I'm only posting this as an opinion so the variables that need to be immediately discounted are these:
1. Gas is cheaper.
That said i commence my research report.
I have recently moved from gas light to 12v flouro lights - but i have the gear, deep cycle batteries, solar panels, petrol charger, stuff like that.
So i don't need gas for light.
So what do i need gas for - cooking, i
cook, love it. Okay, so i lug around a 2.5kg gas cylinder (dangerous flying object, yes i should get a cargo barrrier but it fits in my drawers), hoses and their unreliable connections, spanners handy to tighten and stuff to
test connections, and a very ugly 3 burner gas stove that is noisy uses a lot of gas the f&%$#*n plastic gas control knobs break all the time etc etc pain to move when rain threatens etc and appalling control variables.
So have noticed lately the commercial butane burners they use in Korean restaurants, like the world over. Mind thinks, commercial products to domestic market is good, domestic products to domestic market always dodgy. So it happens that my warehouse outlet down the road is actually their actual warehouse. They are selling these Sirboneir - 153 butane table top burners for $25.99. The same, and i mean the same Gas Association of Australia approved stamped unit but rebadged sells in Mitre Ten for $39.99. So i bought one and 4 butane bottles for $7.50.
Thus the experiment begins with one bottle worth $1.87:
Dinner that night - i boil in a pot from cold water about 1l of water, add salt rather than oil to chemically distribute the heat and boil very thin pasta to edible stage - finish off cooking elsewhere.
Next morning for one, after fresh chopped fruit salad with yoghurt and then cereal i make on the stove 1 rash bacon and one egg.
Evening i from cold water
cook a very light pasta dish, Expect it to cark now it don't.
Next morning after pre-protein bits i
cook a marinated lamb chop.
Next morning i do the same to a larger, yum, lamb chop.
That night i boil pot of cold water from cold to boil two minute noodles.
Next night am bored of waiting for minute butane bottle to end and put in olive oil and when it heats it up i put in chopped bacon rashes followed very soon by chopped red onion, a bit later finely chopped garlic and some chilli from the garden. Then i drain in half a can of imported Carpaccio tomatoes, don't need sugar, the liquid reduces so i puree half a can in an electric chopper and stir in the proceeds. Add some dried parsely, oregano and save the fresh marjoram till the end. It reduces. In not butane stove
cook very thin pasta then drain and add it to the butane heated frypan and mix adding in fresh herbs. Serve with fresh grated Pecorino and parmesan mix and garnish with fresh basil leaves from garden.
Next morning after fruit and cereal
cook 1 rash bacon and one egg.
That afternoon get bored of testing cooking time of one cannister and colour 3 tablespoons of peanut oil with a couple tablespoons of annato seeds for red (not chilli coloured) topside curry.
So i take out the cannister and give it a shake and there is so much left. It is a silent unit. The flame is so more variable than the gas units on the market.
So that is my story. At least until the butane drains out.
Next weekend i am putting my gas cylinder and 3 burner stove in the Trading post and will spend the proceeds acquiring another butane gas burner and 4 for $7.50 set of cylinders while waiting for the first one to expire.
Okay, so this is not recommended (yet) for a family on a 7 day holiday. But for the 2 - 4 day trips which i do, i am so convinced. Relatively cheap, come in their own plastic suitcases, quieter, lower simmer rate and higher max. megajules burner rate than camping designed gas units, and so much less stress and things to trip over than the ancient gas bottle and connections.
Oh, live in West End in
Brisbane, the
shop is the one with all the plastic containers out the front on Montague road, and i don't work there (a 12year old will serve you and he only gets paid $6 an hour).
Epilogue ? i might be wrong by am prepared to give it a further go, looks good so far. Hope the rust rate on beaches is acceptable.