks Paleo Hiker MD .

[@Sokol10]

I am curious, do you remember the design of you 55 years tomato paste stove? Or just use the can without modifications for burn the moonshine?

[@ipedros7]

Interesting does the small inner aluminium would that also help do secondary burns? Cheers

[@QuantumMechanic_88]

@@ipedros7 This small strip of aluminum is used to hold a piece of solid fuel to heat the alcohol and get the alcohol burning . Without the alcohol fuel , the solid fuel would heat a metal container for tea .

[@aar5pj]

Test flaw noted...The Trangia was placed into the Firebox Nano with the use of the "Nano Sticks" this elevated the burner as opposed to the use of the Evernew which was placed on the baseplate of the Firebox Nano with no elevation - the distance of the flames were not the same. This caused different flame heights and different temperatures.

[@activeal]

This 22 min video went by very quickly. It was very well presented, interesting, and informative. Thanks!

[@PaleoHikerMD]

Well thanks!

[@r.lee1989]

i agree! i enjoyed this video, excellent work!

[@redpillnibbler4423]

It was only 15 minutes from blooming.

[@Mikieman1]

I have the Trangia for over 25 years At that time i used denatured alcohol And it worked very well ...also burned clean...now a shelf decoration... Those were the days

[@WillieMakeit]

What stove are you using nowadays

[@williambranham6249]

Some of my comment is not directly related to alcohol stoves but might be helpful to some folks with little experience. I wasn't aware of the Rainier tragedy noted below. Sorry to learn about that. It's obvious that methanol stoves would not be used in a mountaineering situation. I am an experienced long distance hiker but no longer am able to do that. As someone pointed out, without a proper windscreen, fuel consumption would be excessive. I learned that the hard way in Maine. I ran out of fuel due to high winds even with a wind screen and had to borrow canister fuel and a stove from Boy Scouts. My opinion based on experience is that this type stove is only suited for above freezing weather and low wind. All things being equal I would buy the cheapest style or make my own stove . In addition, I would learn to make a proper fire in case it is needed. It is always good to have a backup plan.

[@joekelly9369]

Il buy two white box stoves , i survived 8 months in the mountains with one0

[@carlindurfee7566]

What tragedy are you talking about?

[@williambranham6249]

@@carlindurfee7566 Not sure Carlin, its been a year. since I commented. I was watching a lot of equipment videos back then so I might have mixed up some comments. There have been a lot of deaths on Rainier, over 400 I believe, and I doubt if any are related to stoves. Sorry for the confusion.

[@inediblemangoes7797]

This was surprisingly really funny for a video about stoves

[@daveramsay8598]

Great video. I like you call a spade a spade. Good methodology and honest you are an engineer.

[@johnhoward7298]

You gotta love that fire box nano

[@lisantica842]

After watching about 10 of your videos I figure it's time to subscribe! Have enjoyed every one I've watched so far!

[@PaleoHikerMD]

Thanks so much! Welcome aboard... :)

[@andrewb9595]

Thanks for the video! Great job boiling water. I've boiled quite a bit today myself while designing my own stove. It's kind of a cross between the Evernew and the Fancee Feast stoves, but it gets longer boil times. Glad you put those comparisons up, as it lets me know how my DIY stacks up. I got some numbers on mine today. It weighs in at 0.8oz, primes in 11s, boils 2 cups in 6:38 and burnout happens at 10:47 w/ 1oz denatured alcohol. After seeing how much people pay for the minibull stoves I'm starting to wonder if mine may actually be worth selling.

[@geraldhenrickson7472]

I have a LOT of alcohol stoves. Some DIY and some purchased. None are as good as the ready to use stove called the "Fancee Feest". The rest of my stoves just sit in a box gathering dust. Yes you can build your own and that is fun yet...for colder temps and faster bloom...go with the fancee feest.

