SailNet Community banner
  • SailNet is a forum community dedicated to Sailing enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about sailing, modifications, classifieds, troubleshooting, repairs, reviews, maintenance, and more!

Origo Alcohol Stovetop Alternatives

20K views 88 replies 25 participants last post by  paulinnanaimo  
#1 ·
My boat came equipped with a Kenyon kerosene oven and stovetop, and I'd like to get rid of it and replace it with something else. I like the Origo units, but apparently they're all discontinued and nobody else seems to sell a unit that works off of denatured alcohol as these do. (Perhaps they're outlawed?) I don't really want to find space for or invest in a propane locker. Does anyone have any good ideas for this? TIA

p.s. Attempts to find a used Origo have not yet turned up anything.
 
#2 ·
We did the same thing with the Kenyon stove on our old boat. We ended up just replacing it with a couple of cheap portable butane stoves. Butane has far more heat output than alcohol, and the fuel canisters are readily available. They are small enough that if one leaks there won't be enough fuel released to be hazardous. The added advantage is that we could take the stoves off the boat and cook on the dock, the beach, or wherever. And if you don't need them you can put them away and clear up counter space in the galley.

Sent from my SM-G960W using Tapatalk
 
#7 · (Edited)
We did the same thing with the Kenyon stove on our old boat. We ended up just replacing it with a couple of cheap portable butane stoves.
This looks like a reasonable solution. How long do you find the butane canisters last?

This dual-burner butane/propane cooktop looks like it might fit the bill. It's certainly cheap enough.
 
#5 · (Edited)
Thanks! I'm really looking for at least the two-burner 3000 model (if not the oven unit 6000 model), but I appreciate you looking.

Edit: I do have a one-burner electric induction cooktop from the previous owner but I'm leery of how much juice they might require while at anchor. I only have one house battery and one starter battery.
 
#4 ·
I will give you my Origo when you pry it from my cold dead hands :)

I have all kinds of conspiracy theories about what happened there, but none are supported by evidence so I will keep them to myself.

You could check out Trangia stoves. Not as good for marine use as Origo's but nice little alcohol stoves non the less. Not sure if they have a model that would be suitable for your needs. I have one I use for sea kayaking and it is hot! Boils a liter of water in about 4 minutes.
 
#10 ·
butane stove..... They burn hotter than alcohol, and self contained and East to store. Fuel it readily available too.
That is not strictly true. Typical Butane camp stove burners are typically around 4500 BTUs. Larger fixed type Butane stoves are in the 11,000 BTU range but burn through small cartridges extremely quickly. Origo stove burners are 6800 BTUs. Once you go the larger cartridges, they should be stored in the same way that you store propane. I had a butane stove two boats back and it was very expensive to operate which is how I became an Origo convert.

Jeff
 
#11 ·
If you go with butane you likely aren't doing much more than making coffee and hot dogs. Which is fine, if that's all you want, but if you go that route I would go with a high efficiency system like a Jetboil which uses an isobutane/propane blend. Much more efficient and will work in cooler weather.
 
#12 ·
Coffee and hotdogs? I'm not sure why you would say that. Anything you can cook on a propane or alcohol burner you can cook on a butane burner.

A friend of mine had an Origo stove on his boat, and I wasn't impressed with it. It seemed slow to boil water, and didn't regulate very well. Not sure what all the fuss is about them other than avoiding installing a propane system.

Sent from my SM-G960W using Tapatalk
 
#13 · (Edited)
Not saying you can't cook other things on a butane stove. But if you try cooking 3 meals a day for 2 or 3 weeks on one I would expect to go through a pile of cartidges

The rumpurs about Origo stoves not being hot are greatly exagerated. I have run several tests, with a timer in freezing temperatures. They are about the same speed as a propane stove of equivalent BTU rating :)
 
#17 ·
You might even have a buyer for it![emoji6]

Certainly using disposable butane (or propane) canisters is not ideal. They are a compromise, just like Origos are.

If you expect to do a lot of cooking every day for weeks, then a more permanent solution would be worthwhile. If you don't want to put in a propane system, why not just run a propane hose to your transom and hang a propane tank on the pushpit? It doesn't look pretty, but it is simple and will give you plenty of fuel to play chef!

Sent from my SM-G960W using Tapatalk
 
#22 · (Edited)
I just wish I had the 3000 instead of the 6000. I have never fired up the oven and probably never will.
I use a 14 inch cast iron dutch oven on my 5100. Can bake cake, cookies flat bread. Also use it for chillies, stews, curries. Sometimes carry stove and pot up to a picnic table to get the heat off the boat. Can simmer a chilli or stew all day on it.

