Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Ohuhu Portable Wood Burning Camping Stove vs. Trangia alcohol system vs. BioLite CampStove I own both a Ohuhu and a Trangia stoves. I am going to review the Ohuhu, and compare it to the very popular Trangia and the new BioLite CampStove. First the Ohuhu es exactly as you can see it in the pictures. Stainless steel, seems to be electro welded, and pretty light. The weakest points are the three moving parts. The triangles where the pot rests during cooking. You need to be a little careful with those and I guess that over time those are going to be the parts that will break. The rest, will give you no trouble during the regular usage. They can be dropped and take the usual abuse and still will work, but to achieve the lightness they are not built like a tank. The parts assemble and stay together easily. Takes less than ten seconds to put together or disassemble. It feels safe, and reasonably cool to the touch even during operation. You can light a fire and move it around if needed. I can do it with my bare hands, but it will be safer to use some sturdy gloves for insulation. The Ohuhu comes with a nice little net for storage, that also seems to be just perfect to do the job. To start a fire just assemble the Ohuhu gather some tinder, dry leaves or paper, put them in the stove and add a handful of little twigs. Set the on fire and enjoy. The rocket stove design takes care of the rest, creating the air circulation you need. As the fire grows, add a few more wood and the flames will grow bigger and bigger as the gassification takes place (you can see the fire coming out of the upper holes like in you kitchen stove). If you have any trouble getting the fire going, you can just carefully lift the stove and blow from underneath to increase the oxygen flow until it can work on its own. How fast can it boil a pot of water? Well, it depends. It depends on the amount and kind of wood you use, how big the pot, and how cold the water is to begging with... In my case it tends to be around 10 to 15 minutes. If you are looking at it it seems like a long time, but if you start doing something else, you'll realize that it is already boiling before you know it. After burning, it is actually pretty clean. You will have to wash your pots, but the Ohuhu packs neatly again in its net, and with a quick wiping will be clean enough so it doesn't make a mess in your bag. So to compare it to the Trangia Alcohol stove: ADVANTAGES: The Ohuhu uses wood. You can usually find it everywhere for free. I love the ritual and the smell of it. If you are going to be flying, you can't take alcohol in your suitcase, so you would have to find it at your destination if you are taking the Trangia. With alcohol, you either take too much with you, having to carry that extra weight, or you don't take enough, risking running out of it too soon. The Ohuhu also can work with solid alcohol tablets, so you could carry a couple of those just in case if you want to. Also, the Trangia has a rubber gasket to ensure a good seal, that tends to get old or even burn, and at least in my case has created a leak in my backpack. Not only making a huge mess with my gear, but also leaving me without fuel when I needed it the most... DISADVANTAGES The Trangia is more robust. The little burner is almost indestructible. The alcohol burn is more consistent and reliable. You may have a hard time looking for dry enough wood if the weather is rainy. Alcohol is a sure fire. The wood tends to smoke more, so you can't cook inside with the Ohuhu, while with the Trangia I have done it under the extension of my tent (watch out for fire hazards!!!!) The alcohol also burns very clean, while the wood tends to make a mess on the pots and pans. You are going to need some still wool or fine sand to clean your pots after using them on any wood fire. (If you use the Ohuhu with solid alcohol tablets you wouldn't have any of the wood burning "disadvantages" but it feels that the Ohuhu's strong point or most common use is not going to be as an alcohol burner, but as a wood stove, hence my review comments) COMPARE TO BIOLITE The Ohuhu is WAY LIGHTER (and cheaper). Forget about carrying a Biolite if you are backpacking. Both are rocket stoves. The BioLite uses the thermo generator to feed a little fan that keeps the oxygen flowing. To me this is just another part that can break or give problems. As I have described, you can just pick the Ohuhu up and blow if you need bigger flames. The Biolite is definitely safer if you can afford the extra weight and cash, but you can achieve the same effect. Another advantage of the Biolite is that you can generate electricity to charge your electronics. Again, I prefer to carry a couple of extra batteries with me. They are lighter, and I can use them wile walking if needed. The chargers in the BioLite have also given trouble to some users. My $10 batteries, are just that, $10, and I can find a new one in most gas stations... So the BioLite is cool. Looks and feels great, and makes a beautiful toy. However, if more than camping you are actually hiking and backpacking, the Ohuhu may be a cheaper and lighter option for you.