Product Description
The
Brasslite Turbo I-D (also referred to as the stove) is a small,
elegant, lightweight alcohol fueled stove constructed out of brass and
stainless steel. The stove consists of two concentric brass
cylinders attached to a flared scalloped base. The external cylinder is
perforated with holes near the base, and has a cover attached to the
top with a larger hole cut in the center. The inner cylinder is
solid, and attached to the base but stops before the top of the
external cylinder leaving a small gap. There is also a thin brass
sleeve surrounding the external cylinder with a small crimped handle,
and triangle shaped notches cut along the bottom that corresponds with
the small holes in the external cylinder. By sliding the sleeve,
I am able to manipulate the size of the holes, and the amount of air
that passes through these holes.
The top of the stove
has a piece of stainless steel mesh attached to the top of the external
cylinder and extending above the stove body. There are also three
stainless steel wires bent in a "Z" formation attached to the base of
the stove body as well as to the top of the stainless steel mesh.
These wires are distributed evenly around diameter of the stove body
and in conjunction with the mesh form what appears to be a stable pot
stand.
The
stove is capable of using several different types of alcohol including
pure methonol (HEET brand auto gas-line de-icer), ethonol/methonol
mixture (also known as denatured alcohol) and pure ethonol.
Isopropol alcohol (rubbing alcohol) and white gas are not
acceptable fuels and should not be used. For the puropse of
initial testing, I purchased a can of denatured alcohol from my local
hardware store.
In addition to the stove, the package delivered to me
included a fuel bottle with graduated measuring marks, and a chamber to
accurately dispense up to 1/2 oz (15 ml) at a time. There was
also a package containing an aluminum foil strip with instructions for
converting it into a windscreen.
Initial Impressions
The
Brasslite Turbo I-D is a beautifully handcrafted stove. I have a
great appreciation for handmade objects, and the care that was put into
the design and execution of this stove is evident throughout. The
stove is very close to the one pictured on the Brasslite website.
The components of the stove appear to be very durable, and I have
confidence that this stove will continue to function forever. The
absence of any mechanical parts, and only one elegantly designed
sliding part make this stove appear to be impervious to mechanical
failure. The only
minor quibbles I have with the stove are its weight, which is slightly
heavier that I imagined, although consistent with the listed weight on
the website. I also found it interesting that the ends of the
custom stand extensions were not finished after being cut. The
ends that extend out from the top still have the jagged cut from the
clippers. A few strokes of a file would smooth them right up.
Initial Use
I
burned three 1 oz portions of denatured alcohol during the initial use of the
stove at my home. For each of the burns I included 1/2 qt (500 ml) of
water in two different pots set directly on the top of
stove.
For the first use of the stove, I measured
two 1/2 oz (15 ml) portions of alcohol, and poured them in the top
center hole of the stove. I had some problem getting the alcohol
in the stove without splattering a small portion on the outside, as the
pot supports do not allow you to get close to the opening. The
splatter served to prime the outside for lighting (as indicated by the
directions), and I lit the fuel. There really was no sign of the
stove functioning, as it is completely silent. I was pleasantly
surprised by the silence and was skeptical that is was burning. I
passed my hand over the stove, feeling the heat radiate from it,
assuring me that it was operating normally. A short while later I
noticed that the alcohol in the stove began to boil. It was at
this time that I put the pot with the water on the stove. During
this burn I was not using a windscreen and there was an extremely mild
but perceptible breeze. The stove ran out of alcohol and ceased
burning 14 minutes after I initially lit it. The water was just
beginning to show bubbles on the bottom of the pan, and was very hot. I
admit I forgot to put the lid on the pot until several minutes after
I started heating the water, and it did not get as hot as I thought it
could have.
I let the stove cool, and refilled the inner chamber
with another 1 oz (30 ml) of alcohol. I lit the stove and set 1/2
qt (500 ml) of water in a shallower pan on the stove, placing the lid
on immediately. The alcohol lasted for 14 minutes and 6 seconds,
and the water was just starting to boil as the stove burned the last of
the fuel.
