Alcohol cooking stoves

[RickSkye]

Ok, so looking at cooking stoves, got gas, got a pressurised flame thrower, quite good realy, so just fancy a change and looking at trangia stoves.
Can't do with the whole pot and inverse pan thing, so looking at other stands.
Any comments, help or opinions welcome, stove or stands or anything to do with alcohol stoves.

 

[Rubberchicken]

I've never done the gas thing, but I do own a collection of petrol stoves. The Coleman that's supposed to be well behaved that I never got on with, the MSR Whisperlite that's always been fine if a bit hard to control, and the Optimus Hunter that tried to kill me.

But lately I always grab the Trangia. Nice little self contained unit. While the petrol stoves are definitely quicker at boiling water, I'm usually not in a hurry so I don't care. And they're nice and quiet, where the petrol stoves are always a bit of a jet engine. I am considering trading it in for the smaller version though, mine's a model 25 and I'd like a 27 (which is smaller. obvs.)

No idea what you mean with the inverse pan thing though.

 

[RickSkye]

No idea what you mean with the inverse

 

[RickSkye]

Its the whole thing under the frying pan

 

[austin]

Its the whole thing under the frying pan

All that stuff has four purposes: burner holder, pot support, wind break ( it actually improves performance in windy weather) and part of the packing system. It adds a bit weight but not much volume and makes for a very stable cooking setup.

With a Trangia you have the option of a gas or petrol adapter so many stoves in one. You also don’t have to pack the two pans and frying pan. Take what you want or need. The non stick pans are great.

But for ultralight trangia look at the Trangia triangle. I have one but it’s a bit of a faff actually and I rarely bother with it.

Other people make alcohol burners and associated cook systems. Have a look at Evernew, Vargo and Toaks, there’s probably others.

Main problem with meths stoves is the fuel. Its energy density per gram is quite low compared to gas or petrol. It doesn’t burn as hot so you need a lot of it and you go through it quickly. If you are just making a brew or two on an overnight 1/2 litre will do but for a week or longer you can’t easily carry enough so you’ll need to buy. Which isn’t always convenient or easy.

Nevertheless a Trangia gently and quietly heating up is curiously satisfying.
Here's a couple of links.

Meths & Alcohol Stoves | Tamarack Outdoors

Meths & Solid Fuel Stoves | UK | Ultralight Outdoor Gear

 

[RickSkye]

Hi Austin, a full reply as usual thanks.
If the trangia is full, how long will it go for?
If it runs out, can it just be refilled?
Have you used the moderator?

Yes, the silent trangia, gently cooking is my wishful perception

 

[Rubberchicken]

I haven't really kept track of fuel usage, but last September I left home with a full bottle (Trangia fuel bottle, 1 liter), camped at the National (Wed-Sun) making tea (that kettle is quite efficient!) and morning/evening fryups, and got home with roughly half a bottle remaining. It's not that inefficient, and at least you can easily see how much you have left compared to a gas canister.

Between the set and the bottle a Trangia is a bit bulkier than others, but I've seen how most people camp, I doubt that's really the problem.

As for fuel availability it depends on where you camp. I've never actually had to buy the stuff in the UK so wouldn't even know what it's called, but in the Netherlands literally any supermarket will sell it in the cleaning isle and I'd be surprised if the UK is much different. (Muslim countries possibly not so much as they can be funny about alcohol, even if it's the non drinking kind, but by then you're a fair old way from home.)

Refilling is easy if you use the special fuel bottle. Though do make sure it's not still burning. I always use the moderator when cooking (as opposed to making tea) otherwise it'll be too hot. It's a bit of a faff and you want to have something like a Leatherman handy because you won't be touching that with your fingers if you want to adjust it.

Camp stoves are kinda pick your poison whichever you choose...

Trangia is nice and quiet, easy fuel availability, and a good complete yet fairly compact set, also good for indoor/in-tent use, but flame control is a bit cumbersome.

Petrol stoves are always kinda dangerous living on the edge, definitely outdoor use only, range from quite noisy to upended rocket engine, fine control can be hit and miss (or entirely optional) but they boil water like nothing else in any weather and you've always got plenty of fuel with you.

Gas, the cans always run out and are kinda shite when it's cold, but otherwise it's dead easy and the cooking experience is most like cooking at home.

