Recommened heating/ cooking units?

[oldgoat]

I am questioning the value of a propane heater and stove.

My thoughts are that cooking should be conducted outside where no humidity or mess is generated inside the SMB, and that a dedicated propane heater is unnecessary.

A micro-wave could meet traveling and bad weather cooking requirements and a porcelain heater could be used when necessary.

What do you experienced SMB users recommend?

[canyonclan]

OG,

We have both: LPG stove inside & a micro. On our first rip, I was using both fixed interior stove, cooking breakfast and had another butane portable stove with a moka-express coffe maker going outside.

We also have a 20 month old, so being able to nuke veggies & meals on the road is a huge time saver.

Depends on your intended use. We plan to beach camp a lot, so the LPG with entenda gas will enable us to BBQ in style on the beach using our onboard 7lb SMB tank.

For heating purposes, we went w/the Espar D4 unit. It is excellent and has seen use every night we've camped this month.

-Jeff

[jage]

I favor the drawer over the microwave, and the clean counter over the built in stove. On the rare occasion where I plan to cook "more" I'll bring a coleman 3 burner, although I have designs on making an external propane hookup for more major cooking. The single butane has been great for most trips.

Apart from the clean counterspace, all my decisions stem from how and what I cook- we don't use the microwave enough at home to justify losing the drawer. I have a small microwave too so I can always take it loose.

The heater on the other hand- we love it. We're always mis-estimating how cold it gets at night and flipping the heater on is so easy. I have a nice indoor portable propane heater with an oxygen sensor and all that I used to use in the aluminum truck cap, and it's a lot more work and I'm a lot less comfortable with the results.

I have propane with the water heater and the furnace and nothing else. I'd have propane just for these if there was no other option.

[kzemach]

We use the small portable butane stove that SMB sells for like $50, and you can find elsewhere for under $25. It works fine. Carry extra cannisters behind the door cabinet. Between that and a JetBoil for boiling water in ~2min, we're pretty happy. Agree with Jage that I like having the countertop clear. If you want two burners... get two small stoves.

[oldgoat]

I've seen the Espar D4 listed in vehicles however I can't find a description in the SMB website.

The espar.com web site has some positive comments, as anticipated.

Whats the opinion among SMB owners?

[calclimber]

Originally Posted by kzemach

We use the small portable butane stove that SMB sells for like $50, and you can find elsewhere for under $25. It works fine. Carry extra cannisters behind the door cabinet. Between that and a JetBoil for boiling water in ~2min, we're pretty happy. Agree with Jage that I like having the countertop clear. If you want two burners... get two small stoves.

We do same , I have two of the butane stoves. I bought the second one at target. The butane seems to burn very hot.

[Buji]

Originally Posted by oldgoat

I've seen the Espar D4 listed in vehicles however I can't find a description in the SMB website.

The espar.com web site has some positive comments, as anticipated.

Whats the opinion among SMB owners?

The D4 is the hydronic unit, or water heater. I gotta say, we're really impressed by it. We haven't had it long so I can't speak for reliability, durability etc,

It makes HOT water. We can make good instant potatoes with just the hot water, which go well with a steak grilled on the pit-to-go. It sounds like a jet turbine when it's heating up, which has it's own ... appeal

I just turn it on for a few minutes when I need it and then back off. The controller has lots of neat options like a timer programming etc to have it warm up at preset times but I haven't messed with any of that.

I have used it at 9000 feet with no issues.

-B