The third test of the stove came after crafting the
windscreen with the included aluminum material. There are a set
of instructions indicating that the windscreen does not come completed
because of the labor requirements and the customization each person
should do to fit it to the cookware they will be using. It was
not difficult to customize the windscreen to my stove and cookware, and
only required a pair of scissors and a hole punch. I added 1 oz
(30 ml) of alcohol and poured it into the stove, avoiding much of the
splatter by tipping the dispenser more carefully into the opening. I
added a small amount of alcohol to the top and positioned the
windscreen around it. I lit the stove, making sure it was lit and
placed the water on the stove. During this burn the breeze was
still mild, but stronger than the previous two burns. The water
came to a rolling boil at about the 10-minute mark, and the 1 oz (30
ml) portion of alcohol burned for 12 minutes.
Test Plan
The
Brasslite Turbo I-D stove is the first alcohol stove I have ever owned
or operated. I have camped with individuals who use alcohol
stoves and I am aware of their effectiveness. Previous to being
selected to this test, I had a keen interest in trying alcohol stoves,
and had researched methods of constructing my own. I had some
hesitancy about my ability to use an alcohol stove in the backcountry,
but this is rapidly disappearing as I become successful at using this
stove, and gain experience in its operation.
During the initial
use of the stove, I timed the length of the operation of the stove
using the maximum quantity of fuel suggested. I also indicated
the amount of time it took to boil water. During testing I will
not be timing the operation of the stove again. These numbers are
entirely subjective depending on a whole host of external factors of
which I cannot control. Instead I will concentrate my reports of
my experiences with this stove as a novice user, and how it fits into
and changes my backpacking style.
Field Report
September 4, 2008
I
have used the Brasslite Turbo ID stove for 5-days over four
different outings thus far. All but one of the of the trips were
at an altitude above 6000 ft (1800 m) and over 10,000 ft (3000 m) during
one trip. The weather has been consistently mild, with little
rain, and typical warm summer temperatures.
Field Locations:
Silver Lake- June Lake loop Sierra Nevada Mountain Range, California- 8 days June/July 2008
Elevation: 6772 ft (2064 m)
High Temperature: 90.2 F (32.3 C)
Low Temperature: 41.6 F (5.3 C)
Precipitation: 0.02 in (0.5 mm)
I
used the Brasslight Turbo ID to boil multiple liters of water on two
evenings for general camp chores while base camping at Silver Lake.
Twin Lakes- Mammoth Lakes, CA -5 days July 2008
Elevation: 8202 ft (2499 m)
High Temperature: 83.0 C (28.3 C)
Low Temperature: 44 F (6.7 C)
Precipitation:
0 in (0 mm) (while no precipitation was recorded, the location we
camped received several seasonal thunder storms that dropped more than
a trace amount of precipitation.
The Brasslite served to boil multiple liters of water one evening at Twin Lakes.
Heart Lake- Little Lakes Valley, CA- overnight July 2008 1-day
Elevation: 10,300 ft (2064 m) at trailhead
High Temperature (approximate): 80 F (32.3 C)
Low Temperature (approximate): 40 F (5.3 C)
Precipitation: trace amount (a short evening thunderstorm dropped rain for about 30 minutes)
The
Brasslite stove was the solitary cooking stove during an overnight trip
with three adults and one young child. The stove provided all of the hot
water to hydrate meals and provide hot beverages for dinner and
breakfast.
Three Sisters Falls- San Diego County, CA July 2008 1-Day
Elevation: 2800 ft (853 m) at trailhead
High Temperature (approximate): 90 F (32 C)
Low Temperature (approximate): 55 F (13 C)
Precipitation: 0 in (0 mm)
The
Brasslite Turbo ID served as the only stove for two backpackers;
providing hot water for dinners, evening tea and morning beverages.
Field Observations
The
Brasslite Turbo ID alcohol stove has proven to be a reliable well made
cooking instrument, that has worked admirably during field
testing. Once I set up the windscreen, and practiced a few times
with all of the components in place, I was able to bring water to a
boil every time I used the stove. There has been no
maintenance required during field testing, and the once shiny brass has
taken on a nice patina with use.
