Wood Burning Stove Pro's vs Con's

BIO MASS / ALTERNATIVE FUEL BACKPACKING STOVES

Alternative fuel stoves are continuing to evolve and in recent years seem to be getting more and more advanced. There are two main types: wood burning stoves and denatured alcohol stoves. Here are the pros and cons of each type.

PROS FOR WOOD BURING STOVES:

• Potentially more lightweight since you don’t need to carry fuel
• Some models convert energy (from the stove) to electricity and have a USB to charge your devices (a phone or headlamp, etc)
• No moving parts that can easily break
• Can be carried on an airplane 
• Do not need to carry extra fuel with you while backpacking
• Larger base that makes cooking stable and easier to do

CONS FOR WOOD BURING STOVES:

• Can only be used in locations that have wood & you have to keep refeeding the fire
• Can be difficult to use in a location with moisture or rain as you need dry twigs & wood
• Can be prohibited at high elevations or in certain locations that don’t allow fires

PROS FOR DENATURED ALCOHOL STOVES:

• Generally the most lightweight option you can find
• Denatured alcohol is very inexpensive and easy to find
• Easy to use and no maintenance is required

CONS FOR DENATURED ALCOHOL STOVES:

• Extra parts are critical, such as a windscreen
• Fuel spills are a possibility
• Denatured alcohol doesn’t burn as hot (in temperature) as canister fuel/white gas so it can take a significant amount of time and thus fuel for water to boil