Back of the Shed Find - Woodgas Stove LE Ultra, Ultra Longevity Test

[Wook]

I'm a self admitted stove nut. One of my first "high tech" stoves was a Woodgas Campstove LE battery powered stove. I loved it. Unfortunately I lost it about 4 years ago and had long since given up hope of ever seeing it again.

Then today my dad announced he had found it in the back of his shed. I decided to fire it up. It worked first time, on the original batteries! I couldn't believe it.

 

[Shewie]

Good little stoves, my mate has one but his is green I think.

 

[Wook]

Side by side comparison with my Biolite.



Impressions are that the Biolite gets far hotter and burns through its fuel much faster. The WoodGas stove struggled with wood pellets, which my Biolite eats quite happily. It was fine on wood chips though.

Of course its possible a few years in the shed have taken some of the pep out of the motor. I changed the batteries just in case it was them, but got the same results. It chimes with my recollection of it though. Even when it was new it was never the flamethrower the Biolite is.

Of course, it was less than 1/3rd the price of the Biolite. I spent £160 shipping the Biolite from the US, whereas my recollection was the the Woodgas campstove cost around £40 a few years back. Inflation has pushed the price up to about £60 since then, but even so. I'd say it is about 2/3rds as good for about 1/3rd the price.

 

[crosslandkelly]

I'd like to know what the original batteries were?

 

[Wook]

They were Duracell Plus alkaline batteries.

 

[Andy BB]

An alternative to this is the Vital stove http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Arpy_a30WI&feature=youtu.be

I cn personally recommend this. IN Norway in January this year, even the dead standing wood was wet through - could get my tent stove running on it only with constant attention. This little beauty was amazingly effective even on thoroughly wet wood!

Battery life was exceptional - the company says 40 hours on two AA batteries, and I've got at least this.