Kettle on Trangia Stove

Kettle on Trangia Stove
Originally uploaded by angora bunny

This is a great little stove for camping. It is:

• very easy to use
• quiet
  
• less dangerous than a lot of the alternatives:
  

• sturdy base with pots and pans that fit perfectly; great stability and nothing to precariously balance
  
• simple construction -- less parts to misplace or break down -- no need for a maintenance kit
  
• burns without pressure, so safer
  

• packs up relatively compact and light (there's also a mini version if that suits your expedition better)
• environmentally-friendly and not difficult to find fuel

Alcohol burning stoves may take a bit longer to heat up and do not burn as hot as some other fuel types. However, these aren't really drawbacks. The extra time isn't unreasonable and gives you time to do other prep work. Without the really high heat, and with the simmer ring, there's less chance you'll have to eat burnt food.

Finding fuel is easy in North America. You can use denatured alcohol / marine stove fuel, methylated spirits / methyl hydrate / methanol, isopropanol / isopropyl alcohol, ethyl alcohol / ethanol / grain alcohol - so even alcool or everclear (but obviously this is more expensive). You can even dilute with water to make a small amount of fuel last longer.

Since Mountain Equipment Co-Op didn't carry the set that includes the Trangia kettle, the one pictured above is a Chinook Timberline Tea Kettle (seen in the catalog at Chinook Technical Outdoor and available online at stores such as Great Adventure Company). It is a sexy, 24 fl. oz. kettle, and folds down nicely into its storage sack. The mesh basket for making herbal or loose leaf tea is included.

Links with more information:
- Trangia website
- Flickr Trangia Group with recipes, photos and shared memories
- How to Use a Trangia Camping Stove on WikiHow
- Video of How to Use a Trangia Camping Stove
- Stove Fuel Comparison
- Trangia has a translated list of international fuels so you can see what to look for in other countries. The link is on this page.

There are also other accessories available for this stove, including a gas burner in case you want/need an alternative to the spirit burner. See the Trangia website or your local outdoor store.