Esbit Stove Review

"I have owned and used the Esbit stove for over fifty years in total and I am really glad they are still available today, They seem to last forever but my new one looks and works just like the old one. They used to hold smaller tabs and with one pack of fuel would last longer. I wish you could still get the older style fuel tabs , but I still think this is the best value and best built compact stove available.;"

"Having trusted my old Optimus Hunter as a boy scout and then my MSR Whisperlites for the past 11 years for summer, winter and mountaineering, I was a little leery of all the raving utlralightweight reviews I had heard about this stove. I finally broke down and bought one ($9.99 @ Campmor) and a box of fuel tabs. This stove is just about about the size of a deck of cards and unfolds as a platform and the sides hold the pot. It burns Esbit solid Fuel tabs ($5.99 for 12 @ Campmor) or Hexamine or Trioxane fuel tablets. It is ridiculously simple - Just place the tab on the platform, light it and put your pot on top. One Esbit tab will boil 2 cups of water in 8 minutes. The Esbit tabs will burn for about 15 minutes. This works well for my Lipton Dinners. You can also snuff the tab out with a leaf and re-use it later. While the Esbit tabs are expensive $.50 ea. I found I can get by with 2 per day - 1 for breakfast and one for dinner. The other type of tabs are cheaper (including Coughlins) do not burn as well and take up to 3 tabs to boil 2 cups. The Esbit tab also does not leave the sticky black residue that is common with the Coughlins, Hex or Triox tabs.
This stove is wonderful for one person on warm weather trips. I used it for several trips in 2001 and it immediatley became a favorite piece of lightweight gear.
The tablets weight 1/2 oz. each and the stove weighs about 3.25 oz. (Bring a long a piece of foil for a windscreen). A 5-day trip requires 8 ounces for stove and tabs - Compared to my whisperlite & fuel, I save 1.5 lbs in weight. also, this stove (as well as the alcohol cat-can stove) is becoming very popular with thru-hikers.
I hope you enjoy this stove as much as I do."

"I agree with Rick's review. I suggest using the Esbit fuel tabs and not the hexamine or trioxane: What you might save in pennies up front, you'll waste with difficulties in their use, a situation you don't want if you need hot water *now*. Campmor is the best source of the fuel tabs if you're ordering them in bulk. If you're packing dehydrated meals or foods that only need to be heated (not simmered), this stove is the way to go."

"I first began using the Esbit stove/fuel fifteen years ago as an Army Ranger assigned to a LRRP unit in Wurzburg, Germany. Rangers originated the fastpacking concept in the Long Range Reconnaissance Patrols - "travel light, freeze at night." And while technology has thankfully rid us of the freezing at night bit, it is kind of nice to see the old Esbit finally getting the notice (and use) it has long deserved. There's a time and place for the Star Wars stoves, but for a compact, super-light, and simple concept, the Esbit can't be beat."

"This stove is simple and effective. It is very light weight though plenty rugged enough.

It takes a little more time than my old Whisper Light, but weighs far less than the Whisper Light stove, canister & liquid fuel. I've used it for two seasons and had absolutely no problem with it."

"I recently purchased this stove and used it for the first time on a three day backpacking trip in Rocky Mountain NP. We were between 10,000 and 11,000 for most of the trip. The stove worked well with a few cups of water but I was never able to bring a full quart of water to boil with this stove, even using a windshield. But, I like the light weight of the stove so I'll probably continue using it for summer trips."

"Nice stove for fair weather camping and if you don't need more than 2-3 cups of water at a time. It will blacken your pot or cup, so be prepared.

I used it exclusively one summer and fall and was pleasantly surprised. Only time I wish I had my Apex 1 was when it got down to 20 degrees and I wanted lots of hot water, now.

You must take along some foil to use as a wind-screen. Not a big deal.

Now I use the Pocket Rocket mostly, but generally take along two Esbit tabs as a backup. I figure I can make an Esbit stove out of rocks if I need to."

"This stove first won fame in WW2 when it was issued to german soldiers. It quickly became a favorite captured item for GIs.
I use this stove for spring,
summer and fall. It is light weight, tiny and can easily
replaced if damaged or lost by
substituting rocks. For all of you weight watchers out there, all you really need are
the tablets, although this thing is about as light of a
backpacking stove as you're going to get. I've learned to
rough and scratch up the surface of a tablet before
igniting it. Best way light it up is to ignite a storm match and place it directly in between two tablets (after scratching them up a bit)your tablets will burn more easily. Build a windscreen out of rocks or bring some foil. I never use any other stove anymore. P.S. bring plenty of tablets..they're light, and you'll need them."

"I have bushwalked in australia all my life and for most of it used an old metho stove I bought years ago (perhaps 20yrs!) it was and still is a great stove!
Then I got hold of a MSR Whisperlight and that was ok..but the simplicity of the esbit stove is fantastic! I use both tabs and also a short homemade metho burner in the stove for great results! No worries or problems! Esbit may not be trendy, but they sure are toasty!"

"simple, cheap, easy to use, unbreakable

you will not like it if you enjoy tinkering and cussing
at expensive stoves

bring along wind screen

have 4 camp stoves, this is the most reliable

yours truly
Mac"

"PROS: 1. Price, the stove is cheap to buy and extremely cheap to maintain. 2. Ease of use, flip up the pot stand, place tab in center of stove, and light. 3. Size, for 1 or 2 person and boiling water meals it's tiny.
CONS: 1.Price per boil, a little higher than other fuel types...be sure and use Esbit tabs they burn cleaner and less smell. 2. Time to boil, which is a con if you are in a hurry."