Which brand of denatured alcohol? Where to get it in US?

If you have a iPhone with iOS 12.2, it has a new feature in Maps.  Down in the lower right (just below the temperature) in yellow is the new Air Quality Index AQI: at my house today, it is 64.

Here is the index meaning

0-50: Air quality is good. Color: Green
51-100: Air quality is moderate. Color: Yellow
101-150: Air quality is unhealthy for sensitive groups, like people with allergies. Color: Orange
151-200: Air quality is unhealthy. Color: Red
201-300: Air quality is very unhealthy. Color: Purple
301-500: Air quality is hazardous. Color: Maroon

It’s a little clearer (and colder) at my house. Although we saw some readings >500 when 160,000 acres were burning in July and August.

California banned bulk sales of toluene statewide many years ago. It was a vital component of hypalon raft repair, so I used to smuggle in cans from out of state. One hardware store just across the border didn’t even know it was banned in the Golden State. The state’s planning to ban toluene in other products like nail polish.

Between air quality impacts and outright toxicity, I expect many substances will be banned in California sooner or later. But denatured alcohol was a surprise.

Trail Designs most likely will continue selling their stove systems. People in other states will be able to buy and burn denatured alcohol for the foreseeable future. California residents can either get the juice through alternative means, or switch to ESBIT or yellow HEET.

Yellow HEET is in stock at the 21 Home Depot stores closest to me, according to their web site.

— Rex

I’ve got a 2/3rds full bottle of Everclear 190 that I’ll give to anyone wanting to pick it up in Arlington, WA. With a couple of alcohol stoves to boot. No I won’t ship it.

Just ordered, to pick up today in San Diego, a can of Crown denatured alcohol. Could just be remaining stock.

Almost by definition the “cleanest” ethanol will be some that is meant for drinking, like 190-proof Everclear.  (Dual use!!!)  But it is expensive, since it is so highly taxed.

After that, I like Kleen Strip Green.  It has less nasties than S-L-X and can be found at those big home improvement stores like Lowes or Home Depot.  Still a touch of methanol, though.  You really can’t find inexpensive denatured alcohol in the US without SOMETHING nasty in it- that’s sort of the point, so that it isn’t taxed.

I had thought that Kleen Strip Green was the best version, until I found that it left deposits on pots under certain circumstances (perhaps when it was a bit starved of air intake/ventilation). The 50-50 Kleen Strip DA (formerly called S-L-X) didn’t. I still like the K S Green better in most cases though. YMMV…