Stovetec Rocket Stoves

In third world countries, Stovetec is rapidly becoming a household name. It is the name for a rocket stove design which has delivered over 70,000 stoves to third world countries and disaster areas such as Haiti and Chile after their two major earthquakes.

I have studied quite a few rocket stove websites for the purpose of obtaining one or making my own stove to add to my emergency preparedness gear for disaster preparedness. When I discovered the Stovetec, it was love at first sight. Here are my reasons for purchasing one and why I am now assisting my wife in distributing this stove.

1. The stove has been tried and tested in real situations where the world as we know it has ended from refugee camps and Red Cross shelters to small villages and hamlets in disaster areas. Stovetec has delivered over 70,000 units to third world nations as of this time and works with many humanitarian organizations worldwide.

2. The stove burns a minimum of 50% less wood and has 70% fewer emissions of carbon monoxide than standard stove fires because of it's design, which acts as a 'gasifier' effect to more completely burn the gases produced.

3. It burns sticks, charcoal and coal and can be adapted to burn wood pellets, thus, when there is no longer any gas or propane or other fuels left after "teotwawki" happens, you can burn just about anything, from just a handful of sticks to dried cow and steer manure to boil your water or cook your food with.

4. Stovetec stoves are put together well with a metal bucket design with firebrick and cast iron grates and cast iron stove top. It has two metal doors. An upper door which, when removed can load sticks on the accompanying metal rack shelf. The lower door can be opened to allow air flow under the fire to fan the flames and better cook the fuel, creating a rocket affect with better combustion and better concentration of heat. When burning charcoal or coals, the top shelf firebrick is returned and the upper door is closed. Only the bottom door is used to adjust the amount of air flow to the coal or charcoal. Also the kit includes an aluminum pot skirt which hugs the pot you place on top of the stove and helps reduce another 25% in fuel use as it concentrates the heat around the bottom of the pot and the sides of the pot. The skirt is adjustable for different size pans up to 10 inches in diameter.

5. Want to cook with your cast iron frying pan or your dutch oven? No problem.

6. Cleaner burning translates to less smoke to breathe.

7. The Stovetec Wood-Charcoal Stove retails for $49 and coupled with shipping and handling from Southern Oregon the price comes to $65.00, a very good price for a very good stove of this quality.

8. This is a great addition to your emergency preparedness gear. When there is no fuel left after an emergency, there will always still be sticks to fire up your stove for free.

9. Boiling water or cooking with a handful of sticks is very conservative and helps save our environment in many ways.

If you would like to see a Stovetec Rocket Stove or pick one up locally in Lewis, Pierce or Thurston County, send me an email at photowild@yahoo.com.