[@atommixz]

final table 2:36 - 8-17 3:53 - 8-38 5:13 - 6-48 6:48 - 8-11 7:59 - 8-42 9:23 - 6-46 11:55 - 7-55 14:26 - 6-24 15:56 - 7-15 16:15 - table

[@Subsessor]

thank you so much for using metric system. makes me understanding your excellent measurements way easier

[@elderhiker7787]

Thanks. That was interesting. The take-away that I have learned is that it doesn’t matter too much what you use. My cooking system is the Trangia stove and the Firebox. In you analysis you didn’t talk too much about the added usability of having an adjustable simmer lid. When cooking numerous items timing is critical. Using that feature allows you to ensure that things on the stove stay hot but not burn/scorch while you are cooking steaks on the open fire pit. Similarly, having a lid to snuff out the flame allows you to save fuel for the next time. In summary, there is more to consider than weight, time-to-boil, and consumption rate. I particularly like the Firebox system because it is multi-dimensional in that I can use twigs and branches. Or, I can use the Trangia. Or, I can use pellets,,or charcoal. Very flexible. I frequently use theTrangia w/Firebox because of convenience. It is quick to start and quick to stop. Also, there is no wood ash byproducts to dispose of. Having said that, I have watched you DIY videos because I don’t always have my cooking system with me (it requires advanced planning) and in an emergency situation like a flood, hurricane, tornado, it may be critical to boil water for first aid, drinking, or c-rats. Your demonstrations are extremely helpful. Thanks for all you do for our community.

[@debbabbit9283]

I've always gotta cook water before & after food for hot drink & washing up so 2 stoves are my ideal.

[@samhain9394]

"c-rats" ?

[@elderhiker7787]

@@samhain9394 c-rats is a military term for the emergency food that sailors are provided to use when they have abandoned ship and need to stay alive. They have been used around for a long time and used to be pretty bad. They have improved a great deal and now are pretty decent. They are analogous to the dehydrated meals that are produced by companies like Mountain House, etc. The emergency rations that were provided by the Navy contained other things needed to stay alive until rescued. Sorry for using military jargon.

[@samhain9394]

@@elderhiker7787 oh, "rations". Right.

[@taber247]

No reply necessary. But it might help to know that the Aluminium Lixada burner fits the Evernew DX stand. Leave the 2 halves assembled, remove power/turbo plate, pop in a second Lixada Ali. burner, add the power/turbo plate on top. Plus the Evernew X stand. If you want the 1" Hiram Cook sweet spot, flip the X stand upside down on the Lixada burner (you could file extra notches into the X stand so it registers better on the burner). All of this will fit into Evenew Solo Kit (750 Pot 400 mug). With room for foil Titanium windshield. Thank you again for your vlogging efforts good of you to share, all very interesting & so helpful. Take care

[@jetodeocampo9072]

good aftenoon Sir. have you tried any of the modified alcohol stoves like adding carbon felt?

[@HUZ9k3s5w]

Notice that when the outside temperature drops, as it usually does this time of the year, titanium alcohol burners requires more effort to ignite and bloom than the Trangia (brass), since titanium does not conduct heat very well. Hiram Cook did a few test on that with different titanium burners by Toaks. This is also my experience when trying to use my Evernew burner vs the Trangia during winter. Also notice that *some* of the "knock-off" stoves (Evernew- and Trangia copies) does not have internal wicks.

[@billrussell7672]

If all you have is gasoline you need a titanium , betcha didden't think about that

[@Sokol10]

Use a primer pan, e.g. the one from Trail designs ($ 3) for this "cold" stoves.

[@ipedros7]

@@billrussell7672 Do you mean due to the temperature? In that event, what do you think of using a small steel can - peas tin, etc, maybe?

[@billrussell7672]

@@ipedros7 for alcohol they use small steel pans

[@xenaguy01]

@@billrussell7672 If you're still alive after using gasoline, let us know how long you were in hospital.

[@erikberry6437]

why am i interested in these camping stove vids? i don't even camp.

[@EM-cg4iy]

erik berry I hate the outdoors. I am obsessed with all camping equipment.

[@neogeo1670]

Interested in cooking outdoors then?

[@samuelalley7331]

It will build in your system and will eventually overtake you. The Call Of The Wild always wins in the end.

[@neogeo1670]

@@EM-cg4iy why hate the outdoors??

[@lass-inangeles7564]

Because you are a scientist, an inventor, an artist, and a curious human being. That is why. Its not about camping. Its about how to create a heat source from such a simple device. I love camping stuff for the same reason. I have the soul of an inventor and artist. I adore this kind of stuff. Also great knowledge to build up your McGyver instincts.

[@LawlissLanterns]

Great job! I modified the fancy feast stove. For the inside can I use a Sapporo beer can cut 2 and 5/8 inches and a Bumblebee minced classic can as the base. Everything else is done in the same way. It is more stable. It can boil very quickly and the larger reservoir allows for near 20 minute cook times (I fried a steak in a cast iron skillet).

