soup can or paint can heaters--anyone ever used one for cooking?

[TurboMinivan]

This video (which is not new) is making the rounds on Facebook:

[video=youtube;ay7hc1juJEo]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ay7hc1juJEo[/video]

These things look pretty neat given how simple they are. At the 2:00 mark, he even shows how you might use one of these to cook something in a skillet. That got me thinking: this might be a handy, easy way to cook a meal while camping.

I'm curious: have any of you guys made and used one of these?

 

[cruiseroutfit]

I don't get it. Under what circumstance would it be easier to carry one of these rather than a traditional stove?

 

[Kevin B.]

I think the idea is that in a SHTF situation, rubbing alcohol is easier to obtain than stove fuel? I dunno.

My in-laws gave us a couple of these several years back to add to our food storage/e prep stash. I fired one off, boiled some water, it wasn't very effective for the amount of fuel required but it worked. I wouldn't want to try and cook on one, unless I took the time to rig a simmer ring and wind barrier to get better control of the heat. And even then, as Kurt notes, it won't be as effective as a purpose built camp stove.

 

[TurboMinivan]

And even then, as Kurt notes, it won't be as effective as a purpose built camp stove.

That's what concerned me. They make it look so easy in that video, but there is a big difference between the "controlled" conditions of your kitchen counter verses camping out somewhere.

 

[mesha]

If you are going to do a soup can stove a wood gasifier is a better option. Then it is using wood chips, cherry pits, wood pellets, or other organics. I have several in my gear room getting ready to try out and see if I like them.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

I think the idea is that in a SHTF situation, rubbing alcohol is easier to obtain than stove fuel? I dunno.

My in-laws gave us a couple of these several years back to add to our food storage/e prep stash. I fired one off, boiled some water, it wasn't very effective for the amount of fuel required but it worked. I wouldn't want to try and cook on one, unless I took the time to rig a simmer ring and wind barrier to get better control of the heat. And even then, as Kurt notes, it won't be as effective as a purpose built camp stove.

I get the SHTF planning, but why plan to compromise when you need it most? I keep a few of these around

I'll concede that 1lb propane bottles are not exactly super common but I keep more of them around than rubbing alcohol. Plus if you're preparing for S to HTF, why not prepare i.e. keep propane or similar around to run a stove that works, wind or not.

I'm admittedly a little stove heavy around my casa and when you're never paying more than $5-10 for a Coleman 2-3 burner stove it's easy to feel prepared with minimal investment . They'll run on camp fuel, unleaded or eve kerosene with mods. As the bulk of my gear runs on unleaded I keep plenty here, usually at least 100 gallons between what is in tanks and cans. Obviously everyone's situation will be different and if I had more diesel rigs around I'd look into heat and stove that can run off of diesel. If you have a ton of rubbing alcohol around, I'd absolutely find a legit alcohol stove around that puts out some nice BTU's.