Making a brew

[Bisamratte]

Im looking for a small efficient (and cheap) stove that will be mainly used for making brews. I have been thinking of the swiss army volcano stove but have read mixed oppinions on the forum.
So whats your recommended brewing stove?

Thanks,

Andy

 

[steven andrews]

Kelly Kettle!

 

[Longstrider]

The Kelly Kettle and the Volcano are almost identical.
I have one of each size of Kelly Kettle and love them to bits. The larger one I've had for about 20 years and it's still going strong (you just have to accept the dents and scratches as "honour marks" *LOL*)

If you want something to cook on occasionally rather than for simply boiling water for a cuppa, then you'll have to look at things like Trangias etc etc, but for a quick brew whilst out and about the Kelly Kettle takes a hell of a lot of beating. (and the fuel is free too!)

 

[British Red]

Got to disagree here - I sold my kelly kettle - too large, too "only does one job" for me. A stove for making brews needs to fit in your jacket pocket or small daysack for me. If fires are a problem, I'd suggest an MSR pocket rocket (gas). A Mini Trangia or Swiss army trangia are good too (meths). For small fire based ones you could fabricate a hobo stove. For ultimate cheap and portable a good old fashioned British Army Hexy stove is effective

Red

 

[RAPPLEBY2000]

meths cookers are pretty safe and are also small!
i have a mini coke can stove (that's a miniture can) made in to a burner, it does the job and it will fit in your pocket!

if you're afdter a cooking system i like the crusader cup, with 58 bottle, 58 mug, crusader cooker if you have the bottle and mug you may as well have the cooker!

also i have a Mini trangia which has served me well for about 10 years, again small light and meths!

 

[Bisamratte]

I have got a gas stove but it takes too long for just making a quik cuppa, are meths stoves quiker than gas?

I would prefer a wood stove because it means that I dont have to carry fuel with me but I cant afford a kelly kettle. I like the idea of the swiss army volcano stove as it is a similar theory to a kelly kettle,but does it work?How does a hobo stove compare to it?

Cheers,

Andy

 

[JoeG]

I use a 'Gelert Solid Fuel Stove.' It came with some fuel tablets, and it says they will boil 2.5 cups of water(using the fuel tablets) in 5 mins. But if you use wood then it will take just a tad over 5 mins. Heres a link to the website for the stove . I like mine, and if you made a small pouch, it will fit in your pocket no problem and wont leave any marks. I got mine for £2.99 from this shop near me called 'The Range' I'm very happy with the stove, you can get them in a few places, and in different company names aswell. I found the paint on mine came off, but you can notice too much because it soon gets black. And because it folds up, you can keep some the fuel tablets or some wood in there.

 

[British Red]

JoeG, those Gelert stoves are basically civilian British Army Hexy cookers. A good, cheap bit of kit.

Bisamrette, basically (assuming good windshields and all other things being equal) Gas is the quickest, meths and wood are highly dependant on wood design. There are wood stoves out there (home made like hobos) that use fans to suck air through the wood like a blast furnace. They are quick. For the rest, gas, then meths then wood. But you don't have to carry wood!

I'm surprised your gas stove si so slow. To boil a pint of water should take 3 or 4 minutes (not mains kettle quick but nothing will be)

Red

 

[Bisamratte]

JoeG, those Gelert stoves are basically civilian British Army Hexy cookers. A good, cheap bit of kit.

Bisamrette, basically (assuming good windshields and all other things being equal) Gas is the quickest, meths and wood are highly dependant on wood design. There are wood stoves out there (home made like hobos) that use fans to suck air through the wood like a blast furnace. They are quick. For the rest, gas, then meths then wood. But you don't have to carry wood!

I'm surprised your gas stove si so slow. To boil a pint of water should take 3 or 4 minutes (not mains kettle quick but nothing will be)

Red

I hadn't thought of using a wind shield (oops)

I have a campingaz stove and no wind shield came with it (I wonderd why it took half an hour to boil )

Ok im going to try and make said windshield and try it out.

Im still interested in a lighter stove though, maybe I will make a hobo stove too.

Cheers guys :You_Rock_

Andy

 

[Zammo]

Heres a link to cheap and easy windshield to make:

http://hikinghq.net/sgt_stove/wind_screen.html

 

[beamdune]

I hadn't thought of using a wind shield (oops)

I have a campingaz stove and no wind shield came with it (I wonderd why it took half an hour to boil )

Ok im going to try and make said windshield and try it out.

Im still interested in a lighter stove though, maybe I will make a hobo stove too.

Cheers guys :You_Rock_

Andy

Andy,

Be careful with windshields and gas stoves. You shouldn't use a tight fitting windshield (as described in the link) on a cannister top stove, the trapped head can cause the gas cannister to overheat.

 

[Bisamratte]

Thanks Zammo, great link :You_Rock_

Andy

 

[Bisamratte]

Andy,

Be careful with windshields and gas stoves. You shouldn't use a tight fitting windshield (as described in the link) on a cannister top stove, the trapped head can cause the gas cannister to overheat.

So if I made it bigger it would be ok or should I look for a different design?

Andy

 

[British Red]

Bsamrette,

There are plent good hobo stoves around - check out "popcan stoves" or "zenstoves" as google searches. Also - if you have a minute and a Zebra billy, look at Pignuts hobo stove - awesome work!

Red

 

[leon-1]

I hadn't thought of using a wind shield (oops)

I have a campingaz stove and no wind shield came with it (I wonderd why it took half an hour to boil )

Ok im going to try and make said windshield and try it out.

Im still interested in a lighter stove though, maybe I will make a hobo stove too.

Cheers guys :You_Rock_

Andy

Campingaz stoves always used to be butane, if you have one that will take a propane / butane mix it will give better performance especially in cold weather.

The edition of a windshield will increase performance (you can make one from a disposable BBQ tray), it does not need to be tight to the stove as this may cut some of the oxygen flow to the flames. It will require holes for ventilation about an inch up from the base of the shield if it is resting on the floor, it is also about an inch spacing between the holes as they travel around the shield.

Epigas / Coleman Micro are not bad little stoves, the "pocket rocket" by MSR is also a good option (as already mentioned by someone else) and so is the Coleman Alpine.

Meths burners are reasonably cheap to run, they are also easy to use and setup. As has already been mentioned you can also Fabricate them from household waste (Pepsi cans and the like). I prefer the Photon type as they have better performance than a standard Trangia.

On BB there is a tutorial for a mini photon by Martyn, you may wish to give one a go as they are quite good if you are just after a brew.

Pot stands and windshields can be made from disposable BBQ's.

 

[crazydave]

cheap windshield - just fold some tin foil over a few times then mould it to shape.

takes 2 mins and a few pence to make.

 

[rik_uk3]

I have one of these
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEW-CAMPING-G...ryZ16036QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

folds up small, three heat settings, simmer, medium, and rocket engine. Also very easy to strip down and mount in a Trangia

This is also an ideal stove for a brew and noodle lunch
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BACKPACKER-TR...4QQihZ001QQcategoryZ16036QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I'm not the seller of either stoves

 

[Spikey DaPikey]

I use the crusader stove and greenheat gel, great for a cuppa or for boil in the bag rations

 

[gregorach]

Mini meths stove and Crusader fro me...

 

[Graham_S]

redbull can stove and crusader cooker/cup/lid.
the lid makes a huge difference.

otherwise i use a clickstand and billycan.