Meths stoves: how hot?

[TheBrownDog]

Ive been using meths stoves for a couple of years but something just occurred to me: Ive never fried an egg with one. Anyone?

Tim

[Bearbonesnorm]

Never tried ... but I will tomorrow and let you know.

[TheBrownDog]

That'd be great - thanks. Might try it too. Got a little/thin alu frypan somewhere. Might try to make an omelette. Excellent - a nice little diversion from the housework.

[Ray Young]

Yes you will be able to fry stuff. The reason I don't fry though is the mess it makes, you need detergent to wash out your pan properly which is just something else to carry or leak.

[benp1]

When you think of meths stoves from a bikepacking perspective you typically think little red bull can stoves or similar - i.e. small light and simple

Trangias are used all over the place and are also meths stoves, I've cooked everything from a full english and stir frys through to pasta meals and stews. They're very versatile and work great, they're don't put out the sheer power of a gas stove but they're great for most things

[Bearbonesnorm]

Speaking as someone slightly biased ... Trangias do work but they're heavy and bulky, the burner alone weighs 120g and the Mini Trangia set's 330g. Once you get into the bigger sets you're looking at 750+g even for the "ultralite" versions

The basic principle of the Trangia isn't different to any other twin wall meths stove ... it's just heavier and slower

[johnnystorm]

Speaking as someone slightly biased ... Trangias do work but they're heavy and bulky, the burner alone weighs 120g and the Mini Trangia set's 330g. Once you get into the bigger sets you're looking at 750+g even for the "ultralite" versions

The basic principle of the Trangia isn't different to any other twin wall meths stove ... it's just heavier and slower

The trangias sole saving grace is that Teenagers really have to try hard to break them.

[benp1]

I shoud have been clearer, sorry

What I meant was... you can do pretty much anything on a meths stove. You can cook anything on a trangia and people do. Its just a meths stove, not significantly different to other meths stoves, so therefore you can cook anything on a meths stove

The only exception is my vaseline tin meths stove, I doubt that would work as well as its just an open tin with wadding, there are no jets like on my red bull stoves so not sure how well it would work for frying etc. Its fine for water boiling which is the only reason I really use it

[TheBrownDog]

750g for a stove and kit??!! Hell, that's heavier than my new folding chair ….

So I did the egg fry test and (as Ray and others point out) you can indeed fry stuff with a meths stove. The hob is perhaps not the best real world experiment, but it fried it nicely in about two minutes (in a Trangia pan no less). About half way in I wished I had a simmer ring for my little jigger as it burns very hot, though Im sure I could just hold the pan higher up. Normally my stove burns about 7-9 minutes with around 125ml of meths which should be just long enough to do some a couple of sausages and some beans.

Then (Ray again) there was the washing up to do.

[Zippy]

I have a trangia (with gas converter) and it's brilliant.

Only use it when camping with the car though

[Yorlin]

Cooked on a Trangia for years! Took a while to boil the pasta though...

What sort is that fancy one with the legs, Mr TheBrownDog?

[TheBrownDog]

The stove I got about 18 months ago from a chap called Russ from Cornwall who used to sell them on ebay. It was fiver if memory serves and it's pretty good. Its made from a couple of recycled alu beer bottles. Not sure if he is still making them. The stand is a Tatonka unit - I only use it with wider pots and pans as its rather heavy for a pot stand at 120g. Been looking at those Vango ones which would double as a wind shield.

Tim

[Yorlin]

Ah, righto, thanks!

[Farawayvisions]

We use an aluminium serving platter as a wind shield for the 22g meth stove bought here on the bearbones site. This will keep the flame focused on your pan.

You can get 4 platters for a pound at pound shops! They fold up and are pretty robust.

[Ray Young]

We use an aluminium serving platter as a wind shield for the 22g meth stove bought here on the bearbones site. This will keep the flame focused on your pan.

You can get 4 platters for a pound at pound shops! They fold up and are pretty robust.

Just what I do too :D .