What's the Best Fuel for Alcohol Stoves?

[@karlboll]

Great episode, i love a good alcohol stove video 😊 As a Swede I've grown up with Trangia stoves and so I have some comments 😅 Methylated spirits is generally recommended, but remember that the Trangia was developed in northern Sweden, where it was expected to perform at high altitude in -20°C. For lower altitudes and fair English weather I find isopropanol is as good if not better. The manual suggests diluting the spirits with up to 6% water. I find 10% works well at high summer, to prevent over heating. I noticed you filled the stove up quite a bit. I think it's supposed to be filled at most to about ¾.

[@a100267]

If you take a small bottle of dish soap with you, you can smear it on the bottom of your pot before you start cooking. The soot then sticks to the soap and not the pot. Once the pot has cooled just wipe the soap off.

[@daveh7720]

This is what we did in Boy Scouts, but I preferred to let my pans turn dark because they seemed to heat up faster.

[@geraldhenrickson7472]

That is a century old method to reduce wood fire discoloration of your cookware. Incredibly messy and stinky solution. I tried it once in the 1970’s and hated it. I currently use HEET in the yellow bottle which is intended as an automotive product to remove water from fuel. It may only be available here in the USA, cheapest found at Walmart. Its clean and little yellow flame. No pot cleaning needed with HEET thus far.

[@dsmith9572]

If you have soot you have bad fuel. If you're burning alcohol you'll most always have bad fuel because alcohol absorbs water from the atmosphere. It starts going bad as soon as you open the package. I just use an unmodified cat food can, a pot holder and a wind screen. Stoves with jet ports and such presume you have "good" fuel.

[@ashab1]

MSR recommend you let the stainless pots turn black as they work better, unless it's fire soot from wood I'm not too fussed about it.

[@JimHep]

Everclear Grain alcohol for me. I don’t have to be concerned about leaks inside the camp kitchen/backpack. It’s also a great antiseptic. 151 Proof does pretty well. 45 min burn time on 2oz. The 190 proof does better, but not all states sell it.

[@geraldfitzgibbon7428]

I use the tea bag after iv made my cupa. Rub the cooled tea bag over the cup to desolve the black soot and residue. .works a treat .

[@lenrice7482]

great tip! nice one gerald

[@lawrencemartin1113]

Despite the little drawbacks of alcohol stoves, I still love them. I have thee trangia burners now packed in different kits including a full trangia stove kit I have owned for over thirty years. The other two get taken out on canoe trips quite often. What I like is in certain environments where you don't want to make smoke or a lot of noise (the bane of gas canister stoves!) they make a lot of sense. I can sit on a river bank watching the wildlife really close by and still be brewing up, without scaring everything away. Likewise, most people can walk past a concealed day camp on the river bank, canoe tucked away into the undergrowth and my tarp hidden in the trees, and never notice I am making tea or heating food. They are a bit slow, ( the stoves, not the passers by!!) and they do need careful management from wind and you must pay close attention regarding spills and safety. It would be incredibly easy to start a serious fire in summer in dry conditions. I take a small folding solderers fibreglass cloth mat with me to place under my stoves. It has an eyelet in each corner to peg down with either small tent pegs, or more often, those I make from twigs 'on location'. It really helps add a level of spill protection as any accidental spillage gets burned off on the mat with no damage and it's easier to spot any unwanted flames. That said, I am extremely cautious in dry conditions, as we all MUST be. There is something rather nice about the faint meths smell when using a trangia stove. It's a trip back in time! I have not however, used the biofuel that you highlight here, so I am going to get some and give it a go! Happy camping Paul! 😊

[@mtadams2009]

In the U.S. I have always used Heet in the yellow bottle. It’s used keeping your cars gas line from freezing. You can get it pretty much anywhere in the U.S. it burns clean.

[@PeterEmery]

Back in the 1990s I went camping one holiday weekend intending to take two gas bottles, one for lighting and the other for cooking. I goofed, though, and only brought one. as I had a new spirit burner I was going to try out, I immediately went shopping in two little country townships, buying up all the methylated spirits available; 1.25 litres in total. This turned out to be enough for all my cooking over those three days, including making a beef stew in a pressure cooker. The sole gas bottle was used with a gas lamp. That weekend was also the debut of a new tent.