[@Cookies-i2f]

That's cool.

[@samhain9394]

How much fuel does that 2⅝" hold?

[@practicalguy973]

If you look at the burn time after boiling the Trangia had the most burn time thereafter. Seems like it can burn 1/3rd time longer where as all the faster stoves are only around 1/4 or less burning time after boiling. The Trangia was most fuel efficient it seems.

[@shawndoyle6460]

Fancy Feast for the win!

[@tomlovesdiy]

After watching several videos, I built a stove using a 12 oz beer can and a 7.5 oz soda can. The bottom 1" of the beer can became the stove bottom. The soda can is the inner sleeve. The beer can's top ring minus flat part where the pull tab attaches, slips over the bottom and the short soda can cylinder. The burner jets are 5/32" holes about every 1/2"" on the outside, top of the beer can's shoulder. I also inserted the drill bit and bent the jets a bit vertically. that helped direct the flame upward. The soda can part fits tightly between the top/bottom beer can sections. I cut 4 small triangular slits in the bottom of the soda can to allow good fuel flow. I enlarged the hole in the soda can where the pull tab top was removed. The opening is about 60% of the top. Also drilled 3/32 inch holes in the perimeter of the soda can. Four small grooves in the top lip of the beer can to allow air flow if the pot is on the stove. I JB welded the beer can and the soda can top edge to the top inner area of the beer can. This may have reduced performance a bit but I wanted it to be sturdy. Weight .5 oz. So about performance. Once ounce of denatured alcohol. Time to start of bloom - 45 seconds. Full on in 1 minute 15 seconds. After full bloom, placed 700ml titanium pot with cover on containing 2 cups tap water on a pot on a stand, 1 1/4" above stove. Time to boil 4 minutes. Total burn time, 15 minutes. Ambient temp 75F. Elevation 500ft. No wind. Follow up test. Same conditions except pot directly on stove after full bloom. Time to boil, 5 min 20 seconds. Total burn time 35 minutes with pot on the stove. That is NOT a misprint. 35 minutes during which time the boil was maintained. I must have gotten lucky. My first stove build and performance is better than most of the versions I see on KZbin.

[@ashoe865]

Maybe you better make a video, hoss. Seems like you've created a sound design.

[@tomlovesdiy]

@@ashoe865 made the videos. On my channel- Tom Loves DIY. Check them out.

[@Sokol10]

​@@tomlovesdiy I see your channel, but find only a "squirt cheese" can stove. Don't have this can's in my "corner of the world" to try. Curious about your beer+soda can stove. Seems that you put the soda can upside down inside the beer can... ? I've used small soda cans as inner sleeve inside beer cans, buts use the conventional double wall stove (kind of Trangia TB 25 clone) holes pattern, work well but not much efficient (burn time). What confuse me is this part: *"I enlarged the hole in the soda can where the pull tab top was removed."* - If the soda can is upside down inside of beer can, what the purpose of this hole? The hole are not in beer can top (where the pull tab is fit)? and *" Also drilled 3/32 inch holes in the perimeter of the soda can."* -As the soda can is for create the sub-camera, what the purpose of this holes, and where is their placement in the soda can - relatively to their height?

[@davediaz5127]

The only problem I have with alcohol is in real world windy and real windy situations, the gas stove is superior in those conditions. Loved this video, I have several diy stoves, but my favorite alcohol is my trangia.

[@Aelwyn666]

Fantastic video! I'm currently looking for a good Alcohol Stove so you've saved me a lot of time. Thanks!

[@kapegede]

