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Kerosene Stove: Bringing the Heat!

Image showing a Kerosene Stove on a table outside
Written by Kane Dane

Do you enjoy getting out of the city crowds and stress and allow yourself to relax and unwind in the nature for a few days? Just you and the fresh air and your tent. Sounds about right, doesn’t it? But, what about food?

Are you one of those that don’t mind eating just sandwiches for days, or do you love a proper, freshly cooked meal, despite the fact that you are not in your kitchen and there’s no electricity? If you are the latter type, how do you solve this puzzle? Campfire? What about a kerosene stove? Have you considered this?

Believe us when we say that such a stove comes in handy when you want a quality meal while in the great outdoors. You will be completely ready for cooking, baking and even for light and warmth when the night becomes a bit chilly. Moreover, kerosene is a safe, convenient and inexpensive fuel to use.

Kerosene Stove

As there are such a variety of various models for you to select from, we have incorporated some kerosene-based stove reviews with the goal that you can discover what is available and best on the market.

But first, let’s see what are the important features you need to keep in mind before making the purchase, so that you are sure you end up with a model that best fits your personal needs.

Product NameWeightDimensionsBurning TimePrice
Butterfly 16-Wick9 lb12.37 x 9.25 inches8 hoursCheck price on Amazon
Butterfly Sockwick7 lb6.3 x 6.7 inches10 hoursCheck price on Amazon
WinnerEco 8 Wick1.54 lb6.5 x 7.1 inches6.5 hoursCheck price on Amazon
Butterfly 22-Wick12 lb12.25 x 13.75 inches6.2 hoursCheck price on Amazon
Butterfly 14k15 lb13.87 x 12.37 inches11 hoursCheck price on Amazon
Butterfly Combo22 lb5.9 x 6.7 inches8 hoursCheck price on Amazon
Alpaca 8500 BTU15 lb13 x 14 inches16 hoursCheck price on Amazon

Important Features to Consider Before Buying

Listed below are the most critical points about the construction and material of the stove. A cooking stove that performs a great cooking task must have the capacity to give various heats, such as a high quick heat, medium heat, moderate heat etc. It likewise should offer heat that is even over the base of the oven or kettle.

Material

Make sure the metal surface is dealt with to avert rusting. A prepared lacquer surface costs a lot, yet keeps going any longer than a japanned or painted surface. This is especially valid for the stove walls within.

Image showing a Butterfly-model of Kerosene-Stove

Image credit: stpaulmercantile.com

The casing of the stove should be thick for maximum durability and also so that it won’t tend. A feeble thin casing implies a flimsy stove that won’t probably last so long. For those with an aluminum finish, most people will wax them to preserve the coating.

Design

Ensure that the bolts, gripping the cooking stove together, are expansive. Little bolts wear out easily. Look out for the springs on the broiler entryway; if they are made of steel to prevent the stove from losing its spring or rust.

Kerosene-Stove for hiking on a table

Moreover, the internal barrels of the short-stack heating compartments will rise under high warmth. Steel internal cylinders are expensive than iron, however, last longer. Be certain that the haggles that turn the burners down and up are made with durable metal and turn effortlessly.

Safety Measures

One of the safest fuels to use is kerosene because of its extreme temperature streak point, which therefore makes kerosene-based products much safer to use.

Most of the existing kerosene items have built in gear, that will extinguish the flame and avoid fuel spills, in case the appliance is tipping over. These auto-shutoff frameworks work with the use of a pendulum and are enacted from being tipped or dropped.

Image showing a Kerosene-Stove for hiking

Image credit: zombiehunters.org

An essential piece of maintaining kerosene safe is to puff it out appropriately. There are many stoves and heaters that are unvented. Therefore, just break open the window an inch or unveil a contiguous entryway. Kerosene items should not be utilized in little shut rooms without proper ventilation.

Generally, kerosene heaters and stoves are much more secure than most people might think since they have gotten much safety measures throughout the years.

