Spirit stoves

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holly1

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Due to the cost and hassle of getting my gas system renewed and certified i am thinking about replacing with an Origo twin burner. What does the panel think , will i be dissapointed with its performance can i get spirit easily ? thanks in advance.
 
The performance isn't bad, but ordinary meths stinks and makes your eyes run. If only used intermittently there is some wastage as the spirit tends to evaporate between use (over a week, say). I expect someone will tell you where you get meths; I got industrial from a friendly pharmacist.
 
It shouldn't evaporate over a week. I boiled a kettle on my origo last sunday, and it has definitely not been used or topped up since October, and there is plenty of 'go' left in it. There will be some evaporation for sure, but if the sliding metal lid over the burner is a close fit, this should minimise it.

They're not perfect, but they are simple and mostly trouble free, and do a pretty good job with virtually nil maintainance.

Suits me

Tim
 
[ QUOTE ]
can i get spirit easily

[/ QUOTE ] Legally all you can get to use in this country is the familiar blue methylated spirit (officially now called "completely denatured alcohol", or CDA) Some people do find the smell and the fumes unpleasant though.

All you could want to know about denatured alcohol and loads you wont want to know
<span style="color:white"> .................................... </span> HERE
 
I had read many times on these forums that Origo were marvellous, fast, safe, etc. but I had never used one until recently. What a disappointment! Filling it was a pain, lighting it needed matches about 6 inches long, the fumes off the thing were unbearable and it took an age to boil a kettle. Added to which of course, no grill or oven. Definitely not for me.
 
Re meths I have had an Origo since 1999 and like it.Its simple and safe and my experience is that in a properly ventilated boat there is virtually no smell except when refueling it which can be done outside.

Meths cost about £1.50 to 2.00 /half liter in the UK which will last you a couple of weekends.

To stop it evaporating you canbuy plastic sealing caps from force 4 chandlery that seal the tanks when your not using them.

With the gimbals and pan holders its ideal for us.Only downside is the lack of a grill.

grub.jpg
 
Have an Origo since several years, and I'm fully happy with it.
There are various qualities of fuel available here in Spain, some of them pretty smelly, other not at all.
 
I recently removed the bulky gas locker from my small trailer sailer and installed an Origo. It's fine for weekending, especially as we mostly eat out. It's great to have the whole cockpit back!

Mine came with little rubber mats that you place over the spirit tanks to prevent evaporation.
 
From previous posts ( do a search) it seems you either love them or hate them. I love mine. A few points. They come with rubber sealing mats to stop evaporation if not going to be used for some time. Don't attempt to light with matches, get a long thin gas lighter, one from the pound shop lasts all year.
It does take slightly longer to boil a kettle than gas, what's the hurry?
When I have the frying pan on I still need to turn it down so there is plenty of heat there.
As for filling.... What is difficult about it???
Last time I bought a litre bottle of meths it cost about £12.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Last time I bought a litre bottle of meths it cost about £12.

[/ QUOTE ]

Is that a typo? We pay less than £2 for a half litre bottle either in the corner shop or in Wilkinsons.I got some stuff from France at about one euro/litre but it smelled so wont bother again.
 
Its cheap to buy and run, its a 'bit' smelly but it won't blow you up. get one of those long gas cooker lighter things rather than bothering with matches and you will be content. Finding perfection on a boat is tricky but exploding is quite far from my idea of tranquility. Go for it unless you spend a lot of nights aboard in which case the risk of exploding may in your view be worth it !
 
[ QUOTE ]
I did think £12 was a tad expensive

[/ QUOTE ] £2.48 for 500cc in B&Q

Because it is highly flammable the application of the regulations that apply to storage of highly flammable liquids will probably mean most shops will not stock bottles larger than 500cc. Does not mean larger are unobtainable though.
 
I had one on the Etap I sold recently. I agree with all the good things said above. When I lived in France I used alcool brulee (sp?). In the UK I used Meths. I found Meths smells when cooking but Alcool smells when not in use. We used to cover the cooker with a damp teacloth at night in France. I used to decant whatever liquid I was using into a small (half litre?) container and using a small funnel, fill from the top. This is against the advice given in the manual but I never had a problem. Half a bottle in each (cold) burner.
Allan
 
What always surprises me is that people reject the safety and convenience of a properly installed gas system and opt for the inconvenience of a meths burner and the hazards of keeping bottles of a highly flammable liquid on board.
 
First thing I did when I bought my boat two years ago was to replace my gas cooker and bought an old origo from EBAY. Got more locker space, in the cockpit where the gas bottle used to be and no worries about Gas leaks especially worrying given that its heavier than air and settling in the bilge.

The smell doesnt bother us at all as we always cook in a well ventilated boat.

If you dont like it youcan always sell it on. There is a large demand as the boats on the Norfolk Broads are gradually having to pass very stringent gas tests.

Compass24 were doing the double burners for about £130 or so recently. BARGAIN
 
<<< What always surprises me is that people reject the safety and convenience of a properly installed gas system and opt for the inconvenience of a meths burner and the hazards of keeping bottles of a highly flammable liquid on board. >>>

Exactly so. I have used gas systems on every boat I ever owned, going back well over 20 years now. I never had the slightest problem with any of them. The vast majority of boats I see around me all have gas cookers. It is extremely rare for any of them to have a problem, and in every case I ever read of, where there has been an explosion or fire it was the result of some sort of maintenance or equipment cock-up.

I have cooked on paraffin extensively, in a succession of camper vans. If forced not to use gas that is what I would choose as an alternative. However, I appreciate that the only paraffin cookers available are horrendously expensive. Just to emphasise the point that I am not blinkered but base my words on considerable experience of alternative fuel types.
 
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