The Evernew Titanium burner has a fiberglass wick in it, the nockoff hasn't. I own both and disassembled my nockoff and put a carbon felt in it and now it burns much faster (4:12 minutes) A few other burners: - The Out-D is lame, but easy to disassemble. I also put a carbon felt wick into there and it became a real beast! I burns half a liter (a bit more then 2 cups) in 4:05 minutes. Only my Fancy Feast stove (Cat foot stove) was a bit faster. - The slowest burner was the Tatonka burner with 10:10 minutes. It has no wick. DON'T BUY IT! It's a total waste of money. - The Toaks titan ist my lightweightest stove with 20 grams. It performs quite well for its tiny size (5:40) - The Vargo titan is also tiny, but you have to preheat it with a drip of alcohol in a bottlecap underneath. (6:47) - I own some other Trangia nockoffs and the all have no wick inside and ther performs horribly. Another important thing is the pot stand. With my Trangia within the Trangia 25 pot stand it lasts 9:15. Within a cheap hobo stove (Canway) water boiled at 4:41 . That narrow tube of the hobo around the Trangia made a rocket stove effect. The pot itself is another time-killer. A pot too small wastes precious heat. I prefer pots with a heat sink on the bottom. I tested AceCamp, Alocs and Lixada 1,2 liters and the last one is my most efficient one. My best time all over was 3:58 with a Fancy Feast burner, a mesh tube 4 inch height, 4 inch wide and covered with aluminum foil around with a one inch gap on the upper and lower end. The pot was the Lixada pot. In the last 3 months I did 82 tests in various combinations of burners, pot stands and pots. You inspired me to make a test like yours, but im not a good entertainer. Hiram Cook is my hero and it's so sad that he dosen't do any vids anymore. That's a big loss for the alcohol stove fans.

[@bradorndorff7408]

Thanks sir, for what it's worth, l spent the last 2 hours drinking beer and watching KZbin videos about stoves and cook kits✌️

[@jasondundom1390]

I've seen so many Videos and made so many stoves i lost count.. speed and efficiency all go out the window when you're out camping.. environmental conditions like Wind, Temperature, Moisture, Elevation ect.. all make a big difference when your counting on a stove the most. I'd like to see a test out in conditions one would expect during a Hike or Camping :)

[@scuba5k]

jason dundom as much as I know Ernie put a lot of time into this video. You are very correct.

[@lyfandeth]

Alky stoves are all fair weather friends. Alcohol has the least heat value per pound, it makes the coldest flame and gives off the most moisture. Maybe that's all you need. But MSR was founded around 1970 by some Seattle mountaineers after two of their colleagues died on Mt. Rainer from dehydration, because their gasoline stoves couldn't't produce enough heat to melt the snow that would have kept them alive. MSR still follows that legacy. "Gaz" (butane/propane mix) for 3 seasons, liquid gasoline/kero/diesel for cold and wind. Akly? No thanks. And the invisible blame flame has set many things on fire. Cheap & light, yes, but so are cold snickers bars.

[@cojo582]

@@lyfandeth you are right for sure,a windscreen is a must and if you are counting ozs ,well . mine will make coffee and is better thin nothing , barely.

[@practicalguy973]

I would not want any of those long priming stoves in outdoor conditions.

[@jasondundom1390]

@@practicalguy973 I've used several outdoors to boil water for CoCo and cook sausage and eggs.. in hot and cold rainy weather, some work well in both conditions like the (Catcan).. some barely worked at all.. some failed completely lol hence my comment for a outdoors test.

[@1320alibaba]

I've now made several cat can stoves in different styles and sizes and they're my go to. I just don't think you can beat them for simplicity and performance.

[@justindunlap1235]

That was a beautifully done test with proper scientific method. I like my trangia style fosters can alcohol stove, with simmer cap it weighs 23grams, it's 84mm diameter by 40mm height and can hold up to 3oz of fuel for longer cook times. With 1oz or less it lights super quick since it has a huge 45mm rolled edge hole in the center chamber.

[@biasvids3987]

The white Box stove stand works awesome with the evernew. Easy to push away for simmering.with pot directly on stove.

[@ramblinonandon]

Don't be so negative..you CAN possess every alcohol stove out there. Think of it as a bucket list achievement. Great and informative video..love watching water boil.

[@mrkraemer77722]

It was worth it just for the "...and you are considering watching me boil 22 cups of water." My other hobbies include watching grass grow, and timing paint drying.

[@dave-in-nj9393]

in the spring, as the plants come alive, there is a magical time. my car turns this awesome shade of green. I wait weeks watching the plants grow, then for the real magic, over 3 days, you can actually see the green form on the cars. I stopped painting when I found that I get a three-fer..... 11 months of watching the weather, 2 months of watching plants grow, then 3 glorious days of watching the car turn green. It makes watching concrete harden seem like a 10-yard dash at the Olympics.

[@lightninsadventures2692]

@@dave-in-nj9393 I read this in David Attenborough's voice

[@colinrobottom1254]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣👌🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[@ClashBluelight]

@@dave-in-nj9393 This is one of the best comments I've ever come across. Thank you.

