Thank you!! Appreciate your review Sir! Impressed with how quickly it heated 1 small room! Looking into getting this unit soon as we do not yet have an INDOOR heating or cooking back up option. God Bless! 🙏🏻
I have one of these. The instructions clearly say that, if you are only using one can of fuel, to put it in slot #1, which is in the BACK. And turn the top the other way, so the fan is over slot #1. THEN, when you shut the tray, it secures the fan end of the heater, which is actually the back. The air then is blown FORWARD, through all the chamber to pick up heat from the other flames. I see you turned the whole thing around, but just still note that slot #1 is under the fan, not in the front.
you could probably get get a pot hotter and boil water easier if you use a camp cook set, boil water in a canteen cup or just good old fashioned cheap aluminum pots and pans.
Water will reach a boil faster if you cover the pot and none of it will have steamed away. I'm expecting my Vesta stove/heater to arrive in a couple of days. My bedroom is the best area since I'll have access to the attached bathroom. This bedroom is the best insulated. Myself and my cats will be comfortable. I also have the Mr. Heater Buddy to which I'll attach a fan, similar to this one, to move heat forward rather than directly upward. Thank you for your review!
I got this stove because I first got the Heat Buddy (propane) and I could not handle the fumes with that one even with the window several inches open in the same room. I suggest you give that one a test run just to see if you can handle those fumes. I couldn't. I got this Vesta now and I need to try it too but I'm pretty sure it will be much safer than the heat buddy in terms of fumes. I sure hope so.
looks very cool. wonder how it would do with regular 3 wick candles, or other sources? why didnt they put a handle on the heat unit? thats weird. awesome video. i want one of these.
Wax can catch on fire, not really safe enough, unless you have it in a container that won't leak, but it can still catch on fire. I tried tea candles in a flower pot heater and they caught fire. @@kookietherapy9398
Mister prepper, thank you for the great in depth review. I've got my eyes on the instafire for a couple of weeks, and i want to buy it, but unfortunally its not for sale in Europe. I have contacted Instafire but they wont ship to the EU. Do you know a place where they can ship the stove to Europe? Thanks mate :-)
I got one of these to try in my van for heat when camping and it was terrible. It barely generated any heat. I could put my hand right in the front of it and feel almost nothing. I could touch the metal fins and not burn myself. I don't get it. Left it running in the van for 3 hours with 3 cans going and nothing really.
Just bought one a few hours ago. Got a deal with 24 extra cans of heat . $264 bux from Patriot Supply. I didn't want to spend the extra bux? But everytime I do it works out in my favor. Shit always costs later? I bought a bunch of canned meat from Survival Frog. It was priecy at the time. Cheap now compared to supermarket prices.
@@clee666 And you'll be happy to know that I will not be testing it in a 70° room! Those tests always bug me, haha. I wanted to see people test it in an uninsulated vehicle that's been cooled down to outside temperatures, or in a room with the power out for a while or unheated for a while, or during whipping rain and wind in an uninsulated tent or vehicle. Real world tests!
leave the door open? wish you would explain how much to crack window or door. How is it good as a heater if you have to leave the door open? can anyone elaborate on how to ventilate and still keep room warm?
Door inside house, not outside. It is just because anything burning uses up oxygen eventually in a small room, including breathing people. So, you just need it open slightly to let oxygen in from rest of house. Although, most inside doors have an inch of space at the bottom anyway, so probably not too much of a problem. On the other hand, if you are using a Mr. Buddy that uses propane, then the fumes can be toxic and you will need to exhaust to outside of building or leave nearby window partly open at least. I would also recommend keeping a battery operated carbon monoxide detector nearby if using propane or butane even with ventilation. Better safe than sorry.
@@lf4061 thanks for reply. yeah i have the heat buddy with propane and I cannot use it due to fumes are way too intense even with a window several inches open right next to it! That's why I got this thing and I hope it's not toxic. Actually I hope I never have to use it.. ie hope I will never need emergency heat!