[@WayWordWay]

Interestingly; here in the States the last time I bought methylated spirits, it was not coloured, but clear like water is. The fuel that I use the most is the yellow color of the product "heet" which is sold in all automotive stores. It seems to burn well and leaves no soot that I've ever noticed.

[@clivenewton7609]

Hi Paul! Top draw presentation on the age old chestnut of “which is better” 😂 bottom line, whichever you can get hold of, pros and cons for both in my 60yr experience of using the stuff!! No real difference in price, both soot your pots to varying degrees and both pong a bit!! You may have missed a bit with the Evernew stove, when you place a pot on top covering the main opening and first set of holes you are in fact in “simmer” mode! Boiling mode achieved by using the cross type trivet. Regards from deepest Dorset 👍

[@user-ul5yu5hk9k]

I’m glad that you stressed the importance of safety with the stoves. I had one spill one when it tipped while lighting and it instantly gave me a second degree burn on my hand. These stove require the utmost care and respect when handling. Great video

[@natkreatur]

I’m sorry to hear about your accident. And you’re right about the precautions and safety required with these burners. Up here in the Nordics people have always been using Trangias as complete stove sets, not as a standalone burners on the ground. And when used within a T25 or T27 set, the risk of spilling fuel is much smaller. But when using in a Triangle or on the ground, it would good to have some small fire blanket like sheet ready in your backpack. I admit that I don’t have.

[@blackboardbloke]

I bought my first, and only, Trangia in 1987 for rock climbing days/day hikes and for backpacking the UK’s National Trails and cycle tours. To keep weight down it was the Mini Trangia. Although I use different cook vessels now, I still have the the battered lid and bowl (it got accidentally dropped on a rock climbing day at the base of a rock face, and it rolled/ bounced it’s way down a scree slope in the Lake District) and I still use the burner for base camps. For lightweight burners and backpacking trips/overnighters, I build them from pop/beer cans. My tips for the Trangia burner is to get a non-sharp syringe 💉 (available online, or from computer printer cartridge refill kits). That way you can measure the fuel accurately to use just how much you need to make a brew etc. If you use the syringe to put some fuel in between the base of the burner’s screw thread and the raised rim of the base, before filling the reservoir, then you light that first. This heats the burner ring, transfers to the main fuel and the burner is quicker to bloom. If you’re out in cold weather, temperatures down to freezing temperatures or below, carry the burner with fuel in it in an inside pocket to keep it warm, then it will light as normal no problem. Mostly I use meths as fuel as it’s more readily available, but if I can’t get some or to preserve fuel, my stoves can burn twigs instead or even fire lighter blocks. The reason meths makes soot is the purple dye. This can be reduced by diluting using 10% water of meths volume. No noticeable drop in burn times and your fuel will go 10% further. Personally I just wipe looser soot off on grass and keep my cooking vessels black rather than scour them shiny again. Shininess reflects heat, black absorbs it 😉

[@alunjones2550]

It's worthwhile mentioning to be careful with a trangia bottle, to vent it first before pouring, if you're opening it at a higher altitude than where you filled it.

[@backpackingireland8624]

Brilliant Paul . Firstly, I love spirit burners . Simplicity, cheap , efficient. Bought 5L of BioEthanol , €20 . Burns clean . 1L Titan boils in 10mins . Who’s in a hurry in beautiful surroundings? Store my fuel in a 500ml plastic water bottle . Great to see you doing videos like this, 🇮🇪Atb Tony

[@anthonykuhn7644]

Bought a storm cooker many years ago that is very similar to the transit but comes with a pot stand a pot and a frying pan. Runs beautifully on methylated spirits which is probably the most common alchohol readily available even in the most rural areas. Somehow using an alchohol stove takes the rush out of cooking taking longer than the gas. The reason I camp is to slow life down

[@NewHampshireJack]

Alcohol stoves remain a favourite of ours year after year. We were fortunate to find an online vendor selling high purity ethanol for use in cosmetics. The seller posted it as "pure" but that would be super expensive laboratory grade and not affordable for camp use. The ethanol has the highest heat value of any alcohol fuel we have tested, so you carry less to get the job done. Denatured alcohol is also widely available in hardware and paint stores in the Philippines. We also purchase bulk alcohol gel in buckets intended for use as chafing dish fuel. Hotel, restaurant and catering supply shops offer this product.The gel is the same sort of fuel you find in STERNO brand and other "canned heat" products. We repackage it into assorted sizes of recycled plastic dish detergent bottles. Our youngest troops each have a folding pocket stove (copy of an Esbit.) They have an assortment of aluminum bottle caps and small tins into witch the needed amount of fuel is dispensed. We like the fact that the gel will not spread in the event of a tip-over, the way liquid alcohol will. We have ceased using alcohol fuel cubes that are expensive (imported item) and none have stored well, even in refrigeration. Not a great emergency fuel.