Type of Fuel

Despite the fact that we are reviewing kerosene stoves, you should also try to establish if your stove is able to utilize other types of fuel, in case you run out of kerosene or you have an alternative fuel in abundance.

There are some stoves that can work even with alternative fuel such as diesel and oil. However, you should keep in mind that other kinds of fuel may burn more and can easily cause harm, and that you should only use them if they have a flash point of not less than 145 degrees F.

Burning Period

Depending on how long you want to use your stove, you should factor in how long can each burn well, on a full tank of fuel. This also helps in your planning since you can estimate how much fuel you will need based on how many days you will be using the stove.

Image showing a person cooking on a kerosen stove system

How long it burns varies from one stove to another. Some can burn for as long as 11 hours while others can only run for about six hours.

If you will need the stove for cooking purposes only, then you don’t need to purchase one that can run for long. However, if you need to bake and use the warmth emitted, it’s essential that you look at the ones that burn the longest.

Cost

The stove you pick can tick off all the boxes, but turn out to be so expensive that buying would only mean breaking your bank. It’s essential that you live within your means.

Image showing a green kerosene-cook-stove

If you cannot afford a costly stove, why not look at the more affordable ones. However, this should not be totally at an expense of other vital features such as material or the burning period.

Top Product Reviews

Below, we have reviewed the top stoves in the market and compiled a list of their most notable features, advantages and reasons why you are better off buying alternative products.

Butterfly 16-Wick Cook Stove Butterfly 16-Wick Cook Stove

Price: Approx. $65

Weight: 9 lb

Dimensions: 12.37 x 9.25 inches

Specific features: Fully assembled, retains 1.7 quarts of fuel, utilizes close to 7 ounces of fuel for every hour, and comes with numerous cotton wicks.

Best use: Fishing, hunting, camping

Description: The Butterfly 16-Wick Cook Stove was made available in 2010 and has rapidly become the top of the line stove. The whole fuel tank and heating compartment can be expelled from the stove bottom. The tank cover and burner assembly can then be expelled from the fuel tank in a single piece by simply prying it off.

The process is a tight compaction fitting whereby the tank cover lip fits straight down into the fuel dish to reduce fuel spilling. This stove can be perfectly used along with the oven. The stove fits the oven greatly and has a sufficient heat yield for baking.

It’s also a perfect stove to carry along when camping, to warm the water, cook food and provide extra warmth. The stove also comes with a user’s guide with easy instructions that will help you operate the stove and install and replace the wicks.

PROS:

  • Easy to operate
  • Has a stable cooking surface
  • Nice design

CONS:

  • The smell of the burning kerosene might cause discomfort
  • Might not be very suitable for indoor use
  • Comes unwicked
  • Bulky; may not be very easy to carry around

Related: You will need extra wicks for your stove in case you need a replacement at some point. These Butterfly Replacement Wicks are just what you need and they only cost about $3, for 16 wicks. They are fuller, longer than the regular ones in the market and have a better quality that will serve you for long.

Check the price on Amazon

Butterfly Sockwick Cook StoveButterfly Sockwick Cook Stove

Price: Approx. $88

Weight: 7 lb

Dimensions: 6.3 x 6.7 inches

Specific features: Fully assembled, retains more than 3 quarts of fuel, blazes 5 ounces of fuel for every hour, burns nearly 10 hours for each tank, comes with numerous cotton wicks, arranged in circular form.

Best use: Hunting, camping, frying, large cooking

Description: The Butterfly Sockwick Cook Stove retains three quarts of fuel. The stove burns for over 10 hrs on a full tank. This cook stove is regarded as a Sockwick cook stove due to the fact that the wick resembles to a substantial woven sock, having the toe cut away.

It is also the same sort of wick installed mostly in many kerosene heaters. This stove has a customizable heat yield. It incorporates one installed wick and a drip tray. This stove is incredible for large cooking. It is able to hold big canners.

