I use these stoves every now and then. I keep the small round fuel tabs in a small zip-loc sandwich bag, and store them in an Altoid can. It fits inside the stove when folded up. What this does, is allows you to close the lid on the Altoids tin to snuff out the flame if your water comes to a boil before the fuel is burned up. Saves you some fuel tab for the next cup of water.
The smaller version of this stove is still part of the standard issue in the German military. I still use mine from time to time for a cup of coffee on a hike. Works also well with some type of MREs.
I feel like everyone should have one or two of these things kicking around, one in the car, one in the backpack, and a metal container to go with it along with some instant coffee or hot chocolate, even some cup a soups. Being able to purify water and put something warm in to you if you ever get stuck somewhere is way more helpful than you think.
@@TheNeoMetric I don't use esbit or Cortland tablets.. I fill it with pellets (or small dry wood cut to the size of the pellets)...to the height of the base (1/2) pcs a little bit of gel spread and hop...20 min at full blast... of heat...:)
The Esbit foldables are useful little stoves. Nowadays they tend to be looked down upon by those newer to the Outdoors. I got mine (the small one) as personal issue back in '68 when I did my National Service in the SADF. It is still going strong, albeit like it's owner, by now, a little shaky in the joints. Here in Switzerland, they are even more value for money when one uses Alcohol / Methylated Spirits (Brennspririt) or Alcohol-Based Gel Fuels (Sicherheitbrennpaste). One can also then, control the heat output by using different size burners. I've cooked Full English Breakfasts on my little Esbit.
To be fair technology has changed and those newer may have seen just that. Plus coupled with the toxicity nature of the solid fuel fumes, I am not sure I would enjoy these for food. We have so many options these days, I use alcohol as a backup, refillable canisters as primary, and a mini firebox as secondary. Btw I am in the woods a lot, backcountry skiing, fishing trips, or peak bagging.
@@MikeWood Thank you. I must add though, that a Thermos to keep my coffee water hot until needed and a set of Dixies and an Aluminium Foil Lid used as a Bain Marie over a glass-wool stuffed whiskey bottle cap alcohol burner and a folding tripod fashioned from a bicycle spoke does help somewhat 😊.
I have the Esbit ultralight flat folding stove, Esbit pocket stove, and the Esbit spirit stove. I love everything from them; I've never had any of these stoves let me down.
Great review, Luke! I've been using these stoves for decades as a military man and into my civilian life. In my van I keep one in my survival kit with a bagful of trioxane tablets. My primary stoves are Coleman double and single burners. Out in wilderness areas there are no stores to buy propane so it's convenient to have one of these Esbit stoves just in case. Thanks for what you do for the outdoor community.
Hi Luke, I use a similar type of stove occasionally, and to help lighting the tablets in windy conditions I usually place a Vaseline impregnated cotton pad under the tablet, and this helps to quickly ignite the tablet and usually with just a ferro rod. Really enjoy all your reviews 👍
@@thankmelater1254 They seem to work fine, once they are lit, but obviously, colder weather means it takes longer to heat water, so probably need to use more tablets?.
I use alcohol as well. Fancy Feast cat food stove. Modified. I've actually been looking for the right wood stove to go along with it. I've tried quite a few but haven't really nailed it. Maybe I'll try your method thanks for the input.
Used a stove like this for over 2 decades in the Australian military. Almost always carry one as a back-up. Pro-tip though, if you want a faster boil time (with shorter burn) you can break the tablet into quarters and burn them simultaneously. :-)
I still use the Australian army version and I've got a few boxes of hex tabs that each fit perfectly into the stove, enough for all meals in a day, for an extra day just pack an extra box. If you shop around they only cost about $10
We had them in the British Army too. The only downside, apart from the smell, is the residue. It's oily, sticky, and a real sod (for want of more industrially robust language) to remove once cold. And it also leaves the same residue on the mess tins we had too. WHich is why things like a Coleman multifuel burner were popular private purchases back then (80s-90s :)
We were issued with mess tins to be used with the hex tablets here in the Singapore armyas well(without the stove) , the thing is it's very lightweight, compact and easy to use but the down side is the stains it leaves behind
I bought two in the early 90's. I gave one to a friend a decade ago. I still use mine. You can get different size heximine tablets. If you cut and flatten a soda can, you can make a wind break for one of the open sides. It helps on windy days.
I love it how many different variants of different stuff you have in America and all of them have a valid use case... In Scotland where camping at night is almost year-round cold, wet, windy and miserable - I still can't see anything else being as competent as a Jetboil, even considering its size and weight.
Still got my solid fuel folding stove must be 20 years old still giving sterling service although I've stopped using hexi tabs and use the fire dragon ethanol tabs. Great review !
Ordered and received and I like it, nice form factor, light weight and works as described. Btw the 2 included fuel tablets are formed in a way where they are meant to be snapped in half giving you technically 4 short uses or 2 long uses.👌👍✌️
Great video Luke I been useing mine since the 80s I was us army N was in Germany as part of a program where I was attached to a German unit they gave me 1 an I still use it also as you said alot of times I will start it with the hey bar then use sticks 😀
Excellent Review. We were issued with the BCB, or variants thereof, back in the early 1980s along with our Ration Packs. So I am curious to see these stoves currently appearing in many guises. The main bone of contention was always the fuel. The smell could permeate everything.
