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BioLite Stove Review

3skulls

3skulls

.270 WIN
UPS just dropped off my stove about 2 hours ago. Just like a kid on Christmas, I couldn't wait to get her going.

Its a biomass stove, no fuels or cubes.

Has a Thermoelectric Generator with USB output. Main use is to power a fan to create airflow for the fire.

First impressions.
Very well made, pretty light at 2lbs. Not something for the ultra lite guys.
Very easy to use and figure out right out of the box.

My main use.
Backpacking, bug out gear and power outages.

With having the USB charger I feel this is perfect for a survival stove and will come in handy if the power goes out. Being able to charge up my phone is an added comfort for sure.
Now I'll be looking at some USB battery chargers for my flashlight etc.

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Pros:
Biomass stove. No worrying about fuels. You can find twigs, wood etc just about anywhere.
USB charger, reasons said above.
For me its light enough for what I'll be using it for.
It seems very sturdy.

Cons:
Does have electrical parts, not sure how it would hold up in a rain storm if left out.
Does have sound from the fan. If you are being covert, might not be the best stove.
Small fire chamber. You'll have to stay on top of feeding it fuel.
Price. It's not cheap.

Back porch test.
Like I said, couldn't wait to try it out. 33*f out
Set it up at 6:30. Set 6cups of water on her at 6:45. Came to a roaring boil right around 7:20.
Got enough heat going to power the charger right around 6:55. Looked to be charging my phone 1% every 5 minutes or so.
I did lose power to the charger here and there. First priority goes to the fan.

Overall
I'm very happy with it so far. I used the BioLite Kettle Pot in the boil test tonight (with the top on the pot).
I can't wait to put it to a field test soon.

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There are a ton of reviews and photos out there but if you have a question or want a pic of a certain part, just let me know.

I'll update after I put it to some real use.

Thanks for looking.
Rich
 
what was the main selling point of this stove for you? i'm going to presume the thermoelectric generator? we made survival/cook stoves out of coffee cans back when i was in boy scouts.
 
dieselmudder said:
what was the main selling point of this stove for you? i'm going to presume the thermoelectric generator? we made survival/cook stoves out of coffee cans back when i was in boy scouts.
Click to expand...

Yep, we did the same thing, though coffee cans are usually plastic these days.
 
Nice review 3skulls. Thanks for the review. We went the other way with a "stove in a can". The downside there is the fuel bricks. When you are tired, cold and damp, something warm is a morale booster. Let us know how it is to camp/hike with it.
 
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Yeah the generator sold me.
I was watching videos on how to make the hobo stoves and was planing on buying some can goods the next day.
Then I came across the BioLite and went with it.

Just knowing I can charge my phone up in an ice storm or while camping is worth it to me. I also do a few trips each year and camp with my motorcycle. Once again just knowing if I break down in the middle of no where with a dead phone or I could even charge my GPS.

I wanted to go with a wood burning stove for sure.

I looked at that one as well Mike.


I hope to get some time where I can play in the woods soon.
 
Good review.

I'm a little concerned about the electrical aspect but looks like a good little stove. Look forward to hearing how it works in the field.

I'm an IT guy, one thing I have learned in a lifetime of computer work, electronics can and do fail, usually when you need then most.
 
Thanks Mike and yep I'm right there with you.

It does fall into the gadgety category but I also think its practical.
We had an ice storm back in 09 and most of the city was without power for a week.
It would have been nice to be able to make a cup of coffee and charge my phone at the same time. :p

I would never rely on the generator but its nice to know its there.
I love to have back ups for back ups. I hope to add some type of solar charger as well soon.
 
No problem Dave.
There are also a "Power Pot" made by a different company but really pricey. I'm guessing you would have to keep water boiling at all times to not ruin the pot.

BioLite also makes large stove for the home with this same concept. I don't think you can get them in the US, it's more for third world countries.
 
really looking forward to some info on the solar power when you get to it. and i may have to ready up on these little stoves too. i like the concept, maybe a dumb questions but is there a heat limit to the thermo electric generator, can it be gotten to hot?
 
I'm almost 100% sure it's made of copper. So I think the body of the stove would fail first.
So no worries on the probe. You'll only have to worry about high temps if the fan wasn't working because the body of the generator is made of a hard plastic.
The fan helps keep the body of the generator cool also. It will even turn back on if you turn it off and it's still too warm.

So its best to check the battery if you have it stored away for long periods. It does come with a USB cable to charge the battery just incase you let it drain all the way before you build a fire. (I guess you can look at that as a con. But checking on it every few months and I think you'll be fine. Just don't pack it away in a bug out kit and let it sit for a year.)

My requirements for solar are.
Something I can attach to my bag while hiking or riding.
It has to be able to store power too.

I'll let you know what I come up with. Anyone else want to chime in on it, please feel free.
 
That's the one I'm researching right now.
I'm going to go ahead and start a new thread.
Thanks rdm!
 
NP man looks like you could hook it up on a pack and charge devices on the fly maybe while on a hike?
 
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