Review: Trangia Storm Cooker 25-1UL (Stove)

Trangia Storm Cooker 25-1UL running with methylated spirit
Trangia Storm Cooker 25-1UL running with methylated spirit

The swedish manufacturers most popular product is probably their spirit stove. We used a Trangia Storm Cooker 25-1UL Stove for several years and liked how easy and reliable it is.
The basic model had alumium pots, lid and frying pan. Now they offer the Cooking Set in more materials and the simple aluminium version wouldn’t be our first choice anymore. We would go for the new Storm Cooker 25-21UL-D, because we are using the same pots with our Tundra III-D Duossal pot set.

The stove is extremely easy to use, completely silent and non-smelly.  The principle is simple. The stove works with a small burner, like a fondue, filled with methylated spirit and a lid to regulate the flame. A massive base with a windshield on top holds the pots savely and includes ventilation holes that should be placed towards the wind (Stormstove). Like that the whole system can act as a chimney, leading the air around the burner, what increases the effiency.

In very cold climate it can happen, that the methylated spirit is hard to inflame. In that case you have to warm it up e.g. with a lighter or by hugging it for a while inside your down jacket. You can also notice a lack of performance compared to a gas or fuel stove (petrol).

Spirit is cheap, but the quality can vary a bit. Sometimes there are aditives to prevent people from drinking it – that can produce smoke.
In Europe you will not struggle to find methylated spirit. However in some parts of the world, we had serious problems finding it. 2012 in USA we finally bought a gas stove instead, because we just couldn’t get any fuel for our stove.
Having a look at the weight and dimensions (845g and 18,5cm x 10cm/ 1,86lb and 7,3in x 3,9in), it seems heavy and big compared to a gas burner, but when you consider that it includes two pots, frying pan, windshield and handle, the weight is not that bad anymore.

The stove is also available in a gas stove version for more performance and there are also adaptions to be able to use a fuel stove (petrol) with it.

Due to the fact that we are travelling on motorcycles on our world trip, the best solution for us is a fuel stove (petrol), because we are carrying petrol anyway.

This Post Has One Comment

  1. Maria

    WE have multiples, in multiple sizes…and ended up hanging them on a wall with other ‘stuff’…and yes they are heavy—but iron really cooks some things better (at high) heat, best frying pan for electric stove and if I had room for that rack, I would use one…!Great post!

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