The good old hexi. Old 24hr compo packs: babies' heads, cheese possessed, screech...any way I'm digressing! Your remark about similar stoves ''currently'' appearing isn't really accurate, they've been around for donkeys' years, the Esbit stove shown here was used by the Germans in WW2 and actually dates back to 1936.
I've owned an esbit stove since I got out of the Army in 1980. I love them. I use it for making tea and boiling water. For cooking food I use a different stove. Fits well in a cargo pocket.
Double zip locks minimize the smell. I’ve been using the Esbit pocket stove & fuel tabs for years. Especially handy for a hot tea or chocolate when taking a break during deer season. As a hiker, it is to me as essential as a canteen of water. And now at 78 no longer hunting & hiking but camping at state camp grounds it still has its place for a quick cup of coffee or heating up a can of raviolis or chili. Still an important part of my gear. Just as important as a poncho. You don’t always need it but it’s there when you do!
Off topic to this vid. From time to time I have heard you read ingredients for meals and one of the common ones is what you call "rapseed oil." I think it is actually "Rapeseed oil," which is actually the worldwide name for canola oil. Same stuff. Love your channel I'm 73 and don't get out like I used to but I enjoy living vicariously through you and your adventures. I grew up in the High Sierra!
I like my small Esbit. It is a good day hike maybe make a coffee or maybe not sort of stove. Wouldnt make meals with it but as a hot coffee morale boost in the winter, it hits the spot.
These little stoves are nice, but as I get older, I look at cutting down on weight, cutter, and bulk in my kit. I pack the fuel tabs and dig out with my hand a small trench in the dirt and place the tab there. The trench is just wide enough so my pot, cup fits on top. But the stoves are nice .
Something similar was issued to us in the Australian Army back in the '60's, with huge blocks of hexamine to use, (not sure what weight they were, but the did burn like forever) worked first time every time, so the idea isn't new, just reworked a bit. And yeah, I have to agree with Luke, the hexamine does smell, they've had 50+ years to work on that problem, and looks like it is still with us.
I have a teeny-tiny esbit "stove" that barely weighs 1.6 oz. It takes the small cubes and is enough to heat up a couple of cups of water. I've used it enough that the smell actually makes me hungry since I now associate it with hot food. A drop of hand sanitizer helps light it up if there's breeze.
Its a great addition to your car bag or as an additional stove to your canister, wood stove or alcohol stove. Can't beat the weight or the price. I enjoyed your brief history of the use of stove.
The medium and the smaller model are excellent. They make a huge addition to any emergency kit. The fuel has no storage issues and allows you to have a real stove that you can keep just about anywhere. I always stow a book of matches with the fuel in the stove so it is ready to go anytime.
There is an Esbit style stove in all of my emergency bags. Each holds 6 smaller fuel tabs along with several squares of foil (for the bottom to ease cleanup and also to make a wind shield if needed). They are economical, require little room, very versatile, fuel lasts forever, and can be used with twigs for fuel if necessary. Also, the fuel tabs make an excellent camp fire starter if needed. I also pack a few tea lights in the bag - for emergency lighting or fire starting but they also work with the Esbit to keep a cup warm or when you need a low heat.
I had esbits in my emergency kits for a while, but I got tired of the stench everytime I opened my bags. Even with saran wrap and a double ziploc bag, the odor got on everything. Replaced it with the UCO Sweetfire tablets.
Iv got 6of the small ones love them as an emergency stove they are perfect for that they fit in your pocket perfect for a backpack or a butt pack or whatever type of bag you got in the packets I have I don't smell the fuel from them it's because they're sealed properly but they are a good stove I've used one before with a canteen cup boiled water pretty good and you could use wood in there too just keep throwing a bunch of little sticks underneath there God bless
Hexamine is a precursor for the simplest synthesis of the chemical explosive RDX;[2] in many areas its availability is tightly regulated due to this.[3]
I purchased an espit stove. For my bug out bag. Then at a gun show I purchased two more small stoves along with military solid fuel .for survival sling bag & my vehicle get home bag .. recently I purchased solid fuel called "Quick survive" fuel tablets..from vendor at a county Fair.. NON-TOXIC.. 30-YEAR SHELF LIFE... WATERPROOF.. BURN TIME 10 MINUTES AT OVER 750°.. these would work well with the espit stove! In a pinch if you run out of fuel you could use some small twigs in the espet stove... Use a small alcohol stove.. possibly a small Sterno can... Watching some of the RUclips videos I'm going to make a Altoids burner out of an Altoids can! . It can be placed in the espet stove.. lots of options here the stove is so compact and light
The original small version was my first backpacking stove; I used only that for quite a while. I use alcohol stoves most, still use the Esbit often, & canister only for longer trips or for actual cooking.
Galvanized steel also emits toxic fumes when heated. Not sure if hexamine reaches the heat threshold for releasing those fumes, but it is something to consider.
