View Full Version : Alcohol vs Canister Stove
plurpimpin
03-28-2012, 23:05
I know there's a similar thread but I didn't want to jack it. I'm planning on ditching my heavy msr dragonfly for something lighter for my sobo through hike starting in june. I really like the thought of an alcohol stove, I've been making a few and playing with them but the problem I've noticed is that everyone that uses alcohol is just boiling water to rehydrate mountain house type meals. I cook on the trail, I make alot of pastas, rices, and potato based meals. I'm debating whether or not I can really cook my typical meals that usually entail simmering on an alcohol stove. If I don't go alcohol I'd get something along the lines of an MSR pocket rocket with my titanium pot.
What's everybody that cooks experience with alcohol stoves? Can things like scalloped potatoes be cooked on an alcohol stove or should I just go for the canister? I have an amazon gift certificate so the canister stove wouldn't cost me anything.
Rocket Jones
03-29-2012, 06:39
For real cooking, I'd stick with a canister stove. I prefer the Snowpeak GigaPower to the Pocket Rocket, but that's just my personal opinion. Even so, 99% of the time I'm taking an alcohol stove because, like you said, I'm just boiling water for FBC meals.
rocketsocks
03-29-2012, 07:13
I remember someone talking about a "Simmer ring"for an alcohol stove..........?But don't know exactly what that is.
I've never actually used this stove but maybe it will interest you.
http://packafeather.com/stove.html
Farr Away
03-29-2012, 10:07
I remember someone talking about a "Simmer ring"for an alcohol stove..........?But don't know exactly what that is.
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?65562-simmering-with-a-Supercat-(Jim-Woods-design)-stove
.... I cook on the trail, I make alot of pastas, rices, ....
What's everybody that cooks experience with alcohol stoves? Can things like scalloped potatoes be cooked on an alcohol stove or should I just go for the canister? ....
Reminds me of the fellow I met on the trail back in 2009. He was carrying a bunch of asparagus inside a Nalgene bottle and cooking steak and eggs over an open fire outside a shelter. I don't think he ever finished the trail.....
The reason why alcohol stoves are so popular on the AT is because there's not a whole lot of Iron Chefs hiking the trail.
rocketsocks
03-29-2012, 11:24
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?65562-simmering-with-a-Supercat-(Jim-Woods-design)-stoveThat's the one.Far out Far Away thanks
More then likely I'm going to buy an alcohol stove and test it out this year cause of the low weight. What I can't get a handle on is what to burn. Rubbing alcohol from the drug store, dry gas? Damn sure not gonna burn good old drinking grain alcohol.
Rocket Jones
03-29-2012, 11:44
You can buy an alcohol stove, or you can play with one you make for almost free. The Super Cat is dead simple to make and is it's own pot stand too.
Burn either denatured alcohol in it, or HEET gasline anti-freeze in the yellow bottle. And there's nothing wrong with grain alcohol when you use it for drinking, cooking, and as a disinfectant in your first aid kit!
I think you can find the stove height for a reliable simmer.
Pick an alcohol stove you like. DIY/MYOG pot stand for the reliable simmer height.
Work it out before the SOBO.
hikin_jim
04-10-2012, 12:17
There are a number of off the shelf alcohol stoves out there that simmer.
Someone has already mentioned the FeatherFire (http://adventuresinstoving.blogspot.com/2012/01/featherfire-alcohol-stove.html) from PackaFeather.com. PackaFeather also has the XL stove (http://packafeather.com/xlstove.html) which looks good but I haven't tried.
One that hasn't been mentioned is the Trangia alcohol stove (http://adventuresinstoving.blogspot.com/2011/11/look-at-trangia-alcohol-burner.html). The Trangia's simmer ring is dead simple, works well, and is very reliable.
I'm sure there are other off the shelf examples, plus there are tons of DIY things you can do, but those three (above) came to mind based on your post.
HJ
The dried scalloped potatoes in boxes and pastas are easy enough to do with freezer bag cooking. Do that, and simmering doesn't matter at all. Rice might be difficult since it takes so long to cook.
Odd Man Out
04-10-2012, 22:57
The dried scalloped potatoes in boxes and pastas are easy enough to do with freezer bag cooking. Do that, and simmering doesn't matter at all. Rice might be difficult since it takes so long to cook.
I've been able to cook rice without simmering. I usually figure on 2 parts water to 1 part rice. So it will boil on an alcohol stove until the water is absorbed. If you time it right, the stove will go out at about the time the water is absorbed. Then you put it in a cozy and wait 15 minutes. It doesn't have to simmer after the water is absorbed, but some rice cooks faster than others. Basmati cooks fast (and is most yummy). Brown rice takes forever and never really gets cooked.
I've been able to cook rice without simmering. I usually figure on 2 parts water to 1 part rice. So it will boil on an alcohol stove until the water is absorbed. If you time it right, the stove will go out at about the time the water is absorbed. Then you put it in a cozy and wait 15 minutes. It doesn't have to simmer after the water is absorbed, but some rice cooks faster than others. Basmati cooks fast (and is most yummy). Brown rice takes forever and never really gets cooked.
A bigger pot might help with slower cooking rice. You can rewarm the freezer bag by putting it in a pot of hot water. That might work on the AT where water is more plentiful, but I wouldn't bother here in southern California.
I remember someone talking about a "Simmer ring"for an alcohol stove..........?But don't know exactly what that is.
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/files/2/5/0/2/picture_353_thumb.jpg[/URL ([URL]http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=43654)]
Here.
if your creative you can cook most anything on a alcohol stove. I regularly cook eggs, pancakes and even do some steam "baking" on my alcohol stove. but mostly its instant potatoes, pasta, lipton soup, oatmeal ect. I've already posted it elsewhere but here's a video I made about cooking eggs on an alcohol stove (exciting I know). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFxSnf9dueU&feature=plcp&context=C45e524aVDvjVQa1PpcFOO30fq-M42RDoS1dLEA9wM5ndPWv2mpIQ%3D . Usually by the time I get done walking for the day I just want something fast with little cleanup.
A note on canister stoves - If you routinely disconnect the burner from the canister you will lose a little gas each time. The chances of the valve in the canister not sealing properly go up as well, but it's rare. It has only happened to me once in the 6 years since I've owned a canister stove (but I don't use it that much, either). The canister in question was made by Primus, and this happened about 4 years ago, so if it was a production problem they may have fixed it by now.