Best lightweight pot for cat stove?

[silverfox]

So what is your opinion? I've read that the pot needs to be short and wide so that the flames aren't going up the sides and have also read that this didn't matter. I'm more concerned about weight and functionality than price.

[SoCalled]

Any wider and shorter pots will boil faster than tall and thinner one on any stove or flame, cat stove or not.

The faster pots are wide kettles. But less versatile. If you just need 2 cups of boiling water (which is the case for several pot and fry pan carrier) a kettle is a good option. I switch between pot/fry pan and kettle, depending where I go and solo or not and if tent only or small cabins along the trail. With your girlfriend, a kettle is cool. Hot water for late night tea or chocolate. Cosy. But when solo, pot and frypan.

But again, any wider and closed pot is faster. Try a kettle setup to see if it suit you. The best kettle imho is the Primus Litech. 20$. Very very light and sturdy. You will use it as an option. Trust me. Especially with your gf.

[CarlZ993]

I'd guess the 'squat' Evernew .9L pot.

http://www.antigravitygear.com/evernew-titanium-ultra-light-9l-pot-eca252.html

This is the one that Andrew Skurka uses (minus the handles that he cut off) with his cat stove.

[SoCalled]

The setup I still have to try is my 0.9L kettle and a small frypan. No pot at all. Same weight. Kettle for water and for pasta or couscous and frypan for little mushrooms and stuff. Plus you can hang tbe kettle over a fire and you enjoy the uber convenience of water pouring and cosiness.

[jimmyjam]

the msr titan kettle works great.

[BigHodag]

My first time out with a Supercat I used a wide aluminum pot from one of my cook sets. You can find a similar one inthe cheap $6 scout cooksets at discount stores. Just take the pot and lid and leave the pan and bowl at home. The wide pots are more unstable if you don't get them centered and/or cook on an uneven surface.

I later used an aluminum Esbit 700ml cup which heated water just fine. This is my preferred pot.

I have also made an in between pot using a stew can. I used a side cutting opener and attached a wood knob to the lid using a stainless steel screw. The stew can has a plastic lining like the beer can pots, so never let it go dry on a lit stove.

Also, last year, some folks reported Walmart carrying an aluminum cup that also worked well. I've never found one in any Walmart I've visited, but I keep looking.

You might try some of these at home and find your preferred pot.

[Rocket Jones]

The Walmart aluminum cups are from IMUSA, and come in two sizes. Look for them in the kitchen gadget aisle, near the doo-dads like condiment cups and tortilla warmers.

[Almost There]

Isn't all pot lightweight?...oh, you mean that kind of pot!:rolleyes: Seriously though, it depends on what you are going to cook in the pot. Meaning are you mostly going to be boiling water, or actually cooking meals with it.

[QiWiz]

I'd guess the 'squat' Evernew .9L pot.

http://www.antigravitygear.com/evernew-titanium-ultra-light-9l-pot-eca252.html

This is the one that Andrew Skurka uses (minus the handles that he cut off) with his cat stove.

+1
without having done any formal comparison testing, I like this pot that is a bit wider than tall, but not too squat. A similar but less expensive aluminum option is the Stanco greasepot with some diy lid modification.

[silverfox]

Mostly plan to boil water for coffee or ramen. I did neglect to mention that I wanted to have everything stowe in the pot and with the cat stove being so small, the larger diameter pots will allow for more move around space=noise= drive me insane! Any suggestions on how to remedy this without increasing weight too much? I was thinking maybe the squishy bowl and cup...anybody used these? Are they too flimsy?
Sorry for all the late questions, maybe should have started a new thread... Thanks for all of the suggestions thus far!

[Rocket Jones]

To cut down on noise, put your cat stove in a ziploc. Do the same for your fuel bottle, if it'll fit. Tuck some tea bags or coffee or whatever you use in there too. Spare lighter... piece of plastic netting from an onion bag for a pot scrubber/rock bag for hanging your food. Lots of little doo-dads you can stuff in there to keep it from rattling around.