[@dennisobrien3618]

I have a lot of alcohol burners/stoves. One that impresses me is the Toaks titanium siphon alcohol stove (really a burner-needs a separate stand). It is tiny, weighs almost nothing,and burns extremely well. One thing that stands out is that the bloom time is typically 2-3 seconds.

[@MADHIKER777]

The Lixada & Trangia are most efficient, burning for 3-1/2 minutes after the boiling time. That's is what will save weight on the trail. Lixada weighs less than Trangia, making it the efficiency winner for boiling water. That said, the Trangia can simmer & recoup unused fuel. Fun video, thanks!

[@jarikinnunen1718]

Good stand is important. If you put pot standing on narrow burner, is possible lose your soup or even get burn yourself. Windshield is also needed. Alcohol flame is very sensitive to wind.If you want save fuel in long trip, you can use some insulator for keeping food hot. Good isulators are light. It require more time.

[@tomlovesdiy]

Have to amend my previous comment. I've moved on from beverage can stoves. Material is hard to work with and the stoves I made were a bit fragile. I now use squirt cheese cans for the base materials. Just finished the second test of my latest design (# 14.1). Best performance yet. 2 cups 62F water on an open 8cm stand. One ounce Jasco blue label denatured alcohol. 2.5 ml priming alcohol. 900 ml titanium pot. Boil (212F) in 6 minutes 45 seconds. Total burn time 13 minutes 40 seconds. Assuming heat output is fairly linear, that means my latest stove can boil 4 cups of 65F water on one ounce of denatured alcohol. This stove is made from the bottoms of two cans. Previous stoves were made from a bottom and a top. While they had very good boil times averaging around 5 minutes 30 seconds, they topped out at about 3.5 cups on one ounce of fuel. I will upload info to my KZbin channel as an update to my existing Squirt Cheese Can stove build vid.

[@oxxnarrdflame8865]

Nice test. I like the fancy feast because it doesn’t need a pot stand and works in very cold weather.

[@nunodfes2]

I must admit, i came here because i want to buy a good alcohol stove but i ended up watching this video for entertainment. Was fun watching this lol

[@Oldsparkey]

Out of all the alcohol stoves I have these three are used the most. For canoeing ( weight does not matter ) it's the Out-d Stainless Steel Alcohol Stove. it's 8.71 oz ( stove only ) and about 2 ,1/2 times the size of a mini Trangia. . Backpacking it's the Evernew Appalachian set ( 5.7 ounces for everything ) that I grab most of the time. I made a cat food stove from a Vienna sausage can with a tomato past can. Some carbon felt separated the two cans. Total weight 1.4 oz. The reason for the taller cans is for the additional height needed. It's used as a 2 nd heat source in a Vargo Hexagon titanium wood stove ( 4.2 oz ). Even after all of these years I still consider the , tired and true , Trangia as the standard.

[@DAxt-sc1hm]

One variable for alcohol stove efficiency and effectiveness is the stove stand height. Differing stove designs may have different optimum stand heights.

[@backkat9475]

Tinny makes the SFP now (like the gnome, but lighter and no pot stand required). Didn't get 2 cups to boil on .5 oz, but 1cup will.

[@OutnBacker]

All these are variations on a theme. They all do the job, but for me, the difference is the construction. I use the Trangia most of the time, but any of the clones will do fine as well. They are robust. For something lighter, I just use a pop can stove that is extra tall at 2" rather than the more often seen 1-1/4". I build the double wall version. It just holds more fuel, or, about the same as the Trangia. I tested the two, and found that they both burn for about 25 to 30 minutes. Long enough to boil water for a couple cups of coffee, and to heat the tent (carefully) before I turn in or roll out. Good presentation.

[@user-gw2nf6ov7c]

I made a PCT alcohol stove from 2 beer cans back in 1998. Bought a Trangia 27 in 2021. California regs prohibit alcohol and twig stoves in the backcountry.

[@terryjohnson2093]

A Fancy feast stove works in sub-zero degree temps with sub-zero temp fuel. Love the Flat Cat stove design too.

[@kylewilkinson6975]

I found that the cat can stoves don't work as well at high altitudes 9000+. But I was using rubbing alcohol not denatured at the time.

[@blackboardbloke]

After putting fuel in the reservoir, if you add a few drops of alcohol to the gutter left between the top of the reservoir seam and the burner screw sided top on the Trangia then light that first instead of the interior of the reservoir, it will prime, the flame transfers to the jets and it blooms faster.