Wife also does ham stuffed peppers, roasts and lasagna in it.
 

Attachments

#20 ·
A fellow compared a two burner propane camp stove with an Origo 2 burner. He found the Origo boiled a pot of water in 2/3rds the time it took for the propane stove. Didn't give the BTU output of the camp stove but bet it was not a large burner. Still not bad performance for the energy deficient alcohol.
 
#28 ·
I'm looking for a 3000 or 6000 and there aren't any on eBay at the moment. Based on the prices I've seen for 1500s, I'm also guessing they go for exorbitant prices when they do show up. I'll be keeping my eyes open though.
 
#24 ·
We didn’t have space for a propane locker and were lucky enough to buy an Origo 6000 before they discontinued. We cook 3 meals a day on it, including boiling water for coffee and even using a pressurized milk steamer. it takes no time at all and temp regulation for my fabulous cooking wife was no issue. She is VERY pleased with it. A gallon of alcohol last us a couple of weeks using it daily.

If it were me, I’d hold out for a used one and if you give up on that I reckon I’d find a way to deal with the propane locker.
 
#26 ·
We didn't have space for a propane locker and were lucky enough to buy an Origo 6000 before they discontinued. We cook 3 meals a day on it, including boiling water for coffee and even using a pressurized milk steamer. it takes no time at all and temp regulation for my fabulous cooking wife was no issue. She is VERY pleased with it. A gallon of alcohol last us a couple of weeks using it daily.

If it were me, I'd hold out for a used one and if you give up on that I reckon I'd find a way to deal with the propane locker.
Is that a personal opinion or a factual one.

I wouldn't want to risk that one?
 
#29 ·
It is amazing that decades ago, the U.S. Coast Guard deemed alcohol as being the only safe cook fuel to use on a boat...as the flame could be extinguished with water. They also said LPG was far to dangerous to use on a boat. For alcohol, they over looked the fact that the flame is very clear and at times hard to see and the flame is cold compared to mineral spirits or propane so one is exposed to a cooking flame for a much longer period than with the other fuels. When I had a boat with an alcohol stove, I quickly bought the burners for mineral spirits. They are the same threads so the alcohol burners were tossed in the trash and the mineral spirits burner screwed in. Still, alcohol had to be used to preheat the mineral spirits burners same as with the alcohol burners. So if you really want to regress with a stove fuel, unscrew your mineral spirits burners and screw in some new alcohol burners.....if they can be found.
 
#32 ·
#33 ·
FYI, I've come across the company "Compass24" based in Europe that seems to make a clone of the Origo 3000. (Perhaps they bought the rights to it, not sure) They don't have an option on their site to ship to the US, but I've sent them an email asking if they'd be willing to.
https://www.compass24.com/comfort/pantry-grill-oven/stoves/150526/alcohol-stove-double-burner

There's also a company called "CleanCook" out of Sweden that makes a similar item:
Products ? Cleancook Sweden AB
Compass24 looks like they're selling actual Origo products. Maybe they still have some left in stock. Or maybe they just haven't updated their website.

The CleanCook stove seems kinda cool, but it doesn't look like they sell directly. They seem to want to encourage entrepreneurship (and cleaner air) in developing countries. Wouldn't it be a thing if sailors ended up ordering Swedish stoves with parts manufactured in South Africa and assembled and marketed from Kenya.
 
#37 · (Edited)
It appears that Dometic sold the Origo product line to Cleancook, which is an NGO selling a less expensive version into the 3rd world cheap. Dometic is still listed as a partner.

Dometic Group President of Product Management and Innovation Mattias Nordin states: "We are very pleased that Dometic Group will remain an active partner in this important work through our continued supply of key materials to the stoves. CLEANCOOK Sweden AB has been established by former employees and I am proud that we have found an innovative solution to give these important products an opportunity to continue to address the global need even though they are not a core part of Dometic Group's business. I am also proud of Ted Ă–rbrink and Robert Sagulin who have dedicated their knowledge, skills and efforts to establishing CLEANCOOK Sweden AB. I wish them great success."

Sounds like Dometic is huge and Origo was tiny and not glitzy enough. I'll guess OEM sales had fallen to zero. I have not seen one on a new boat in a good while; the portable propane stoves are what I see in new small sailboats.

CLEANCOOK Sweden AB acquires Dometic?s alcohol fuel stove business division ? Cleancook Sweden AB

Unfortunately, that probably means limited parts availability. Since the canister for the new stoves is the same, it seems they will remain available.
 