[pcasebere]

I use a Snow Peak 1400, and keep the fuel in an old contact lens solution bottle nested purr-fectly in the cat stove.

[G-FOURce]

Here is a great pot... http://www.woodgaz-stove.com/foster-2-cup-flat-bottom.php

also, if you reach out to NutBrown on here she makes fantastic 2-cup Fosters pots, too.

[scope]

MSR Quick 1 titanium is 6.75" in diameter, only 3.75" tall, so not huge, and I like the less blocky form in my pack. Is great with alc stoves.

[LDog]

I used a 600ML Snow Peak Ti cup with a cover made by Tinny. It weighs 3 ozs. Evernew's 500ml Ti cup with cover is 2.6 oz, and I'd guess is big enough for any cooking you want to do if solo.

http://www.antigravitygear.com/evernew-titanium-ultra-light-mug-pot-500-ml.html

[SunnyWalker]

GSI Soloist.

[Farr Away]

the msr titan kettle works great.

+1 on this.

-FA

[rusty bumper]

I bought an aluminum pot with a handle at K-Mart about 30 years ago...it's about 6-inches in diameter. I removed the handle which brought the pot weight down to 3 ounces. I've used it on every hike I've been on in those 30 years. I now use a home made Super Cat stove, and the pot and stove work real well together.

[Glogg]

The pot I use with my cat stove is a Stanco grease pot. About $6. I tossed the lid (the plastic handle melts on you). Under the lid is a strainer. I made the strainer into a lid, by screwing a small wooden knob onto the center, and gluing a piece of disposable foil roasting pan on with jb weld. I cut the piece of foil into a circle, then cut a wedge out before gluing it, so I can still strain or pour if I want to. Cat stove, pot lifter, snuffer, stove platform, matches, and bandanna to stop rattling all fit inside the pot.

[jeffmeh]

The pot I use with my cat stove is a Stanco grease pot. About $6. I tossed the lid (the plastic handle melts on you). Under the lid is a strainer. I made the strainer into a lid, by screwing a small wooden knob onto the center, and gluing a piece of disposable foil roasting pan on with jb weld. I cut the piece of foil into a circle, then cut a wedge out before gluing it, so I can still strain or pour if I want to. Cat stove, pot lifter, snuffer, stove platform, matches, and bandanna to stop rattling all fit inside the pot.

Alternatively, you can remove the plastic handle from the lid and replace with the wire from a binder clip, and not carry the strainer.

[Glogg]

Alternatively, you can remove the plastic handle from the lid and replace with the wire from a binder clip, and not carry the strainer.

I tried that, but found that my lid was binding when the pot got hot and expanded. The strainer fits inside the pot, not over the outside, so it didn't have that problem.

[Rocket Jones]

Never had those problems with the grease pot. I left the original plastic lid handle on, it's light enough and has never melted. One mod I did do was to drill a small hole right below the rim of the pot on each side, and then use a length of solid copper wire as a bale. The wire is stiff enough to hold its shape, yet flexible enough to be removable and able to be stowed inside the pot. When I did this, I also put two notches on the rim of the lid so it'll still fit when the wire is in place.

[Glogg]

Never had those problems with the grease pot. I left the original plastic lid handle on, it's light enough and has never melted. One mod I did do was to drill a small hole right below the rim of the pot on each side, and then use a length of solid copper wire as a bale. The wire is stiff enough to hold its shape, yet flexible enough to be removable and able to be stowed inside the pot. When I did this, I also put two notches on the rim of the lid so it'll still fit when the wire is in place.

That sounds like a great design!

[QiWiz]

So what is your opinion? I've read that the pot needs to be short and wide so that the flames aren't going up the sides and have also read that this didn't matter. I'm more concerned about weight and functionality than price.

Evernew 251 or 267 are options to consider.

