I'm sure this has been asked before but I just can't seem to find any relevant threads. Looking for a new stove (possibly two as my son will probably need one too). Previously I had a Coleman sportster 2 until everything got nicked and I really liked it alot. Seen lots of criticism that it flames too much when first lit but after watching a number of videos on some of the newer multi-fuel stoves, I don't remember my Coleman being any worse than these. I'm a bit shocked that the Coleman is now 4 times what I originally paid all them years ago too.
I know nothing about gas stoves apart from that they are harder to start in winter/colder months and not liking the idea of carrying a number of spare cannisters so again would probably prefer another liquid fuel stove. We all have an opinion so if anyone can recommend a decent (preferably liquid fuel) stove with reasons for why (perhaps you use it and have done for years) with any possible negatives if you have any that would be great.
Hopefully this thread won't become a thread of numerous arguments either, so please try to be respectful to each other no matter how much you may disagree with a post.
Thanks in advance.
I know nothing about gas stoves apart from that they are harder to start in winter/colder months and not liking the idea of carrying a number of spare cannisters so again would probably prefer another liquid fuel stove. We all have an opinion so if anyone can recommend a decent (preferably liquid fuel) stove with reasons for why (perhaps you use it and have done for years) with any possible negatives if you have any that would be great.
Hopefully this thread won't become a thread of numerous arguments either, so please try to be respectful to each other no matter how much you may disagree with a post.
Thanks in advance.
In reply to Post #1
If you want a liquid fuel option maybe a Coleman but run it on Aspen 4, much cleaner and better burn than unleaded petrol
If you want a liquid fuel option maybe a Coleman but run it on Aspen 4, much cleaner and better burn than unleaded petrol
In reply to Post #2
And petrol will be £500 a litre by next week
And petrol will be £500 a litre by next week
In reply to Post #2
Yeah, I will be getting the Aspen stuff. Watched a couple of videos on that. Thanks 👍
I saw that it can be used in the other multi-fuel stoves too.
Yeah, I will be getting the Aspen stuff. Watched a couple of videos on that. Thanks 👍
I saw that it can be used in the other multi-fuel stoves too.
In reply to Post #3
By tomorrow morning you mean! 🤣
By tomorrow morning you mean! 🤣
In reply to Post #3
In reply to Post #1
I love coleman stoves never any problems if you run them on Aspen 4
99% of flareups are user error not having enough pressure I have helped loads of people understand what they are doing wrong
the common thing is they pump it up to pressure then light it
AND THEN FAIL !! to realise that you then have to once its lit to pump the granny out of it to replace the pressure you just lost lighting it
hence a lolloppy big yellow flare up thru low pressure 
I hate the silly noisy multi fuel stoves utterly pointless in this country IMO after all they were designed for travelling in countries where some fuels are not available
hardly the case in the UK I bought one and sold it after lighting it and realising you needed ear defenders lol
I love coleman stoves never any problems if you run them on Aspen 4
99% of flareups are user error not having enough pressure I have helped loads of people understand what they are doing wrong
the common thing is they pump it up to pressure then light it
AND THEN FAIL !! to realise that you then have to once its lit to pump the granny out of it to replace the pressure you just lost lighting it
hence a lolloppy big yellow flare up thru low pressure I hate the silly noisy multi fuel stoves utterly pointless in this country IMO after all they were designed for travelling in countries where some fuels are not available
hardly the case in the UK I bought one and sold it after lighting it and realising you needed ear defenders lol
In reply to Post #7
I very rarely had large yellow flames. Most of the time the initial flame was no bigger than the multi-fuel stoves produce when first lit and I always used regular unleaded petrol (didn't know about Aspen fuel until last week).
The noise of the multi-fuel stoves is huge. I've seen you can get the Berniedawg silent caps but that's another £30 per stove so £60 because I need to get a stove for my son too (he's only 16).
The Coleman stoves are hard to find at a reasonable price at the moment as most sellers are out of stock and I'd rather buy new so that I'm not giving my son something that may be faulty.
I very rarely had large yellow flames. Most of the time the initial flame was no bigger than the multi-fuel stoves produce when first lit and I always used regular unleaded petrol (didn't know about Aspen fuel until last week).
The noise of the multi-fuel stoves is huge. I've seen you can get the Berniedawg silent caps but that's another £30 per stove so £60 because I need to get a stove for my son too (he's only 16).
The Coleman stoves are hard to find at a reasonable price at the moment as most sellers are out of stock and I'd rather buy new so that I'm not giving my son something that may be faulty.
