Okay last year we bought this Colman Dual fuel cooker for our first very trip, there were no problems.
However, when my Dad heard this he was appalled that we were using petrol in a stove, especially with two small children. He believes this to be irresponsible of us.
We are getting ourselves ready now for our summer camping trip but I'm now concerned.
Please can you reassure us that we are not placing ourselves at a huge risk using this cooker.
I can only speak as a parent who also has one of these. I went on recommendation from this website and to be honest, obviously it is petrol but under proper use why would it be any more unsafe than any other type.
Whatever you cook with it's dangerous, that's why you've got to keep the kids away. It is no more dangerous than any other cooker. why not invite your dad for a BBQ and have the coleman on the go cooking potatoes and frying onions outside and show him how good it is!
I have not heard of a Coleman stove exploding , but I have those suitcase style cannister stoves. All stoves should be handle with care .. and if you use a kitchen tent this can be made out of bounds for youngsters.
The Coleman has been well tested over the years. The one area you can help is in the transportation of the fuel. Use proper MSR or Triangia fuel bottles.
------------- Christine
2014
April -
BunRoy Fort William 3 sleeps
April / May
Invercaimbe Arisaig 4 sleeps
Bleatarn Brampton tbc July
Ask what your Dad would prefer you to use, then ask him to buy it
Tell your Dad that you would like an Aga, together with the truck to carry it.
When I first investigated Coleman petrol stoves many years ago, I too was appalled at the thought of using something as volatile as petrol in a cooker. I was brought up in the era of paraffin Primus stoves which, even in the hands of my expert Dad, were fairly temperamental. My Dad never brought home any eyebrows from camping holidays.
However, having used various Coleman stoves and lights over the years, I'm convinced that, properly used and with safety in mind, they are at least as safe as Calor/Campingaz stoves and lights, and a whole lot safer than the aerosol type canister stoves.
As said above, anything with a naked flame is potentially dangerous. It didn't stop our caveman ancestors from inventing the barbecue.
I was dithering between the Campingaz gas stove and the Coleman D/F however after reading the reviews on here we went for the Coleman.
Same as you, Mum & Dad were gobsmacked that I had bought a petrol stove. I have 3 young children (sometimes a 4th depending on OH mood ! ) I started to have visions of me blowing up the campsite HOWEVER last week we tried it for the first time and it was brill. Very fast and easy to use. (Although I did wonder why when put together did the fuel pipe go directly above the burner).
As with anything that envolves heat/flame the kids are kept well away.
We have a Coleman dual fuel and two boys aged 8. They stay away from it as they stay away from the cooker at home when it is on. I took a while to get used to this stove but I love it now.
------------- Debbie
'Make the most of good weather and the best of bad!!'
I'm not sure this is what your Dad meant, but rather than the safety of the stove itself, there are issues with the waste gases given off by burning petrol. I'm no expert, but I believe there are nasty additives in petrol (Benzene in particular) that can give off harmful fumes when burned (after all you wouldn't want to inhale too much of a car exhaust). Worth bearing this in mind and cooking where there is plenty of ventilation. Alternatively, Coleman fuel is much cleaner burning, but obvioulsy a lot more expensive. I think I saw a thread somewhere else about a third alternative fuel - a lot cleaner than petrol, but a lot cheaper than coleman fuel. By the way - liquid petrol is not as flammable as people think, actually quite hard to light - it's the petrol vapour that burns easily - that's why the fuel pipe goes through the flame - to vapourise it.
P.S. Cars only explode dramatically in action films, not in real life.
I'm not sure this is what your Dad meant, but rather than the safety of the stove itself, there are issues with the waste gases given off by burning petrol. I'm no expert, but I believe there are nasty additives in petrol (Benzene in particular) that can give off harmful fumes when burned (after all you wouldn't want to inhale too much of a car exhaust). Worth bearing this in mind and cooking where there is plenty of ventilation. Alternatively, Coleman fuel is much cleaner burning, but obvioulsy a lot more expensive. I think I saw a thread somewhere else about a third alternative fuel - a lot cleaner than petrol, but a lot cheaper than coleman fuel. By the way - liquid petrol is not as flammable as people think, actually quite hard to light - it's the petrol vapour that burns easily - that's why the fuel pipe goes through the flame - to vapourise it.
P.S. Cars only explode dramatically in action films, not in real life.
There's been a couple of threads recently about fuel choices for the Coleman Stoves; you'll find them in the 'equipment' section. But Basically;
Unleaded petrol ~£1 per litre - cheap, easy to get but contains nasty additives
Coleman Fuel ~£10 per litre - expensive, available at camp shops
much less harmfull additives
Aspen 4T ~£2.50 per litre - less expensive than Coleman fuel but similar
I have a Coleman Dual Fuel, and I swear by it. It's a fantastic bit of kit. I'm not 100% sure, but it's got to be one of the most cost efficient, most powerful cookers you can get.
There've been threads going on about additives to unleaded petrol and likening it to breathing car exhausts.....rubbish. A car engine burns a mix in milliseconds, the cooker burns it all of. Granted there will be some soot and maybe some unburned gasses. There are dangers with any combustible material, and I prefer to use petrol than have a pressurised gas bottle bomb in a hot car.
It is a good idea however to get a fuel bottle to carry spare petrol in. Petrol station jerry cans are a bit big, and you're not likely to use that much unless you were away for a month or three. Smaller can, less hazardous vapours...
As most people have said, as long as you're careful, you won't have any trouble... I agree with Kate on this one. Get your dad to see it in action so he sees for himself how safe it is. Once he realises you're not using a pool of petrol, but fuel in a sealed container, he'll hopefully have a change of heart.
Please don't rubbish what some of us have said about using alternatives to unleaded petrol. There are harmfull additives in petrol. It's a personal decision as to whether or not you consider this to be a health risk or not.
I have tried all three and shall stick with the Aspen 4T.
Sorry Steve, no offence intended. I'm not saying there aren't additives, just that in my opinion, it's not as bad as all that. I very well may be wrong, I've a bad habit of doing that
This is really useful feedback.
Thank you all of you.
I have been careful to keep myself and the children away. My fear of using this cooker has got me out of the cooking, which makes our camping breaks all the more sweeter
However, I have to admit that OH does a fine job outside the tent and has done so even on a wet afternoon.
Just bought a dual fuel stove and was a bit wary at first - The best accessory to get is one of those long gas lighters for lighting up. I bought a pack of 2 for £1 in a pound shop or I think Hi Gear sell one through camping shops at £1.99.
Well worth getting as it makes lighting up a little less scarey!
When you see the ruggedness of the Coleman stove and appreciate that the liquid petrol is safety contained it doesn't look as bad as you first think!
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Topic: Please reassure me about this cooker
