Thanks for explaining the differences between the stoves. I didn't realize the blue one doesn't recharge itself. TIP: When using the kettle pot, don't position one of the vents in the bottom of the pot over the plastic housing for the fan, it can melt it. EBay has a few stoves for sale with this melt damage!
I did a 5 day backpacking hike on the foothills trail in 4 days carrying a 35 lb pack which included the BioLite "camp" stove and kettle pot. I'm 5'3" and weigh 135 lbs and I'm 65 yrs. old. I cooked 2 meals a day. I liked the fact that fuel was all around me in the form of easy to gather twigs and it recharges it's own fan battery every time it is fired up making it totally off grid. I recently did a 3 day 50 mile hike on the same trail with a 31 lb. pack using the BioLite "cook" stove. It was a bit lighter. Most backpackers would prefer lighter stoves. I like the BioLite stoves immensely. I have done many camping trips with a vehicle and of course the weight of the stove is not a factor then and the stoves are awesome. To me the kettle pot makes those stoves very efficient and I would recommend them with the stoves. The Biolite stoves are much safer in my opinion than the alcohol stoves I have used but then again there is the weight factor that many backpackers would like to avoid. I own about everything BioLite makes and I am very impressed with all their quality inventions. The solar panel 5+ recharges all of our Biolite gear and is worth checking out if you like being totally off grid with all cooking and lighting needs. Of course their stuff can be charged with a usb port too. I also own the much larger BioLite "basecamp" stove but use it very seldom since it is best suited for larger needs and our kids are all grown and gone. I bought all my kids the basecamp stove for their family preparedness situations but it is amazing how the little BioLite camp stove performs with the kettle pot and would be adequate for many needs. Hope this was helpful for those like myself who like this kind of information. :)
Metric system retarded while US army use it for ammunition and what not..right The United States is also the only country using this inaccurate system. You always end up with decimals..
I have the camp stove. I've used it many times without failure. It doesn't just charge cell phones. It will charge any USB rechargeable device. I've used it with a standard (AA, AAA, CR123, etc...) battery charger, my rechargeable head lamp, my rechargeable radio, my rechargeable hand held ham radios and my rechargeable flashlights. It works for a heating stove and a cook stove. It's one of the best pieces of kit I own...Way better than any chemical fuel stoves that I've used.
@@owendigity1581CampStove 2 is the most powerfull woodstove Period (Depends on the user)...i admit its harder to keep it very hot but its so much hotter than anything else
For your pots: get the biolite cookpot it's so freaking amazing and the stove and thermoelectric generator fit right inside slick as a whistle. I love mine! I have the whole shebang for this beauty. I love that the camp stove charges itself... no love for the cook stove because it needs to be wall charged and I think that sucks. PS. Pellets in this thing are amazing.... a cup of pellets boils your water and a full chamber does dinner nicely on the grill!! About the grill... there's specified, in the instructions, a hot zone, medium and a cool zone.. you'll never get it even all over. Brown by the feeder and move back to finish works well.. have to say it takes getting used to but generally a great system.
I got the Camp Stove 2 with the grill. It works great. One needs some practise with the right amount of „fuel“ but after a few tests, it is pretty easy.. The only disadvantage, if I am allowed to call it this way, is the time to wait until it is cooled down.... But that is something you have to deal with. I can recommend it.
I have the older version and the fan noise doesn't bother me at all. You can add fuel if you use wood pellets. I use pellets in mine and it burns a long time and you don't have to keep adding sticks. I have the stove 2 now. It is brand new for late 2016 early 2017. I plan on reviewing it soon. These are the best little stoves. I love them.
I like your video. You did a really good job in demonstrating it. I was just thinking it'd be nice if someone did demonstrate the stoves. Thank You for including the links.
I was just at REI yesterday and saw a this I am surprised at this product I didn't really know what it did at the store thank you so much your channel is amazing and I also love camping
Thanks! I went with the CampStove Bundle. I found the best deal at lowes for $159. Can wait to try it on my first camping trip. The bundle has the grill, like the new one has, and it come with a light.
I have a BioLite Camp stove and a Base Camp. I haven't taken the opportunity to use the base camp yet, but I've used the camp stove several times. The stove does need feeding a lot but still actually uses very little fuel overall. Mine came with a pot stand for smaller pots. I would recommend the camp stove to anyone. It's a good idea to charge the camp stove before you use it (this is a recommendation in the instructions). The grill attachment does take some getting used to as it does heat unevenly but it is still very workable. The grill is also a little hard to clean.
We usually just use whatever we can find that has fallen, there is a lot of easy to gather biomass out there. Most of the camping areas where I live only have various pine so that's mostly what we use.
Went camping last weekend in Big South Fork River and Recreation Area in Tennessee. Other people coming by saw my Biolite camp stove and you should have heard the people making jealous comments. When they saw that I was only using small sticks for fuel people began to covet everywhere. It was awesome.
these stoves are awesome. I just purchased a bundle package, with the stove, grill top, and some lights. Simple easy to use and charges your phone. Going to pre order a Base Lantern XL as well.
I also have the kettle pot and the grill. The campstove fits into the kettle pot so it doesn't take up any more room than the pot. The grill is good because if you are cooking something greasy like burgers the grease goes into the burn chamber as fuel so clean up is easy. Also the kettle pot comes with a silicone bowl and the cover for the grill can be used as a cutting board and your dinner plate. Less things to pack. I use it when I go kayak camping or partying on the spit at low tide
I have one and take it camping most times, great item to use and helpful in charging my GPS and phone when in the hills/mountains.... Nice handy item...
