Choosing a stove

Mar 20, 2015
3,095
C&C 30 Mk1 Winnipeg
Besides how you will be cooking and heating beverages, I'd also consider if you will ever use the stove as a heater.
We spent a very cold weekend (varied between 40F and 32F at night) on our 22, and our 2 burner Origo kept the cabin toasty warm.
In the morning we had the kettle boiling on one burner, while making breakfast on the other.
I sure as heck wasn't inclined to head outside to fire up our Kuuma propane BBQ.

What do want to cook ? Will you want to cook inside due to inclement weather ?
Do care about minimal garbage creation ? (multiple empty canisters vs a big jug of alcohol)
Like anything else, it depends on your personal needs.

You can find those butane stoves at any good sized asian grocery store.
As an added bonus, you can use it for asian hot pot/steamboat when you have guests over to your home. ;)

FWIW: If I didn't already own a 2 burner Origo, I doubt I would spend the crazy money they ask for new ones, for use on a 22 ft boat (which I plan on upgrading from). I'd probably buy the small butane stove.
I'd worry about corrosion in a marine environment, but they are cheap enough, that you could simply buy a new one.
I have had as few that developed leaks where the canister connects to the stove. While I have simply replaced the stove when that happened, I only have the butane canister installed when I'm using the stove.

At the price, it is worth a try, and you can always use it at home if you decide you don't like it on the boat.

Edit: if you wanted two burners you could simply use two of them
 
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Kermit

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Jul 31, 2010
5,657
AquaCat 12.5 17342 Wateree Lake, SC
I'm late chiming in but I have 2 pennies to throw in the pot. We have a single-burner Origo that the previous owner included when we bought our first keelboat. We now keep it on our H260 and love it. In fact, we bring it home when a power outage is a strong possibility. My best friend's father died while the power was out after hurricane Matthew. Between our gas grill in the yard and the Origo stove we were able to prepare a pork loin with butterbeans and other tasty sides. So for us portability is key. I'm sure we would love a butane stove if that's what we owned. And I doubt we'd spend the big bucks for an Origo. But that's what we have and we like it.
I'd love to have a gimballed stove even though we never cook while underway. It's a rare day that the boat doesn't rock due to waves and wakes from power boats. And since the boat is small just moving around can rock the boat. (I'm pretty sure I'll get at least one Amen on that.)
 
Sep 14, 2014
1,252
Catalina 22 Pensacola, Florida
That is a good price, the Coleman at Walmart is 19.95. Note by the way that the canister is not engaged until you flip up the handle. So no leaks possible unless in use, different handle from lighter heat level control knob! I just swapped out the empty I used for a 4 day cruise and several overnights! Heats cup of water to boiling in about 2 minutes or less.
 
Jan 7, 2011
4,758
Oday 322 East Chicago, IN
My first boat, a Hunter 280, had a factory-installed Origo 2-burner alcohol stove. It was simple and functional and safe. I did not care for filling the canisters, but found a small squirt bottle worked much easier than trying to fill from a larger can of alcohol. The stuff I burned was cheap and could be found at any hardware or building supply store. I remember I was going to show the boat to someone (I was selling it to move up to a bigger boat) in February...and it was cold out...I got to the boat early, fired up the stove with a water boiler on it...windows were all fogged up, but it got warm in the boat (at least relatively). Mine was not gimbaled, but I did not use it a lot underway.The controls are pretty simple, although fine-tuning the burner heat is not great. In the end, the Origo stove was a good choice for a small boat.


I now have a gimbaled propane stove/oven unit and love it, but I have more galley space on my Oday 322. I use the oven frequently as well as the stove top. Having a gimbaled unit is critical if you plan to use it under way.

Greg
 
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Sep 30, 2013
3,541
1988 Catalina 22 North Florida
For those of you who are considering butane stoves: the price difference between the cheapest and the best is about $15.

Just a thought. ;)
 

dzl

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Jun 23, 2016
159
Catalina 22 Trailer
For those of you who are considering butane stoves: the price difference between the cheapest and the best is about $15.

Just a thought. ;)
But... that's nearly double the cost!! That's what I'm seeing though too. Instead of a cheap Coleman you can get a full stainless one for just a little bit more..
 
Sep 24, 2017
59
Catalina 22 #14720 Cheboygan
Our boat came with the Origo 3000. I doubt if it has ever been used. Instead of spending boat dollars on one of the propane or butane stoves, we thought we would give this unit a try first. Because its almost 30 years old, is there anything i should do or replace before trying to fire this thing up?
 
