Alcohol galley stoves - worth the money?

Ben_e_Toe

Ben_e_Toe

Well-Known Member
Joined
2 Sep 2004
Messages
127
Location
Cardiff, Wales, UK
Visit site
I want to install a simple galley stove in my 26 footer, but don't have any existing gas 'plumbing' let alone a 'separate, externally vented cupboard to store the bottle'.

So doing the sums of gas stove, plus CORGI fitter, plus pipes, flexible joints, container etc. - the £200 Origo stove looks a good value alternative.

Any comments from Alcohol stove owners welcome? If you have previously installed one, would you do so again or are you disappointed with its performance in the cooking/boiling department?
 
I installed an Origo and am very pleased with it.

Easy to install no gas to sort out. Cooks quickly. Add 10% water to meths to stop soot and smell or buy frencg Stove fuel .


origo.jpg
 
Just put one in my mates Centaur - very similar installation to Jimbuoy's - looks like the same boat! He loves it and finds it just as quick as his old gas cooker, which had the bottle attached direct. Adding a little water, as Jimbuoy says, will reduce the sooting on pans. Origo units are well made and simple to install.
 
Certainly has the attraction of simplicity; have you had it long enough to form any opinions on running costs compared with gas?

Also, what about that essential feature of the British diet - toast? Can it do it?
 
We have had one since 1999 its ok for us but mostly we only do weekend cruises .If regularilly aboard for weeks on end I would go for gas.

Re doing toast we put two slices in a dry frying pan and it works fine.or You can use the folding metal things from camping shops.

The big plus is that it is extremely safe.The fuel is held soaked into cotton material inside the tank so wouldnt leak out even if upside down.Meths fire can be extinguished with water.In bright light its hard to see the flame so I put my hand over the burner to ensure it is completely out.

A half liter of meths costs about "£1.50 from our corner shop and lasts a weekend with a bit left over.

Very big plus point is the complete lack of pipework, bottle lockers etc etc. Smell has never been noticeable in our well ventilated cabin If you cooked with the wash boards in then it would be noticeable but who does?
V3.jpg
 
No grill so bacon must be fried. I've become used to that. Cooking speed is probably a bit slower than gas but the heat is adjustable and results are fine. I wounldn't get rid of mine in a hurry. You can get an oven too, reports are mixed and they are not widely stocked, I've yet to see one on Ebay. If anyone has one they don't want...?

An advantage that is less widely known, and may not often apply to sailing boats, is that the Boat Safety Scheme ignores them.
 
We put one in our Macwester and it was a joy to get rid of the gas. The downside is they don't cook nearly as quickly, but this is only an issue when you are boiling water rather than frying or simmering stuff. British meths gives off a nasty sweet smell that adds to sea sickness so we stocked up on the french stuff which is fantastic.
 
Had one on previous boat, and no problems whatsoever. True, it is a bit slower boiling a kettle than gas, but to do a fry up, it is fine. Toast is no problem, and rather than using those wire contraptions from camping shops, we used a dry frying pan.

I am currently debating about upgrading the gas system on the current boat, and am fast coming to the conclusion that I may well be investing in another Origo...just don't like gas on board!
 
We had one fitted as O/E on a NB Venturer.....

.. a few years ago.

Bloody thing - hated it. It had a habit of flaring up just as you wanted all hands in the cockpit to tack. Wasn't an Origo though.

When we eventually converted to gas I kept the spirit stove in the garage until I found someone I disliked sufficiently to pass it on to them!

Some people think that they are the best thing since sliced bread though. If you go down this route use French "Alcool a Bruler" rather than meths.

Steve Cronin
 
It's my first stove of any sort so I can;t compare. But a standard half litre bottle covers feeding 3 fat sailors for 3 days/nights no problem.

I replaced a swinging bomb in a Centaur and it was a quick and easy replacement.

Purple Meths does have a slightly acrid smell to it which is much reduced by adding 10% water. The French stuff is far better and actually smells nice.... it's like cooking with brandy!!


I would 100% recommend an Origo.


Jim
 
Re: We had one fitted as O/E on a NB Venturer.....

[ QUOTE ]
.. a few years ago.

Bloody thing - hated it. It had a habit of flaring up just as you wanted all hands in the cockpit to tack. Wasn't an Origo though.

Steve Cronin

[/ QUOTE ] That is the beauty of the Origo though Steve, they don't flare up!
 
Re: We had one fitted as O/E on a NB Venturer.....

[ QUOTE ]
.. a few years ago.

Bloody thing - hated it. It had a habit of flaring up just as you wanted all hands in the cockpit to tack. Wasn't an Origo though.

Steve Cronin


[/ QUOTE ] Our Origo has never flared up in 7 years of use.Its hard to see how it could unless you overfilled the tank or something.

As the fuel is not pressurised I have never had any safety worries apart from making absolutely sure its out after use as our chart table slides over it when the cookers not in use.

We allways carefully put a hand over the burner to confirm its not still on low as in bright sunlight it can be hard to see.
 
Re: We had one fitted as O/E on a NB Venturer.....

Thanks for the advice, it seems the only drawback is the queezy smell. Is a 10% water mix the only way to clear that or can you add anything else to reduce the odour?
 
Re: We had one fitted as O/E on a NB Venturer.....

10% water is free and works with very little reduction in heat. IMO, no doubt the technical out there can get all mathmatical on me to say other wise.

But ya best bet is a trip to france for a load of their 90% stuff.

Jim
 
Re: We had one fitted as O/E on a NB Venturer.....

Ive tried the origo and their heat pal the fule containers being full of cotten certainly stops flareups and makes the heater and cooker very safe.

When i tried cooking on one i was amazed just how quickly it did cook,not as fast as gas but no big difference,i almost bought a secondhand one in Sweden,amazingly the expensive S/H shop was selling it at a fair price!

I still cook with gas and now propane!Since i found a propane "cube" and always turn the gas off at the bottel when finished.

I dident buy one becouse of the price! Once you have the cooker you need the fiddles and perhaps the gimbals altoghther very expensive!But very safe

Sometime ago compass were discounting the origo might be worth looking at there site. I used to use parrafin over time i had two stoves and i replaced both with gas,but alcohol is far less temprimental unless you try re lighting it while its still hot!!!!
 
Same comments as other I would recommend it. Ease of installation is a bonus. Gimbals and pan holders do seem a bit expensive for what they are.
Try a search of forums for Origo, loads of discussion on here before about them.
 
Re: We had one fitted as O/E on a NB Venturer.....

We had one on our last boat and found it quite effective. The meths does cost more than gas, but it would take years to repay the extra cost of a gas installation from scratch.

If you can find a hardware store that sells meths is larger quantities you will save a few bob.

One thing I would recommend is that you get one of those gas filled lighters that looks like a normal piezo cooker lighter but has a small flame. You end up with burnt fingers trying to light the meths with a match!

Our new boat gas a good gas installation with a grill and we do prefer this for lack of smell, speed and a grill though
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top