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So, where can you get a cheap deal on a stove? Well, eBay of course. Some of the stoves on eBay are unbelievably cheap — pretty much too good to be true. But are you really going to risk screwing up your trip on a really cheap, no-name stove? I wouldn’t. But maybe there’s a better way. What if there were a good but relatively unknown brand available, a brand that would afford you some Cheap Deals on Good Stoves?
Please join me in today’s post as we examine just such a brand.
jim…
try this one for 7 smackaroos?
http://www.dealextreme.com/p/ultra-mini-portable-outdoor-metal-gas-stove-2-x-ag3-65929
reviewed by section hiker …
http://sectionhiker.com/ultralight-and-inexpensive-backpacking-canister-camp-stove/
lol. Those are the very ones that scare me a little bit. Probably not (hopefully not!) dangerous, but I’d be afraid of it conking out when I’m in the back country. The stoves I was looking at from Kovea compare favorably with $40 to $65 stoves sold by American and Japanese companies. Guess I just like a little higher end stove. :)
The DealExtreme website says “Electronic pyrotechnic device (2 x AG3 batteries included).” That’s got to be an error.
I’ll have to pop over to Section Hiker and read their review.
All of these stoves, no matter the brand name, come out of the same dozen or less factories. A friend of mine has turned importing carbon bike frames from China into a whole business. His frames come out of the exact same molds in the same factories and are made with the same carbon as the big-name, expensive bikes. But they don't have a recognizable brand name on them, so he's able to sell them online for substantially less. All the big brands just slap their label on what amounts to generic bike frames. The stove world is probably no different.
I have a couple of these stove and have used it a few times at home and on the field. Personally I think they work great…pot supports could be better but for the price, I can't complain.
All of these stoves, no matter the brand name, come out of the same dozen or less factories.
Something like that. But quality varies widely.
Looking at this one, “quality” isn’t the first word that pops into my mind.
How do you know quality varies widely? You said you haven't tried them. That's what every said about this friend of mine's bikes–they'll crack! It's terrible carbon! You'll die on a descent when the steering tube fails!
That one Eric posted looks a bit goofey, but this inspires more confidence. http://www.dealextreme.com/p/ultra-mini-portable-outdoor-metal-gas-stove-with-a-case-2-ag3-52063
HJ, I got to try out my lightly used $25 GS100 last weekend. So quiet, I was trying to see if I could get some more power out of it,:) then realized my soup was heating up pretty fast. Real nice, I can see why you like it.
Kovea products are really nice, fit and finish. I picked up one of those adapters to use on a quart size Coleman profane canister so a small stove like a Pocket Rocket or the Giga Power stove could be attached.
Duane
Go for it, Ben. Let us know how it goes.
"Coleman profane canister"
Isn't that the truth?
–B.G.–
HJ, I got to try out my lightly used $25 GS100 last weekend. So quiet, I was trying to see if I could get some more power out of it,:) then realized my soup was heating up pretty fast. Real nice, I can see why you like it.
Kovea products are really nice, fit and finish. I picked up one of those adapters to use on a quart size Coleman profane canister so a small stove like a Pocket Rocket or the Giga Power stove could be attached.
Duane
Hi, Duane,
Yeah, it’s tough to beat the combination of attributes that comes together in the GS-100 (especially if you can get one for $25!). It’s definitely a favorite, and with an MSRP of $40, I think it’s a good value.
On that Kovea adapter, is that one of the silver colored ones that step 100% propane down so you can use it with backpacking stoves? How did that go? There have been some reported problems with the valve not opening enough.
Your friend has been lucky but his luck may change over time.And don't discount the legal/liability culture of the U.S. which doesn't really exist in China. The book Poorly Made in China is an eye opener. I've spent plenty of time in China and believe me the bargaining culture is such that quality is up for grabs because fakes cut costs.The pattern is to get the initial bid at all costs even negative ones. Then get your buyer reliant upon you for size of orders or time frame or both. Change the product to cut costs . Your buyer has little recourse other than starting over . Yes there are exceptions. But unless you are as dedicated and powerful as Apple or the other majors your leverage may not exist or will erode over time.Your suppliers know who you will turn to and at what price.It's basic Chinese Chess, not a game of Checkers.
http://www.danwei.org/china_books/poorly_made_in_china_by_paul_m.php
Seems to me Hikin' Jim's "invitation" only involves the Kovea stove he linked… to his own blog.
@ John: Poorly Made in China.
Very true but at the same time also very simplistic, don't you think? On the one hand, plenty of people have plenty of reasons to be leery of Chinese food products (who can forget the cat food and baby formula scares)? On the other hand, there are also plenty of honest, good quality companies there as well. Surely you don't believe any country can propel itself into the world's second largest economy on 'use once then fall apart' goods alone??