[@PINACI]

I use ceramic wool in all my alcohol stoves. Not only does it help make them burn longer IMO but it helps make them spill proof. I use 1cm thick ceramic wool and use the alcohol stove as a cookie cutter which cuts the ceramic wool out to the perfect size too. I only ever use bio-ethanol fuel.

[@josh-bb9ht]

I bought a gallon of Methanol from Amazon and it works great with no soot whatsoever. Pots and pans remain perfectly clean. Here in California USA, denatured alcohol is banned, so I'm very happy to have found Methanol for my stove. I will also give bio ethanol try.

[@gavinwallbank7570]

Cracking video as you said in a previous video you need to take care as accidents can happen Recently on a trip out on the Anglesey coastal path I had a mishap with an alcohol stove ….take care in bright light as it can be difficult to see if the stoves still going . I had a flash over when refilling, luckily only burning my shorts and my leg So please don’t let tiredness cause you to slip up ……take care when using any kind of stove

[@andrewnorris5415]

Aye man, tiredness and impatience too - common causes of accidents. Also getting too high (natural) and having too much fun seems to make me lose the awareness of risk.

[@chado_outdoors]

Also if you have hand sanitizer with 75% alcohol content, you can stir some salt into it and the alcohol will separate. Works in a pinch.

[@Domus_Maximus]

Well, I learned something today!

[@chado_outdoors]

@@Domus_Maximus glad I could help! I've used it several times when I wasn't around town to buy more

[@clockworkvanhellsing372]

You can also use the hand sanitizer gel in a gel stove, aka a small metal tin from bonbons.

[@FrogDad556]

Same. In America I use a product called HEET, it's methanol. I prefer it because of the fuels I've tried for my alcohol stove, it's the most discrete. Can't tell you how many times I've burnt a digit on that damn invisible flame. ;)

[@900stx7]

HEET works great. There's actually two types, make sure you get the yellow bottle and not the red. It's a gas line antifreeze and pure Methyl Alcohol.

[@CornishColin]

The perfect receptacle for me is the wife's / daughters old nail polish remover bottles. Those things are strong and have bomb proof lids & the perfect size for me for a 2/3 day trip.

[@bern84]

Clever!

[@Turnbull62]

The nail polish remover works as fuel as well, just don’t tell the wife. 😏

[@samanthacastleberry6341]

Pretty smart! Thank her next time she runs her polished nails through your hair. Lol

[@peterrobertson8141]

A useful run through the basics (and some not so basics) of using alcohol stoves. Back in your comfort zone. Well done Paul!

[@thomasmusso1147]

In South Africa, I use Methylated Spirits. Here in Switzerland, I use the 'Brennsprit', obtainable from my local Supermarket and almost anywhere else. 'Sooting' .. how much depends inter alia, on how well ventilated the burner is and height of pot from the burner. For me, nothing to fuss over. Spillage / leaking .. I've filled my Trangia Burner (and most of my other Alcohol Burners) with Ceramic / Glass Wool and Carbon Cloth. Burner efficiency does not appear to be overly compromised .. and it lights much easier in below freezing temps and one does not need to wait for the 'bloom' (in case the 'cold flame' is snuffed) to put the pot onto the pot stand. 'Simmering' and Flame Control .. the fuel will burn at a temperature. 'Hot' aka 'heat output' is regulated by the area of the burner surface. There are many ways to work with this .. even down to making an omelette 😏. 'Gel Fuel' .. a great option, although it does burn slightly cooler than the liquid stuff .. which in itself, is not necessarily a bad thing. Very safe to use and the Gel Fuel available at my local Supermarket ('Sicherheitsbrennpaste' / 'Safety Burn Paste'). It burns absolutely clean. Not a mark on my pots. 'Invisible Flames'. I keep a wet cotton face cloth at hand when cooking. Many uses .. including ensuring that the flame is actually out before handling / refilling the burner and obviously, cooling it down before putting flesh to hot metal.