I ike this stove, it works very well. The windshild ist a big adventage to the smaller one. Ich have a 5 of them for every familie member one and one in the car. Thank you for the great video.
I can’t deal with the smell. I wish they had a none smelly version. I found it taints the food or water with the smell. It’s annoying because everything else is awesome about it
it is an excellent stove...for camping or survival I don't use esbit or Cortland tablets.. I fill it with pellets (or small dry wood cut to the size of the pellets)...to the height of the base (1/2) pcs a little bit of gel spread and hop...20 min at full blast... of heat...:)
Looks Nice, a bit like the BCB folding stove (wich also has an ad on windscreen. I don't like hexamine myself and use a home made alcohol stove in mine. Just a small round tin filled with glasswool, secured in place with fine steel mesh.
Coghlans, the inexpensive outdoor gear company makes hexamine tables called Fuel Tablets that come in a green box of 24 for cheap. I've been using them for years they are great to cook with or start a fire with if the conditions are hard and you need all the help you can get. You can shave the tablet into some powder with a knife or saw and it starts with a firesteel. I often try to extract and extinguish a tablet once the fire is going to save it for more use. They also make a cheap version of the esbit stove that comes with some tablets.
Here at Alaska Raft Connection, I have used EsBit stoves (German Surplus versions) over the years, and they are a suitable additional option as float trip outfitting gear selection. Simple, compact, lightweight, reliable, multi-environment/conditions ready. The Tablets are dependable, versatile, easy to use...provide relatively safe burns and effective heat with somewhat predictable efficiency. If I was to relate the bigtime con... it would be trying to get cold Alaska river water (of any quantity - say 1L) to actually boil consistently and timely. Same would apply to snow melt-water scenario. In this application you'd need quite a few more tablets and/or mixing of natural combustibles to eek out gainful results. It is what it is. I also highly recommend 'the system' (cooker & tabs used together vs. just tabs) for controlled/focused and reusable fire-lighting. (ie. Get wood fire established, remove stove and blow out tablet.)
@@etherealbolweevil6268 Yep --- easy to use, spill-proof, lightweight, compact, waterproof, versatile, predictable, and reliable. Rarely would it be a recommended primary go-to. That said... a suitable/dependable contingency, expedient, fire-starter, or compact emergency/survival item.
In the British Army we had something similar we called it the hexi burner i have made many a meal and most importantly brewed real coffee when in a lay up area for grub ect brewing coffee or tea was the most import task of the day
Could you start a series or play list of stuff you would recommend for beginners? Like good value and affordable stuff and what you will need at least and some other stuff that you dont need but makes the trip better?
Used these alot , if they are the same as the UK/NZ issue they had a wax coating over the hex tab , if so scrap off a little wax , and they light up easier/quicker . Tip if you want to try a quick way of heating a can , it can be dangerous if you are not paying attention . Use the steel holder both sides tipped in at 45 degrees , put tab in place & light , get can dent it a couple of times in the middle using your knee , put on to the holder like its a log of wood , so you can turn it a bit at a time like rotary cooking , use a leather glove , every few seconds turn it a little . You are pressure cooking it , keep turning it and look for the dents to pop out , thats it its done , take off aim away from you & others and use a P38 can opener to pierce the can , pressure will vent out , so be careful , open up , stir and eat .
I have the Small and Medium Esbit stoves. They are not with me on my hikes in the nature or on camping but they are in my bug out Bag and in my transportation as "emergency stoves". When camping i prefer Alcohol stoves, but Esbit is a great Emergency stove ! Tip: If you dont like the smell of esbit, pack them in Mylarbags !
I have the smol one with 4 of the little rectangle tabs stored in it, put the stove in the cut off end of a sock, and I tuck that in a little GSI pot/cup w/ a collapsible spork and pot gripper. Comes in at 12oz, the stove doesn't scratch the insides, and takes up little space, I love it. My tabs barely smell; there is a very, very slight shrimpy/fishy smell in the sock itself after being stored for a long time, but I can't really smell anything near the sealed tabs and my sense of smell is very acute. I grabbed the box I have of Esbit fuel and it says it's a non-toxic solid fuel and makes no mention of using gloves to handle it o.O Maybe the bigger tablets have other chemicals in them? Anyway, thanks for sharing!
This will be a short and sweet comment... I personaly think the esbit stove should come with 2 wind screens, would easily help direct all that flame and heat upwards to help heat faster.
I've used the Brian Green Esbit Tray with 14g Esbit tablets to get long slow burns that let me bake cornbread muffins, but not with this stove. Used the Outdoor Pocket Micro Stove EDCBox from Bushcraft Essentials for that.
And don’t forget that you can blow the tab out & wrap it in foil for later. That happens most often if you had to light a second tab to finish the job.
Good review Luke. Quite a few negative comments from folks. I do wish they would add why they think this stove is Junk, Crap etc. Come on guys tell us what experience you have had that gives you that conclusion.