As
of this point I have relied
solely on denatured alcohol as a fuel, and its performance has been
reliable. Boil time for 500 ml (16 fl oz) has been steady at
about the 10-minute mark, and a little less than 1 fl oz (30 ml)
has been needed to bring it to a boil. Initial
testing has shown the simmer ring works to change the size of the
flame, although I have yet to try to use the stove to simmer a meal, as
this is beyond my current interests as a backcountry chef.
The
Brasslite stove, like most ultralight equipment has a learning curve to
make it an effective tool while backpacking. It took me a half
dozen trial uses before I began to get the feel for just how much
alcohol it takes to typically bring a 500 ml (16 fl oz) of water
to a boil. This is important, because if too much or too little
alcohol is added to the reservoir, the water will not boil, or it will
continue to burn for a long period after the water has boiled.
The stove cannot be refilled immediately after the flame goes out
(it must cool) and I found no effective way of extinguishing the flame
other than letting it burn away all the excess fuel. The real advantage
to the Brasslite stove is its weight savings. I have accomplished
this through the simplicity of the stove combined with my ability to
calculate fuel consumption precisely. The trade-off is the extra time
in learning how to maximize the use of the stove and fuel and
calculating fuel consumption.
My use of an alcohol stove
represents a bit of a paradigm shift. Gone is the blustery hiss
and 3-minute boils of the mechanically complex canister and white gas
stoves; enter a zen like silence and relaxed 10-minute boils of the
alcohol stove. A canister stove is ready to go at a moments notice, an
alcohol stove requires some forethought in preparation as to how much
alcohol you will consume, and how to prime the stove. I am not at this
point convinced that one is superior to the other. While the
noisy gas stoves certainly divorce one from the sounds of nature, the
short time until the water is ready to be consumed allows one more time
away from the tasks of cooking, and immersed in ones
surroundings. On the other hand, there is something slightly
primal about cooking with an alcohol stove. I sit with a barely
harnessed invisible flame licking the edges of my pot, knowing that in
10-minutes I will be pouring boiling water.
During the
first use of the stove I learned a good lesson about the previously
mentioned invisible flame. There is a fiery chaos roiling under
the pot, despite the silence and lack of visibility. I failed to
properly clear the organic debris under the inside perimeter of the
windscreen, and began to smell wisps of burning leaves after a
minute. Looking below the pot, I noticed that the debris was
beginning to burn despite being several inches from the stove. I
was more careful of clearing the area before lighting it on any
subsequent use. It was not until I fired up the stove in the dark
that I discovered how much larger the flame is under the pot than
appears in the daylight.
I have used the Brasslite Turbo
ID for as many as four people on an overnight trip. This stove is
designed as a solo-cooking instrument, and I found using it for more
than one person is possible, but is pushing it. Four campers
required a lot of patience, and a lot of fuel. At this juncture,
I would hesitate to bring it if I knew I was cooking for more than two
people.
I
have not had any malfunctions related to the stove
that were not due to my learning curve as a new alcohol stove
user. With this said, there are a few items that I feel could be
improved. First, I found the stove is very hard to fill without
spilling at least a small amount of fuel around the stove. While
priming the outside is part of the lighting sequence, I often do
this unintentionally during filling. I think it is important to have
more control of this. There may be a reliable method
of cleanly filling it, but I have not found it, and I speculate
that widening the gap in the stainless screen may aid in this
process. The pot support stands are very useful in the stability
of the stove. I only wish it could be designed in a manner that
would allow me to collapse them or to fold them into a more compact
unit for transport.
Summary
I have been
impressed with the Brasslite Turbo ID. I am a new alcohol stove
user, and I found the combination of simplicity and versatility of the
Brasslite stove has worked well in introducing me to the nuances of
this light weight alternative to the more typical canister and white
gas stoves. The Brasslite has held up superbly during field
testing, and has yet to provide me any unfounded grief.
It
has been a pleasure carrying this stove during the last two-months, and
I look forward to continuing the test for two more months.