[@Oldsparkey]

In my 80 years I have used alcohol stoves for more then 50 of them. I only use Denatured Alcohol and if heating something inside a tent ( rarely done ) I use , 190 proof , grain alcohol ( food grade from the Liquor Store ). The reason for that is in a closed area I do not want to have the fumes from the poisons in the Denatured Alcohol inside the tent and breathing them. Only black bottoms I have ever gotten when using either form of fuel is when I sit on something black , the stoves stay clean.

[@misterpontypine]

Nice little video, and alcohol stoves are always a winner for me 👍 The felt and mesh can be added to a Trangia style burner to help avoid the spill danger, but may slightly impact the bloom or boil time. But alcohol stoves are supposed to be fun and can provide hours of entertainment when you can fiddle, faff and fettle them to make them just how you like them. Nice video, thank you 🙏

[@andrewnorris5415]

Some get into making their own with interesting super efficient designs using different types of jets. The jet generally are more efficient on fuel. They are low weight and no canister to cart round. Take just the fuel you need. And can pre warm the fuel in pocket on cold days. For longer trips gas is supposed to weigh less as a package. But alcohol never goes wrong. Gas is faster to boil.

[@Mike-zm5bf]

The Bio fuel at B&Q is 2l for £8, so for the same qty at Home Bargains would be £9.16, so the B&Q Bio is cheaper.

[@thomasowens5824]

Makes a change from rip off B&Q

[@andrewnorris5415]

Good to know! A bit too much if want to refill mid journey though!

[@andrewnorris5415]

It's all way cheaper than the price of takeaways these days. Even those stores who charge a lot more for 500ml of meths!

[@BedsitBob]

I put my GSI mug directly onto my home made alcohol stove (the recess in the bottom of the mug is the perfect diameter to fit the top of the stove), once the stove blooms, and it doesn't snuff out the flames. Indeed, it makes the stove roar even harder. Maybe it's because the holes are lower down than on the Trangia.

[@CalvinFischer]

Here in Canada I use 99.9% Pure stove grade Methyl Hydrate. Found in the paint section of Walmart or Canadian Tire, also from commercial & farm fuel distribution companies.

[@RubenFRS]

I just bought a lil burner like your non trangia one in the video, with the two rows of holes, for some ultra light overnighter and this video dispeled all the confusion I had about what is the right or wrong fuels and what I can use. Thank you!

[@Rob-ji7fx]

The best fuel for an alcohol stove is EverClear. It's basically moonshine, and any liquor store has it. You can drink it too, or use it for antiseptic.

[@dsmith9572]

Volkov is the same, 190 proof ethanol I think. Much expensive for fuel. NEVER DRINK THIS STUFF it will put you over.

[@andrewnorris5415]

Plastic vinegar bottles from ASDA can be reused many times. Can squirt it out in an accurate jet, to control easily where it goes and how much. Not much chance of spill compared to pouring.

[@andrewnorris5415]

PS vinegar is NOT a fuel - obviously - I meant the bottles to store!

[@jacklamberson1431]

I have a MSR Wisperlite that is 30 years old and still works fine. Guess it is white gas not alcohol though. Never had any luck with the 3 alcohol ones I had many years ago. Did make a heater out of a old meatal coffee can and a toilet paper roll that did a pretty good job in the old dear blind.

[@arthurlivesley]

I had to use hand sanitiser alcohol a few times when I was doing a big backpacking trip across Europe 7 years ago- it worked fine in my Trangia, but only the higher strength stuff- 70% was a bit too weak to cook with

[@arthurlivesley]

*note this was liquid stuff, not gel- I did have to use gel a couple of times, but I cut the base off a beer can to burn that rather than clogging the proper burner up

[@arthurlivesley]

I should also add, I was actually cooking rather than making up dehydrated meals, I got quite good at controlling it after a while. Typical meal was veg fried up (onion, garlic, pepper, courgette) lentils boiled in, then couscous added. I varied the seasoning from day to day to keep it interesting.