2 or 4 stroke Aspen fuel guys for the Coleman, and where's the best deal available?
If you are 100% set on a liquid stove then obviously go for one. But as someone who has had a couple of sportsters and then the double burner Coleman. I can honestly say I wouldn't go back to a fuel stove since switching to gas a few years ago.
Firstly the issue of needing spare gas cans. Obviously I don't know how long your sessions are. But I only use a box of gas in a whole season. We set up a gas stove in the covered area at redmire this year for teas and coffees. I didn't use a full gas can the whole time we were there. That's tea and coffee for four days for four guys. I think you have to be doing some serious cooking to be needing spare gas cans during a session.
Regards the issue in the cold weather. Firstly make sure you buy a mixed gas, not just propane. Secondly make sure the gas stove has a pre heater tube. Thirdly if you are that worried then buy a heated cover for when the weather is extremely cold. Into the minus degrees. With a preheat tube stove you can always lay the can over and then it's burning liquid fuel anyway.
Firstly the issue of needing spare gas cans. Obviously I don't know how long your sessions are. But I only use a box of gas in a whole season. We set up a gas stove in the covered area at redmire this year for teas and coffees. I didn't use a full gas can the whole time we were there. That's tea and coffee for four days for four guys. I think you have to be doing some serious cooking to be needing spare gas cans during a session.
Regards the issue in the cold weather. Firstly make sure you buy a mixed gas, not just propane. Secondly make sure the gas stove has a pre heater tube. Thirdly if you are that worried then buy a heated cover for when the weather is extremely cold. Into the minus degrees. With a preheat tube stove you can always lay the can over and then it's burning liquid fuel anyway.
In reply to Post #9
Aspen 4 never the 2 stroke !! 2 stroke has oil in it it would smoke like a bstd I would think ?
I have a mower repair shop near me £18 per 5 liters so far far cheaper than gas and of course so superior to todays normal unleaded petrol thats full of nasties for the modern car engines for years pre unleaded normal petrol was fine but with the advent of unleaded the gennys started gumming up yea tried all the add reddex it worked for a while but now their is so much crap in unleaded it stinks and the fumes are REALLY toxic now then their is panel wipe but thats not as good as Aspen and not any cheaper unless its the crap thats been cut with another product to get the cost down
I use a Coleman double burner for my long sessions especially if Im cooking large batches of Hemp on the bank or in my back garden so much cheaper than a gas stove
having said that I have got a Gas double burner too but use that with a French propane regulator and when I get to france go to the local supermarket and buy a 15kg bottle they only charge a couple of Euro deposit so its cheap as chips and just give the bottle away to a local when I come home
Aspen 4 never the 2 stroke !! 2 stroke has oil in it it would smoke like a bstd I would think ?
I have a mower repair shop near me £18 per 5 liters so far far cheaper than gas and of course so superior to todays normal unleaded petrol thats full of nasties for the modern car engines for years pre unleaded normal petrol was fine but with the advent of unleaded the gennys started gumming up yea tried all the add reddex it worked for a while but now their is so much crap in unleaded it stinks and the fumes are REALLY toxic now then their is panel wipe but thats not as good as Aspen and not any cheaper unless its the crap thats been cut with another product to get the cost down
I use a Coleman double burner for my long sessions especially if Im cooking large batches of Hemp on the bank or in my back garden so much cheaper than a gas stove
having said that I have got a Gas double burner too but use that with a French propane regulator and when I get to france go to the local supermarket and buy a 15kg bottle they only charge a couple of Euro deposit so its cheap as chips and just give the bottle away to a local when I come home
In reply to Post #11
Whilst I am steering towards another liquid fuel stove (probably afraid of change as it's all I've known really) I'm still going to take a look at the gas one's. Trying to find a Coleman at a reasonable price is a bit difficult at the moment as when I do find one in stock, they are around £120.
I always thought that gas was going to be more compact but by the time you've got the gas cannisters, they look just as bulky, so nothing appears to be gained going gas.
The one thing that would appeal to me with something like the MSR Dragonfly would be that it may fit inside a set of pans when folded but boy are they noisy.
Whilst I am steering towards another liquid fuel stove (probably afraid of change as it's all I've known really) I'm still going to take a look at the gas one's. Trying to find a Coleman at a reasonable price is a bit difficult at the moment as when I do find one in stock, they are around £120.