Unlike the 16-wick stove that comes unwicked, this one comes already with 1 wick installed. This is beneficial mostly to those people who are not well versed in the installation of wicks.

What’s more? The stove has an adjustable heat output that allows you to set the amount of heat you want emitted. It’s also very stable and can cook and fry with ease, and it can double up as a heater during those cold nights.

PROS:

  • Can hold big pots with ease
  • Has an adjustable heat output
  • Comes with 1 wick already installed
  • It’s very stable

CONS:

  • You may need to purchase extra wicks
  • Not suitable for indoor use
  • A bit pricey as compared to similar products

Related: These Replacement Butterfly Wicks by the same company are designed specifically as replacements for your Butterfly Sockwick Stove. Going for about $10, they might be pricier than regular wicks, but the quality, length and durability will impress you.

Check the price on Amazon

WinnerEco Camping Stove Burner WinnerEco Camping Stove Heaters

Price: Approx. $18

Weight: 1.54 lb

Dimensions: 6.5 x 7.1 inches

Specific features: Fuel consumption 0.15 liter per hour, continuous burning time: approx. 6.5 hrs., 8 lamps stoves well for 5 to 8 individuals to utilize, 8-center inbuilt oil heater.

Best use: Fishing, hunting, camping

Description: The WinnerEco Camping Stove Heaters has a dry weight of approximately 18.5 oz., and it is as of now the least expensive fluid fuel stove on the market, aside from liquor burners.

However, it is somewhat large, 7 by 8 inches as per the direction leaflet, and it is made of thin metal, particularly the exhaust converter, which comprises of two punctured metal sleeves that rest on the sides of the cotton wicks, giving more finish combustion and transforming the common yellow flame into the blue flame required for cooking.

Additionally, nothing is screwed altogether, but instead, things either enigmatically click altogether or are simply arranged with each other. Therefore, it would not only be advisable to purge at any rate the vast majority of the fuel every time you transferred it, it is important to figure out how to keep it from slamming around or turning over.

It’s designed using mouth-metal, with baked paint or enamel. It has integrated about 8 lamps, which is perfect for use by 5-8 people. Kerosene works best, but keep in mind that if you have to use lamp oil, the flame heights will certainly be affected, and the stove won’t burn as clean.

You might also want to know that it’s a bit wind sensitive, therefore, may not work well during those windy days. However, it works well despite this and you can easily adjust the heat without much hassle.

PROS:

  • Great price; affordable as compared to other similar stoves in the market
  • You can easily adjust the heat
  • Burns well

CONS:

  • Twisted or bent metal and wick unit
  • Does not work well in the wind
  • Doesn’t have the best packaging

Related: You will ultimately need to carry extra kerosene with you for the stove in case you run out while camping. The No-Spill Kerosene Can is perfect. It comes with a funnel spout that you can use to pour the kerosene in the can without spilling, an attached dust cover to keep the spout clean and a thumb button control for precise pouring.

Check the price on Amazon

Butterfly 22-wick Cook Stove Butterfly 22-Wick Cook Stove

Price: Approx. $90

Weight: 12 lb

Dimensions: 12.25 x 13.75 inches

Specific features: Prevalent durability and quality, fully assembled, retains 3.1 liters of fuel, functions well with the butterfly oven, burns nearly 6.2 hours for each tank, comes with numerous cotton wicks.

Best use: Camping, hunting, fishing

Description: The Butterfly 22-Wick Cook Stove is utilized in eateries in 3rd-world nations. This stove is formed a considerable measure like the 16-wick #2487 cook stove, but it looks bigger, has a much bigger burner, and generates 40 percent more warmth. This stove is designed with a steel grate that sets up inside the oven so as to immovably hold the stove in place.

Since it is all aluminum, this stove is around 3 pounds lighter compared to the other 22-wick stove. For overwhelming canning, pick the #2698 stove because of the circular steel grate.

For intense baking, pick this stove. Don’t expect an exceptionally cleaned aluminum, as one may discover with items made in the US. This cook stove will possess a dull finish and may have minor scratches.