[Fur Queue]

Never had those problems with the grease pot. I left the original plastic lid handle on, it's light enough and has never melted. One mod I did do was to drill a small hole right below the rim of the pot on each side, and then use a length of solid copper wire as a bale. The wire is stiff enough to hold its shape, yet flexible enough to be removable and able to be stowed inside the pot. When I did this, I also put two notches on the rim of the lid so it'll still fit when the wire is in place.

i have the same grease pot...$6.00...I ditched the lid knob for streamlining rather than weight, I replaced it with a small loop of old leather shoelace that folds flat and I drilled a couple of small holes below the lid line for the bale, made from a piece of fine galvanized steel wire, strong enough to keep its shape and shaped so it folds flat almost flush with the lid so it can stay in place all the time. I also drilled a small hole in the lid so I can tell when the water is boiling without having to lift it...it all works great in the kitchen...can't wait to get out there and try it!

[MuddyWaters]

Alternatively, you can remove the plastic handle from the lid and replace with the wire from a binder clip, and not carry the strainer.

Also take a pair of scissors, and trim the overhand of the lid down to ~1/8 " or so, just minimum to keep on the pot.
Screw a little piece of wooden dowel on top for a handle

The issue I had with the grease pot, was lifting it off stove, and pouring water from it into freezer bags. No really good way.

Best $59 ever spent was to go to the Evernew 1.3L with folding handles when boiling water for two people. Worth every penny.

[jeffmeh]

Also take a pair of scissors, and trim the overhand of the lid down to ~1/8 " or so, just minimum to keep on the pot.
Screw a little piece of wooden dowel on top for a handle

The issue I had with the grease pot, was lifting it off stove, and pouring water from it into freezer bags. No really good way.

Best $59 ever spent was to go to the Evernew 1.3L with folding handles when boiling water for two people. Worth every penny.

Ah, but you have a much greater appreciation for the Evernew after working through the limits of the grease pot. :)

[MuddyWaters]

Ah, but you have a much greater appreciation for the Evernew after working through the limits of the grease pot. :)

Oh yes!. I had rigged up a small bail on the pot made of light wire, Id lift it off the stove, take the lid and put it under the bottom, and use that to tilt the pot. It worked fine. But, it took 2 hands to pour water, making it impossible to use the greasepot for solo use. And it was frightening pouring boiling water from it into a freezer bag someone else was holding.

Just not worth the trouble.

The evernew can be picked up by the handle and poured with one hand, it has a built in pour spout which allows accurate pouring.
Best $59 I ever spent.

The grease pot weight is OK, price at $7 was great. Thats about all it has going for it.
If you are going to cook in it, instead of pour water from it, it will work better.

[Kookork]

I use cat stove almost exclusively when I am hiking. Actually I use it on daily basis when I walk my dog in the nearby park to make a cup of tea near the end of our walk. My pot is an empty pasta can( 680 cc) that I cut the lid cleanly and have made two small holes near the top to make a wire handle for it. Without the holes and handle I need gloves to handle it after the water comes to boil. For boiling two cups of 60 degrees water I need 2/3 of an ounce alcohol without windscreen and less with windscreen. The timing for a rolling boil is around 7.5 minutes and the stove runs out of fuel in about 8.25 minutes. By using a kettle this time is around 6 minutes or less.

How much weight for the can(pot) : under 2 oz price? : zero dollar for pot since I buy pasta sauce regularly.

[Fur Queue]

Oh yes!. I had rigged up a small bail on the pot made of light wire, Id lift it off the stove, take the lid and put it under the bottom, and use that to tilt the pot. It worked fine. But, it took 2 hands to pour water, making it impossible to use the greasepot for solo use. And it was frightening pouring boiling water from it into a freezer bag someone else was holding.

Just not worth the trouble.

The evernew can be picked up by the handle and poured with one hand, it has a built in pour spout which allows accurate pouring.
Best $59 I ever spent.

The grease pot weight is OK, price at $7 was great. Thats about all it has going for it.
If you are going to cook in it, instead of pour water from it, it will work better.


They invented something called a pot lifter quite a few years ago now I do believe.... :)

[Drybones]

Last trip out I tried a 24 oz tall aluminum can (green tea I believe came in this one) with the 3 oz version cat can, didn't expect it to work very well since the pot is sitting basically inside the stove with few flames directly on the bottom but it heated 2 cups of water with 1 oz of fuel with burn time left.