Actually I see it as a good way to analyze the Chinese model and our interaction with it. The movement in America to race down to the China Price consisted largely of manufacturers going to China and using people like the author to negotiate the price and terms.But culturally the Chinese do not ever consider a price fixed or a deal done. Consider the flip side. This is why Chinese parents love the U.S. , Europe, and Canada or on a more prosaic level shopping at Walmart and Carrefore in China. You pay a price for a bottom line. I've looked at this over time and seen salt merchants from Yangzhou getting Imperial rights to the salt trade and then screwed on dredging costs for the Imperial canal while smuggling on the side and eventually losing the whole game to Suzhou and Shanghai for reasons of fashion and women in the workforce.If you want some sources I'll be happy to provide them. But above all being on the ground in China and bargaining is a business for Steely Dan.
Yes, John. And we've all read about American coffee makers screwing our federal government big time — and STILL giving brown sludge for our Civil War soldiers to drink!
You can focus very selectively on ancient history — or the cheap price point products of modern day — and find plenty of evidence to back up your perception of cheap and shoddy Chinese goods. I certainly won't argue with you here.
But you should also remind yourself about the story of a group of blindfolded people all touching just one part of an elephant and reporting their findings… The ass positively stinks, but it ain't the whole elephant.
You can find quality Chinese products at Saks Fifth Ave. or Mountain Hardwear, TNF, etc. in our hiker world — and you can find garbage products at Wally World. But to insist on painting an entire country as shoddy and nothing else — despite all the evidence to the contrary — is to lose credibility.
Towards Jim? I was a bit brusque towards him, and I apologize for that, but the accusations of him profiteering are nonsense.
It's the last thing I would ever do.My wife is a Cultural Anthropologist. My daughter is Adopted Chinese.I have an extensive background in Chinese plants and gardens. You seem to think I'm generalizing or shooting from the hip about China , so feel free to explain the better or superiority or historicity or hissyfit of your position.
Can we keep this somewhat on track?
HJ, I only tried the Kovea adapter briefly in my garage to make sure all worked. No issues. It does have the tiny adjustment screw on the side.
Duane
"try this one for 7 smackaroos?"
This whole attitude of the cheapest product is perplexing.
Stove fuels store a lot of volatile energy. The have the potential for disastrous consequences. I bought my first stove in 1972. Over the years I have used white gas, butane, Iso, alcohol and solid fuels. I have never had a mishap with any stove. But I follow the instructions and perform recommended maintenance. I researched every stove I have ever purchase. I am not afraid of stoves, but exercise diligence and care.
When choosing a stove, or any other piece of gear, I research the available products with an eye for the best quality and functionality for my needs. Price becomes secondary. If it exceeds my budget, I save my money.
How do you know an unmarked, unbranded stove is made by a known and reputable company? If it was made by one of those companies, why would they not brand it? How do you not know it was not a stove that failed the inspection process and was thrown away, only to be retrieved and sold by some unscrupulous person? How do you know it was not built by some guy in his garage with inadequate knowledge, materials, or equipment? HOW DO YOU KNOW?
I research my stoves and purchase from companies with a good track record and an excellent reputation to protect. Not a 100% guarantee, but much better than a crap shoot with a stove in a plain white box.
I think one would be foolish or stupid to risk their lives on a $7 stove of unknown origin. Of course I find those ill-informed consumers, who do not research products, and are always shopping by price alone are the first to demand "someone" resolve the problem and compensate them.
So if your $7 stove blows up in your face, you'll get no sympathy from me.
If you want a good stove at a good value then wait to buy a brand name on sale or clearance, or buy a used one on eBay… but make sure you buy a maintenance kit for your used store, read the instructions carefully before using it.
There is a reason someone coined the term, "Buyer beware."
Love your explanation Nick. $7 items are putting neighbors out of work.
Duane
ever eat chinese hot pot?
chances are its some kind of butane stove over that cost a minimal amount, is made in china and made by sweat shop labor …
tens if not hundred of millions of chinese use one every year … very few ive heard of, if any, go BOOM …
my view is that there is a lot of gear out there which works pretty darn well for low prices … im not saying the 7$ stove is one … but once we get to stuff like "quality" clothing, my "el cheapo" ones work functionally as well as $$$$ ones …
I love mine, and it works perfectly. I actually have been considering the camp 5 stove because of this experience with kovea. I heard that the burner head on it is identical to the burner on the new micro-rocket, but it is a remote stove so I can use my windscreen without it going bang.
On a related side note,Propane is dirty. My coleman canister seems to be so nasty that it actually gums up as I am using it and I have to clean my adapter every few uses. Gross.
It seems to have gummed up my coleman lantern too, so it isn't just a problem with the adapter.
But Kovea products so far are good stuff. I think they make some of MSR's stoves, so it seems reasonable that they would be.
That’s odd that propane would be burning dirty. What brand are you using? I wonder if you got a bad batch. Are you running full blast? Medium flame? Low flame?
The one down side to the Camp 5 is that it’s a very narrow stove, so it may not be steady with a bigger pot or on uneven ground. You are correct though that it has an advantage in that it can be used with a windscreen without having to worry about overheating the canister.
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