The aluminum comes coated with oil, therefore you will need to wipe it down before you start using the stove. The 22-wick is popularly known as the hottest kerosene stove available in the market. However, it allows you to adjust the heat output as you like.

PROS:

  • Allows you to adjust heat output
  • Perfect for intense baking
  • Large stove with a big burner perfect for cooking large quantities of food

CONS:

  • The aluminum finish is dull and easily susceptible to scratches
  • Gets very hot; can cause burns if not careful

Related: You will definitely need these extra Butterfly Wicks for your stove since it’s quite large and needs additional wicks to burn well. They only cost about $4, are a bunch of 22 wicks and have been designed specifically for your butterfly 22-wick stove

Check the price on Amazon

Butterfly 14k Cook Stove Butterfly 14k Cook Stove

Price: Approx. $90

Weight: 15 lb

Dimensions: 13.87 x 12.37 inches

Specific features: Fully assembled, retains 5.8 quarts of fuel, utilizes around 1 half quart for every hour, burns nearly 11 hours for every tank, comes with numerous cotton wicks, wicks arranged in circular form.

Best use: Fishing, camping, hunting, heavy duty cooking

Description: The Butterfly 14k Cook Stove generates 14,000 BTU/hr, comes with a fuel tank sufficiently huge for 10-18 hours of functioning, and it can be utilized for warming a glass-house, for instance. Simply recall that the plan of a stove is for the fire to affect something, so utilize the stove appropriately if utilized as a heater.

This cook stove is made for canning. It has much heat, more than a huge burner on an electric range or gas. It also has a substantial cooking grate with 5 bolster features for canners.

This cook stove is probably the best stove accessible for heavy cooking, canning, baking, bubbling maple syrup and so on, with 22 wicks creating 14,000 BTU every hour. At nearly 14 inches wide and almost 12.5 inches high, this is really a big stove. The 14k has the quality to effectively bolster a water-bath canner or weight cooker.

You will be impressed that it can burn for long, and can hold large canners without toppling over. Additionally, it allows you to easily adjust the heat to cater for the kind of cooking you are doing, whether baking, frying or boiling.

However, the bent wire that comes with the purchase for pulling up the wick breaks too easily. If you have to use extremely large pots for cooking, it’s advisable to use a cooking stand. It also gets very hot when in usage, therefore you should be careful when handling either the stove or the pots.

PROS:

  • Easy to use and operate
  • Can hold large canners with ease
  • Can be used in emergency situations
  • You can adjust the heat

CONS:

  • Gets very hot when in use
  • Not highly durable
  • The temperature control sticks a bit when in use
  • You may need extra wicks

Related: If you are not able to fully utilize your stove for baking, why not get this Coleman Camp Oven for all your baking needs as you enjoy the outdoors. Its costs about $28, and can warm up perfectly over your stove, keeping your food warm until you are ready to serve. It folds flat for easy transportation and has a smooth surface that is easy to clean.

Check the price on Amazon

Butterfly Combo Kerosene Stove Butterfly Combo Kerosene Stove

Price: Approx. 140

Weight: 22 lb

Dimensions: 5.9 x 6.7 inches

Specific features: Incorporates 16-wick 10k BTU cook stove, four substitution wick-sets, numerous cotton wicks arranged in circular form, wicks can be brought down or raised to regulate the heat result, a wick-set, more wicks equal more heat.

Best use: Fishing, hunting

Description: The Butterfly Combo Kerosene Stove is perfect for an exigency cooker, having no smoke to pull in undesirable consideration – the broiler sits on the heating compartments, having an open base for warmth to enter.

This stove will blaze any spiritless fuel, so no gas or liquor, but diesel oil, kerosene or similar will function with fluctuating degrees of progress. The broiler comes level pressed – it fits together, however, it is not perfect, so improvise it, and it will, in the end, fit fine.

