You would be suprised... <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />



Seriously, it's not too bad with mulitple wicks. About 14 minutes.

Even less with a can of EcoFuel or Sterno. <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

is this the pocket cooker you are looking for?

pocket cooker link

Those who have been on this forum for a long time know I've done a LOT of experimenting with stoves, etc.

Looks like all the essential information has been covered in the other posts on this thread. It's worth repeating that Esbit is NOT Hexamine, which is very toxic, has toxic fumes and residue, DOES deteriorate dramatically with age, and should never be used indoors (if anywhere).

A year or so ago during Isobel I ended up making a hobo stove out of a coffee can to use Sterno to boil water when the power went out. That was so ineffective that I've since bought 3 of the Esbit stoves, one of which lives in a kitchen drawer. There's this awkward period after the lights go out, and you have no idea how long it's going to be, and don't know if it's worth breaking out the heavier gear (I have a kerosene (Alpaca) cookstove that works like a space heater and is usable indoors). If the power goes out in the evening or at night, the awkward period probably includes the morning coffee/tea time... and you might even be going to work that day, power or no, which also argues against taking the time to break out "serious" gear. The Esbit works very well for this in-between stage, when you're not yet committed to the long haul. I've also sent them to family members for blackout use.

Backpacking and hiking I usually carry one of the little Pepsi-can stoves these days- can't beat it for weight- but I do keep Esbits in various kits. Can't beat the Esbits for convenience.

I think you'd be surprised at the shelf life. As kids we used to use these things to power model steam engines, and I never remember any deteriorating, even when I used them 10 years later. I use them occasionallly now to power model Stirling engines for demo purposes. Having something that's (relatively) safe to use indoors can be a real advantage.

They are, however, as you noted, very sensitive to even a slight breeze. It's well worthwhile to take the effort to shield the stove well.

Trusbx:

That is the pocket cooker I purchased from Cabela's quite a while ago. Cabela's no longer sells them.

I has found the site you show a long time ago, but they are retailers, and I am looking to determine the manufacturer. If you notice, it says "not available" on that site.

It is a marvel of engineering, and if I could find the manufacturer I would attempt to buy a couple hundred for resale at "flea" markets in the Wisconsin area.

I have gone through Global Sources, Alibaba, Thomas register, and direct searchs using the "Pocket Cooker" name and have come up with some retailers, but no one that knows the actual manufacturer, only the name of their distributors. As I said before, I tried the distributor route and found the prices too high for reselling in the venue that I would sell.

I understand Singapore is a very Capitolistic city with loads of industry and industry representatives. Is there any chance you could find out who manufacturers this stove?

Thanks for any help you can throw my way.

Bountyhunter

I found out this summer that a 20 YO fuel tab will burn just exactly long enough to cook a package of Ramen noodles. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
gino

this is from a poster on plainsman's



Don't know how good the lead is though.....

Trusbx:

I have also found that thread and followed it up. The company is a retailer, and they do not know who the manufacturer is.

Thanks for the lead, but I think I have pretty well exhausted the webs ability to track down the manufacturer.

I was hoping you might know some high powered contacts in Singapore that could shed some light on who actually makes these things, and where.

With my selling ability in some areas (I am lousy at selling new cars, but excel in used cars as well as things I believe in.) I think I could do quite well on the flea market circuit with those stoves.

Thanks!

Bountyhunter

Is Hexamine the military heating tabs???
<img src="/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />
As soon as I got some, I lit up some in the kitchen to test them
<img src="/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />
DId I poisen myself, my friend, my friend's wife, and my friend's kids? <img src="/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

Esbit is hexamine from everything I have researched. Please provide links to evidence stating the opposite.

Hmm, I couldn't find anything that says it IS hexamine, but a lot of pages seem to consider them interchangable. In my search, I found the Esbit home page:

http://www.esbit.net/esbit.start.en.php

I also found unauthoritative pages that said it was harmless, and others that said it was highly toxic. Although, the one that said it was toxic was talking about hexamine, the ones that said it was safe were talking about Esbit. So if they are the same thing, someone's got some 'splaining to do. They use Esbit to power children's model steam engines, so it couldn't be too bad! The Esbit site doesn't say either way.

EDIT: I found the site for the US importer:

http://www.mpioutdoors.com/esbit.htm

This page uses the phrase "non-toxic formula - - it is completely harmless to our environment."

EDIT2: AHA! This site says Esbit is "Non-toxic"... "Much better than Triox or hexamine":

http://www.escape-co.com/stoves_and_fuel.htm