[@johnpowell9174]

Used meths for 60 years, usually in my original Trangia burner. Can't be bothered to add water because the soot on the bottom of my cook pot isn't a problem and I haven't noticed it makes the burn much hotter.

[@andrewnorris5415]

You are a practical no messing guy. Love it that pieces of kit can last that long and still be totally functional!

[@sarahsue42]

Alcohol hand sanitiser works great in DIY stoves I bought up a load for pennies at the end of COVID

[@cornbeef]

I'll have to get some bio-ethanol then. I've always been bothered by the amount of soot I get from meths and that's all I've ever used. Takes a LOT of scubbing with a fresh brillo pad to get the soot off after a few days use. My Trangia was my mums from the 60's/70's. When I cleaned it after I first used it, I only then discovered the little jets! They'd been filled in with soot over the years. It worked so much better afterwards! 🤣 It doesn't have the little simmer lid thing either, only a jet cover. I'm looking to upgrade, but I'll never get rid of my Trangia. I still have the original box for it!

[@ReNcEsTaR]

Perfect timing. I’ll be taking my Trangia burner out for the first time next weekend and you’ve just answered a question that I’d forgotten to find the answer to!

[@singbluesilver1973]

Me too!

[@AndrewOliverHome]

I switched from meths to bioethanol a few years ago. I love the little Nagene, it nests inside the Evernew burner and holds just the right amount to boil enough water for a brew for two.

[@nigelgunn_W8IFF]

A Trangia burner seems to burn cleaner if used with a No25 or No27 Trangia cookset. I think it gets a better air supply and burns leaner. As you said, I add 10% water to the meths.

[@pamelaklemp5615]

Always enjoy seeing you bring out the alcohol burners. Takes me back to your first camp outs on KZbin. I've not tried the gel cans but I've taken to placing my Trangia burners inside of a pot stand or small foldable Sterno stove or Esbit stove... basicly anything that SHIELDS THEM and STABILIZES THEM. I, too, feel that it is much more stable with something additionally protecting it (less likely to spill over).

[@JEH-1020]

Here in the US I prefer Heat gasoline treatment in the yellow bottle (methanol). Burns cleaner than ethanol or other alcohols.

[@f.v.6236]

If you wanna reduce the black coating on your pod, add some water to the ethanol, around 10% works fine for me, a little less power but no annoying cleaning later.

[@melissahoffman4687]

Purell hand sanitizer also makes a great fuel! It's clean, not soot. It's a mimic of sterno stove fuel.

[@Olm9]

5:34 "Be careful not to cover yourself in it - especially when you're gonna be lightning stuff in a minut.." Solid advise!!! 😂😂

[@garydumbauld4212]

Over here in the U.S. there’s n old fashioned decorating/renovating tool that is in essence an alcohol burner that boils water to make steam for removing old wall paper. A lot of hardware stores here carry 100% pure methyl alcohol by the gallon (3.8+ liters). Nowadays these appliances are electric, but if the power’s turned off in the building you’re renovating the old fashioned ones still have their place.

[@peterc2248]

I use my large Trangia in my allotment shed. Mostly for brews but occasionally I cook a bacon or sausage sarnie. I use Meths for fuel and a 2 litre bottle lasts me a few months. I take my Trangia mini if I'm out for a day walk - I just fill the stove with fuel before I go.

[@IAMGWH1]

Nice video, i have all & more of those stoves including diy's and the best ones are the simplest ones like the burner with absorbing material but it has a smaller more centered heat on the pot bottom that will scorch titanium but not anodized aluminum A wider Trangia type burner has a better outer edge area for cooking with titanium & aluminum low, wider pots but a "cone" stove system for me is the best by using less fuel & a smaller burner (solid fuel included) making my choice from that including a lid & you'll never go back lol lmk

[@barryconway]

Mate, “just quickly” or whatever, that was solid useful info.

