Choosing the Best Alcohol Stove Fuel for Camping: A Comprehensive Guide (2024)

FAQs

What is the best fuel for alcohol camping stove? ›

BioEthanol Liquid, in our opinion, is the best fuel for use in alcohol camping stoves (and no, we are not just saying that because we sell it). There are alternative fuels that can work in camping stoves, although none are as powerful or clean as bioethanol.

White Gas (Naphtha)

Because this fuel burns cleaner than most others and because it evaporates (vaporizes) at a lower temperature, it makes starting your stove an easier, cleaner and overall more pleasant experience.

A: OMG, no please do not do this. Alcohol and white-gas stoves are built quite differently, and it is quite dangerous to use one kind of stove with the other kind of fuel.

Only use alcohols labeled as clean burning marine fuels. Basically this says they can be put out with water. SLX is one brand that uses a combination of methanol and ethanol. Yellow HEET works well.

1) Kiln dried oak logs

These seasoned logs are certainly one of the top choices in terms of fuel for wood-fired stoves. But why is this? For starters, oak is widely known as a wood that burns well and produces plenty of heat output over long periods.

Yes. Denatured alcohol is essentially alcohol that has been rendered undrinkable to obviously discourage recreational consumption. It should never be drunk as it is poisonous. Effectively, the alcohol you drink and the alcohol you burn in a bioethanol fireplace are essentially the same.

Anthracite - Clean burning & efficient

It has a high carbon content and few impurities, which means it burns far cleaner than softer, dirtier coals too. It also produces less smoke and pollutants when burnt, making it ideal for multi fuel stoves in our homes.

White gas burns exceptionally hot and clean, which is why it is the preferred fuel. Although kerosene is widely available, there is a noticeable odour when the stove is running and it doesn't burn quite as hot as white gas, resulting in longer cook times.

Verdict. For most applications, we can't really fault the use of canister gas as the best fuel for camping stoves. When used alongside a regulated stove, it will cope well with all but the most extreme conditions, giving you fast boil times and reliable performance. It's also blessedly lightweight and easy to use.

I have both dual fuel stoves and a dual fuel lantern. I found that the white gas (Coleman Fuel) burns cleaner than gasoline. Burning alcohol is not any sort of issue, and actually less of a health hazard than burned gasoline fumes. I would not use any stabilizers with a stove fuel.

Is denatured alcohol the same as white gas? ›

Alcohol fuel contains approximately half the energy by weight of white gas or butane/propane. As a result, the heat output is proportionately less—and cook times are a lot longer. Most white gas and canister stoves can boil a pint of water in under three minutes.

Trangia stoves can be adapted to burn many different fuel types including methanol, ethanol, isopropyl alcohol, isobutane, white gas, kerosene, jet fuel, and gasoline. This makes it highly adaptable for traveling in many different climates and conditions all over the globe.

# 1 – Denatured Alcohol – 16 Cents an Ounce

Advantages: Hot, clean flame that produces a very small amount of soot and almost no odor when burned.

Ethanol (the drinkable kind) is the hottest and cleanest burning of the commonly available liquid fuels.

I've never tried 50%, but have done 70%. It will burn, but a good deal of the heat goes towards evaporating the water and is wasted. The 91% alcohol will burn fairly well and if it significantly cheaper than methanol or denatured, go for it.

For best results, we recommend you use denatured or ethyl alcohol (also called ethyl alcohol, ethanol or ethyl hydrate) with an alcohol content of 90% or higher. You can also used isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol with an alcohol content of 90% or higher.

Burns denatured alcohol, a cheap and widely available fuel that can be purchased at hardware stores (in the paint department), gas stations (HEET gas-line antifreeze), and hiking hostels. You can also use Everclear, or grain alcohol, though this is more expensive.