My source for purchase was on ebay. It was manufactured overseas and shipped from Chino California. I mention this for folks who are conscientious about their choice of manufactured goods and their origin. It shipped immediately and arrived 11 days later in North Carolina. It cost less than $16 with free shipping and handling.

Once it arrived it was like Christmas morning! I opened up the package and was impressed with the compact dimensions. I quickly assembled the kit to get the full effect of it’s clever design.

The next step was to try it out and experience it’s function in action. I have reviewed a different wood burning camp stove in a previous article entitled “Review – TrailStove“. It’s primary advantage over this stove is a side hole that allowed fuel to be added as needed without lifting the cooking vessel. However, this stove’s benefits are that it is a gasifier for more efficient combustion and that it collapses into a very small size for storage and transport. To sustain a fire during the cooking process the pot can be lifted momentarily as needed to add fuel. Another interesting feature of this stove is the adjustable pot supports on top; they can fold out to accommodate larger pots or folded inward to support a metal cup. It comes in a nice net bag that can isolate any soot when packed.

My next action is to acquire a stainless steel pot with lid that this stove can nest inside for storage. I certainly give this a ‘thumbs-up” on my initial inspection and operation. this might just be the best fit for your backpack, Bug Out Bag, or emergency car kit.

I’ve had a lot of fun making these at public events where I have demonstrated survival skills. I have an “Every Day Carry” (EDC) tool kit on a keyring that includes two items that I use to construct this burner: a P38 can opener and a small multi-tool scissors. As shown in the video it needs only a knife to accomplish the same task. In an urban scenario aluminum cans are an easy resource to find. With no need for drills or a secondary can this method is ideal for in-the-field construction.

The inside walls of the burner are fluted, thus eliminating the need for small drilled holes like a conventional gas burner. They create channels for vaporized alcohol that naturally create the “holes” at the rim around the can. One single hole is made to relieve pressure/condensation caused when a pan is placed on top of the burner while cooking.

In my opinion denatured alcohol works the best as a fuel as it is completely consumed in the process whereas isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol contains water in it’s composition and can produce soot which increases as the concentration decreases. It comes in 90%, 75%, and 50% dilutions. Methyl and ethyl alcohols are also clean burning fuels. Denatured alcohol can be found in the painting section of a hardware store. The yellow “Heet” bottles of antifreeze gasoline additives contain ethyl alcohol and can be found at an automotive supply store. Acetone, an alternate fuel, can be found in the painting section of a hardware store, or, as most finger nail polish removers are composed of acetone, they can be found in most cosmetic departments of various stores.

I put this burner at the top of my list because it is cheap, easy to construct (it takes me about 5 minutes), easy to use, doesn’t need a primer lid, and is very reliable. Kudos to it’s inventors! I encourage you to make one for yourself so that you will have a burner on hand, and, so that you can show others how to make one for themselves.

(images taken from How to make the only travel stove you’ll ever need)

Although I believe pine would be a prefered wood, I used a seasoned poplar log that I had available. I recommend using a corded high-torque drill for this process. I set the 14″ log upright and used a 1 1/2″ blade bit to drill a 6″ deep hole down the center from the top. Then I layed the log on it’s side and drilled a second hole, intersecting the first hole at it’s bottom end. Just a note: at the point of intersection, a blade bit can give a hellacious “kick” so be careful as you approach that point. After blowing out the saw dust I set the log upright to begin preparing it for fire.

As long as I took the liberty of using an electric drill to make a natural material rocket stove, I also took the liberty of using a manufactured tinder by using bamboo skewers. Purists can figure a way to approach this project more naturally but I figured “who cares? This is fun!” I collected a bundle that was about a third of the volume of the hole and poured gasoline on it and the hole walls before inserting them down the shaft. It’s important to “wet” vs. “flood” so as not to have the fluid stream out the bottom hole. Use caution when lighting it with a match or lighter. In this case gasoline was handy but other accelerants would work as well.

Conventional rocket stoves have larger diameter holes and thus fuel can be fed from the bottom hole. When I tried this approach it seemed to choke out the airway and snuff out the existing flame, so I recommend feeding any kindling from the top during the initial process of establishing the stove’s fire.

Once the flame was established I selected three 1″ high stones that I placed around the top surface of the log which became the tripod or trivet for my pot and pan. I initially brought a pot of water to boil for coffee, then continued with a pan with which to fry bacon and eggs.

