Do bushcraft and survival techniques interest you? Have you ever wondered if there is a better alternative to creating an open fire for cooking during your trip to the wilderness? Enter, the Hot Ash Stove.
The hot ash stove review we’ll outline in this article will tell you all about this stove, which uses an efficient design of a rocket stove that works on the principles of the famous Dakota fire pit. We will walk you through its features, tell you how to use it, and talk about what customers say about it.
The hot ash stove is a rocket stove, i.e., a stove that burns little twigs and similar thin pieces of wood in a combustion chamber and lets the flame reach the cooking surface through a vertical chimney. This design enables the fuel to be properly combusted before you use the flame, resulting in the use of less fuel compared to other stoves.
Unlike an open fire, the stove produces very little to no smoke, and is less affected by the elements to work. It is also much faster than an open fire and uses very little fuel compared to a campfire. You can boil water in under ten minutes with just a few twigs, which you can easily find compared to the amount of wood you would require to keep an open fire going. The rocket design makes it very easy to maintain the flame.
The hot ash stove is made of sturdy stainless steel, which makes it quite durable. The strong build doesn’t make it bulky; it folds into a compact 3” x 9” little block, which can easily fit into your backpack. It also comes with a cloth bag for ease of carrying and protecting all your other belongings from getting dirty.
Weight-wise, it may or may not be suitable for you. Although 3 pounds may seem like a lot of weight, it is lighter than a camping stove that uses gas.
The stove gets very hot when the fire is up and cooks quite quickly. The chimney makes the flame more sustainable than an open fire. Use skillets and pans up to a diameter of 12”.
HOW TO USE THIS STOVE
It is rather simple to use the hot ash stove. Follow the steps outlined below.
Step 1: Prepare fuel and burn area
Gather twigs, little branches, and similar fuel for your hot ash stove. Find a flat area and clear the area, thus making it suitable for placing the stove safely.
Step 2: Assemble the stove
Gather all the parts of your stove. Insert the burn chamber in the chimney so that they are at right angles. Secure these in place by fixing the back foot with a wing nut.
Use another wing nut to affix the front foot in the chamber’s slot. Finally, place the two provided cross-sections on the top of the vertical chimney. Place the stove at the center of the cleared ground.
Step 3: Bring on the fire
Place twigs in the combustion chamber and light it. Always remember to start with smaller pieces of wood. Add a little and feed the fire as required. Do not overload the chamber with fuel.
Step 4: You’re ready to start cooking
As soon as the flame builds up through the chimney, you can place your pan and start cooking right away. The hot ash stove has proved to be stable with pots and pans with a diameter of up to 12 inches. See our tips on how to cook with ease while camping.
HOT! USE WITH CARE!
The stove gets extremely hot when in use. So, don’t burn yourself; do take care while using it. After the fire is out, wait for at least fifteen minutes to let it cool down before you try to move it. If you are in a hurry, you may pour some water on it to cool it faster. This may, however, result in ash getting stuck and, thus, make it just a tad difficult to clean it.
FACTORS THAT AFFECT THE FUNCTIONING OF THE STOVE
Weather is a major factor on which the speed of the stove depends. Tests have shown that the stove can boil four cups of water in around 10 minutes in 45° weather and two cups of water in six and a half minutes in 53° weather and 9 mph wind speed. You can take this as a guide to how much time it would take for you to cook. It, however, clearly depends on the temperature and wind conditions at the place you use it.
Another factor is the fuel you use. If all you can find is damp pieces of wood, it will take a bit more time and you can also expect a tad more smoke than usual.
Pros
- Sturdy and durable
- Uses free and easily available fuel
- Compact and portable
- Simple assembly
- Produces very little smoke
- Can work with just a few twigs
- Lifetime guarantee
Cons
- Heavy
- Functioning depends on weather conditions
- Cannot be used in places where there is a ban on open fire
- Expensive
- It is a bit time taking to gather wood, form a fire, and cook.