In the instruction sheet for the "portable grill", it's mentioned that different areas of the grill do have different temperatures. So, yes, you do need to adapt your cooking methods to use the grill. That said, I'm very happy with my Biolite Bundle. I have seen that LED lamp available as an accessory, and I don't think it comes with the standard bundle. But, I might just get it one of these days. I also have the Nano-Grid, which is a great system.. very useful. Good quality gear from Biolite.
I really like the ability to recharge devices that the Camp Stove offers. Their new solar panel looks nice, but the Stove will work at night and in bad weather.
I have the original CampStove and though it is bulky it fits perfectly in one of the pockets of my rucksack. I love it, and the sound letting me know it is going gives me that assurance that my usb corded items will stay charged. I backpack with it no matter where I am, back yard, park, or Appalachian Mountains. I love it. I do not have the new version but might get it as a back up incase something happens to the original one but all and all, I don't backpack anywhere without my BioLite CampStove.
Before I get into the comments and constructive criticism I want to thank you for making the video. I appreciate the comparison. What I am trying to understand is why you took so long to put the water on the flames when it was very clear the fire was not going to go out. As far as getting small pots / cups to fit on top of stoves, it seems a no brainer to use a multitool to rig a tin can and/or a coat hanger into a platform that would support odd shapes. I might even be possible to set a pair of metal tent stakes across the top of stove to do the job. It seems a waste to run the stove to only generate power. Can you use the battery of the camp stove to charge devices when it isn't burning fuel? I really like the design concept, but the price is rather high balanced against the cost of making something yourself out of scavenged/cannibalized parts i.e. a coffee can, capacitor, computer fan, a old USB cable and various parts to control the voltage and the fan. It seems a nice piece of kit for those who like to buy the win. What I really want to know is how well is it made in the long term. Will they work for more that a year or two?
You had mentioned that the sound was higher for the one stove and stated that it might keep you awake, I would think that is great, I don't think it would be safe to go to sleep while it is burning.
Your video is beautiful but people in our country don't have the money to buy one. I love it biolite camp stove 2 I wish you to make such a beautiful video
Thanks for the review, ive had one for two years and still haven't taken it outta the box but now im thinking,its small and will be perfect for my bus, I like the bio light pellets you can buy for it.Handy for emegencys, too put in yr car or truck ice fishing hut, boat,back packing for sure:)
I want to chime in with my thoughts since I've had the stove and used it for 3 years now. I used a flat cooking pan I've used for 40 years instead of buying the little cook rack that biolite puts out. I also have a metal large cup I use to heat up my water for my hot drink. Don't spend the money for all the extras, just use what you alreay have. Also, I keep the leftover toilet paper rolls which is just cardboard. This is a great way to get a starter, just tear off how much cardboard roll you have kept and start it on fire, to get the stove started burning. I don't buy expensive fire starter items. Especially sine things are so expensive now. october 2022
That is one thorough review, you deserve more subscribers! I was wondering: What material are those outer things made of? (orange and cyan colored parts) Is there a danger that the material melts from the heat?
Got all 3 and like the new yellow 2+ more than the other 2 . The first blue one without the thermocoupler is nice just for an extra, i also take some gel fuel with its easier to get a fire
Nice work! I'm very interested to see the comparison! Also very curious to see what you think of it after more usage. A common issue for all wood gasification stoves is the build up of ash and the need to stop the fire, let the stove cool, dump the ash, and restart the fire. If you're just boiling some water for a couple of quick meals this isn't likely to ever be a big issue. If you're intending to fully charge a device or two this may be a become a challenge
+zero11010 i will certainly be using it much much more and for longer periods. had it going for about an hour or so today and there was so little ash build up it was great. easy to dump over and relight though so i don't see it being an issue.
Thanks for the review. I have been thinking on one of these and was worried about how functional it was. Looks like you have a slow charger and have to constantly fill it with wood.
wrong. I have had my orange one for 3 years using it. I did not buy all the extra accessories. I;ve camped all my life. Number one, use pellets so its not sticking out of the top, or make your wood smaller and pack it in, going up and down. I have a small griddle I've used for years and you can see the biolite has at the top of it, 4 rounded lips on the sides. I put my griddle on the tope of the biolite on those little lips and it holds everything in place perfectly to cook my bacon and eggs. get the griddle hot and I use the spray canned non stick spray to use on a griddle. My griddle is heavy and sits on top of the 4 lips on top of the stove and never moves. I can cook just as much as you are on the round one that you bought. I just like to save money and I have a lots of camping stuff I already have had. Also, I save the leftover toilet paper tubes made out of cardboard and use them for a starter, cut them up as you wish and put into top of stove and they light right up. I used to buy the brink fire starters but they are expensive so I came up with using the leftover toilet paper cardboard tubes which is just cardboard and it works great.
Thanks for the demo, an interesting stove. I'll stick to the MSR Dragonfly though. It looks like the BioLite stove/s get pretty dirty from wood and then to pack it. I'd say your pots get dirty also. The phone recharging is nice. What would happen if the stove was out all night in a heavy rain or got submerged in water(electrical parts)?
If the fan portion gets wet it is toast, the circuit boards are not protected if water gets in there. There is a video out there that shows the innards. Keep it dry and you are good to go.
See what i believe, Is the Camp Stove speed 1 is apparently Cook Stove's speed at 2, and Camp Stove 2 is apparently speed 4 on Cook Stove. So you're not really changing anything different, besides having a lower heat level of 1 and 3 when on the cook stove. But they work pretty much exactly same. But i agree i'd take 0.5pounds more over unlimited fan power performance vs having to recharge the Cook-Stove and having the speed of 1-3 for lower heating. Not to mention if pairing this with their Kettle-Charge that is 10watts of power (aka 5v at 2.1amps) that is basically the best of all worlds. Unlimited power right there. And since now adays almost everything running on 5volts usb powered. You could have your own little 5volt usb powered home in a camp ground. Off-grid living! Also to mention about the heat exchanger grill. It's probably best you keep both Stoves at max power, That way the heat spreads out more widely cause it's being forced out more, Leaving it lower setting decreases the spread. Hope that helps yea next time you try using the grill attachment.