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May 20, 2016
3,014
Catalina 36 MK1 94 Everett, WA
Our boat came with the Origo 3000. I doubt if it has ever been used. Instead of spending boat dollars on one of the propane or butane stoves, we thought we would give this unit a try first. Because its almost 30 years old, is there anything i should do or replace before trying to fire this thing up?
When I had a new c22 with that stove. I in-bolted it and fired it up on the hard the first time. Simple to use just make sure it’s not hot when refilling
 
Feb 26, 2004
22,770
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
I've had them all, 'cept propane and 'cept for bareboats that had it.

Pressurized alcohol - yuck; on our C22 in the 80s.

Pressurized alcohol on our C25 immediately replaced with two burner Origo, lovely. 13 years, late 80s to 1998.

Our C34 (1998) came with CNG which we had no trouble replacing, worked a charm. When we moved to Vancouver Island from SF, CNG not available. Before we left SF, we bought one of those $20 butane stoves at a hardware/camping store. It's still going strong a year and a half later, no rust at all and not a ss model, butane canisters easy to find at Canadian Tire. I'm in no hurry to change over to propane, although I do miss the oven, used rarely but great for scones. :) One needs to be creative in cooking more than one pot, but it is doable, or, buy two! :)

Point is, after all these great posts, is that you have lotsa choices.
 
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
Another vote for Origo.

While others will indeed work, the Origo is probably the safest, and the fuel can be bought pretty much anywhere. And longer term, the cost of ownership is probably lowest. Its expensive to buy, but here's why. They don't plan on ever selling you another one. The thing will work and last for the lifetime of your boat. Not many things you can say that about.
 

Pat

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Jun 7, 2004
1,250
Oday 272LE Ninnescah Yacht Club, Wichita, Ks.
I agree with Jackdaw above.....We use the Origo every weekend on the boat...I've boiled potatoes for 12 people on one of the burners and kept coffee warm on the other burner....a top quality product that has been quite safe to use...we typically are either anchored or at the slip when using it although it can be set up to use with a pot holder...A very quality product...easy to use, easy to clean, very safe in my opinion. Pat
 
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Mar 20, 2015
3,095
C&C 30 Mk1 Winnipeg
...I've boiled potatoes for 12 people on one of the burners
You had 12 people on your Oday 27 !! ??? :poke:

@SV_GALATEIA
Like anything, it's all about where and how you use it.
For me it's +1 for the Origo.
Nothing to go wrong/repair.
No heavier than air gas inside the boat.
Fuel is available anywhere, and easy to store.
We've used them on other boats, and was glad that our boat still had it's original origo with the pot holder arms
Perfect for a smaller boat like a C22.
The only issue I have with alchohol stoves is the flame can be hard to see.

We have a stainless propane Kuuma 160 BBQ on the stern rail for steaks etc.
Origo for anything in a pot or kettle.

We even used the Origo as a heater when we were on the boat, on the trailer, in a campground, at Thanksgiving, with sleet and rain.
(Yeah.. I know... weird RV)




FWIW: I'm always paranoid about heavier than air propane on a boat, and I hate the little cylinders.

This summer I may get a small tank with a hose that will fit in the fuel locker of our New Style. That way it can't leak into the "bilge", and I don't have to deal with multiple little cylinders for the BBQ. We keep our little cylinders in that fuel locker now.

Our other option is to sell the BBQ and buy a charcoal unit. In spite of the hassle, they just make things taste better.
No self respecting BBQ fan uses propane/methane or CNG.
We find our Kuuma 160 a bit small anyhow.
 
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Sep 24, 2017
59
Catalina 22 #14720 Cheboygan
I guess my concern is the units age. Is there no maintenance required on these things? Just fill it up and go...
 
Mar 20, 2015
3,095
C&C 30 Mk1 Winnipeg
I guess my concern is the units age. Is there no maintenance required on these things? Just fill it up and go...

Fill 'er up and fire her up. :thumbup:
+1


All they are is 2 metal cans with wick material.
The wick material absorbs the alcohol so it's not liquid sloshing around.
A simple cover adjusts flame or smothers it.
Kinda like a fancy can of sterno...
Really nothing to replace, unless you break something, which is very very unlikely.

Yeah.. I know... unlike ANYTHING designed today.
 
Sep 24, 2017
59
Catalina 22 #14720 Cheboygan
Guess I'll have to add denatured alcohol to the Walmart list.

Thanks everybody.