IS THE HOT ASH STOVE FOR YOU?
If you are looking for an emergency camping stove, the hot ash stove will work for you as it does not require you to carry fuel for it. The product is most suitable for preppers, survivalists, and bushcrafters. As this product gives results quite similar to a Dakota fire pit, with little to no smoke, it can be used by survivalists when on the move. Check out our review of the best solo ash stove to give you more choices.
It perhaps would not be your cup of tea if you are into ultralight backpacking, but if you are alright with its weight of 3 pounds, this can come in handy during your backpacking trips. The only thing it requires is a bit of level ground and wood for fuel, both of which are easily available in stretches of the wilderness.
The stove is also great for car campers. Where space rather than weight is a problem, this product fits just right both because of its compact size and the lack of necessity to carry extra fuel.
If you like the old-fashioned way of exploring the wilderness with campfires, etc., you can enjoy a similar experience with the hot ash stove, in a modern, safer, and easier way.
WHAT CUSTOMERS SAY ABOUT THE HOT ASH STOVE
Users have found the hot ash’s portability and compact size, a great plus in its design, especially when compared to completely welded bulky stoves. Customers have had great success using it during backpacking trips.
The stove gains points not only for its portability, but also for its quality sturdy build and durability. They say it is well built for its size. They have also noted that it can be quickly collapsed to its compact size. Users have found that its surface is strong enough to withstand abuse. It has a lifetime guarantee, which is a proof of its durability.
See also: Hot Ash Stove Review: Buying Advice and Main Competitors
Its weight has rendered it a little difficult to carry for activities like hiking though. Its weight, however, makes it feel durable. Customers seem to be ready to put up with its weight because of its performance and ease of assembly.
Customers also like to use it as an emergency stove – one customer reports keeping it in mind for use during hurricanes and other emergencies.
Users agree that it may seem a bit daunting to light a fire quickly, especially for the first time of use, but once you get the hang of it, you will be impressed by how well it works. On using it repeatedly, you will get to know how to light a fire more and more quickly. Once it is up and burning, it may even cook faster than a gas stove, as reported by a hiker.
The two things customers are most unhappy about this stove are its weight and its cost. Some feel it is unsuitable for backpacking because of its weight. Others feel it is a great product that is, unfortunately, overpriced.
The wingnuts used to secure the feet are also easy to lose. Some other mechanism like a slider would have made it easier to take care of.
A SPECIAL OFFER FOR THE HOT ASH STOVE
Now that we have looked at the reviews of the hot ash stove and discussed both its pros and cons, we hope you have a pretty good idea about the product. Do you think this product is right for you? If yes, we managed to get a special offer for our readers! Use the promo code “SURVIVALMASTERY” and the hot ash stove will be yours for only $99.
We would love to hear about your experiences with the hot ash. What do you think about it? Do drop a line in the comments.
Don’t forget to read our tips on how to keep yourself safe during camping. It’s a must-read!
The Hot Ash Stove is an impeccable gear to get ready for encampment. Its features like being portable, compact, and practical are what hikers sought to be attractive. However, despite its advantages, the product size might have something to do with its cons. Take for example; the small compartment for twigs reduces the production for good airflow. Therefore, it can only accommodate simple cooking or boiling in longer periods.
One of the most important aspects of a backpacking stove is weight, and the Hot Ash Stove is remarkably lightweight. The size is definitely small, and convenient for simpler and less demanding campfire cooking, such as boiling water for coffee or cocoa, and preparing instant hot meals.
The design of Hot Ash Stove presented in this article is capable of boiling 4 cups of water in 10 minutes, as what is stated in its description. Align with that, are there any other designs available that comes in stylish and faster boiling capability aside from this designed stove?
The Hot Ash is one of the lightweight and most convenient, but you can also consider the Solo Stove Lite as far as wood burning stoves are concerned.