Coleman got it right this time. The carrying handle is substantial and stays cool. The handle also facilitates pressing the lighter button without bracing against hot metal. The curved, sealed design eliminates sharp edges, and makes cleaning easier. Spacious burners allowed us to use our 9" fry pan on a single burner, with the side wind shields up, and still have room around it (we could have used a slightly larger fry pan).
Water boiled reasonably quickly.
The piezoelectric igniter worked well. Just keep clicking it until you either see the flame (hard to do in bright light) or hear the flame.
This is our first experience with propane. PROs: Hot and clean. Unlike gasoline stoves, the propane will not dirty the bottom of your pots and pans. And you don't have the smell and mess of gasoline stoves. CONs: Invisible flame in bright light. I cannot tell if the flame is overshooting or undershooting the bottom of the pot or pan. The flame can actually be too hot. Boil water with a full flame (I think that the right burner is a little hotter than the left). But fry pancakes on the lowest flame possible, and keep an eye on it. A higher flame can be so hot that it can discolor the metal, or reduce oil to a baked-on gum.
This stove made our recent camping trip a real pleasure. Coleman PerfectFlow InstaStart 2-Burner Stove
My husband and I were in the habit of just using an open fire to cook when we camped. But this weekend, since we were camping with our two youngsters ,for the first time, and their Scout friends, we decided to splurge and get this Coleman propane stove. I am so glad we did.
It rained. I mean the first night it poured (fortunately after we got the tent and pavilion set up) and the Coleman really saved our trip. Because we had a means to cook, we weren't driven off like so many others. We just popped on our rain gear, huddled under the pavilion and popped open the Coleman and started cooking. First hot coffee and cocoa, because it was getting cold, and then dinner.
Now the best thing we did, besides buying this stove, was bringing our Lodge cast iron griddle/grill. Lodge Logic Pro 20-by-10-7/16-Inch Cast-Iron Grill/Griddle. This griddle fit the stove perfectly and gave us a huge surface to cook on. (Plus, once the griddle heated up, we all huddled around it warming our hands.)
Seriously, the combination is great. And the combo saved our weekend. The next day was beautiful. We cooked breakfast in no time and were off on a walk.
Talking Points:::
We thought the stove was great. I think it heated up the water for coffee and hot Tang faster than our electric stove at home.
Easy to use. I will note that one of the labels for the knobs was on incorrectly-- but no big deal.
Even if you love other means of cooking while camping, I'd suggest taking the stove along as a back up. Being cold and without food is no fun.
Pam T~
I buy gobbs on Amazon cuz I love the reviews and can tell you that I thought with all the rave ones I'd dismiss those who remarked about the difficult to adjust flame, thinking they must be just extra picky. Nope, they're not - on our first trip, I got so aggrevated over that I could have wrestled big foot out in those woods, and won! Could not get it to low to save my life, so thusly wound up having to turn the stinking thing off and relight just to keep things from burning, and even that was a futile effort. Arrgghhh!
I loved the fact that it has that nice-to-touch carrying handle, is compact yet good cooking area, and had the Instastart. However, after only a few uses the Instastart was Insta-I'm-not-starting-anything-anymore, leaving me to use matches anyway, so that part was a bust.
And yup, other reviewers were also right when they complained about the rigid copper tube that connects to the tank - makes positioning the tank a real pain, only place for it to work well at all is hanging precariously off the side of your table, placing weight bearing on that connection which to me is an obvious opportunity to cause a leak.
Nope, believe those reviewers - I wouldn't recommend this thing if it were 5 bucks, it's still not worth the headache of burning everything you cook. And now I have to go find another one...arrrghhh.
I am very pleased with the purchase and the performance of this stove. It takes the standard 16.4oz Coleman canisters. The setting it up and taking it down was easy and efficient. It cleans up easily. I used if for 2.5 days in heating water for coffee and cleaning, warming food and frying up burgers/hot dogs and still hadn't used up the original canister I hooked up to the stove.
The only negative comment I have is the InstaStarter. You have to fiddle with where to set the gas setting for the igniter to catch, when it worked. It would take multiple tries to get the spark to catch. It would work, but at times it was just as easy to grab a match and light it. (I want my coffee now.) I would suggest you make sure you have matches or additional flame source. Until you figure out the quirkyness of the InstaStart, the additional flame source will be handy.
This is the best brand for any camping equipment and this stove is great! One touch of a button and your burner is lit. No more windy days keeping you from lighting your burner! I give it an AAA+++. On top of everything else, the price was great. I had been pricing these for awhile and Amazon was $20 cheaper than anyone else with free shipping on top. Great deal!! My husband had picked out an off brand at a local sporting goods store that was only $9 less than this one. The choice was simple. Buy this one, it's worth it!
Purchased this stove in May and then took it on a 5-week road trip, of which we spent about two weeks' worth camping. The burners heat well and the stove is very convenient. The only issue we noticed is that sometimes the spark ignition doesn't work, so bring along a lighter in case. No big deal though. I also bought the adapter hose so we could connect it to a regular BBQ-size propane tank; worked beautifully. No need to keep buying little canisters or throw them away - such a waste! - Camping - Camp Stoves - Great Camp Stove - Coleman'
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