When I run out of solid fuel, I flip the stove over and the legs that normally support the container now become legs that support the bottom which is now facing up, I build a small stick fire between the legs
I have one also but just upgraded to the one in anodized aluminum and the pot nestles onto the stove perfectly. I wonder if you have seen this product? I dont think ill use this fold out one again. This fold open one is more compact alright. Thanks for the great video. I use this on cdt in NM. With a wind screen one only use a part of a tablet as it will make a boil in about 8 mins or less. Ps. I made a wind screen out of two pop cabs linked together, cut down. Encircles the stove. IF you can give it lots of air(good burn) soot will go down dramatically.
Was my first stove many moons ago,There are many non toxic fuels that can be used,and wood.Im currently using the "cedar burgers",on the smokey side,but feel safer eating food.
i have the German one,larger and more robust.i just use it on hikes.the best thing about them is using it as a pot stand with whatever fuel you chose.trying to put together rocks to put your pot on is a hassle.
Hi Luke! For me it is the perfect EDC or Survival kit stove! For the size of tablets which one you used there is a trick! Take the aluminium part from a round candle for graves ( i hope you know what i mean)! If you do that the stove stays perfectly clean! But forget real cooking with it! Heating up water is perfect but never try to make a steak with it! Best regards Markus
I feel you really racked down on the BCB stove, however is very positive on the esbit. Not that many differences in design. Sure the solid alcohol that bcb/firedragon uses differs from esbit, but thats it. Any reason for picking up the esbit stove instead of the bcb?
Wouldnt be for me, but like you said, some may like it. I wouldnt want the smell or the toxicity, and the little fuel packet doesnt burn long enough. I've recently purchased a little portable stove that uses the small propane canister. The stove is small and lightweight, about the size of a laptop computer. $20 at Walmart. Also got a tiny alcohol burning "stove". You can hold the stove in the palm of your hand. $17 online. It's recommended to use denatured alcohol in this little burner, as regular alcohol will make black smoke. The propane stove will burn about 5 hours on one canister, and the alcohol stove will burn about an hour on one filling. Very easy to refill if you need more cooking time. Thanks for your review on the Esbit.
The first time I used one Pierre Trudeau was Prime Minister of Canada and LBJ was President. Great piece of kit that stood the test of time...I keep one in my truck survival kit...Good job Luke
QUESTION: Can I fit the TRANGIA alcohol burner inside and partially close it during use? I want to use the Esbit essentially as a windscreen/potholder with solid fuel capability as backup if I needed. If it works, this will be the ultimate Bugout bag combo because you can even use wood with the Esbit if needed!
Wondering if you have ever done a review of the SilverFire Scout stove. I don't see much out there about it, I but I find it better then most stoves... no need to haul or buy fuel all the time.
I like this stove better than the BCB Fire Dragon because it also has the windshield which can be a big help, but unlike the BCB this one raises the heat source off the cold ground. The BCB lies flat on the ground and you lose a lot of heat that way.
I use these stoves every now and then. I keep the small round fuel tabs in a small zip-loc sandwich bag, and store them in an Altoid can. It fits inside the stove when folded up. What this does, is allows you to close the lid on the Altoids tin to snuff out the flame if your water comes to a boil before the fuel is burned up. Saves you some fuel tab for the next cup of water.
Great tip! Thanks
Thats a great idea. Im going to try it out.
The smaller version of this stove is still part of the standard issue in the German military. I still use mine from time to time for a cup of coffee on a hike. Works also well with some type of MREs.
Works fine for burning broken up sticks too ....
Also allows you to use sticks and twigs if fuel gets low. Great product. 👍🏻
I feel like everyone should have one or two of these things kicking around, one in the car, one in the backpack, and a metal container to go with it along with some instant coffee or hot chocolate, even some cup a soups.
Being able to purify water and put something warm in to you if you ever get stuck somewhere is way more helpful than you think.
I do but.. I don't like the chemical residue
@@TheNeoMetric I don't use esbit or Cortland tablets..
I fill it with pellets (or small dry wood cut to the size of the pellets)...to the height of the base (1/2) pcs
a little bit of gel spread and hop...20 min at full blast...
of heat...:)
I've use Esbit for years, they work Great with the U.S. Army canteen with the "metal canteen cup".
The Esbit foldables are useful little stoves. Nowadays they tend to be looked down upon by those newer to the Outdoors.
I got mine (the small one) as personal issue back in '68 when I did my National Service in the SADF. It is still going strong, albeit like it's owner, by now, a little shaky in the joints.
Here in Switzerland, they are even more value for money when one uses Alcohol / Methylated Spirits (Brennspririt) or Alcohol-Based Gel Fuels (Sicherheitbrennpaste). One can also then, control the heat output by using different size burners. I've cooked Full English Breakfasts on my little Esbit.
A full breakfast. Impressive.
To be fair technology has changed and those newer may have seen just that. Plus coupled with the toxicity nature of the solid fuel fumes, I am not sure I would enjoy these for food. We have so many options these days, I use alcohol as a backup, refillable canisters as primary, and a mini firebox as secondary.
Btw I am in the woods a lot, backcountry skiing, fishing trips, or peak bagging.
Awesome 👍😎
@@MikeWood Thank you. I must add though, that a Thermos to keep my coffee water hot until needed and a set of Dixies and an Aluminium Foil Lid used as a Bain Marie over a glass-wool stuffed whiskey bottle cap alcohol burner and a folding tripod fashioned from a bicycle spoke does help somewhat 😊.