There's an adapter in the box that clicks over the top of the stoves that will take the smaller pots :) it's a triangle looking thing that clicks onto the lip of the burn chamber :)
Can anyone attest to the lifespan of this stove. Im planning a 3 month river kayak trip and would prefer to avoid having to carry numerous gas canisters so this seems a great option (plus it charges itself and other devices). My main concern is heat damage to the power unit or possible corrosion/oxidation from heat.
+Texas Bill its a great little stove.. for a rocket. That said it's certainly not for any kind of indoor use: it burns hotter than a firecracker. charging your phone... over hours and hours.. it's not a charger like a wall unit...it's a top up device. All that aside I adore my camp stove because I can top up with it. having had it out a few times... it's not a serious source of warmth. 5.2 mins to boil a liter of water. they are awesome... just not for heating spaces.
Great review Ben! I have the Original as well, along with the same kettle. Works really good and agree you will need a wider item to set on the top of the stove. Keep up the great videos!
not as of yet.. It's in my car kit as it was mentioned. But that does sound like a good test too. Their Charge Kettle I have been looking at for awhile, but do not have it. I have mine nested with the BioLite stove inside my 1 ltr kettle in the provided pouch and then inside a Red Dry Bag for quick ID and everything is self contained.
Larry Norris There are some other options, like the Power Pot. I believe I heard it was a more efficient thermo exchanger than the one found in the biolite stove (which I think charges faster, but at lower amperage than the kettle). I haven't seen a lot of direct comparisons, so it's all still a little ethereal for me.
I have to say I'm really interested in the original. I like that it charges itself and my phone. The mug/pot is pretty cool too that would make one awesome cup of coffee in the morning!
You should make sure, the kettle handles are pointing to the orange block, so the flames are not forced to come out over the orange block. Which may result into some damage (not sure)
Screw the noise complaints. The fact that the fire runs the fan AND charges your phone is a big plus. Also I heard about this kelly kettle. But do they make them in different sizes?
i have the non regen version. its fun to have on a picnic, but its a little too small. Id like to see them a little taller so the fuel doesn't protrude so easily thus hindering the pot on the top. And if it was slightly larger diameter. These two changes would make it bit more functional. Great idea but I think version 2 would be sweet
Iunno, the Camp Stove seems like a pretty niche device that can only be used in the right condition. If you're camping in rainy conditions it's going to be tougher to find dry wood and if you're camping in the desert you might just be SOL depending on whether or not you can find twigs. So it's certainly not a device that is going to work in all conditions. Likewise using the USB charger is more of an afterthought if anything as it's slow to charge anyways. It's also heavy and bulkier than other stoves. For my money I'd rather have a traditional propane/liquid stove and just bring along a USB battery pack that could charge your phone up multiple times over and you'd still be cheaper and lighter/compact. I think if you can plan your trip and anticipate whats to come you can use this but otherwise I'd go with a regular setup that can be used anywhere in most conditions. Plus there are other wood burning stoves like the Solo Stove that are cheaper and lighter as well.
Gazziza29 true, rain can be a downer for wood stoves. That's why gas or alcohol stoves are still good alternatives. Even those fuel tab stoves are better than nothing.
I emailed support about the small pot support. They're mailing me one for free. I'm using wood pellets in my cookstove and it works great. Use aluminum foil on your pot if the blackening bothers you.
The pot stand should have came with the Camp Stove at least. I know mine came with it. It is just a little wire ring that sits over the lips at the top, and allows air to flow under it with a cup on top. For charging you should check out the BioLite KettleCharge. It is a bit heavy but charges at least twice as fast as the Camp Stove.
+BioLite It needs to be phased back in. Many people use 600-750ml pots with the same diameter as the internal ring on the BioLite as shown in the video. If you put it directly in this ring you get lots of smoke and no fire. Using a larger pot works fine as it rests above on the ridges. It is too bad there is no included method for smaller pots anymore. I will have to make one though.
Really like the BioLite stove, but weird thing happened at our campout in January. Guy was charging his Iphone 6 and it kept shutting off not allowing it to charge due to the cold. Even wrapped it into a mitten and it still wouldn't take a charge. Went inside, plugged it into one of those battery pods and charged right up. BTW, hunkering down for the Snowmageddon hitting the state? Where I am, we're looking at over a inch of rain but "maybe 1-2 inches of snow. keep safe!
I have the Original Biolite, and Kettle, but I didn't get a Lamp 8( Nice Option Ill have to look for one... Note: the Stove Fits inside the kettle for Storage as well for a Cook System. I also for a Triangle Curved Stiff Wire that Snaps onto the top of the Stove, With it I can sit a Cup on top NP .
Kindling is really not needed. Use a Sweedish Torch with a little fire starter and you will have a quick fire and longer lasting. Remember that both units have batteries one recharges itself while burning.
They tell you in the instructions that one sire of the grill is meant to be hotter than the other. It should have came with a triangle wire to raise the pot.
Very useful device, if you're going to go very far away, and planned to keep in touch with civilization, little wood, and you're done, of course for me "the original "seems to be the way to go, for mountain/jungle camping and weekends at the beach, it will prove to be the ticket.
In my opinion the grill extra isn't worth buying, as claimed in the video it cooks uneven to say the least. As a survival system, it will 100% get your phone charged & of course boil water cook food in a pan. So I think they are worth the money.
yes, heavier stove but we must consider that unlike a propane or gasoline stove you do not have the weight of the fuel in your pack, so it comes out even in the end.
