Small rocket stove makes for an efficient offgrid or camping stove

by Derek Markham

In some circles, using the term rocket stove will be met with raised eyebrows and a puzzled look, but in permaculture, prepper, and DIY communities, it will be followed by a lively discussion about the merits of these efficient and clean-burning stoves.

If you’re not familiar with the concept of a rocket stove, in a nutshell, they burn small diameter sticks (or other biomass) in a high-temperature combustion chamber to ensure virtually complete combustion of the fuel, which not only makes for a cleaner burn, but a more efficient one, and use only about half as much fuel as an open fire.

There’s a lot of interest about integrating rocket stoves with mass (or masonry) heaters in homes, in order to get the most amount of heat from the least amount of fuel, but a rocket stove on its own can be mighty useful, whether you want to use it for outdoor cooking, for a camping stove, or for an emergency preparedness kit. For those that want to build their own rocket stove, a variety of plans and instructional videos for DIY rocket stoves are all over the web, but if you just want to buy one readymade, EcoZoom offers several sizes, from small personal models to a cabin or home-sized one.

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