Yeah the main "issue" is that alcohol stoves became so popular and are overall better.
I have the Esbit ultralight flat folding stove, Esbit pocket stove, and the Esbit spirit stove. I love everything from them; I've never had any of these stoves let me down.
Great review, Luke! I've been using these stoves for decades as a military man and into my civilian life. In my van I keep one in my survival kit with a bagful of trioxane tablets. My primary stoves are Coleman double and single burners. Out in wilderness areas there are no stores to buy propane so it's convenient to have one of these Esbit stoves just in case. Thanks for what you do for the outdoor community.
Hi Luke,
I use a similar type of stove occasionally, and to help lighting the tablets in windy conditions I usually place a Vaseline impregnated cotton pad under the tablet, and this helps to quickly ignite the tablet and usually with just a ferro rod.
Really enjoy all your reviews 👍
@@thankmelater1254 They seem to work fine, once they are lit, but obviously, colder weather means it takes longer to heat water, so probably need to use more tablets?.
I have one of these....works well and I also have a small starlite alcohol burner that fits in it so it gives me options and is cheaper to use
I use alcohol as well. Fancy Feast cat food stove. Modified. I've actually been looking for the right wood stove to go along with it. I've tried quite a few but haven't really nailed it. Maybe I'll try your method thanks for the input.
Same!!
I use a BCB folding stove with home made alcohol burner.
Used N Esbit stove for years overseas. Has a permanent place in my pack. Don't leave home without it!
Keep Smilin!
Used a stove like this for over 2 decades in the Australian military. Almost always carry one as a back-up.
Pro-tip though, if you want a faster boil time (with shorter burn) you can break the tablet into quarters and burn them simultaneously. :-)
I still use the Australian army version and I've got a few boxes of hex tabs that each fit perfectly into the stove, enough for all meals in a day, for an extra day just pack an extra box. If you shop around they only cost about $10
We had them in the British Army too. The only downside, apart from the smell, is the residue. It's oily, sticky, and a real sod (for want of more industrially robust language) to remove once cold. And it also leaves the same residue on the mess tins we had too. WHich is why things like a Coleman multifuel burner were popular private purchases back then (80s-90s :)
We were issued with mess tins to be used with the hex tablets here in the Singapore armyas well(without the stove) , the thing is it's very lightweight, compact and easy to use but the down side is the stains it leaves behind
Thanks for the tip.
Great tip I hadn't thought of that!
I bought two in the early 90's. I gave one to a friend a decade ago. I still use mine. You can get different size heximine tablets. If you cut and flatten a soda can, you can make a wind break for one of the open sides. It helps on windy days.
I love it how many different variants of different stuff you have in America and all of them have a valid use case... In Scotland where camping at night is almost year-round cold, wet, windy and miserable - I still can't see anything else being as competent as a Jetboil, even considering its size and weight.
Ah Scotland, like Dartmoor but closer to the arctic circle. All three training grounds for the marine commandos.
I've used one for over 50 yrs, they just work, an carry one in my pack for j.i.c., but mainly relie on a wood fire. Thx for the vid
Still got my solid fuel folding stove must be 20 years old still giving sterling service although I've stopped using hexi tabs and use the fire dragon ethanol tabs.
Great review !
Ordered and received and I like it, nice form factor, light weight and works as described. Btw the 2 included fuel tablets are formed in a way where they are meant to be snapped in half giving you technically 4 short uses or 2 long uses.👌👍✌️
You're right about the smell. The last time I bought the tablets I had to leave those out in the garage for about six months to kill the smell.
Great video Luke I been useing mine since the 80s I was us army N was in Germany as part of a program where I was attached to a German unit they gave me 1 an I still use it also as you said alot of times I will start it with the hey bar then use sticks 😀
Excellent Review. We were issued with the BCB, or variants thereof, back in the early 1980s along with our Ration Packs. So I am curious to see these stoves currently appearing in many guises. The main bone of contention was always the fuel. The smell could permeate everything.
The good old hexi. Old 24hr compo packs: babies' heads, cheese possessed, screech...any way I'm digressing! Your remark about similar stoves ''currently'' appearing isn't really accurate, they've been around for donkeys' years, the Esbit stove shown here was used by the Germans in WW2 and actually dates back to 1936.
I've owned an esbit stove since I got out of the Army in 1980. I love them. I use it for making tea and boiling water. For cooking food I use a different stove. Fits well in a cargo pocket.
Double zip locks minimize the smell. I’ve been using the Esbit pocket stove & fuel tabs for years. Especially handy for a hot tea or chocolate when taking a break during deer season. As a hiker, it is to me as essential as a canteen of water. And now at 78 no longer hunting & hiking but camping at state camp grounds it still has its place for a quick cup of coffee or heating up a can of raviolis or chili. Still an important part of my gear. Just as important as a poncho. You don’t always need it but it’s there when you do!
Off topic to this vid. From time to time I have heard you read ingredients for meals and one of the common ones is what you call "rapseed oil." I think it is actually "Rapeseed oil," which is actually the worldwide name for canola oil. Same stuff. Love your channel I'm 73 and don't get out like I used to but I enjoy living vicariously through you and your adventures. I grew up in the High Sierra!
