Reviews > Cook Gear > Stoves > Esbit > Owner Review by Sheila Morrissey

ESBIT POCKET STOVE AND SOLID FUEL TABLETS

Owner Review

Name: Sheila Morrissey

Age: 26

Gender: Female

Height: 5’ 8” (1.7 m)

Weight: 155 lb (70 kg)

Email address: geosheila(at)yahoo(dot)com

City, State, Country: Goleta, California, USA

Date: November 13, 2006

Backpacking Background: I started backpacking in 2005. I’m an avid hiker, and since I’m a geologist, I’ve also spent a lot of time hiking around the mountains and deserts of California and Nevada with a pack full of work gear instead of camping gear. So far, most of my backpacking trips have been long weekend hikes into the Sierra Nevada with my dog, Patch. In fair weather, my pack is usually around 25 pounds, including consumables. 

PRODUCT INFORMATION

Manufacturer: Esbit

Year: 2006

Manufacturer’s Website: http://www.esbit.de

Listed Stove Weight: 3.25 oz (92 g)

Stove Weight as Delivered: 86 g (3 oz)

Listed Stove Dimensions: 4 x 3 x 0.75 in (10.2 x 7.6 x 1.9 cm)

Measured Stove Dimensions: 4 x 3 x 0.75 in (10.2 x 7.6 x 1.9 cm)

Listed Solid Fuel Tablet Weight: 6 oz (170 g) for 12 tablets

Solid Fuel Tablet Weight as Delivered: 15 g (0.5 oz) each

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION: The Esbit Pocket Stove is a German-made steel box. The top half of the box is sliced down the middle, and when opened, hinges at either side. The stove can be opened to two different locking positions: to angles of approximately 45 or 90 degrees. The 45-degree position concentrates the heat output in a smaller area and is more suitable for quickly heating a cup of coffee, whereas the 90-degree position is better suited for boiling a pot of water. In both positions, the two opening wings of the upper portion of the box hinge down, raising the bottom of the stove off the ground. Opening the top portions of the stove to the 45- degree position places what were the lower side corners of the box on the ground. Opening the top portions of the stove to the 90-degree position places what were the sides of the box flat on the ground, making this the far more stable open position. Once opened, the bottom of the stove has a groove sized to hold one Esbit Solid Fuel Tablet, with venting slits cut around the groove. The stove can be easily rinsed off, folded, and stored away once dinner is cooked.

Esbit Solid Fuel Tablets are sold in packages of 12. Each tablet weighs 0.5 oz (15 g) and is individually sealed. The tablets can usually be easily lit with wooden matches, but I use a lighter in windy conditions. Each tablet burns for 12 to 15 minutes, with a high heat output, boiling a half-liter (1 US pint) of water in less than 8 minutes. According to one importer’s website, the tablets burn at up to 1400 F (760 C).

FIELD INFORMATION

LOCATIONS USED: I have used the Esbit Pocket Stove and Esbit Solid Fuel Tablets on two backpacking trips in the Sierra Nevada, for a total of eight days. 

DESCRIPTION OF LOCATIONS: I used these products in mountainous terrain, at elevations between 2000 and 3100 m (6500 and 10200 ft). 

WEATHER CONDITIONS: The stove and fuel were used at temperatures between 32 and 65 F (0 and 18 C). I chose my “kitchen” areas for the beautiful views, and not for ease of stove use, meaning I occasionally used the stove and fuel on top of windy cliffs.

PRODUCT USE: The Esbit stove is the first backpacking stove that I have purchased. Previously, I only carried foods that didn’t require cooking or heating. I chose the Esbit stove and fuel primarily because they are so lightweight. The claims that the fuel is non-toxic, leaves no residue, and is odorless also helped in my decision to purchase these products. I have actually found that a small amount of black, tar-like residue usually remains on the bottom of the stove after burning a solid fuel tablet, but no residue has collected on my pot, so this is not an important issue for me. I also have not noticed any odor from the tablets during burning. However the unburned tablets, which are individually sealed and marketed as “odorless”, have a foul organic odor that seeps into my gear. Though I find the smell quite offensive, I have found that not everyone notices it. It should be noted that when purchased online or by mail order, Esbit solid fuel tablets are considered flammable and must be shipped by ground. 

I was happy to find that 4 fuel tabs fit inside the folded stove, which fits easily inside my camp pot. On my first trip with the stove and fuel, I was a little excited about my new stove, and decided to cook both lunch and dinner each day. I haven’t cooked lunch on subsequent trips. I liked that I could easily estimate how many fuel tablets to bring based on what food we were cooking. The light weight of the fuel, and the fact that I am able to save partially burned tablets, meant I wasn’t too worried about carrying too much fuel (though I haven’t yet figured out how to safely stop the burning mid-tablet). I brought three tabs per day to cook lunch and dinner for two people, and came home with a couple of extra tablets. 

I was somewhat dehydrated, slightly feeling the effects of driving from the beach and hiking at over 3000 m (10000 ft) all in one day, and definitely hungry the first time I set up the Esbit stove. Not surprisingly, I accidentally knocked over my first pot of boiling water. One tablet wasted. Rather than blaming this on a precarious stove, I’m pretty sure that blunder was entirely my fault, though I have no other experience with camp stoves to compare it to. Having brought so many fuel tablets, I had no problem starting up another tablet and continuing to cook dinner. 

The following day was windier and I had a difficult time lighting the tablets with my wooden matches. I now bring along a cheap cigarette lighter in addition to matches. I use whatever random gear or rocks that are around me to block the wind. A light aluminum windscreen might be helpful, especially while lighting the tablets. In my experience, once lit, the tablets have always remained burning until they are expended or extinguished. 

On both trips with my Esbit stove, I moved the stove and fuel into my Bear Vault after some of my food was eaten to consolidate things in my pack. The supposedly “odorless” fuel tablets gave what I consider to be a horrible, rotten organic smell to everything in the Bear Vault. However, my travel companion didn’t even notice the smell.  

PROS

• Stove is compact (4 x 3 x 0.75 in, 10.2 x 7.6 x 1.9 cm) and lightweight (I measured it at 3 oz, 86 g)

• Stove is inexpensive

• Fuel tablets are lightweight (0.5 oz, 15 g) each

• Stove and fuel tablets are very easy to use

• Easy to determine how much fuel to bring 

CONS

• Fuel tablets are more expensive than propane (but not prohibitively so)

• Fuel tablets are not always easy to light (I now bring a lighter)

• Unburned fuel tablets have an offensive smell

• Fuel tablets contain hexamethylenetetramine (also known as hexamine) – the MSDS (e.g. http://www.MSDSXchange.com) says hexamine is a skin irritant because it decomposes to formaldehyde (a potential carcinogen) in the presence of perspiration and is then oxidized to formic acid. 

SUMMARY

I especially like the compact size, minimal weight, and ease of use of the Esbit Stove and Esbit Solid Fuel Tablets. However, I’m very put off by the offensive smell of the “odorless” fuel. The high costs of other backpacking stoves will keep me using the Esbit for some time to come. If I had a few more dollars to spend, I would’ve taken a look at other options before purchasing this stove and fuel. 

Reviews > Cook Gear > Stoves > Esbit > Owner Review by Sheila Morrissey