This is a great thread...

For camping and backpacking I have an old Optimus Explorer. It's a pressurized liquid fuel stove, and it'll burn just about anything - white gas, kerosene, even alcohol. Lots of heat, reliable, simmers well, but you'd be nuts to use it inside, IMO.

For away from home emergencies I have a foldup esbit stove. Think of it as little bricks of solid sterno, except a little hotter.

At home I have a coleman propane stove that fits on top of a 16oz canister. Bought it because it was inexpensive and clean burning. It works great, but too big for a backpack.

I've experimented with making little alcohol stoves, but don't have one I like yet. I like alcohol as a fuel because it burns cleanly, doesn't have the kerosene smell, and IMO isn't as dangerous as gasoline or white gas.

Do those that carry the Trangia's like them, or are they just "ok"? I'm waffling between getting one of those, or a butane/propane canister stove like the one shown above, to take with me for field emergency work where the Optimus stove would be too much of a pain.