[@johnturner7009]

Awesome video man, I’ve been considering adding an alcohol stove to my kit and really only knew about the Trangia - nice to know there’s lots of viable alternatives including a DIY option. Thank you!

[@susannichols4372]

I watched and I ended up digging in my recycle bin. Now I have a fully functional meets my needs alcohol stove! Amazes me that I didn't have to buy anything! I have a Solo Titan twig stove and I wanted an alcohol burner to use in it when I don't have twigs or for when the titan is too hot for cooking. But now I am thinking I have good options if I make a few of these with different intensities. I plan to make a dozen different soda can stoves and vary the the number of holes and size of holes to find the perfect fry an egg stove, keep foods warm stove, turbo boiler.... anyhow, thanks! (oh and yes I do enjoy watching water boil!)

[@madhacker7]

Harkins back to the videos by the master of all things alcohol stoves Hiram Cook! Great work!

[@PaleoHikerMD]

Ah yes, I miss Hiram too :)

[@allemander]

PaleoHikerMD Is Hiram still around?

[@madhacker7]

@@PaleoHikerMD I don't think he's posting any videos anymore.

[@stephensgate1]

PaleoHikerMD If I’m not mistaken, I think he passed away. I agree, he tested everything thoroughly. May he Rest In Peace. -Stephen, Ohio

[@techguy9023]

Buckeye Bushcrafter He appeared to have posted on Facebook in April. Hopefully he is still with us.

[@davidlomm4424]

Try this :) For one dollar, I purchased a Sterno style Catering Chaffing Dish warmer from The Dollar Tree,... Small nail popped the top off under the lid, stuffed it loosely with fiberglass insulation for a wick & it holds a LOT of alcohol :) I put a piece of plastic over the top before I put the lid on to seal it,... Now, it's not a fast burner but you don't always want to rapidly boil water,... It's a great lower temp for cooking bacon or sausage or eggs & for heating beans & soup :)

[@kylewilkinson6975]

Stereo cans will leak alcohol if left in them. Cat can stove can be packed in because of open design to keep space at minimum. And it fits in Stanley Adventure cookset nicely.

[@mikemccoy9812]

I always wondered about all those stoves out there, this was really good.

[@fmkfmk3835]

hi I have experience in expedition in the far north of Canada (fishing guide) and the most stable and perform spring, autumn ... is without question is the "fancy feast"

[@1wetpaint]

Glad to see that you, lile the rest of us, have more stoves than you know what to do with.😁 Thanks for the vid!

[@franktorres7963]

Super fantastic video

[@drewhobbs6837]

Due to the use of the firebox stand being used, it does change the design function a little bit. By placing a pot on the top of the stove you can increase the internal pressure and put out the gas faster like you did on the cat food can and sprite can.

[@PaleoHikerMD]

Several have mentioned this...in my testing when I did that it really seemed to make the stove suffer. But, I’ll check it out! Thanks for watching.

[@drewhobbs6837]

@@PaleoHikerMD honesty I have never tested it. I have alway just felt it worked better. I will have to break the stoves out and test it.

[@longrider42]

I will stick with my Trangia. Its a tried and trusted friend.

[@timonix2]

It seems to have a lower power output than most. But also burn comparably much longer. But overall the highest fuel efficiency, aka most water boiled per amount of fuel.

[@melaniesutcliffe2697]

Hi James can you use it indoors?

[@longrider42]

@@melaniesutcliffe2697 I have several times when the power has gone out. Too cook food. Just open a couple of windows. The stand it comes with is great. What your using is not the actual stand that you should use with the Trangia burner. Its the stand that makes the Trangia burner so great.

[@melaniesutcliffe2697]

@@longrider42 Thanks For getting back to me. That's great im going to get one ordered on amazon. Looks a great bit of kit... 👍🏽

[@ianbell5611]

Hey Ernie Thanks for spending your time creating the video and stoves I hadn't heard of the ever new stove it looks good as you've pointed out shame it isn't compatible with the Trangia base.

[@RonMTube]

Good stuff! Have literally burned gallons of fuel testing stoves. For me the Fancee Feest or "cat can" as you call it is my fave. No pot stand needed, efficient and lights in the coldest temps thanks to the wicking material. Also the have a sweet spot for the Trangia, despite it's weight.

