A question of cookers?

[mojofilter]

Pressure stoves all the way for me, and I have 'one or two' of them.....

The Optimus Nova is an amazing stove, and unlike its MSR counterparts will simmer happily with not much more heat than a candle

Although I have the Nova, I generally prefer to use one of the older style stoves, my most used one being a Primus 96 which dates from the twenties, and is adjustable from a simmer to a roaring flame, and is pretty much bomb proof.

The little optimus hunter is a great wee stove too....

 

[EdS]

just reminded me I was given one hunter and a 1960s copy of the Nova. Must dig them out.

What is best to run them on & I take it they need priming gel to set them off.

 

[Martyn]

Just acquired a nice pressure stove, an optimus 111c

Cracking bit of kit, but it's huge, heavy and pretty much a base camp/car camp/canoe camp stove. I think it weighs 4lb - most of that is from the large steel box though...

 

[Wayland]

At home I grew up with gas cookers so I couldn't get on with electric. When I went to college the hostels had electric so I had to learn, but then couldn't get used to gas when I left. In my work I learnt to cook over open fires and at home I'm back to gas.

My point is that all these methods have their own characteristics which take time to get used to.

Out bushing it these days I prefer an open fire but I have experimented with all the usual methods.

Petrol pressure stoves are fast but noisy and prone to breakdown. Gas is easy but slows down a lot as the bottle empties. I use a large double burner gas range while camping out of the van and it feels like home cooking. Petrol pressure stoves are fast but noisy and prone to breakdown.

Meths is quite but slow, that isn't a problem if you sort your self out. ( First put the stove on and then set up your tarp......) I don't like the smell but Industrial alchohol might be better.

I do tend to get a little nervous about carrying liquid or pressurised fuel in my pack, although I have never actually experienced a problem with it.

Which brings me to solid fuel. Like many here I started using solid fuel in the forces. It was messy, smelly and not all that hot. It did the job but won no friends.

For a long time I looked at Esbit fuel in the shops and thought it was an expesive way to buy fuel. One day I bought some because it was all I could get. What a surprise, It was much less smelly, burned longer and hotter and didn't foul up the cookware.

These days I don't leave home without it. I'm still experimenting with meths but if I'm travelling light I just pack one tablet (14g) per meal and that's it. I don't even carry a stove sometimes because I either hang the pot or just use three stones as a pot rest on clear rock or earth.