I think it's wonderful that you and your lady get out and do this. I love her thermal under shirt with the thumb hole cut out. You both did a very good job!!!! My only question is if they make something like the charger fan for the kelly kettle... Also... the Kelly kettle seems to produce a much higher heat and faster boiling temperature. Could you do a fair cross comparison?
Living Survival Have you ever watched Survival Lilly videos? She gets pretty natural sometimes about building fires, and once made a rocket-like stove out of stones and digging a tunnel in the dirt.
I like the idea but I don't think its quite there yet. A few years time with new models ect then maybe I'll look at purchasing one. I'll stick with my Solo Stove with a backup alcohol burner.
Another good review. Seems to me like they should have thought about a better stand/heat sink to transfer the energy. It's all about draft. I personally like the emberlit better for a wood burner just because of sheer weight. Keep the vids coming!
The instructions with the grill tells you that there are 2 heat zones. Inner area is hotter then outer area. it is not even heat as you assumed. Also you should have had the cookstove set at #2 so both units were blowing at the same rate to compare boiling time. My cookstove boils 2cups of water in less than 3 mins every time I use it, must be set on boil setting. Use the stove properly and you will have no problem.
On one of the Biolite videos they say there is two separate temp ranges on the grill, one closer to the hopper and one towards the outer edge. I can't remember which one is hotter and cooler.
I love my biolite original.. I do not like the cook top grill. The wife refers to it as the burn top grill. This stove never lets me down and its always in my jeep and used a lot.
HAHA, yeah it is loud but it's kinda like having a fan on when you sleep. I actually kinda like it at least i don't mind it and the thing works well. The new one without the ability to run the fan itself not so much since you have to depend on it being charged.
@1:48 "BK2 for the win" so... I guess it is Ka-Bar Becker BK2. Check out Fallkniven knifes before buying anything. If you can find one that you like, and you can accept the price for the quality, you will be set for life! At least that happened to me with their A1.
You should drop the fire starter in first then gradually drop in your kindling. Your larger chunks of wood are too long and keep you from putting your pot on the device quicker to take advantage of the heat to either cook or boil water. The amount of wood you are using is negligible versus the time it is taking to boil water. If you were to use a thermometer to see how hot the water is is you are boiling it too pasteurize it, it only needs to rise to 150 degrees to be safe, not 112 degrees which is the boiling point of water depending on elevation.
Thanks for explaining the differences between the stoves. I didn't realize the blue one doesn't recharge itself. TIP: When using the kettle pot, don't position one of the vents in the bottom of the pot over the plastic housing for the fan, it can melt it. EBay has a few stoves for sale with this melt damage!
I did a 5 day backpacking hike on the foothills trail in 4 days carrying a 35 lb pack which included the BioLite "camp" stove and kettle pot. I'm 5'3" and weigh 135 lbs and I'm 65 yrs. old. I cooked 2 meals a day. I liked the fact that fuel was all around me in the form of easy to gather twigs and it recharges it's own fan battery every time it is fired up making it totally off grid. I recently did a 3 day 50 mile hike on the same trail with a 31 lb. pack using the BioLite "cook" stove. It was a bit lighter. Most backpackers would prefer lighter stoves. I like the BioLite stoves immensely. I have done many camping trips with a vehicle and of course the weight of the stove is not a factor then and the stoves are awesome. To me the kettle pot makes those stoves very efficient and I would recommend them with the stoves. The Biolite stoves are much safer in my opinion than the alcohol stoves I have used but then again there is the weight factor that many backpackers would like to avoid. I own about everything BioLite makes and I am very impressed with all their quality inventions. The solar panel 5+ recharges all of our Biolite gear and is worth checking out if you like being totally off grid with all cooking and lighting needs. Of course their stuff can be charged with a usb port too. I also own the much larger BioLite "basecamp" stove but use it very seldom since it is best suited for larger needs and our kids are all grown and gone. I bought all my kids the basecamp stove for their family preparedness situations but it is amazing how the little BioLite camp stove performs with the kettle pot and would be adequate for many needs. Hope this was helpful for those like myself who like this kind of information. :)
Its the metric system that is the retarded system! Go put your helmet on Skippy.
Wow... You're one tough little ignorant fellow...
+John Tedonneraipasmonnom maybe both of you could wise up and learn both?
mattcm32 It would be like learning how to heat microwave pizza when I know how to cook a real pizza in less time.
So no thanks.
Metric system retarded while US army use it for ammunition and what not..right The United States is also the only country using this inaccurate system. You always end up with decimals..
I have the camp stove. I've used it many times without failure. It doesn't just charge cell phones. It will charge any USB rechargeable device. I've used it with a standard (AA, AAA, CR123, etc...) battery charger, my rechargeable head lamp, my rechargeable radio, my rechargeable hand held ham radios and my rechargeable flashlights. It works for a heating stove and a cook stove. It's one of the best pieces of kit I own...Way better than any chemical fuel stoves that I've used.
Bullshit. I own one and it is garbage, on par with sterno stoves.
@@owendigity1581 then Your not using it the right way
@@owendigity1581CampStove 2 is the most powerfull woodstove Period (Depends on the user)...i admit its harder to keep it very hot but its so much hotter than anything else
every time I forget about the BioLite stove, you come along and remind me that it's a pretty cool gadget :)
+SurvivalTech Nord ;)
For your pots: get the biolite cookpot it's so freaking amazing and the stove and thermoelectric generator fit right inside slick as a whistle.
I love mine! I have the whole shebang for this beauty.
I love that the camp stove charges itself... no love for the cook stove because it needs to be wall charged and I think that sucks.
PS. Pellets in this thing are amazing.... a cup of pellets boils your water and a full chamber does dinner nicely on the grill!!
About the grill... there's specified, in the instructions, a hot zone, medium and a cool zone.. you'll never get it even all over. Brown by the feeder and move back to finish works well.. have to say it takes getting used to but generally a great system.