I like my small Esbit. It is a good day hike maybe make a coffee or maybe not sort of stove. Wouldnt make meals with it but as a hot coffee morale boost in the winter, it hits the spot.
These little stoves are nice, but as I get older, I look at cutting down on weight, cutter, and bulk in my kit. I pack the fuel tabs and dig out with my hand a small trench in the dirt and place the tab there. The trench is just wide enough so my pot, cup fits on top. But the stoves are nice .
Love mine. Used one for 20+ plus years, in one fashion or another. Got one as part of our gear at the army (Bundeswehr).
Something similar was issued to us in the Australian Army back in the '60's, with huge blocks of hexamine to use, (not sure what weight they were, but the did burn like forever) worked first time every time, so the idea isn't new, just reworked a bit. And yeah, I have to agree with Luke, the hexamine does smell, they've had 50+ years to work on that problem, and looks like it is still with us.
I got one of these close to 40 years ago in West Germany, it's a great little stove.
I was using the nearly the same item back 42 years ago in the Australian Army Cheers
Works exactly as I had expected it too
I have a teeny-tiny esbit "stove" that barely weighs 1.6 oz. It takes the small cubes and is enough to heat up a couple of cups of water. I've used it enough that the smell actually makes me hungry since I now associate it with hot food. A drop of hand sanitizer helps light it up if there's breeze.
A new add-on to my Amazon outdoor list. Thank you for this vid. I love your channel.
Its a great addition to your car bag or as an additional stove to your canister, wood stove or alcohol stove. Can't beat the weight or the price. I enjoyed your brief history of the use of stove.
The medium and the smaller model are excellent. They make a huge addition to any emergency kit. The fuel has no storage issues and allows you to have a real stove that you can keep just about anywhere. I always stow a book of matches with the fuel in the stove so it is ready to go anytime.
Good one! We got them in the Dutch army for many years ...they issued the esbit burner and a Coleman peak1
Good afternoon Luke thank you for sharing your adventures and thoughts
There is an Esbit style stove in all of my emergency bags. Each holds 6 smaller fuel tabs along with several squares of foil (for the bottom to ease cleanup and also to make a wind shield if needed). They are economical, require little room, very versatile, fuel lasts forever, and can be used with twigs for fuel if necessary. Also, the fuel tabs make an excellent camp fire starter if needed. I also pack a few tea lights in the bag - for emergency lighting or fire starting but they also work with the Esbit to keep a cup warm or when you need a low heat.
I had esbits in my emergency kits for a while, but I got tired of the stench everytime I opened my bags. Even with saran wrap and a double ziploc bag, the odor got on everything. Replaced it with the UCO Sweetfire tablets.
Thanks Luke; I'm looking forward to a comparison of all three sizes of this stove.
Nice to see you get a good product again, seems like its been a while.
Price and weight is unbeatable. Interesting. Thanks Luke!
Iv got 6of the small ones love them as an emergency stove they are perfect for that they fit in your pocket perfect for a backpack or a butt pack or whatever type of bag you got in the packets I have I don't smell the fuel from them it's because they're sealed properly but they are a good stove I've used one before with a canteen cup boiled water pretty good and you could use wood in there too just keep throwing a bunch of little sticks underneath there God bless
Thanks Luke for the review on the stove 👍
Hexamine is a precursor for the simplest synthesis of the chemical explosive RDX;[2] in many areas its availability is tightly regulated due to this.[3]
I purchased an espit stove. For my bug out bag. Then at a gun show I purchased two more small stoves along with military solid fuel .for survival sling bag & my vehicle get home bag .. recently I purchased solid fuel called "Quick survive" fuel tablets..from vendor at a county Fair.. NON-TOXIC.. 30-YEAR SHELF LIFE... WATERPROOF.. BURN TIME 10 MINUTES AT OVER 750°.. these would work well with the espit stove! In a pinch if you run out of fuel you could use some small twigs in the espet stove... Use a small alcohol stove.. possibly a small Sterno can... Watching some of the RUclips videos I'm going to make a Altoids burner out of an Altoids can! . It can be placed in the espet stove.. lots of options here the stove is so compact and light
It would be nice on day hikes for a quick caffeine fix or emergency. No fuel slopping around and wont have to move around and lose my main stoves.
My first stove was a pyromid I bought at a PX in 82 but ihad a solid fuel burner stove from the 40s got it in a c or k rat box I love em
The original small version was my first backpacking stove; I used only that for quite a while. I use alcohol stoves most, still use the Esbit often, & canister only for longer trips or for actual cooking.
Your Esbit vids have been interesting.
Galvanized steel also emits toxic fumes when heated. Not sure if hexamine reaches the heat threshold for releasing those fumes, but it is something to consider.
I have several of these stoves and I like them for different situations.
I ike this stove, it works very well. The windshild ist a big adventage to the smaller one. Ich have a 5 of them for every familie member one and one in the car.
Thank you for the great video.
