The perfect stove?

[jbarros]

Hi,

Let me preface this by saying I did a full forum search for "stove" which got a ton of results, but oddly enough, not a real comparison of alcohol, propane, diesel and "other" stoves. If this already exists elsewhere, please toss me a link, and then ignore this thread.

Personally, I'm a sucker for a push button ignition. (I've seen a few that don't require electricity, you just "pump" the button to generate spark, those seem awesome to me)

I know propane can blow things up if it's not properly turned off. I believe alcohol at least used to require preheating, and iirc, diesel is toxic...

So, what do you use? What do you like about it? hate about it? What do you wish you were using?

Thanks.

-- James

[wind_magic]

James,

This will sound strange, but I prefer a stove that I would not recommend to anyone else. My favorite stove to use is my white gas camping stove, it puts out a lot of heat, and for the cooking that I do which is mostly in a small pressure cooker or boiling water to eat some dried package of pasta, etc, it works very well and gets the job done quickly. I also like that it is the same stove I use camping so I have a lot of experience with it, parts for it, and it also doesn't take up very much space and can be moved so I don't have to devote space just to a stove if I don't want to. Of course without modification these stoves are completely useless on a boat that isn't sitting perfectly still on calm water. This rarely affects me, oddly enough, because single handing I never seem to be cooking anywhere except in calm water, the rest of the time I am eating whatever food I already have prepared or something out of a package that is already cooked, or cooking things that only require boiling water which takes like 2 minutes and I can just stand there holding the pot with one hand while it heats up. I really would not recommend these stoves, they are not made for boat use and are a PITA to use on a boat, really, I just like mine a lot, the trekker in me I guess! There is one stove I like even more than the camping stove and that is my electric hot plate, but that requires too much electricity to use without shore power. I use these two stoves daily.

[mitiempo]

My choice is a Force 10 stainless steel propane stove, 3 top burners, oven with grill, electric ignition with AA battery which lasts years. Have had alcohol both pressure and non pressure, don't like the smell, low heat, price, and danger issues (if it's pressure). Have had kerosene in the past but does require preheating. Diesel is only an option really in a cool climate as it heats the boat up too much, but if in northern climes it could be a good choice. Propane is quick, easy to use, available everywhere (as outside Canada and US it is the fuel everybody uses) and safe if treated properly with a sniffer, solenoid, draining locker and regular line check. There isn't much to go wrong really in a good installation as the only connection outside of the self draining locker is at the stove. Mine doesn't have the glass oven door shown but is the same otherwise.
Brian

[jbarros]

Wind_magic,

I spend a little time myself over 12,000 ft, so I've got plenty of experience with white gas. If I never have to use a white gas stove again, I'll be ok with that

-- James

[wind_magic]

Followup, Mitiempo's excellent post reminded me of some things. Another reason I like using my camp stove is that I don't always cook on the boat, I also cook in the cockpit, on shore, etc, so it is nice that the stove is portable. When I am cooking on the boat I am usually cooking on whatever flat surface is available at the time, then I just put the stove away when I am done with it. I do not use an oven on board, I prefer to make quick breads and such things in the pressure cooker, and I do my real baking in a dutch oven on shore. I am hoping to add a grill, CD gave me some recommendations and thoughts, but I haven't made time yet to get one, maybe next spring. I do also have a skillet that I use for roasting seeds and the like, and I am planning to get a cast waffle iron for waffles.

Edit - James, you know what I'm talking about then. Those stoves can be a PITA, almost makes you not want to cook sometimes!

[Garffin]

Thanks wind magic you have said what I have been thinking now I am going to do it. Dan

[mitiempo]

If you want a portable stove for the cockpit, beach, etc here's one that would work well I think.
Brian

[Faster]

We DO have the glass oven door version of the Force 10 - it's a great little stove for all the reasons Brian cited.

We too have been down the wick alcohol & pressurized alcohol route in the past and would not go back. We managed to get around the fuminess of the alcohol preheat routine, and used a pressurized stove for some years on the premise it was safer... in the end we started spending more on stove alcohol than almost any other supply for cruising. Changed to propane and never looked back.

[roline]

I went with the force 10 2 burner with broiler. As much as I wanted the oven, I compromised saving the stowage space. I had to make new front panels and fit them in, I used the old door overagain. Pic below is while fitting the front panel.

[tdw]

We put in a Force 10 (two burner with oven and grill) a year or so back.

To be honest I am slightly disappointed with it. Overall quality is not an issue and I reckon it will probably outlive me but the grill is rubbish and the burner adjustment is way less than perfect.

I also find the the pot holders are not terribly effective.

We had a Plastimo on our previous boat and while it was not all stainless steel so not likely to last as long as the F10 it was nicer to use and half the price. Oh yes, and the potholders worked perfectly.

(Grill - I think you Americans call that a broiler perhaps ? I'm referring to the top element/burner inside the oven.)

ps - just saw Roline's post so Broiler it is. Me I find the oven indispensible although I am playing around with some of that French cast iron casseroles and it maybe that they remove the overiding need for an oven. That is unless you want to do some baking.