I got the Camp Stove 2 with the grill. It works great.
One needs some practise with the right amount of „fuel“ but after a few tests, it is pretty easy..
The only disadvantage, if I am allowed to call it this way, is the time to wait until it is cooled down....
But that is something you have to deal with.
I can recommend it.
I have the older version and the fan noise doesn't bother me at all. You can add fuel if you use wood pellets. I use pellets in mine and it burns a long time and you don't have to keep adding sticks. I have the stove 2 now. It is brand new for late 2016 early 2017. I plan on reviewing it soon. These are the best little stoves. I love them.
I like your video. You did a really good job in demonstrating it. I was just thinking it'd be nice if someone did demonstrate the stoves. Thank You for including the links.
i love this product its one of those things that when you see your surprised no one thought of it before.
+Kenneth Donnelly right.
Really glad that you took the time for this. It has helped me to decide regarding the stoves and their configurations.
I was just at REI yesterday and saw a this I am surprised at this product I didn't really know what it did at the store thank you so much your channel is amazing and I also love camping
+Cameron Mcmaster thank you for your comment Cameron.
the stove comes with pit supports for smaller pits.
Thanks! I went with the CampStove Bundle. I found the best deal at lowes for $159. Can wait to try it on my first camping trip. The bundle has the grill, like the new one has, and it come with a light.
A jetboil boils a liter of water in two minutes, so it's about 3 times slower, not counting the time to process wood.
I have a BioLite Camp stove and a Base Camp. I haven't taken the opportunity to use the base camp yet, but I've used the camp stove several times. The stove does need feeding a lot but still actually uses very little fuel overall. Mine came with a pot stand for smaller pots. I would recommend the camp stove to anyone. It's a good idea to charge the camp stove before you use it (this is a recommendation in the instructions). The grill attachment does take some getting used to as it does heat unevenly but it is still very workable. The grill is also a little hard to clean.
+David Miller i use hardwood and i only have to feed it once to get a rolling boil. I like that.
We usually just use whatever we can find that has fallen, there is a lot of easy to gather biomass out there. Most of the camping areas where I live only have various pine so that's mostly what we use.
Went camping last weekend in Big South Fork River and Recreation Area in Tennessee. Other people coming by saw my Biolite camp stove and you should have heard the people making jealous comments. When they saw that I was only using small sticks for fuel people began to covet everywhere. It was awesome.
:)
these stoves are awesome. I just purchased a bundle package, with the stove, grill top, and some lights. Simple easy to use and charges your phone. Going to pre order a Base Lantern XL as well.
The one that doesn't need to be charged ahead of time that charges your phone, etc sounds better
Turn off the Fan and the phone charges faster.
I also have the kettle pot and the grill. The campstove fits into the kettle pot so it doesn't take up any more room than the pot. The grill is good because if you are cooking something greasy like burgers the grease goes into the burn chamber as fuel so clean up is easy. Also the kettle pot comes with a silicone bowl and the cover for the grill can be used as a cutting board and your dinner plate. Less things to pack. I use it when I go kayak camping or partying on the spit at low tide
I have one and take it camping most times, great item to use and helpful in charging my GPS and phone when in the hills/mountains.... Nice handy item...
and fun to use!
Great review Ben, it definitely answered alot of questions I've had about these genius little stoves. Thank you and keep up the good work
In the instruction sheet for the "portable grill", it's mentioned that different areas of the grill do have different temperatures. So, yes, you do need to adapt your cooking methods to use the grill. That said, I'm very happy with my Biolite Bundle. I have seen that LED lamp available as an accessory, and I don't think it comes with the standard bundle. But, I might just get it one of these days. I also have the Nano-Grid, which is a great system.. very useful. Good quality gear from Biolite.
+Ray Sills thanks for the comment ray. yes it works, just have to get used to it.
I really like the ability to recharge devices that the Camp Stove offers. Their new solar panel looks nice, but the Stove will work at night and in bad weather.
Ray Sills agreed
I have the original CampStove and though it is bulky it fits perfectly in one of the pockets of my rucksack. I love it, and the sound letting me know it is going gives me that assurance that my usb corded items will stay charged. I backpack with it no matter where I am, back yard, park, or Appalachian Mountains. I love it. I do not have the new version but might get it as a back up incase something happens to the original one but all and all, I don't backpack anywhere without my BioLite CampStove.
It's intended to heat unevenly that way so it has a hot side and a cooler side to cook on. It is meant to allow for the "dual zone" method for BBQ.
Before I get into the comments and constructive criticism I want to thank you for making the video. I appreciate the comparison. What I am trying to understand is why you took so long to put the water on the flames when it was very clear the fire was not going to go out. As far as getting small pots / cups to fit on top of stoves, it seems a no brainer to use a multitool to rig a tin can and/or a coat hanger into a platform that would support odd shapes. I might even be possible to set a pair of metal tent stakes across the top of stove to do the job. It seems a waste to run the stove to only generate power. Can you use the battery of the camp stove to charge devices when it isn't burning fuel? I really like the design concept, but the price is rather high balanced against the cost of making something yourself out of scavenged/cannibalized parts i.e. a coffee can, capacitor, computer fan, a old USB cable and various parts to control the voltage and the fan. It seems a nice piece of kit for those who like to buy the win. What I really want to know is how well is it made in the long term. Will they work for more that a year or two?
You had mentioned that the sound was higher for the one stove and stated that it might keep you awake, I would think that is great, I don't think it would be safe to go to sleep while it is burning.
Those are fascinating pieces of engineering. Thanks for the review/comparison :)
- Martin
+NorwegianWoods another item I initially passed on due to it being a gimmick. works fantastic. can't wait to test it up against solar panels.