I can’t deal with the smell. I wish they had a none smelly version. I found it taints the food or water with the smell. It’s annoying because everything else is awesome about it
I wondered about that.
They make non toxic odorless tablets. In some places, hexamine is controlled because you can quite easily make RDX with it.
Similar fuel tabs in the US Army...omg the smell....isobutane if i'm in a hurry, alcohol if I'm not. Good review.
Good video. I don't use hexamine because burning dirt smells like a rotten fish. I planning buy esbit stove and mod it little bit different.
Another educational video Luke 👍 watched it then went online and got me one. I trust Luke's advice on products so no worries about that purchase.
it is an excellent stove...for camping or survival
I don't use esbit or Cortland tablets..
I fill it with pellets (or small dry wood cut to the size of the pellets)...to the height of the base (1/2) pcs
a little bit of gel spread and hop...20 min at full blast...
of heat...:)
As always Luke, great review.👍👍
Looks Nice, a bit like the BCB folding stove (wich also has an ad on windscreen. I don't like hexamine myself and use a home made alcohol stove in mine. Just a small round tin filled with glasswool, secured in place with fine steel mesh.
Coghlans, the inexpensive outdoor gear company makes hexamine tables called Fuel Tablets that come in a green box of 24 for cheap. I've been using them for years they are great to cook with or start a fire with if the conditions are hard and you need all the help you can get. You can shave the tablet into some powder with a knife or saw and it starts with a firesteel. I often try to extract and extinguish a tablet once the fire is going to save it for more use. They also make a cheap version of the esbit stove that comes with some tablets.
For a civilian, the tablets stink. For German military guys, it’s the smell of “let’s eat!” 😀 I came to accept the smell over the years.
The British lads would agree with you 100%
@@MrAlphafang Same here in the Australian Army
Here at Alaska Raft Connection, I have used EsBit stoves (German Surplus versions) over the years, and they are a suitable additional option as float trip outfitting gear selection. Simple, compact, lightweight, reliable, multi-environment/conditions ready. The Tablets are dependable, versatile, easy to use...provide relatively safe burns and effective heat with somewhat predictable efficiency. If I was to relate the bigtime con... it would be trying to get cold Alaska river water (of any quantity - say 1L) to actually boil consistently and timely. Same would apply to snow melt-water scenario. In this application you'd need quite a few more tablets and/or mixing of natural combustibles to eek out gainful results. It is what it is. I also highly recommend 'the system' (cooker & tabs used together vs. just tabs) for controlled/focused and reusable fire-lighting. (ie. Get wood fire established, remove stove and blow out tablet.)
Fuel is also waterproof, and leak proof so ideal for Alaskan tourist rafting I imagine.
@@etherealbolweevil6268 Yep --- easy to use, spill-proof, lightweight, compact, waterproof, versatile, predictable, and reliable. Rarely would it be a recommended primary go-to. That said... a suitable/dependable contingency, expedient, fire-starter, or compact emergency/survival item.
This type is OK. Easy to use, only complaint is wishing the fuel block burn longer for myself. The stove works good though. Does the job.
Used it several times in the Austrian army, itˋs good, but the smell, I still have it in my nose after 20 years :)
In the British Army we had something similar we called it the hexi burner i have made many a meal and most importantly brewed real coffee when in a lay up area for grub ect brewing coffee or tea was the most import task of the day
Nice review. 👍
I have the small one and love it! Thanks!
Very interesting! Thank you for the education!
Looking forward to the next stove…… and more.
Kathy
Washington State 🇺🇸👋🏻😃
Could you start a series or play list of stuff you would recommend for beginners? Like good value and affordable stuff and what you will need at least and some other stuff that you dont need but makes the trip better?
Thank you !
Used these alot , if they are the same as the UK/NZ issue they had a wax coating over the hex tab , if so scrap off a little wax , and they light up easier/quicker .
Tip if you want to try a quick way of heating a can , it can be dangerous if you are not paying attention .
Use the steel holder both sides tipped in at 45 degrees , put tab in place & light , get can dent it a couple of times in the middle using your knee , put on to the holder like its a log of wood , so you can turn it a bit at a time like rotary cooking , use a leather glove , every few seconds turn it a little .
You are pressure cooking it , keep turning it and look for the dents to pop out , thats it its done , take off aim away from you & others and use a P38 can opener to pierce the can , pressure will vent out , so be careful , open up , stir and eat .
Another great review my friend
Might be good to mention that whatever you pans, pots, etc you use need to be closed to prevent the poison fumes from going in.
I have the Small and Medium Esbit stoves. They are not with me on my hikes in the nature or on camping but they are in my bug out Bag and in my transportation as "emergency stoves".
When camping i prefer Alcohol stoves, but Esbit is a great Emergency stove !
Tip: If you dont like the smell of esbit, pack them in Mylarbags !
Great review thanks Luke.
I have the smol one with 4 of the little rectangle tabs stored in it, put the stove in the cut off end of a sock, and I tuck that in a little GSI pot/cup w/ a collapsible spork and pot gripper. Comes in at 12oz, the stove doesn't scratch the insides, and takes up little space, I love it. My tabs barely smell; there is a very, very slight shrimpy/fishy smell in the sock itself after being stored for a long time, but I can't really smell anything near the sealed tabs and my sense of smell is very acute. I grabbed the box I have of Esbit fuel and it says it's a non-toxic solid fuel and makes no mention of using gloves to handle it o.O Maybe the bigger tablets have other chemicals in them?