Jetboil specifically is perfect if all you want to do is boil a cuppa, and if not, not.

I haven't met anyone yet with an electric stove...

 

[RickSkye]

12v, run off the bike

 

[Rubberchicken]

Or possibly try this:

 

[austin]

i guess different stoves may behave differently as mine gets through meths like an old tramp. Despite rather liking it I tend to use the gas adapter far far more. It’s just so convenient although when travelling gas canisters aren’t always easy to find. In Europe Decathlon is your best bet. In USA and Canada meths was surprisingly hard to find esp as nobody had heard of Meths before. Denatured alcohol is what I needed and when I got some it was purer alcohol than our meths so burned hotter and cleaner.

I forgot to mention meths is a bit sooty mainly just on the bottom of pans. Best thing is to get a pan nice and sooty with meths then without washing it stick it on a nice hot gas burner to burn the soot onto the base and a bit up the side of the pan. This seems to make the pan a bit less sooty in the future (at least you can’t see it) as well making the pan more efficient as black absorbs the heat better.

 

[Rubberchicken]

Yeah finding the right name seems to be a trick. Once I'd found "methylated spirits" it's right on the Tesco website. Searching for alcohol is no bloody use there.

In the Netherlands it's "Spiritus" you want. Traditionally in a blue bottle, unless it isn't. And yeah, possibly some local differences might explain the different consumption rate.

 

[RickSkye]

i guess different stoves may behave differently as mine gets through meths like an old tramp. Despite rather liking it I tend to use the gas adapter far far more. It’s just so convenient although when travelling gas canisters aren’t always easy to find. In Europe Decathlon is your best bet. In USA and Canada meths was surprisingly hard to find esp as nobody had heard of Meths before. Denatured alcohol is what I needed and when I got some it was purer alcohol than our meths so burned hotter and cleaner.

I forgot to mention meths is a bit sooty mainly just on the bottom of pans. Best thing is to get a pan nice and sooty with meths then without washing it stick it on a nice hot gas burner to burn the soot onto the base and a bit up the side of the pan. This seems to make the pan a bit less sooty in the future (at least you can’t see it) as well making the pan more efficient as black absorbs the heat better.

In the instructions somewhere, it says that adding 10% water, stops the sooting, apatently

 

[RickSkye]

I was in go outdoors today and i thought that the small set, small in diameter, was just perfect, but they did not have any of the non stick, which, I agree with austin, is a good idea.

 

[RickSkye]

Is this not what you use, as opposed to meths which has additives ....

and tastes crap

 

[Rubberchicken]

FWIW, ordering directly from trangia.se doesn't seem to be more expensive than more local shops and does give allll the options for nonstick or hardanodised and all that.

I have the big set, which is recommended for 2-4 people. I'm kinda pondering the small set too as 99% of my camping is by myself. Frying pan will be a tad small on that, but again I won't be in a hurry so whatever.

 

[RickSkye]

Yes, agree about frying pan, but I have one thats a bit bigger (4 bacon rashers) I take on trips, maybe that would work.

 

[Rubberchicken]

My experiences with different frying pans on a Trangia vary.
A very thin frying pan has a central hot spot where things get hot (or burn) while the rest is meh, and a heavy thick bottom one can be tricky to get enough heat into if it's a bit windy. And some of them just don't sit well on the little supports and can get a bit tippy.

I've picked up a special pancake pan for cheap a while back, which has very low sides so it's easy to pack and fine for bacon.

 

[RickSkye]

Yeah, maybe go for larger set because of frying pan thing. Thinks, most of my cooking is frying pan based to be fair. Only downside is packing it as it bigger than current set so will have to rearrange.
I know it probably doesn't look like it when I turn up and spread my kit all over the place, but there is a consistent plan where everything goes, it might be too much to cope with

 

[RickSkye]

Wife just found out how much a trangia costs..... oops.
Rookie mistake, i saved it on amazon.
Conversation sort of went, you don't go out that often
..........

Oh well, i will have to retify that won't I.

 

[Lowflyer]

Rick,

Have a shot of mine if you want. I carry the Meths inside my kettle in the event that my gas runs out, never used the meths for a while.
Great bit of kit, but I also bought a jet boiler thing, gone off cooking rancid sausages in the morning.