Portable indoor gas hob for emergencies?

[Dr Mike Oxgreen]

With recent cyberattacks on supermarkets, I’m thinking that Burnham has a point with his advice to be prepared. And in our new house we have no way of cooking without electricity - so a cupboard full of pasta would be of little use, and you can’t live entirely on Twiglets and sauvignon blanc.

So I started searching for a portable indoor gas hob that could be stored in the garage, along with a gas bottle, and brought inside when/if required during a prolonged power outage. I thought I’d found what I was looking for, with this LPG stove, but then I made the mistake of asking ChatGPT to check my choice.

It said that propane cylinders must be stored outside (shed doesn’t count), and can’t be used indoors at all. And whilst butane cylinders can be stored and used indoors, they must be used with an appliance that’s designed with a housing for the cylinder, which the one I’ve linked to appears not to satisfy. So this calls into question whether that stove could safely and legally be used indoors, despite it being described and illustrated being used inside a house (although I note that they don’t show the gas bottle, regulator or hose in those pictures).

There are also stoves that take cartridges (like the little pressurised cans used with blowtorches etc), but I can’t find one that explicitly says it can be used indoors.

So am I searching for something that doesn’t exist? Or am I worrying unduly about rules and regulations for something that would only be used in fairly extreme circumstances?

There must be plenty of PHers in remote areas for whom power cuts are part of life. What do you guys do? Do you all have a diesel generator, or do you have some kind of temporary stove that you can safely cook on in an emergency?

[Dr Mike Oxgreen]

Here is the guidance document that ChatGPT was referring to:

https://www.liquidgasuk.org/uploads/DOC5FE0C8DB6A8...

Page 3 seems relevant.

[Stevemr]

Trangia can be used indoors and it can be used with bio ethanol. Would be a cheap and effective emergency cooking option.

[Bill]

The issue is the size of canister AIUI as propane is heavier than air and a leak could be catastrophic.

We have this kind of thing: https://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/products/outwell-appe...

[smokey mow]

A camping stove and a couple of the small gas canisters is all I have and doesn’t take up much room in the garage.

One bottle will normally give me enough for a full weeks cooking on a campsite.

Edited by smokey mow on Tuesday 3rd November 14:16

[Simpo Two]

Dr Mike Oxgreen said:

It said that propane cylinders must be stored outside (shed doesn t count), and can t be used indoors at all. And whilst butane cylinders can be stored and used indoors, they must be used with an appliance that s designed with a housing for the cylinder, which the one I ve linked to appears not to satisfy. So this calls into question whether that stove could safely and legally be used indoors, despite it being described and illustrated being used inside a house (although I note that they don t show the gas bottle, regulator or hose in those pictures).

The need not to starve versus H&S, an interesting conflict.

My parents had a calor gas ring in their house all the time I was there. I think the cylinder was upstairs in a cupboard near the brazing torch

[biggiles]

I have had a Campingaz Bistro for nearly 20 years, it's pretty bombproof and simple. I have the version which for a few £ more will protect against wind blow-out. Looks like prices have shot up! Anything small by Campingaz is probably a good start.

I'd stick to super-simple if you're using it rarely. LPG is over-complicating things.

I have Trangia kit, and Kelly kettles, but in a power-cut, it's the little simple gas stove which comes out.

[OIC]

Does your neighbour have gas?

What with the rioting and looting that will inevitably erupt within 24hrs (or less if the internet goes down), I'd be more concerned with home security and defence.

Do you have dawgs?

See that prepper over there?

That's you, that is.

But yeah, a camping gas setup will keep your beans warm.

And / or get a genny that can cope with 3.5+kW.

[zalrak]

This is Pistonheads. Go unleaded!!!

We have had this for around 25 years, used for many camping trips and still works well. Can certainly boil a kettle on it or heat a tin of soup or whatever.

https://www.anglingdirect.co.uk/coleman-unleaded-2...

Edited by zalrak on Tuesday 3rd November 14:36

[Freakuk]

So are you saying the world is going to end because there's no fridges in supermarkets?

I'd imagine that our energy supplies has far more security controls than a fridge in a supermarket.

[malaccamax]

zalrak said:

This is Pistonheads. Go unleaded!!!

We have had this for around 25 years, used for many camping trips and still works well. Can certainly boil a kettle on it or heat a tin of soup or whatever.

https://www.anglingdirect.co.uk/coleman-unleaded-2...

Edited by zalrak on Tuesday 3rd November 14:36

Because this is Pistonheads, directly power your stove with your car (okay needs to be electric). Ours has 3.4kW vehicle-to-load which should be able to handle an oven, or at least an air fryer

[spitfire-ian]

Dr Mike Oxgreen said:

Or am I worrying unduly about rules and regulations for something that would only be used in fairly extreme circumstances?

I'd say yes you are worrying too much. One of those camping stoves with a canister will be fine, just open your windows when you use it if you're really worried. If you have a gas hob in your kitchen how do you think that copes working indoors?

Store it and the cannisters in the shed or garage, somewhere which isn't completely sealed and has plenty of low level ventilation.