Alcohol Stoves - What are they like?

[scottb34300]

Hi basically the question is in the title: Alcohol Stoves - What are they like?

Do they smell? Do they cook fast? Just general experiences or hear-say will do.

Many thanks,

Scott.

 

[jimbouy]

Scott,

I have recently installed the Origo 2 burner. In fairness I haven't used it a great deal.

But it boils the kettle with in 5 or 6 minutes and makes a bloody good Bacon sandwich.

As for smell.... well it smells a bit when you have the burners un covered and unlit. So obviously you fill em up in the cockpit and use the rubber covers when not in use.

There's a faint whiff of something when a light. But IMHO no worse than the smell butane has when that's a light.

I actually obtained a license from C&E to buy industrial meths. Which is meths without the dye and i believe this reduces the smell and the soot. BUT I can't find anyone who will supply me in small quantities.

You'll find people either love em or hate em. The main reason I went down that path was that you fit the stove and away you go. No gas install no corgi cert for the insurance.

Jimbouy

 

[Hoilung]

I'm also thinking of fitting an Origo stove - can you grill your scran with them or is it out with the trusty frying-pan?

 

[BlueChip]

We had one years ago, they are expensive to run, smell horrible, create fumes that make people feel sick and burn with a colourless flame so SWMBO was always burning herself. Apart from that they are ok.

 

[Razorfish]

I've been using an Origo 2 burner for a year and think its great. Granted, its not the same as a full oven and hob but then I just don't have the room for one. Can't say I ever notice a smell when alight and it always seems to supply plenty of heat. Actually I've just come home from the boat having used the cooker today to make tea etc and realized that I hadn't filled it up since last autumn. This indicates that evaporation isn't a problem either.

Before anyone mentions it...toast: we use a dry frying pan which works ok.

Basically, its horses for courses, for a small boat with limited room and if you don't want the hassels of gas then the Origo is fine. If you've got the room for a oven and hob and have room for a gas locker then it would be another matter.

By the way Compass24 were selling them for about £140.

Hope that helps.

 

[Spyro]

There's been a lot of discussion before on these, try a search for "origo" you'll find plenty. I think it's true you either love them or hate them. (I love mine)
Anyone who says the flame is invisible needs their eyes testing. As for cost meths is relatively cheap if you can by it in 5 litre containers.
The cheapest place to find the Origo 2 burner is compass24.com, they were doing an offer with a free set of pan holders.
IMHO in a small boat with limited space and no dedicated gas locker they are hard to beat.

 

[Viking]

Re: Alcohol Stoves - What are they like? OK!

Had two had no problems. Her-in-doors like cooking on it. One in the UK with the purple methes did smell a bit more then the red we have over here. BUT if you add 5%-10% water to the methes ei. fill the container to the top. Not only does it last longer it also stops the smell and any fumes.

 

[graham]

We have had an Origo for 5 years ,very pleased with it. even in the small cabin of our 22 footer the smell has not been noticeable except when refuelling(which could be done outside)

A £1.30 half litre bottle of meths from our corner shop lasts more than a weekend. Very safe but no grill or oven on ours.

If its a sailing boat then get the gimballs and pan holders.Worth there weight in gold.

 

[simonfraser]

i have a small portable gas stove with disposable cartridge, cheap enuf if you don't cook 24/7

 

[Velorum]

In my old 30' cruiser I had a 2 burner origo in the galley and also the single burner 'heat pal' model. Both performed faultlessly over a number of years and were great at heating the boat up. I found that the key to keeping smells to a minimum was using good quality meths - I used to buy 5lt bottles of Bartone (I think that was what it was called) from a hardwear store in Reading. I once bought some cheap stuff in Teddington, it stank the boat out and made my eyes run! A friend fitted the 2 burner model as a replacement for gas on my recommendation and was very cross about the fumes/smell - turned out that he had bought the cheapest meths he could find! Someone on the moorings bought a new 'Binliner' a few years ago and this was fitted with an Origo as original equipment (I think that a lot of American MB's were at the time). He bought some 'denatured alcohol' in France and said that it worked great - no smell at all due to the lack of dye. I tried to get some here but no luck. My current boat has a gas installation but if it ever needed work I would happliy ditch it in favour of one of these.

 

[DavidWilb]

We replaced a gas stove with the ORIGO 2 burner as we could not easily fix a draining locker. No problems at all, very efficient. We use Alcohol de Bruler which we buy very cheaply on French trips. It functions best when the 'reservoirs' are full. Very little smell. The Compass deal was the best we could find.

 

[kds]

Brilliant - see earlier postings.
Ken

 

[tugela]

I fitted an origo 3000 twin burner last year - blinkin' brilliant. Cooks fast and can't blow you to kingdom come.

Have just picked up enough alcohol de bruler in Auchan calais for at least a year's heavy use for £12 - £4 a gallon. This smells (but only just) sweet and warming.

After trying paraffin and gas I'd never go back.....

 

[Crunluath]

I am pretty happy with our Origo 3000. It was installed because of my wife's distrust of gas after I nearly blew up our caravan on a cross channel ferry! It also overcomes the insurance problems. We do not have space for an oven so I am happy with two burners.
Running costs are probably higher than gas and there is a minor smell issue.
Where can you get meths in larger quantities than 500mls? My cheapest source for the latter is Wilkinsons at £1.19 last year.

 

[jimbouy]

No grill, I'm afraid.


Jimbouy

 

[Andrew_Fanner]

Immune to Boat Safety Scheme (so far). Lack of grill is a pain, but you get over it. There is an oven available but opinion seems split on its usefulness, and its pricey.

 

[Ruffles]

Not strictly relevant but I sailed to Spain in a boat with a twin burner primus stove that was primed with meths. Ever since then the smell of meths or paraffin makes me seasick.

Rob.

 

[Colvic Watson]

We love it. We bought a boat with twin gas bottles and no gas locker or drain - flippin time bomb.

Amongst all the other things said, you can carry it into the cockpit, put a griddle on top and hey presto - it's a BBQ

 

[Spuddy]

C & E licence

Is getting a licence feasible for man in the street?
I hadn't looked into it but assumed that it would be too much hassle. What's the procedure jimbuoy? Maybe educational suppliers would be suitable for small quantities after all the chemistry teachers I know don't drink a lot of it.