I too got a Biolite the week it was released. Overall I agree with most of what has been written here. It will charge a phone as advertised but not unattended. With the induction fan on HIGH it devours wood at a rapid rate. I will say that it burns very hot and with virtually no smoke; there's nothing left but a very very fine ash. But while it does work it's more of a cool toy than a useful item. I think one of the cooking pots with a bio-thermic generator would be a bit more useful.

Still I think the upcoming Base Camp model is promising.