Paraffin cookers

[Rigger]

Having been impressed with the shiny brass Taylor Paraffin cookers at LIBS I'm cosidering replacing my current gas stove.The safety of Paraffin over gas is obvious,but what about the hassle factor. Do they need more cleaning/servicing,and how difficult are they really to light for the first morning cuppa? (If my experiences with a paraffin Tilley lamp is anything to go by.I'd soon die of thirst!)

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[Scillypete]

I had a Taylors 028 on my previous boat for a while, so long as you have patience they are reasonable to get on with. Using a blowtorch for preheating is recommended and that was as I did it, this means you then have gas canisters onboard again albeit in small quantities. Do not lean over the appliance when lighting unless you prefer the missing eyebrow look. It is not true that you will come ashore after cooking with parafin smelling like a u-boat captain it is not that strong, but close. If you do get one always remember to tap the base of the burner (pipe leading to it) with the back of a knife or something this shakes the carbons that are building up loose and stops them from clogging the system you will not have to keep pricking it to clear it then.
All in all a good cooker if you are prepared to look after it. If you have the space get the 030 model if not the 028 the 029 is an inbetween compromise which is not worth the extra expense imho.


<hr width=100% size=1>Rather a bad day on the water than a good day at the office.

 

[johnsomerhausen]

I have used paraffin cookers since 1963 and would never feel safe with a gas cooker (as a matter of fact, the gas cooker that came with the boat I bought second-hand in Breskens in 1971 should still be found about 1 cable NE of the harboour entreance, unless they have dredged there since....). I always use alcohol to pre-heat the stove (the Tilley pre-heating cup works very well). The secret is to use a lot of alcohol and wait about 4 1/2 - 5 minutes for it all to be burned. If you use good quality fuel, the clogging will be highlly reduced and changing the nipple (or jet, if you prefer) is quite easy with the special tool (see Nigel Calder's book for instructions). Contrary to general belief, I once exstinguished a paraffin fire (I had left one burner open before pumping to get pressure) by sloshing a panful of water on it.
john

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[petery]

As another poster says, a gas blowtorch will get it alight in about 30 seconds. I reckon it boils a kettle much faster than the usual gas cooker. No thermostat on the over though.

Suggest you buy a spare complete burner from Taylors plus a spares kit. You can then service the old burner (very easy) at your leisure.

Unfortunately, they only stay shiny on the LBS stand. On a boat you'll need to get the Brasso out every week!

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[Mirelle]

There should be another gas cooker somewhere off the Whittaker Beacon; been there since 1972. I also use lots of meths for pre-heating; there is no reason not to put the kettle on as soon as you light themeths so that as it burns it heats the kettle, in which case you waste neither time nor fuel. Having an 029 I agree this is the most useless model as the so-called grilling oven does not work - fit an 030 if you can (you can bake bread in the oven!) and if not an 028. When I rebuild the galley an 030 is going in.

Always turn the fuel off at the tank when you leave the boat and you won't be bothered with smells - but be sure to turn it on before lighting the stove or you may crack a burner - see Calder.

I agree about carrying a spare burner and servicing it at leisure. You need the burner nipple key and the balancing jet key (which is a different size) as well.

Taylors figure of "1 pint runs 1 burner for 8 hours at full blast" is a good guide to how much fuel you need to carry.



<hr width=100% size=1>Que scais-je?

 

[GrahamSC]

Hi
There is an alternative parrafin two burner stove (no oven) made by Optimus
specifically for marine use. Does not require meths to start and has the so called
"silent" burners, integral self pricker in the control knob and the pump and fuel tank is built into the chassis. A great wee cooker in stainlness steel, looks just like a gas stove and I am sorry now I left it in the boat when I sold her .
I do not know if they are still manufactured but they do occasionally appear on the stove enthusists pages on the web
See the optimus pages at www.optimus.com
Regards
GrahamSC

<hr width=100% size=1>Never recovered from loss of Tot, 1974

 

[Gunfleet]

Graham - it's best if you don't guess web addresses, unless you intended to direct us to Optimus the off line editing company ;-)


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[wpsalm]

Cooked on a taylor for many years...has only one thing going for it as far as I can see looks traditional...but its definatly from the stone age and way overdue for a re-design.
Not practical for a full time liveaboard use. the cast iron top has a nice decorative patern of vent slots around the burner openings this is very handy for catching the occasional boilovers of soup or stew which then drip down on to the burners on the level below...then comes the fun of cleaning, there,s not quite enough room between the cast iron top and the burner level to admit a full sized human hand and plenty of sharp edges and hooky things so cleaning this area often involves bloodshed and curses.
as for the spare burner good idea, after afew years you ,ll eventually have a box full with spare nipples and washers and assorted other odds and ends. I bought my Taylor stove at Lighthouse marine and second hand in St. Thomas here in the Caribbean about 10 years ago paid $200. there were 6 to choose from, even back then it was a $1000.s new so thought was getting a real bargain. The one and only advantage of this type of stove is that somehow you can always get the dam thing going ,when both of the top burners are plugged up you can always boil your tea in the oven. but fuss and mess of the bloody thing...not to mention the ridiculusly high cost. surprized they,re still in busness....

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