I always thought that gas was going to be more compact but by the time you've got the gas cannisters, they look just as bulky, so nothing appears to be gained going gas.
The one thing that would appeal to me with something like the MSR Dragonfly would be that it may fit inside a set of pans when folded but boy are they noisy.
I used Coleman Peak1 stoves for a number of years, the first Peak1 I bought lasted ages with no problems, running it on standard unleaded with an occasional clean out with a couple of drops of Redex and fairly regular cleaning. The rings eventually wore out.
The second Peak1 was an absolute pig. I had to replace the pump or washer frequently and it would not work when switched on at times that meant I was having to take it apart on the bank to clean it out. After it sprayed me with petrol one session I binned it and went back to gas.
The other annoyance was having to take a 5litre petrol container for a weekend session!
The gas stoves I have had since then (1999 onwards), are a Web Tex Warrior, TFG Thermolite and a Bulin T4.
I have never used plain propane or butane, always a mix of the two, as most manufacturers canisters are mixed gas anyway, but there is also a winter version of iso-butane/butane and propane.
It is easier to carry a spare canister than a 5litre jerrycan...
Different canister manufacturers also seem to give different results; Coleman gas canisters seem to struggle with low pressure when nearly empty, and need tilting. CADAC and GoSystem are better.
The Bulin T4 is my current stove and is definitely my favourite, the gas is preheated so it burns well.
As has been mentioned elsewhere sometimes in winter a cold canister (especially when low) may not send out gas particularly well, warming it up in the sleeping bag overnight, between your hands or quickly heating 10mm of water in a saucepan and putting the canister in it to boil the kettle.
The second Peak1 was an absolute pig. I had to replace the pump or washer frequently and it would not work when switched on at times that meant I was having to take it apart on the bank to clean it out. After it sprayed me with petrol one session I binned it and went back to gas.
The other annoyance was having to take a 5litre petrol container for a weekend session!
The gas stoves I have had since then (1999 onwards), are a Web Tex Warrior, TFG Thermolite and a Bulin T4.
I have never used plain propane or butane, always a mix of the two, as most manufacturers canisters are mixed gas anyway, but there is also a winter version of iso-butane/butane and propane.
It is easier to carry a spare canister than a 5litre jerrycan...
Different canister manufacturers also seem to give different results; Coleman gas canisters seem to struggle with low pressure when nearly empty, and need tilting. CADAC and GoSystem are better.
The Bulin T4 is my current stove and is definitely my favourite, the gas is preheated so it burns well.
As has been mentioned elsewhere sometimes in winter a cold canister (especially when low) may not send out gas particularly well, warming it up in the sleeping bag overnight, between your hands or quickly heating 10mm of water in a saucepan and putting the canister in it to boil the kettle.
In reply to Post #13
I've seen this suggestion a couple of times regarding warming up the cannisters in warm water in the colder months. Is this something you need to do every time before use in 5he winter or only first thing in the morning and it will be fine for the rest of the day.
Also, if you're needing to warm up the cannisters in a shallow pan of warm water, where are you sourcing the warm water if your stove isn't working to heat up the water anyway (it sounds like the case of which came first, the chicken or the egg).
I've seen this suggestion a couple of times regarding warming up the cannisters in warm water in the colder months. Is this something you need to do every time before use in 5he winter or only first thing in the morning and it will be fine for the rest of the day.
Also, if you're needing to warm up the cannisters in a shallow pan of warm water, where are you sourcing the warm water if your stove isn't working to heat up the water anyway (it sounds like the case of which came first, the chicken or the egg).
In reply to Post #14
There's a Coleman sportster being sold on the classifieds for £50 by lilharbs.
My 2 cents, I've had a sportster, own an omnifuel and currently use a bulin T4, the bulin is great for the money and gas is cleaner and quieter, my only issue is the waste, I don't like the idea of each canister being one time use and when the temps drop petrol shines. I've burnt everything in my omnifuel, diesel, kerosine, petrol and gas, brilliant piece of kit and very cheap to run but little adjustability for slower cooks and an absolute racket
There's a Coleman sportster being sold on the classifieds for £50 by lilharbs.
My 2 cents, I've had a sportster, own an omnifuel and currently use a bulin T4, the bulin is great for the money and gas is cleaner and quieter, my only issue is the waste, I don't like the idea of each canister being one time use and when the temps drop petrol shines. I've burnt everything in my omnifuel, diesel, kerosine, petrol and gas, brilliant piece of kit and very cheap to run but little adjustability for slower cooks and an absolute racket