My biolite the orange one came with a adapter thing that clips into the top of the burn chamber for putting pots on
I got the complete set & love it, the pain I found was cleaning the grill, it takes real small fingers & loads of time, but a great piece of kit
Great video. That is some cool outdoor gadgetry right there!
+The Late Boy Scout thanks for checking it out.
I love my BioLite camp stove and charger since I go out for days and need to recharge my camera for those once in a life time captured images.
Your video is beautiful but people in our country don't have the money to buy one. I love it biolite camp stove 2 I wish you to make such a beautiful video
Thanks for the review, ive had one for two years and still haven't taken it outta the box but now im thinking,its small and will be perfect for my bus, I like the bio light pellets you can buy for it.Handy for emegencys, too put in yr car or truck ice fishing hut, boat,back packing for sure:)
+2000talon take it out. it works well !
I want to chime in with my thoughts since I've had the stove and used it for 3 years now. I used a flat cooking pan I've used for 40 years instead of buying the little cook rack that biolite puts out. I also have a metal large cup I use to heat up my water for my hot drink. Don't spend the money for all the extras, just use what you alreay have. Also, I keep the leftover toilet paper rolls which is just cardboard. This is a great way to get a starter, just tear off how much cardboard roll you have kept and start it on fire, to get the stove started burning. I don't buy expensive fire starter items. Especially sine things are so expensive now. october 2022
That is one thorough review, you deserve more subscribers!
I was wondering: What material are those outer things made of? (orange and cyan colored parts)
Is there a danger that the material melts from the heat?
+NaHKi5 not sure. but they stayed cool to the touch.
Got all 3 and like the new yellow 2+ more than the other 2 . The first blue one without the thermocoupler is nice just for an extra, i also take some gel fuel with its easier to get a fire
Can you charge the Cook Stove with the Camp Stove while cooking on both???
brilliant video. I got one for Christmas! can't wait to use it on some kayak camping trips. keeping my tech charged while off the grid!
Nice work! I'm very interested to see the comparison! Also very curious to see what you think of it after more usage. A common issue for all wood gasification stoves is the build up of ash and the need to stop the fire, let the stove cool, dump the ash, and restart the fire.
If you're just boiling some water for a couple of quick meals this isn't likely to ever be a big issue. If you're intending to fully charge a device or two this may be a become a challenge
+zero11010 i will certainly be using it much much more and for longer periods. had it going for about an hour or so today and there was so little ash build up it was great. easy to dump over and relight though so i don't see it being an issue.
Thanks for the review. I have been thinking on one of these and was worried about how functional it was. Looks like you have a slow charger and have to constantly fill it with wood.
that stove looks awesome and great vid Ben
+outfiitter23 thanks!!!
wrong. I have had my orange one for 3 years using it. I did not buy all the extra accessories. I;ve camped all my life. Number one, use pellets so its not sticking out of the top, or make your wood smaller and pack it in, going up and down. I have a small griddle I've used for years and you can see the biolite has at the top of it, 4 rounded lips on the sides. I put my griddle on the tope of the biolite on those little lips and it holds everything in place perfectly to cook my bacon and eggs. get the griddle hot and I use the spray canned non stick spray to use on a griddle. My griddle is heavy and sits on top of the 4 lips on top of the stove and never moves. I can cook just as much as you are on the round one that you bought. I just like to save money and I have a lots of camping stuff I already have had. Also, I save the leftover toilet paper tubes made out of cardboard and use them for a starter, cut them up as you wish and put into top of stove and they light right up. I used to buy the brink fire starters but they are expensive so I came up with using the leftover toilet paper cardboard tubes which is just cardboard and it works great.
Thanks for the demo, an interesting stove. I'll stick to the MSR Dragonfly though. It looks like the BioLite stove/s get pretty dirty from wood and then to pack it. I'd say your pots get dirty also. The phone recharging is nice.
What would happen if the stove was out all night in a heavy rain or got submerged in water(electrical parts)?
If the fan portion gets wet it is toast, the circuit boards are not protected if water gets in there. There is a video out there that shows the innards. Keep it dry and you are good to go.
See what i believe, Is the Camp Stove speed 1 is apparently Cook Stove's speed at 2, and Camp Stove 2 is apparently speed 4 on Cook Stove. So you're not really changing anything different, besides having a lower heat level of 1 and 3 when on the cook stove. But they work pretty much exactly same. But i agree i'd take 0.5pounds more over unlimited fan power performance vs having to recharge the Cook-Stove and having the speed of 1-3 for lower heating. Not to mention if pairing this with their Kettle-Charge that is 10watts of power (aka 5v at 2.1amps) that is basically the best of all worlds. Unlimited power right there. And since now adays almost everything running on 5volts usb powered. You could have your own little 5volt usb powered home in a camp ground. Off-grid living!
Also to mention about the heat exchanger grill. It's probably best you keep both Stoves at max power, That way the heat spreads out more widely cause it's being forced out more, Leaving it lower setting decreases the spread. Hope that helps yea next time you try using the grill attachment.
You did a wonderfull job how well each stove worked
there is a supplied inner ring pot stand with the original BioLite Campstove, which copes with the air cut off problem
There's an adapter in the box that clicks over the top of the stoves that will take the smaller pots :) it's a triangle looking thing that clicks onto the lip of the burn chamber :)
+lewi bear they don't include it anymore ;(
+Living Survival oh right, that sucks! I got one in mine and I got it in December just gone :P
Can anyone attest to the lifespan of this stove. Im planning a 3 month river kayak trip and would prefer to avoid having to carry numerous gas canisters so this seems a great option (plus it charges itself and other devices). My main concern is heat damage to the power unit or possible corrosion/oxidation from heat.
Great review Ben and thumbs up for Mrs Living Survival for enduring the cold! BTW, got a haircut?
