# Propane or Liquid Fuel Stoves?



## Combat_Tupperware (Oct 10, 2008)

I'm in the market for a coleman type stove and a couple of lanterns. I'm leaning toward the liquid fuel type as it seems to have more burn time to fuel ratio. It will also work off unleaded gasoline if need be. Does anybody have any experience or feed back on either of these systems?


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## OldCootHillbilly (Jul 9, 2010)

I got a coleman lantern what will burn unleaded gas, but, coleman says they will get dirtier quicker on unleaded gas then on coleman fuel, somethin ta do with the generator I beleive. But well worth the money, I'm happy with it.


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

I have both, actually. I wouldn't bother with any device that burns fuel just to make light.... there are *much* better options for making light. For cooking and camping I bring a really REALLY old Coleman liquid fuel stove. I have a propane grill at the house. Even at the campsite, I use electric light.

These will keep me "cooking" for a few days.... after that, I will have to use wood to make meals.


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## RONSERESURPLUS (Oct 9, 2008)

*Both work but?*

Hello all, RON L here

Wile I have had Both Propane and White gas/Unleaded fuel lanterns and stoves, I will say this! Coleman and other white gas and Unleaded fuel items are easy to fuel, easy to repiar, easy to find fuel for and last a long time!

Propane while easier for many ti lite an use do suffer from Cylinder leakage over time, altitude limitations and the Gas Cylinders do add to the cost and can't be transported leagally in many situations!

That all said, I have both baut use the Coleman and Liwquid fuel items more, but have use of propane in occasion when I'm in a hurry, or it's not limited and in operation?

RON


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## SurvivalNut (Nov 13, 2008)

LincTex said:


> I have both, actually. I wouldn't bother with any device that burns fuel just to make light.... there are *much* better options for making light. For cooking and camping I bring a really REALLY old Coleman liquid fuel stove. I have a propane grill at the house. Even at the campsite, I use electric light.
> 
> These will keep me "cooking" for a few days.... after that, I will have to use wood to make meals.


Totally agree with the above. I have about 10 stoves put aside, 2 or more are multifuel (gasoline, white gas/diesel), a couple take propane/butane cylinders alternatively, then some are just fuel specific (Woodgas, propane, butane, charcoal, wood chips, gasoline). Also have a nice cast iron hibachi.

No matter what happens, one form of fuel or another will be available. I also refill my own propane cyl's. I like MSR multifuel stoves, have used them all over the world, but prefer butane for inside the house ventilated for those short outages. Am looking into an alcohol stove for use inside the shelter.

MSR stoves are very field maintainable.

A lot also depends on what fuels you have around you to obtain/salvage from if the thought is long term use. Apartment? Homestead? Indoors? Cooking outdoors on a balcony just would just send the neighbors a runnin' over with forks and plates.

If I had to draw down to 2, I would keep a liquid multifuel and a propane (tank and bottle) stove.

For lighting, review an earlier thread on solar lighting. Free, safe, cheap and effective. No fuel to store.

Tis Garage Sale season here. Got some good deals this weekend. Buy one new and collect the rest used........


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## Jimmy24 (Apr 20, 2011)

I have a gas stove, Coleman. Had it for years, very dependable. Also have 2 different propane stoves. Though there are leakage issues sometimes with propane bottles (small ones 16.4 oz) they are much easier to store and I have used them that were over 10 yrs old and worked fine. Gas is hard and dangerous to store. I do keep gas for the short term for cooking, but bottles for the long term.

As someone else said, there are better lighting options than gas powered, IMHO.

Jimmy


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## Emerald (Jun 14, 2010)

I have both and like the colman fuel one better than the little tanks of propane one.
The little tanks just seem to run out so much quicker than the colman fuel one and if you don't have more of the little tanks then you kaput! While with the colman fuel one I usually always have some of that on hand and can just refill the tank.. I just think it works better and is easier to deal with.
But I do have the attachment for the big propane tanks and it works much better that way.


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## Tirediron (Jul 12, 2010)

Propane has the storage advantage over liquid gas types in that propane will keep for as long as the container it is in holds it. maybe if liquid gasoline was stored in a similar container it would also keep.
If survival is your goal learn and practice rocket stove technology.


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## Emerald (Jun 14, 2010)

Tirediron said:


> Propane has the storage advantage over liquid gas types in that propane will keep for as long as the container it is in holds it. maybe if liquid gasoline was stored in a similar container it would also keep.
> If survival is your goal learn and practice rocket stove technology.


A bit + 1 on the rocket mass stove/heaters! The hubby said that he might let me make one in the shed to see how it does and if it does well then we may try it in the house.
I so wanna make a bigger greenhouse and put one in it for winter, let my chickens have one side of the house and my garden the other and the next winter switch them.
The colman fuel is what is called by some "white gasoline" and while it probably does have a shelf life it is much, much longer than regular gasoline. I hate to admit it but we found some old colman fuel and after finally wrestling the rusted lid off we used it in our colman cooking stove and it worked fine... Talked to my Mom(we bought her old house, my home when a child) and she said that it was probably from the 70's when we used to camp out more often!


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## ashley8072 (Apr 26, 2011)

I own both the duel fuel coleman stove and the duel fuel coleman lantern. I love them both. The ease of not having to make sure that I get every single drop of propane, or trying to find someone that sells propane to refill in the mountains, eases my mind on any outing. 

I guess the question would be, where do you think you would be using it? I mean, I wouldn't recommend carrying a large container of white fuel in your pack. lol! However, Coleman has recently came out with more portable, plastic containers for short trips. I haven't picked up any myself, as they are about the same price as a gallon of the same fuel. In the future, I may pick up a bottle just to keep reusing the bottle from my large metal canister now.

On age...I agree with Emerald. I've also had to bust open an old fuel can from the barn to use. Even though we almost had to just pop a hole in the side before we got the lid open, it burned just as it would have when first purchased. I'm not sure about the cleanliness of the burn with regular fuel, but in an emergency, I would make due. I've seen Coleman brand equipment upkeep packs for under 10 bucks at the local Academy Store.

I thought I might also add that I wouldn't rely on the Duel fuel Lantern only for light. In an emergency blackout, I don't even use flashlights besides for light to fill up toilet tanks or anything that requires precision. I actually use battery powered Christmas lights. lol! I know, it's weird. 2 years ago after Christmas, I found 2 boxes of 10ft each battery powered LED teeny light set for a buck each. We have corner stands in the dining room. The boxes sit on the top and if lights go out, I walk over, flip switch and throw the light strands over the top of the stands to illuminate the kitchen and living room. We keep flashlights and headlights hanging on the coat rack by the door and large battery powered powered lights in the closet on the floor. In addition to those that I keep in the house (excluding my coleman duel fuels cuz i take them where i need them), I have the Coleman Backpacking Duel fuel stove, an MSR pocket Rocket that runs off canister fuel, and a single burner ozarka propane stove that I've only used twice. In my opinion, if I'm going to burn propane, it's going to be in my Buddy Heater. lol!


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## azurevirus (Jan 20, 2009)

I have both versions of the Coleman stoves..liquid lasts longer but takes longer to heat a meal..propane doesnt last as long but heats food quicker to me,,, and as the person before me said they have leakage problems..I have both batt and liquid fuel lanters too..like the stoves they have each advantages and disadvantages


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## shippen (May 6, 2011)

*This is my stove*

This is the stove i use in my storage. Any have any opinions about alcohol?


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