[@J-Walks-007]

Brilliant short that Paul👌…back to you finest stove content 😂… I’m Bio all the way, never thought I’d swap out my pocket rocket but once you go over to the peace of an alcohol stove there’s no going back is there 🤣🤣 Thanks for this one it’ll be so helpful to many I’m guessing 👌👌👍

[@lenrice7482]

I'm the same - sick of the sound of my pocket rocket! ha ha

[@stuartmiller8053]

as I'm on a alcohol cooker mission of experience at the moment this was a really timely video thanks

[@gravy1219]

you read my mind, i just got back from a 4 day hike/camp, i took a alcohol stove instead of my usual heavy gas cannister after watching one of your videos and my god was i impressed, this video couldnt have come at a better time, i used methylated spirits and was wondering if there was anything that would burn longer

[@peralangyan2023]

I motorcycle camp so incorporating minimalistic gear is a must and I dont want to have to carry extra fuel to make my meals so the stove I use is a multi-fuel type that can burn regular car fuel. Car fuel does burn dirty, but I dont put Ethanol due to my vintage bike runs like shit when I use it. Only clear premium and does burn cleaner.

[@samhill3496]

Excellent vid. Now I know. Never used an alcohol stove camping. Don't own one but will. It's dangerous. You can't see it burn. Respect, knowledge water. See you tomorrow. Hope you got up with Mr. Beavers.

[@fire7side]

I get 91 percent isopropyl alcohol from Walmart in the drug store section. I saw a test and it was the cheapest per boil by far. It does leave the pot a little black. I use a penny pop can stove in a dryer vent pot stand. I've found it to be the most efficient. Not the fastest by any means, but the most efficient.

[@IAMGWH1]

Bad smelling! I've tried it and learned to keep the pot 1/2" above the flame for NO soot but the smell i can't get used to it but a nice hot blue flame & if all other fuel isn't available give it a try

[@fire7side]

@@IAMGWH1 It's not much cheaper than buying fuel alcohol from Amazon in the one gallon size. I just ordered some.

[@IAMGWH1]

@@fire7side Ok thanks I’ll look into that

[@ccccccccccc-p9e]

Re the soot on the bottom of pans with methylated spirits - i happened to be talking about this and someone said the methylated spirits obtained via a chemist is different to that from a typical hardware shop. I tried it from the chemist and it definitely burnt without the soot 🤷‍♂️. Alcohol Brulee is the equivalent of meths in France and is readily available in most supermarkets . 👍

[@baldbeardedwanderer8403]

Ive found if you add fiberglass insulation inside the trangia it stops spills

[@nigelgregory1349]

Very informative as always Paul, thank you. On the safety side don’t re fuel whilst the flame is present, wait until all fuel in the burner has been used.

[@theponkster]

Meths gives off Carbon monoxide as it burns where bio ethanol does not which makes it a way safer fuel if you use it in a tent vestibule.

[@CraigsAllotment]

I've got an unhealthily obsession with camp stoves! Got no idea why

[@andrewnorris5415]

haha for me it's torches.

[@lenrice7482]

don't question it marra - i'm the same! ha ha

[@muddyfunster69]

Liked your explanation, everyone has their favourite but good that you showed the different fuels.

[@jj2536]

The bioethanol works out at £2 per 500 ml compared to £2.29 per 500 ml for Meths so cheaper, cleaner and more efficient! hadn't realised the Trangia works by vaporising the fuel and sending it out the holes in the side and i have one. learn something new every day.

[@andrewnorris5415]

Also the jet alcohol stoves use less fuel to boil a litre of water. I personally never have issues spilling it. Just screw top down after! Some jet designs are especially efficient but can take longer to bloom.

[@cooper19673]

the b&q bio ethanol is my weapon of choice. leaves no mess and is as cheap as chips. 'ooh chips!'

[@andrewnorris5415]

haha the price of them these days. Takeaways getting expensive. Why taking a camp stove can save quite a bit on a trip. They are fun too! If I'm out on a day bike/hike I just take a potatoe or two that was microwaved for 5 mins. Wrap in foil. I swear it tastes as good as chips and keeps warm for ages!

[@cooper19673]

@@andrewnorris5415 screen grabbed this and will try it out. Thnx.

[@littlegrandadoutdoors]

I use the watered down meths system... it doesn't leave any soot at all... I will get some bio-ethonal , got to try everything.Take care out there.

[@songasport]

B&Q bio is my choice for my Trangia. I'd planned a wildcamp for tomorrow, the forecast was scorchio when I looked on Monday, now it's a 90% chance of rain for the whole evening. Bugger.