[shakey_snake]

Another vote for a Stanco (aka K-mart) 1.3L Grease pot. I can boil 2 cups of water with .5 oz of fuel quite easily. I use the included recessed strainer with a cut-to-size piece of foil over it for a lid. This is lighter than the included lid and makes lifting and pouring with the pliers on my leatherman a cinch.

If you need to feed two, a snowpeak ti bowl (pricier than the pot) nests quite well. I'm still looking for a good, light, cheap hot drink mug to round out the set.

Greasepot 85g
Aluminum flashing Windscreen 22g (doubles as woodburning stove with 2 tent stakes)
Reflectix cozy 32g
Supercat stove 7g

Total = 5.15 oz

[Rocket Jones]

This is very close to the cup I use (http://www.rei.com/product/830752/rei-campware-cup), and it's the best cup I've ever found. Cheap too.

[Odd Man Out]

This is very close to the cup I use (http://www.rei.com/product/830752/rei-campware-cup), and it's the best cup I've ever found. Cheap too.

Maybe this one, re-branded?

http://www.gsioutdoors.com/products/pdp/cascadian_cup-blue/tableware_dishes

[zelph]

So what is your opinion? I've read that the pot needs to be short and wide so that the flames aren't going up the sides and have also read that this didn't matter. I'm more concerned about weight and functionality than price.


I think the Kmart grease pot will work well for your stove. The pot is really lightweight and functional if you can modify the lid as described below, you'll be well satisfied.

This is a quote from an existing WB thread that I created awhile back:

Those of you that are considering using a Kmart Grease Pot as your cooking pot may want to add this lid locking feature. A twist of the lid will secure it in place to allow for lifting the hot pot off the stove. This locking lid should be of great help to those considering the use of the cone pot support for the grease pot. It would make it easy to lift the pot off the cone.

I used a Dremel rotory hand tool with abrasive cutoff wheel to cut the slots in the lid.

I used two aluminum binding post ends that are threaded on the inside.

I used 1/8 aluminum pop rivets to secure the posts to the pot. The expanding rivet gets driven into the threads of the post for secure attachment.

I used a small file to do some finishing touches to square things off a little.
Some of you may consider giving away your titanium pots so you can start from scratch just to have this type of setup for lifting your pot :D

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/sub%20one/Stovemakingtips002.jpg Lid is locked
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/sub%20one/Stovemakingtips001.jpg Lid ready to open



http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?30603-Twist-Lock-Lid-for-Kmart-Grease-Pot&highlight=kmart+grease+pot



.

[Odd Man Out]

Is the famous grease pot just used for boiling water, or do people cook in it? As it is uncoated aluminum, is that a concern?

[zelph]

I use it to cook in it.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/sub%20two/th_ZMartCookKitUTube.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v228/obijiwa/sub%20two/?action=view&current=ZMartCookKitUTube.mp4)

[Chaco Taco]

+1 on this.

-FA
another vote for MSR Titan Kettle. works perfect on the fancy feast

[MuddyWaters]

They invented something called a pot lifter quite a few years ago now I do believe.... :)

Doesnt work
1) you will put crimps in the pot ,its thin and easily bent up. A pot lifter adds weight and cost .
2) there is no pour spout, you simply cannot accurately pour water out of the grease pot. It will either come out in 2" wide area, run down the sides and drip, or you have to pour fast and will risk spilling on your hand or someone elses.

[Helas]

Here are really nice and most informative article. I am totally agree with you and wants to appreciate you that you share this post here with us. I think you should follow Jeffmeh's idea. That will be best. Hope that you post again here.

[DaFireMedic]

I was checking a local thrift store and found this aluminum pan with handle for 85 cents. It holds 3 cups of liquid with room to spare.cut the handle down to a comfortable length (1 handwidth), made a lid for it and it works nice. If I cook on a hike (as opposed to boiling water), this is the one that I use. 1.8 oz by itself, another .2 oz for the lid. I also ordered the Kmart Grease Strainer to check it out, its in the mail now.
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