+snakemonkey555 yeah..thanks :)
Excellent video but you forgot one thing, boil time depends on elevation also
Great video Ben, I was wondering how much heat does this produce? In a pinch could this alone be used as a heat source?
That would even be good to use in detached garage in winter to stay warm and charge phone, and make tea, while working.
+Texas Bill its a great little stove.. for a rocket. That said it's certainly not for any kind of indoor use: it burns hotter than a firecracker. charging your phone... over hours and hours.. it's not a charger like a wall unit...it's a top up device. All that aside I adore my camp stove because I can top up with it. having had it out a few times... it's not a serious source of warmth. 5.2 mins to boil a liter of water. they are awesome... just not for heating spaces.
Great review Ben! I have the Original as well, along with the same kettle. Works really good and agree you will need a wider item to set on the top of the stove. Keep up the great videos!
+Larry Norris Have you tried using both together? One fire to supply power to two items?
What's your opinion of that for a charge time?
not as of yet.. It's in my car kit as it was mentioned. But that does sound like a good test too. Their Charge Kettle I have been looking at for awhile, but do not have it. I have mine nested with the BioLite stove inside my 1 ltr kettle in the provided pouch and then inside a Red Dry Bag for quick ID and everything is self contained.
Larry Norris There are some other options, like the Power Pot. I believe I heard it was a more efficient thermo exchanger than the one found in the biolite stove (which I think charges faster, but at lower amperage than the kettle).
I haven't seen a lot of direct comparisons, so it's all still a little ethereal for me.
+zero11010 I might get a power kettle. loving this thing so I will certainly be playing around with it much more.
Ben nice review. In a pinch I bet a couple triangle tent steaks laid across the top would give enough ventilation with your standard pots.
+Ralph Magnus very true. thanks.
been looking at this ( to purchase ) for awhile your review is awesome thanks you TWO !!
Whoa! it converts the heat from twigs into electricity while boiling water at the same time? Super cool!
+Oliver Lee super cool for sure.
The stove comes with a triangle adopter so you can use smaller pots like yours. Look for the adopter and then you can use your smaller pots.
Actually, they don't ship that with it anymore.
Sorry to hear that. When I purchased it I received the adopter.
I have to say I'm really interested in the original. I like that it charges itself and my phone. The mug/pot is pretty cool too that would make one awesome cup of coffee in the morning!
+SouthPaw Bushcraft the original or the new one also nest into the pot in one stuff sack which I forgot to show. pretty nice!.
You should make sure, the kettle handles are pointing to the orange block, so the flames are not forced to come out over the orange block.
Which may result into some damage (not sure)
Love my Biolite Camp Stove!
Screw the noise complaints. The fact that the fire runs the fan AND charges your phone is a big plus.
Also I heard about this kelly kettle. But do they make them in different sizes?
Yes Kelly Kettle, Small, med, and large,goto their website
Perktube1 kelly kettles come in different sizes, one is small to be "backpacking friendly"
bushbuddy or solo stove is my pick. No batteries needed
i have the non regen version. its fun to have on a picnic, but its a little too small. Id like to see them a little taller so the fuel doesn't protrude so easily thus hindering the pot on the top. And if it was slightly larger diameter. These two changes would make it bit more functional. Great idea but I think version 2 would be sweet
Iunno, the Camp Stove seems like a pretty niche device that can only be used in the right condition. If you're camping in rainy conditions it's going to be tougher to find dry wood and if you're camping in the desert you might just be SOL depending on whether or not you can find twigs. So it's certainly not a device that is going to work in all conditions. Likewise using the USB charger is more of an afterthought if anything as it's slow to charge anyways. It's also heavy and bulkier than other stoves. For my money I'd rather have a traditional propane/liquid stove and just bring along a USB battery pack that could charge your phone up multiple times over and you'd still be cheaper and lighter/compact. I think if you can plan your trip and anticipate whats to come you can use this but otherwise I'd go with a regular setup that can be used anywhere in most conditions. Plus there are other wood burning stoves like the Solo Stove that are cheaper and lighter as well.
Gazziza29 true, rain can be a downer for wood stoves. That's why gas or alcohol stoves are still good alternatives. Even those fuel tab stoves are better than nothing.
I emailed support about the small pot support. They're mailing me one for free. I'm using wood pellets in my cookstove and it works great. Use aluminum foil on your pot if the blackening bothers you.
doesnt bother me one bit.
The pot stand should have came with the Camp Stove at least. I know mine came with it. It is just a little wire ring that sits over the lips at the top, and allows air to flow under it with a cup on top.
For charging you should check out the BioLite KettleCharge. It is a bit heavy but charges at least twice as fast as the Camp Stove.
+BioLite It needs to be phased back in. Many people use 600-750ml pots with the same diameter as the internal ring on the BioLite as shown in the video. If you put it directly in this ring you get lots of smoke and no fire. Using a larger pot works fine as it rests above on the ridges. It is too bad there is no included method for smaller pots anymore. I will have to make one though.
Really like the BioLite stove, but weird thing happened at our campout in January. Guy was charging his Iphone 6 and it kept shutting off not allowing it to charge due to the cold. Even wrapped it into a mitten and it still wouldn't take a charge. Went inside, plugged it into one of those battery pods and charged right up. BTW, hunkering down for the Snowmageddon hitting the state? Where I am, we're looking at over a inch of rain but "maybe 1-2 inches of snow. keep safe!
+hallard069 yeah we got a few inches of snow this morning then nonstop rain all day. will probably turn back to snow.
Awesome video. I have the older one. How long was it burning before you plugged your phone in? Thx
I have the Original Biolite, and Kettle, but I didn't get a Lamp 8( Nice Option Ill have to look for one... Note: the Stove Fits inside the kettle for Storage as well for a Cook System. I also for a Triangle Curved Stiff Wire that Snaps onto the top of the Stove, With it I can sit a Cup on top NP .