Long Term Report
November 11, 2008
The
Brasslite Turbo I-D stove has been my cooking instrument for an
additional three days of camping since my field report. In total I have
used the Brasslite stove for a total of 8 days of camping during the
test period. The stove has performed in dry heat and extremely
windy moist conditions. The stove has primarily been used
as a tool to boil water to rehydrate freeze-dried foods, and to make
hot coffee, tea and hot cocoa.
Field Locations:
Julian Starfest, Julian, California2-Days August 2008
Elevation: 4200 ft (1280 m)
High Temperature: 1102 C (39 C)
Low Temperature: 57 F (14C)
The
stove was primarily relegated to hot beverage making during this
2-night camping trip. There was a large group, and we cooked as a
group. The Brasslite was perfect for boiling a small amount of
water to brew coffee and tea.
I
ndian Hill- Anza-Borrego Desert, CAOvernight November 2008
Elevation: 2000 ft (610 m)
High Temperature: 73 C (23 C)
Low Temperature: 50 F (10 C)
Precipitation:
Trace amounts (while no precipitation was recorded the strong winds
were blowing moisture onto us from the storms in the mountains.
We were hiking in full sunlight, while being lightly rained upon.
The
Brasslite served as a primary cooking instrument for two campers during
this overnight trip in very windy, slightly stormy conditions.
Field Performance:
The
Brasslite stove continues to perform admirably in the field. I have
consistently been able to boil water in a variety of conditions.
I have been able to more accurately anticipate the burn time of the
stove, and have adjusted the amount of alcohol down to about ¾ oz (22
ml) to boil ½ L (16 oz) of water. Using slightly less alcohol
allows the stove to burn itself out quickly after boiling water, and
cool for continued use or being packed away. This adjustment has
also allowed me to carry less alcohol. I still struggle to fill
the fuel reservoir without spilling alcohol on the outside of the
stove. While this allows for priming, I will experiment with
other fuel bottles after the test to see if it helps my accuracy.
I
used the stove in fairly adverse conditions during a trip to the
Anza-Borrego Desert region near San Diego, California. There was
a rainstorm raging on the western slope of the mountains,
resulting in strong winds gusting up to 50 mph (81 kph) and residual
moisture blowing down on us. I set up the stove in the most
sheltered area I could find. Initially I could not keep the
windscreen from blowing away. The addition of several more
rocks securing the windscreen solved this problem and I commenced
cooking. The stove worked well despite the strong wind, and I
soon had hot miso soup to enjoy for lunch. I have found over the
last four months that the windscreen is critical to efficient transfer
of heat form the stove to the water.
After writing
the field report for this stove I came to the conclusion that I was lax
in not at least testing the simmer feature. I waited until the
sun began to set, and lit the stove without the windscreen. After
about a minute the stove burned off the fuel I used for priming and the
flame became the cone shape that indicates it is functioning
normally. During this time the damper was set to expose all of
the air holes. I used a small stick (as per the instructions) to
slide the damper to cover all of the air holes and within 30 seconds
the flame became significantly smaller.
Summary:
The
“zen like silence” as I described it in the field report has grown on
me more and more when I am hiking or backpacking alone or in
tandem. The simple elegance of the design and operation of this
stove really compliments the solitude that I am seeking when I am in
the back-country. The stove is not an efficient tool for groups
larger than two (nor is it designed to be). This stove has proven
itself to be very reliable in diverse weather and diverse situations,
and I speculate that it will meet my needs as a solo-backpacking stove
for many years to come.
This is the first alcohol stove I have
owned or operated, and it has turned me onto the possibilities, and
have shown some of the limitations that this class of stove can bring to
backpacking. While I will not completely abandoned other styles
of stoves, I foresee using an alcohol stove in many situations where I
would have formerly carried a much heavier cooking system.
Pros• Very well made
• Light weight
• Easy to use after initial learning curve
• Silent operation
Cons • The optional pot supports do not collapse down to a more compact unit
• Hard to cleanly fill with fuel
This concludes my report. Thank
You Brasslite and BackpackGearTest.org for the opportunity to
test this fine stove.
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