The stove has sharp metal pieces, but beware, they do cut profoundly. However, when the broiler is as one, every sharp edge is covered and there is nothing more to cut appearing.

They are made without the cotton wick fitted, but with a clever piece of bent wire to draw a folded wick via the controller funnels, when you have to supplant the wick, keep the piece of twisted wire, or make a different one when you require it. With consistent usage, you should supplant the wicks every year.

This combo stove will save you a lot of money that you would have spent buying a separate oven because it combines both the stove and the oven. So you can do your cooking and baking at ease when you are outdoors.

Apart from the oven, you also get 4 replacement wicksets. The oven comes unassembled which is not ideal since most people are not able to do the assembling with ease. Indoor use of the stove is not recommended, but if you have to, ensure you have enough ventilation and all the windows are open.

PROS:

  • Comes with an oven
  • You get 4 replacement wicksets with your purchase
  • No smoke is emitted

CONS:

  • Pricier when compared with other stoves in the market
  • Not ideal for indoor use
  • Assembling of the oven is quite a task

Related: You will need the Coleman Premium Lantern to give you extra light as you cook, especially when you are out camping. It goes for about $80, can run for 7 hours using just one fuel tank, and allows you to easily adjust the light using its dimmer knob.

Check the price on Amazon

Alpaca Cook Stove Alpaca Cook Stove

Price: Approx. $120

Weight: 15 lb

Dimensions: 13 x 14 inches

Specific features: Fuel gauge and separable plate to attract spills, 4 qtr. tank retains enough fuel for close 16 hours, long life fiberglass wick.

Best use: Hunting, camping, fishing, emergencies

Description: The Alpaca Cook Stove is a very portable stove, intended for outdoor utilization and generates 8500 BTU’s of warmth, which goes on for a shocking 16 hours of utilization. It is incredible for exigencies, fishing, camping and camping.

It incorporates a fuel gage and separable plate to attract spills and has a lengthy life fiberglass wick. This cook stove weighs around 15 pounds and has a 4 qtr. tank which retains enough fuel for close to 16 hours.

You can use it for canning comfortably and even expect it to support a 30 qtr. pressure cooker without toppling over.

It does not come with an oven, therefore you might need to purchase that separately if you bake a lot when outdoors. Additionally, you might need extra replacement wicks to take with you in case the one sin the stove start acting up. It’s a lightweight stove that allows you to carry it for your camping expeditions or even cookouts with so much ease.

PROS:

  • Sleek design
  • Lightweight, hence can be easily transported
  • Can hold large canners with ease
  • Doubles up as a warmth generator

CONS:

  • Quite expensive as compared to similar stoves
  • You may need replacement wicks

Related: The Lixada Storage Bottle is the perfect choice for all your fuel storage needs. You will need to carry extra fuel for your alpaca in case you need more kerosene to fire up the stove. It goes for about $10, and is made of high quality, lightweight aluminum alloy with a looped seal topped for easy carrying.

Check the price on Amazon

Wrapping It Up

We have finally come to the end of our kerosene stoves review today. Having gone through our list of features, specific products in the market and their pros&cons, we hope that you at least have a grasp of all matters kerosene stoves.

Image showing a kerosene-stove for camping

You will definitely need a stove to keep you warm during those cold nights out in the wild, to help you warm and even cook your meals and most of all, to act as an excellent back up plan when you do not have access to electricity.

The stoves we have reviewed come at great affordable prices that won’t break your bank, and have long burning times while utilizing kerosene in the most efficient way. All you have to do now is make up your mind and take your pick.

Are you convinced that kerosene stoves are a good and essential buy in each home? Kindly feel free to comment with any suggestions or thoughts you might be having, in the comments section below.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kane Dane

2 Comments

  • It’s a nice little stove that I carry around during my camping or fishing expeditions, because despite being very light, it works just fine and I think it was a good deal given its price. It’s not like I am going to cook or boil water throughout my hike so I think it’s just perfect. The only downside is that you cannot use it well in a windy place, so you have to be smart about it.

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