[@blackboardbloke]

I agree about the Trangia and DIY stoves. The Trangia is a legend, bombproof and robust. Mine is over thirty years old and is my go to stove for a day walk where I'm not so weight conscious because I don't need to have a separate fuel bottle and it has the simmer cap to snuff it out. On a backpacking trek, I use a lighter DIY stove made out of drinks cans or burn twigs in my homemade stoves (I use a 120cm Zebra billy can for base camps or a Stanley Adventure pot on a trek).

[@stevekynard6658]

I probably have 10 alcohol stoves. Made some of them but bought most. I have small fast priming and heating, then larger slow priming but long burning ones. Love the simplicity of an alcohol stove and a yellow bottle of Heet. Thanks for the video.

[@jheighten7568]

What can i use just to heat up water was i side a car that will be safe?

[@redpillnibbler4423]

Small electric kettle or heating element that plugs into the cigarette lighter socket.

[@jheighten7568]

Electric kettle hmmm. Thanks

[@redpillnibbler4423]

@@jheighten7568 Please be aware of carbon monoxide poisoning if using any flame based stove in an enclosed space.People have died in their tent!

[@jheighten7568]

Must definitely thank you

[@martinmadsen4162]

Great video and very informative. ill stick with my Trangia since i can have fuel in it, and i actually use the simmer ring.

[@hubdeep9452]

You said there's 'no way you could own all the alcohol stoves out there'. Don't be so negative. I believe in you. You can do it. Never give up. There's always room for another stove!!!

[@InfamousMS]

You gotta believe! 😜

[@joesmith4222]

Up to date on your videos, I think the reason why the Catstove has the best time is because it burns as a wick and not by jets that blows a lot of the flame up the side of the pot.

[@corneliusaustin]

Today I tested my setup. I use a Bushbuddy wood stove and a Trangia spirit burner. I have been putting the lid (gasket away from the burner) upside down under the burner. and the Bushbuddy as intended for wood. at 60 degrees and the water at 40 degrees. My time to bring 2 cups of water to a rolling boil is 6:01 minutes. I also tried it with the snuffer snapped on the lid. (Lid upside down and snuffer right side up) This brought the burner closer to the magical 1 1/8 inch. the boil tome was 6:58 minutes. This setup is super safe. The BB tray under the grill can catch any spills. The stove has double walls and can actually be hand held while aflame. I bet the Solo wood stove will show similar results. I am using a Toaks 600ml titanium cup.

[@kalvinnoble488]

Have you ever tried the alcohol stove from Starlyte with the Caldera Cone? Read it can boil 500 to 600 ml of water with less than 1 fliud ounce of fuel; and, does not spill fuel. Would like to hear your thoughts on that stove and how it compares with the other stoves.

[@patfiore7510]

Great Channel Glad you mentioned about ventilation a lot of the other channels don't And what alcohol versus propane in the others Do you need ventilation

[@taber247]

And just watched it again. Many thanks for sharing. Always interesting and inspiring.

[@indigowendigo8464]

LOL just checked in to be sure my fancee feest won it, which it did. I don't even think about stoves anymore. The FF is the best solution for international ultralight backpacking, period. Keep that alcohol warm and happy trails

[@_Chris390]

Hey there. Have you made a video comparing alcohol stoves, but the ones that don't leak if you tip them over? I think they have an absorbent pad or gauze inside. Thanks.

[@richardgordon-davis707]

Hi Ernie. Firstly thanks for all your hard work mate, it has given me such great insider knowledge 😀. One little DIY alcohol stove that has perked my interest is the Arizona penny stove and I was wondering if you have any experience with this little gem and how it compares to some of your other little alcohol stoves?

[@Cookies-i2f]

I watched to the end. I so enjoyed this expose on alcohol stoves. I have the Trangia, and made a pop can stoves in Scouts. I love all things stoves. I mostly dO canoe backtripping. I have lightweight stuff, but definitely have some luxury items too.

[@DanGleebowls]

I've had a diy one made from a small energy drinks can for a long time but haven't used it in ages after getting a mini gas stove, may have to take the old alcohol one out and make a coffee this weekend

[@stephensgate1]

Hiram Cook was the master at this. One thing Hiram always did, was he would wait until the stove “bloomed” before placing the pot of water on. The stove really isn’t ready to cook until it’s fully bloomed. We all miss Hiram Cook. R.I.P.