[@nickarter]

I buy 30ml disposable measuring cups, 30ml is ample for 400ml in Vesuv cone, I’ve backed Stripey on Kickstarter for one of his, I love Evernew pans but will give the Toaks a go with Stripes cone!

[@mattharvey8712]

Bravo.......me.......I carry the 190 proof that can be drink n.......and good for cooking.......cheers

[@StevanOutdoor]

Good video. I have a Trangia but prefer the stainless Tatonka alcohol stove and this will fit nicely in my small wood/twig stove. I use that white fuel.

[@captaincooksboatybites9049]

This is interesting. I've always used meths in my Bailey Burner but since moving to Spain I have struggled to find a suitable fuel. I bought some 'Blue alcohol' but that was like lamp oil and some ethanol which burns very cool with black smoke and soot. Spanish Amazon sell bio ethanol so maybe I'll try that.

[@BrokenBackMountains]

A video that really appeals to the stove freak in me 😂 Trangia have a list of fuel for every area/country. I prefer bio-ethanol. Smells better and I find it less soott than meths. I get the bio ethanol in B&Q as well. In France you can get alcool brulee in nearly any supermarket and that is the best fuel I've ever used. Personally I prefer the trangia bottle. Easier to pour, especially now my right hand is fecked.

[@andrewnorris5415]

Interesting that all they list for GB is meths. No links to stores, just the word "meths". Not much help sadly! But glad to know HB have it from this video! No mention of bio-ethanol either on Trangia. I can see how their guide could help when in another country and want to find the name of the fuel in their lang. But no links to stores. Only the name of it in each country!

[@buckshot4428]

In the states we have denatured alcohol and it is the best. No soot, blue flame, hotter and cheaper. A US gallon can be found for $21.

[@awatt]

As for shimmering on an alcohol stove i have seen a video where he just swapped a large burner for one with a smaller diameter. This makes sense as a burner with a smaller diameter will burn far less fuel. The claim was that his smaller burner burnt one milliliters of meths a minute that made timing accurate. Im still messing about with this idea. But so far it looks like it might work.

[@peterfagley772]

Thank you Paul, well thought out and explained.

[@bobbycarrotification]

Fantastic information for anyone that's just starting to use these types of burners. Thankyou.

[@chrisgodfrey6353]

My type of lad straight into home and bargain 😂👍

[@screamingpig1]

Just come back from 2 days in the woods after using bio ethanol for the first time, definitely still soots pots which surprised me. Will be sticking to methanol

[@SpudUna]

Could be down to the quality ? I use it and never had a soot problem.

[@screamingpig1]

It's the same stuff as Paul from B&Q, weirdly I did notice that it wasn't so bad on the kettle but the frying pan and billy pot were caked in it using a trangia stove. Wonder if distance away from the flame has something to do with it?!?

[@SpudUna]

@@screamingpig1 I use Ekofuel. But only as we have a biofuel stove in our living room. Perhaps adding the pot/pan too early ? before it gets going .

[@screamingpig1]

Good shout- I never thought of that! Will give it a try next time, thanks

[@bcamping1]

​@@screamingpig1my trangia frying pan soots up with every alcohol I have tried.

[@LukasTukas-v6x]

I use the b and q one you picked, the bio ethanol. Spot on

[@Tom-eq6vo]

That’s an interesting topic, I predominantly use a gas stove but last year thought I’d try burning gel after buying a Trangia Mini to see if it worked for me. Only tested it with the Firedragon gel firelighter but noticed it actually burnt a lot faster than I expected it would. Enjoyed using it, but isn’t something I think will replace my gas stoves for the majority of the year.

[@JohnAlot]

Marine fuel is ethanol & burns clean. Methanol leaves soot

[@railwaystationmaster]

GREAT VIDEO Paul , Without doubt the TRANGIA is bombproof but heavy got me thinking OH WHY has no manufacturer thus far not replicated a TRANGIA with a screw top and simmer ring in Titanium EVERNEW clearly missing a trick here and increased sales , not even Chinese knock offs have worked on this omission , here's hoping someone does.

[@Barkfoot]

The B&Q bio ethanol works well in my ever faithful Triad stove but in windy weather it can burn much hotter than meths and overheat the stove causing the fuel to boil and flare up.

[@ShowMeThePictures]

Can any fuel allow you to cook food directly over the flame? Like Marshmallows for smores?

