I was dead wrong about those cheap camp stoves

For years I swore by my $80 Coleman propane stove and laughed at anyone using those little butane burners you see at Asian grocery stores for $20. Then last month on a trip up near Flagstaff, my buddy brought one because his fancy stove broke. That little thing boiled water in like 3 minutes and folded down to nothing in his pack. I borrowed it for a solo trip last weekend and honestly it handled everything I threw at it (even a 10 inch pan) without tipping over. Now I'm thinking about ditching my bulky setup for good. Has anyone else made the switch and regretted it or am I just late to the party?)

3 comments

3 Comments

young.michael6d ago

I see you saying it handled a 10 inch pan without tipping over but I gotta push back on that... mine tipped over with just a small pot of water and the wind kept killing the flame too.

abbyp616d ago

Michael I hear you and thats a real shame. A pot of water tipping over is dangerous enough, let alone the wind snuffing out the flame on top of that. I had a similar scare with mine early on, not a full tip but a wobble that made me nervous every time I walked past it. The legs did end up being the culprit on my end, they were extended but not locked all the way into those little grooves. Might be worth checking that on yours if you havent already, because its an easy fix if thats the problem. Still, if the wind is killing your fire too maybe yours just has a defect, and I wouldnt blame you for wanting a replacement or something else entirely.

wren_mitchell6d ago

You sure that was a 10 inch pan yours tipped with? The wind issue I get, these things can be fussy in a breeze even with the shield up. But the tipping part makes me wonder if the legs were fully locked out. Ive seen a few people set these up on uneven ground or not push the legs all the way down, and thats when the problems start. On a flat surface with the legs clicked in, Ive had a full cast iron skillet on mine and it stayed put. The wind though, thats a different story. Maybe try it on a calm day just to see if the balance is actually off.