Anyway, thanks for sharing!
I have the BCB stove and it’s excellent and cost me £1.50. With the fire dragon fuel tablets you can’t go wrong
I have to say,,, what your doing is awesome,,💯,, and you sir, have stayed persistent,💯,,, jus awesome,,, just subscribed,,, 😎🤘💯
This will be a short and sweet comment... I personaly think the esbit stove should come with 2 wind screens, would easily help direct all that flame and heat upwards to help heat faster.
I've used the Brian Green Esbit Tray with 14g Esbit tablets to get long slow burns that let me bake cornbread muffins, but not with this stove. Used the Outdoor Pocket Micro Stove EDCBox from Bushcraft Essentials for that.
You had me sold at "Toxic" and "stinks like Shrimp"
I liked you and your review so well I liked and subed.
And don’t forget that you can blow the tab out & wrap it in foil for later. That happens most often if you had to light a second tab to finish the job.
Good review Luke. Quite a few negative comments from folks. I do wish they would add why they think this stove is Junk, Crap etc. Come on guys tell us what experience you have had that gives you that conclusion.
When I run out of solid fuel, I flip the stove over and the legs that normally support the container now become legs that support the bottom which is now facing up, I build a small stick fire between the legs
I have one also but just upgraded to the one in anodized aluminum and the pot nestles onto the stove perfectly. I wonder if you have seen this product? I dont think ill use this fold out one again. This fold open one is more compact alright. Thanks for the great video. I use this on cdt in NM. With a wind screen one only use a part of a tablet as it will make a boil in about 8 mins or less. Ps. I made a wind screen out of two pop cabs linked together, cut down. Encircles the stove. IF you can give it lots of air(good burn) soot will go down dramatically.
I've used these and they will work. In consideration of lightweight, I prefer an alcohol burner to the Esbit though.
Hi Luke, ever used the esbit as a twig stove? 🤔
I had this question too! I would think in a pinch you put some twigs, light it, and could boil some water because you still have a stand.
Used this types of stoves for years and very often add wood fuel in the form of twigs for a longer burn time. Works great.
Holy crap I got the first comment I love your videos dude you never disappoint and God bless
Was my first stove many moons ago,There are many non toxic fuels that can be used,and wood.Im currently using the "cedar burgers",on the smokey side,but feel safer eating food.
i have the German one,larger and more robust.i just use it on hikes.the best thing about them is using it as a pot stand with whatever fuel you chose.trying to put together rocks to put your pot on is a hassle.
Issued tin stoves and Hexamine tablets as part of rations
I used these 55 years ago
Hi Luke! For me it is the perfect EDC or Survival kit stove! For the size of tablets which one you used there is a trick! Take the aluminium part from a round candle for graves ( i hope you know what i mean)! If you do that the stove stays perfectly clean! But forget real cooking with it! Heating up water is perfect but never try to make a steak with it!
Best regards Markus
I feel you really racked down on the BCB stove, however is very positive on the esbit. Not that many differences in design. Sure the solid alcohol that bcb/firedragon uses differs from esbit, but thats it. Any reason for picking up the esbit stove instead of the bcb?
Wouldnt be for me, but like you said, some may like it. I wouldnt want the smell or the toxicity, and the little fuel packet doesnt burn long enough. I've recently purchased a little portable stove that uses the small propane canister. The stove is small and lightweight, about the size of a laptop computer. $20 at Walmart. Also got a tiny alcohol burning "stove". You can hold the stove in the palm of your hand. $17 online. It's recommended to use denatured alcohol in this little burner, as regular alcohol will make black smoke. The propane stove will burn about 5 hours on one canister, and the alcohol stove will burn about an hour on one filling. Very easy to refill if you need more cooking time. Thanks for your review on the Esbit.
The first time I used one Pierre Trudeau was Prime Minister of Canada and LBJ was President. Great piece of kit that stood the test of time...I keep one in my truck survival kit...Good job Luke
Still have and use mine from Boy Scouts over 50 years ago
QUESTION: Can I fit the TRANGIA alcohol burner inside and partially close it during use? I want to use the Esbit essentially as a windscreen/potholder with solid fuel capability as backup if I needed. If it works, this will be the ultimate Bugout bag combo because you can even use wood with the Esbit if needed!
Probably in the large one, look at the measurements online
I use the Esbit stainless steel pot stand, which is even lighter than these stoves. It also works well with a variety of alcohol burners.
Wondering if you have ever done a review of the SilverFire Scout stove. I don't see much out there about it, I but I find it better then most stoves... no need to haul or buy fuel all the time.
I like this stove better than the BCB Fire Dragon because it also has the windshield which can be a big help, but unlike the BCB this one raises the heat source off the cold ground. The BCB lies flat on the ground and you lose a lot of heat that way.
What if you turn it upside-down and use the fuel tabs as fire starters for twigs.