Although this rocket stove takes some “manufacturing” to make, it is a great project for a number of reasons. These can be made ahead of time and stored for power outages, camping trips and garden gatherings. Outside of a little tinder and some accelerant, they are self contained and don’t require the gathering and consumption of local natural materials. They can be controlled and extinguished by using a spray bottle of water and thus can be used multiple times. Because it is elevated, it can also be used in a wet environment. Furthermore, they last for hours and are a joy to use.

When soda can burners became popular I enjoyed constructing various configurations, experimenting with ways to maximize the flame. Around the same time I made slush lamps using different wicks and fuels. Eventually this led to the realization that hand sanitizer contains 62 percent ethyl alcohol and can be used as fuel to cook small amounts of food. You can watch this being demonstrated in my video “Bottle Cap Burner“.

One of the key elements in the hand sanitizer cooking set-up is the need to protect the flame from wind while incorporating a support for the cooking vessel. Because I use a thimble-sized beer bottle cap full of hand sanitizer for a burner, and a Sierra cup for cooking, I find that a “Beanee Weenee” 8 oz. can is just the right size for support. Larger cans work best for larger pans.

To begin constructing a windscreen/pot stand you’ll need to find a can that has lids on both top and bottom as some cans are seamless on the bottom and don’t lend themselves to opening. You can use a conventional crank/rotary type of can opener or a military issue P38. Once the lids are removed a “church key” can opener is used to punch triangular holes along the outside rims on the top and bottom edges. I like to offset the top and bottom holes as I believe that it helps to facilitate the natural vortex created by flames. Different burners may require modifications in order to accommodate their unique features.

Needless to say that wider profile pot stands are more stable than taller ones. Check out my video “2 Minute Stove For $1“. The design of this alcohol burner incorporates a windscreen and pot stand. Because the Soda can has a tall profile, care must be taken when placing cooking vessels on top. This should be placed on a stable – level surface for operation.

So, next time you go shopping, check out the different sizes of canned-goods and imagine what creative pieces of equipment it could make.

Boiling water is limited to 210 degrees Fahrenheit and thus cannot “burn” food that is cooked in it. It’s best to use a thicker plastic material as a container so a freezer bag works best. An added advantage is that having a transparent material allows you to monitor the eggs while they’re cooking. As usual, room temperature food elements cook quicker than when they’re frozen. Knowing these simple facts allow you to be both efficient in cooking and creative in your cuisine.

Eggs alone taste great but you can “take it up a notch” and create a gourmet omelet by scrambling the eggs and adding onions, bell peppers, sausage and more. Simply add the elements into a plastic bag, press out excess air and close the seal. You can hold the top of the bag by hand and submerge the bottom into boiling water for about 4 minutes or so. If the bag seems too hot to handle, you can use a stick to poke just under the seal and suspend it over the boiling water.

Although you can eat straight out of the bag after it cools a little, I prefer using a spoon, so don’t forget to bring one along when you try this at your next camp-out.

It is made of stainless steel measuring 8.75″ inches in height with an upper diameter of 4″ and a lower diameter of 5.15″. It weighs less than a pound at 14.8 oz. A unique feature is the capability of using a blow-tube that can be placed on the lower side for enhanced fire starting. If you’ve ever used a wood burning stove, or worked with a fireplace, you may have used a blow-pipe to put air in just the right place to coax a coal into a flame, or increase the flame for a faster fire. This little addition gives you better control in the fire building process.

The stove can be also used with other fuels such as alcohol burners. But what really impressed me is that this stove is very efficient, and there is virtually no need to carry fuels as there is wood and other cellulose available for fuel in most places that you would hike or camp.

Just use tinder such as dry leaves or pine needles in the lower chamber and place some additional tinder along with kindling such as small twigs in the upper chamber. Then light the lower chamber through the vent holes in the bottom. If needed, you can use the blow-tube to enhance the fire for quicker ignition of the kindling.

The TrailStove is covered by a life time guarantee, if anything ever goes wrong, it can be returned for repair or replaced for free.

The only possible negative to this type of stove is contending with soot on the bottom of the cooking vessel. I use a large cup for heating my food as shown in the picture above (not included in the kit), and when finished, I cover the bottom of the cup with a paper towel, then invert the cup to cover the top of the stove before placing in the travel sack provided. The freedom to not carry fuel is liberating, enabling the stove to be used indefinitely on the trail.

The TrailStove is a wonderful companion on the trail, but the TrailStove can also be used as a backup stove for natural disaster emergencies. Whether used for cooking food, purifying water or as a contained fire source for heat, the TrailStove is easily stored and easily transported for use outside the home.

Because of my positive experience with this stove, I have chosen to carry this in Survialtek’s Store, as I believe it is a great product to use, and durable for a lifetime. Visit my store to order your own!