#39 ·
Every single new boat I seen at the boat shows over the years have had propane systems installed. I think that is a minimum expectation unless it is a stripped out race boat. Modern hull designs with their beam carried all the way aft have so much more space to install a propane locker than older designs it is a no-brainer. Of all my friend's with boats the only one I know of that came with an Origo from the factory was a 1990's Olson 911.

I think it is great that there is an NGO producing them for the 3rd world. Alcohol is cheap, renewable, and can even be made locally. If there is still a market for them in the Yachting community perhaps they will make a premium version to satisfy that market and use the extra profits to subsidize the charitable side of the operation.

Somehow I think that if there was still a significant market for them among yachties Dometic might have held on to the premium product rather than walking away from it altogether.

Sent from my SM-G960W using Tapatalk
 
#48 ·
That’s because it was not a vented system. Most on board propane systems are equipped with a safety solenoid as well as the propane kept in a locker where it can vent overboard . What you had was an explosion waiting to happen.

The little bombs valves can get stuck open and could cause the propane to leak into the bilge with no way out to later be ignited.
 
#70 ·
That's because it was not a vented system. Most on board propane systems are equipped with a safety solenoid as well as the propane kept in a locker where it can vent overboard . What you had was an explosion waiting to happen.

The little bombs valves can get stuck open and could cause the propane to leak into the bilge with no way out to later be ignited.
Absolutely right. I'm sure that the portable camp stoves are fine out in the open air, on a picnic table, etc. But there is a reason that a proper propane installation on a boat is done the way it is.
 
#51 ·
All this stemmed from my comment that having a portable butane stove in the cabin was not a big concern, and I stand by that. When you are done with the stove you flick a lever and the bottle disengages from the stove and the bottle has it's own valve that seals. If that valve does not seal and it leaks slowly it is a small amount of fuel.

I am not advocating storing mass quantities of extra fuel in the cabin. Extra bottles can go in a mesh bag on the rail, in an exterior locker, even the anchor Locker if you like.

On the ignition source discussion....I don't know what kind of bilge pumps other people have, but I have only ever seen submersible pumps used as bilge pumps. If they are water tight, they are air tight too. Certainly not an ignition source. That's not to say that defective wiring or motors cant become an ignition source, but it certainly isn't something worth panicking over.

I understand people want to be safe, but at a certain point you just need to look at probabilities and get a grip.

Sent from my SM-G960W using Tapatalk
 
#53 · (Edited)
I have addressed the question of 'small amount of fuel' in my previous post.

As for ignition sources: it is correct that most pumps IN the bilge are probably centrifugal and sealed (until they become faulty). But there are many other pumps on board, e.g. diaphragm bilge pumps, fresh water pump, etc. And of course many other sources of ignition, like static electricity, motors, ...

You dismiss defective wiring. This happens to be the cause of nearly half (41%) of all boat fires https://www.boatus.com/seaworthy/magazine/2015/october/boat-fires.asp

If you are happy with these probabilities, good for you.
 
#56 ·
I have never said that fuels should not be treated with respect. I simply said that I have successfully used portable butane stoves for many years and that I consider them safe and reliable. In all those years I never had one leak. If one does leak, a propane detector would warn you just as it would with propane.

Calling them "bomb bottles" is just over the top hyperbole. That kind of thing is not helpful.

I don't know what the statistics are, but I would be interested to know, of all the gas explosions on boats, how many of them were a result of leaking propane systems, how many were disposable 1lb propane bottles, ( I have had a few of those leak after taking them off the bbq), and how many were 220gram butane canisters? My guess is the vast majority were defective propane systems because the volume of fuel is just so much higher.

So, store the extra bottles in a safe place. Disengage the fuel when you are done cooking. If you are worried about leaks open the little door and check it, or if you are really paranoid thow it in the cockpit for the night.

It is always a good idea to have a co detector and a gas detector on board.

Butane stoves are perfectly safe.


That's all I have to say about that.

Sent from my SM-G960W using Tapatalk
 
#59 ·
#57 ·
I guess the insurance adjuster for the surveyors are we over cautious.

simply said that I have successfully used portable butane stoves for many years and that I consider them safe and reliable. In all those years I never had one leak. If one does leak, a propane detector would warn you just as it would with propane.

See this is the same reasoning my cooks Years ago used to give me for allowing their stuff to cool at room temperature ......no one ever got sick.

You only get to have one violent explosion or episode of true food poisoning. The preventative safety measures are usually for the one off situations you hope never occur. On our boat it’s safety first. No need for any preventable risks.

Not trying to convince you as you are set in you ways. Just presenting the facts just like Mast did.
Carry on....enough said on this