[@aAnd67]

Amazon. 12 x 1 litre bio ethanol £34.00. £2.88 ish a litre. So nearly half the price of meths. Plus I've only managed 15% water dilution with meths, got over 30% water dilution with bio ethanol, so even cheaper still 👍

[@backlogbrood2451]

Not sure what you're using but the bioethanol I got definitely produces a fair bit of soot

[@1MajorTom]

thanks for showing what you use as fuel for them😁

[@kaczynski2333]

It doesn't have the dye in Australia. Also, it needs to be pre-heated when its very cold.

[@GaryB_OutandAbout]

Useful video Paul 👍🏼 I use the Fire Dragon gel in a BCB Crusader. As you say the gel leaves a residue behind, that I cannot remove. It doesn’t cause problems but can build up. Also have a spill prove burner that can fit in the Crusader base. Can then use bio ethanol. I’ve also been using the Fire Dragon bio ethanol. Think I’ll switch to B&Q which is a lot more for less £ 👍🏼 Cheers, Gary B

[@bobphillips2188]

I bought a tray of twelve one litre bottles of ethanol online ages ago, at about £2 per bottle (postage was free), still using it, it never seems to run out, still have 6 or 7 bottles left! And I occasionally give some away to visiting friends who use the stuff. Re- a comment below regarding Sweden, I used to live in Denmark, where the meths equivalent was called T-sprit. It absolutely stank! It made meths smell quite delicious by comparison. Clearly this smell is to stop the desperate alky from necking it. It, like meths, also has Bitrex added, making it taste as bad as it smells (yes, of course I have tried both, for 'research purposes' natch ha ha). But it's pure ethanol for me all the way, and it tastes better (true, though I must add that Scottish distilled substance is my preferred tipple (-;)~

[@slarti42uk]

Really good to know about the bio ethanol and where to get it because I do hate the soot issue from the Trangia. I tried some isopropyl alcohol in a pinch, and that was SO sooty. It sounds like that's the cheapest per 100ml too, 40p per 100ml for the bio ethanol, and 46p per 100ml for the meths.

[@surlycyclingrag3347]

thank you thank you i live in California and everything is band i have tried a few different experiments i will see what i can do

[@Pink_Sky_By_Night_Adventures]

Thanks for this info, I recently bought a trangia mini and you answered a few questions for me 😊👍

[@lukepassmore2951]

Best one yet for this month

[@WisconsinEric]

I am not really an alcohol stove guy but I have had my two Trangias for 12+yrs. For common denatured alcohol fuels found in the States the SLX brand burns much cleaner for me as it contains more methanal than some other brands like Sunnyside. Both are denatured ethanol/methanol blends but SLX has more methanol, and since ethanol contains more energy/btu's it runs a bit rich(yellow flame) and leaves a small amount of soot on my pans. SLX burns clear/blue with zero soot for me

[@bartonianoutdoors]

not all bioethanol liquids are equal. using my Des Cattys stove I've experimented with both a Biola (from Amazon) and the Fire Dragon. The Biola was over 2 mins quicker to boil 500ml (8 min 15 / 10 min 35

[@davidminor6537]

In Canada I use methyl hydrate (gas line antifreeze). Available at any hardware or auto shop. Roughly $5/L. Burns clean.

[@georgejones8784]

Sadly, bioethanol is stupid expensive in Canada. Something like $25/L (or maybe 500mL, I forget). Almost impossible to find too. They used to sell it as fuel for small "fireplaces", but those are almost impossible to find too.

[@abstractgroove160]

Can't beat bioethanol. Doesn't leave any residue, mega cheap, and with a tissue wick lights down to serious sub zero temps.

[@jeffprice2210]

Great advice as I’ve never used one or really understood the fuel but always been curious Thank you Regards Jeff

[@Knight8365]

Compare the prices with your local farm supply store. They generally have larger volumes available (5l) for cheaper.

[@Billywhizz-bl7yj]

I purchased a 12 one litre pack of EkoFuel bioethanol because the wisdom from the outdoor world said it burns cleaner, it does not, my kettle and pots have never had so much soot on them, I can actually brush the build up off before trying to scour the rest clean, I'll be going back to meths with 10% water when I've used up the bio as it was much cleaner.