Kindling is really not needed. Use a Sweedish Torch with a little fire starter and you will have a quick fire and longer lasting. Remember that both units have batteries one recharges itself while burning.
They tell you in the instructions that one sire of the grill is meant to be hotter than the other. It should have came with a triangle wire to raise the pot.
+mrkitsel they don't come with the pot stand anymore.
Thank you! Fantastic review covered all the question I had in mind :)
Very useful device, if you're going to go very far away, and planned to keep in touch with civilization, little wood, and you're done, of course for me "the original "seems to be the way to go, for mountain/jungle camping and weekends at the beach, it will prove to be the ticket.
+Juan B. Ascanio R. i like the original as well.
Great vid.. Where you able to find a pot stand adapter? If so please let me know.
In my opinion the grill extra isn't worth buying, as claimed in the video it cooks uneven to say the least. As a survival system, it will 100% get your phone charged & of course boil water cook food in a pan. So I think they are worth the money.
Looks like a good stove for bicycle touring
The handle should be over the charging unit while boiling
that be great for camping now if they made a adapter to use the fan to blow up a air mattress it would be the ultimate camping stove.
+Dj Schultz LMAO oh yeah.
Love this stove, I bought the bundle and don't mind the extra weight to pack it on a hike.
yes, heavier stove but we must consider that unlike a propane or gasoline stove you do not have the weight of the fuel in your pack, so it comes out even in the end.
I think it's wonderful that you and your lady get out and do this. I love her thermal under shirt with the thumb hole cut out. You both did a very good job!!!! My only question is if they make something like the charger fan for the kelly kettle... Also... the Kelly kettle seems to produce a much higher heat and faster boiling temperature. Could you do a fair cross comparison?
if I get a kelly kettle yes.
Living Survival Have you ever watched Survival Lilly videos? She gets pretty natural sometimes about building fires, and once made a rocket-like stove out of stones and digging a tunnel in the dirt.
Perktube1 yeah she's amazing
I like the idea but I don't think its quite there yet. A few years time with new models ect then maybe I'll look at purchasing one. I'll stick with my Solo Stove with a backup alcohol burner.
How well will this stoves work with an inopporative fan
My camp stove came with a grate for smaller pots. I also got different fire starter sticks.
+woozleluv1 they dont come with the pot stand anymore :(
Another good review. Seems to me like they should have thought about a better stand/heat sink to transfer the energy. It's all about draft. I personally like the emberlit better for a wood burner just because of sheer weight. Keep the vids coming!
+highflyer131 it works, just have to get better at it.
The instructions with the grill tells you that there are 2 heat zones. Inner area is hotter then outer area. it is not even heat as you assumed. Also you should have had the cookstove set at #2 so both units were blowing at the same rate to compare boiling time. My cookstove boils 2cups of water in less than 3 mins every time I use it, must be set on boil setting. Use the stove properly and you will have no problem.
the grill is one hot mess really.
I would have to go with the older one
they also have a French press adapter too
On one of the Biolite videos they say there is two separate temp ranges on the grill, one closer to the hopper and one towards the outer edge. I can't remember which one is hotter and cooler.
depends on which way the wind is blowing IME.
Nice comparison video +Living Survival. Keep up the good work!
+Josh Ferguson thanks Josh. Have a great rest of your Sunday.
9:25 Eventually that light will break the USB jack and that will be useless
Congrats on 60K subs!
+VecticArtz™ thank you!!!
I love my biolite original.. I do not like the cook top grill. The wife refers to it as the burn top grill.
This stove never lets me down and its always in my jeep and used a lot.
+Paul Burton thats where mine is going. the jeep .
I have a biolite stove one negative thing they have is they heat up and shuts off
Used to drive me crazy when ever tanner would pull the bio light out that fan is way to loud lol it is is a cool little gadget good vid bro
HAHA, yeah it is loud but it's kinda like having a fan on when you sleep. I actually kinda like it at least i don't mind it and the thing works well. The new one without the ability to run the fan itself not so much since you have to depend on it being charged.
The grill works good. but you have to constantly regulate the heat. by how much wood you're burning. if it gets too hot just lift the lid for a while.
+Sigiberht right on.
You really chow down good in the woods, Ben.
+Lellobeetle ;)
What knife was she using for batoning in the beginning of the video?
@1:48 "BK2 for the win" so... I guess it is Ka-Bar Becker BK2. Check out Fallkniven knifes before buying anything. If you can find one that you like, and you can accept the price for the quality, you will be set for life! At least that happened to me with their A1.
As mentioned by another commenter, these both come with a wire adapter to fit smaller "pots" like you tried to heat up.
+Shawn Brunelle They don't anymore.
+Living Survival Hmm. The one I got for Christmas still had it. It was a very small triangular piece of metal that snapped onto the top of the stove.
+Living Survival this is all it is/was. i.ytimg.com/vi/BRzorm2oAXs/maxresdefault.jpg
+Shawn Brunelle Yep I know just what it is. I emailed them to see if they still include it. I got both models and neither one had it.
You should drop the fire starter in first then gradually drop in your kindling. Your larger chunks of wood are too long and keep you from putting your pot on the device quicker to take advantage of the heat to either cook or boil water. The amount of wood you are using is negligible versus the time it is taking to boil water. If you were to use a thermometer to see how hot the water is is you are boiling it too pasteurize it, it only needs to rise to 150 degrees to be safe, not 112 degrees which is the boiling point of water depending on elevation.
should be "is, if"
My camp stove came with a triangle looking piece that fits on the top that lets me use small cups.
+Sailing Paynes they don't include it anymore.