[@thesmithseh2667]

Its still burning fuel prior to bloom. This would be the most accurate way.

[@TheTrailDancer]

Nice Vid!!! Love to see you add the TOAKS Titanium Siphon Alcohol Stove. It’s awesome!!!

[@greggibson1273]

TheTrailDancerYes, It is a good one.

[@joshnagenmurugiah4531]

I love this exhaustive coverage of alcohol stoves. Well done sir.

[@tedsamuels3203]

I really enjoyed your video, it's been very helpful and tells the facts about the truth ? THANKS AND I WILL BE WAITING FOR YOUR NEXT VIDEO

[@Gumbob1967]

Great video. I've made loads of different types but never got round to doing a controlled burn test. Thanks.

[@dave-in-nj9393]

just for the want of a follow-up take one of the stoves you like and the burns consistently. take the fastest stove. look at the contact with the flames take that Trangia and have the flames contact the cup and see if times improve. as for a pack stove, do you expect any alcohol to remain when you travel ? what is left after say, 3 days on the bench ?

[@paulnix9778]

Dear Ernie - Well this was a real nail-biter. I stumbled-across your KZbin channel and enjoyed your 'battle-of-the-alcohol-stoves'. Glad that I had a hot mug-of-tea and a biscuit to make it even better. Regards - Paul (Garland, Tx)

[@backpackingonline]

This is very enjoyable, since I like gear videos. I have had good results with zelph’s stoveworks alcohol stoves. He has alcohol stoves that do not spill out fuel, and he has worked out pot diameter for the stove selection. I have the Companion Burner, as well, for coldest temperatures I hike and camp. I have used it with my hardware cloth constructed folding flat wood burning camp stove he had made, as the Companion Burner. The smallest ‘pocket stoves’ are a favorite: Starlyte Burner w/Lid I like the looks of that MDB Elite ‘Starbucks’.

[@aerotech9804]

Thank you for this video! I immediately went and purchased two of the Lixada stove. On eBay it comes with a cross member that fits into the stove for just under $10. Thanks again!

[@michaelbrohl1625]

Love your channel and all the great information. I know you need standards for your testing but personally I never worry about getting to a full boil. Once I see the water consistently shimmer you're at around 195 to 200 degrees. That's plenty hot for coffee or rehydration and saves a bunch of fuel.

[@kylewilkinson6975]

But doesnt kill all bacteria and campers and survivalists want water at 212F (full boil)

[@michaelbrohl1625]

@@kylewilkinson6975That's an entirely different scenario. If that's what you're going for then you need to not just bring it to a boil but continue it at a boil for another 5 minutes.

[@yoongiwifeinthenextlife]

Can you please do a “Short” video using a Trangia alcohol stove in this Ohuhu stove?

[@keithshwalbe6981]

Thank you for taking the trouble to make this video. . Love your sense of humour too. . Bravo buddy.

[@michealshaffer6223]

How about the Arizona copper penny stove.

[@justvin7214]

For controlled cooking the Trangia or one of it's many copies is the best imo. For boiling water, for me, it's the fancy feast - easy and cheap to make.

[@chancetolbert4852]

Recently learned about the volcano alcohol stove by fire maple. Any chance you will review it in the future?

[@chancetolbert4852]

Lol exactly 1 week later you did. Thank you

[@emmanuel8039]

Trangia also has the preheater stove for cold conditions. But can also be used to boil faster. You should try that one out.

[@apistosig4173]

Trangia is a winner - except at high altitudes OR in excessively cold environments. Simple, safe, reliable but not as quick as newer stoves. MSR and similar are brilliant. The old Optimus stoves, although noisey, are also excellent but....I prefer methylated spirit stoves when this can be used for safety but metho won't burn if overly cold.

[@robertennor1143]

Watched your vid a week ago. Didn’t go through the hundreds of comments, so maybe my question was already addressed. I notice that open top stoves of the Trangia and beer can varieties, can flare up quite high if the pot is lifted off and a cover isn’t put on quickly. Given the invisible flame in the daylight, it seems to me that this could pose a safety issue (I’m thinking of granddaughters getting too close. I know the Trangia design can be snuffed quickly, but wonder if the penny can design wouldn’t offer greater safety than the open top beer can designs? Not a performance question, so much as a safety question. Your thoughts?

[@allenl.1452]

Thank you. Mr. Stove.