Make a blanket fort in a small room or keep a small pop-up tent that can be set up in a small room. Make small pockets of air within pockets of air inside a house/building. The focus ultimately is staying alive. Comfort comes second.
I ordered two first one good second one was defective from manufacturer nothing being done as I ordered it off Amazon don’t get yours Amazon pic posted on Amazon review
It’s actually not the exact fuel type as typical sterno. It’s a similar set up sure, but the fuel source is not the same. It’s designed to be safe inside and a low risk of CO poisoning with good ventilation (not an enclosed small space so leave a door open instead of closing it to the rest of the house.
@@darrencasey828 It burns gelled alcohol/ethanol. What I plan to do is to use the three included heat cans. Then when they are done, using needle nose pliers, I will carefully remove the top from each one, refill them with 70% isopropyl rubbing alcohol, and then replace the top back on each one. Assuming you pay full price for locally sourced 32 oz bottles of isopropyl rubbing alcohol at $4 a bottle, that brings the cost to 29¢ (running two cans) to 43¢ (running three cans) per hour to heat up a 200 square foot room. I'll be heating a 100 square foot room, so two cans should more than suffice. Do not be tempted to just fill a Trangia-style burner container and set it in there. The reason you want to go with something that approximates what those little heating cans do (either by using those cans themselves or by purchasing something that is reusable that exactly replicates those), is that they control the flame and the heat output. If you decide to ignore this warning you will create an extreme fire hazard because of flame flare-ups and out of control temperature build up within the unit. I have personally seen a lot of people suggest 91% rubbing alcohol and I just cannot agree with that. I have portable fire pits that I use with alcohol and using 91% rubbing alcohol is completely intolerable because of the fumes it produces. But I never ever have a problem with 70%. However, with that said, I do think there is some merit in concentrating the 70% if you wish, in order to reduce the water content. To do so you pour the 70% alcohol into an open container, pour in some plain table salt, wait for two layers to form, one layer will be alcohol and the other will be water, the alcohol will be on top, and then take an oven baster and siphon off the alcohol returning it to the original container. You will then have rubbing alcohol with less water content.
I put my wood stove fan on my top burner on my gas stove in the21 'x 12' kitchen in my house with the smallest flame I can get it keeps it warm enough keep my furnace on 60 at nite 65 during the day when I get cold I go treadmill and watch Oprah get fat on tv or something
He did not express how dangerous this is in an enclosed space. Leaving the door open to the hallway is not enough. You need to crack a window if you are going to use this for an extended period of time.
Tens of thousands of people each year are hospitalized during extreme cold weather because of CO2 poisoning burning gasses indoors without enough ventilation. So I would disagree that the restaurants are being safe by doing this. But to each their own. It’s a free country.
I bet you could lay a piece of tile or something that can take the heat in the fuel tray, to elevate the flame up towards the grid, closer to the water container. It can also be a case of boiling the minimal quantity of water needed vs trying to boil a larger pot.
@@Steinbacker4001he needs to cover the pot. He's losing volume and heat to steam by leaving the pot uncovered. There is minimal heat at the bottom, under the fuel.
Some of those who could not get water to boil were using cast iron, which takes a lot to just get the pan itself warm, and open pan. To cook on low flame, use a thinner pan and cover it. Use the smallest pan necessary for the job.
Those cans are filled with a wick and gelled alcohol/ethanol. What I plan to do is to use the three included heat cans. Then when they are done, using needle nose pliers, I will carefully remove the top from each one, refill them with 70% isopropyl rubbing alcohol, and then replace the top back on each one. Assuming you pay full price for locally sourced 32 oz bottles of isopropyl rubbing alcohol at $4 a bottle, that brings the cost to 29¢ (running two cans) to 43¢ (running three cans) per hour to heat up a 200 square foot room. I'll be heating a 100 square foot room, so two cans should more than suffice. Do not be tempted to just fill a Trangia-style burner container and set it in there. The reason you want to go with something that approximates what those little heating cans do (either by using those cans themselves or by purchasing something that is reusable that exactly replicates those), is that they control the flame and the heat output. If you decide to ignore this warning you will create an extreme fire hazard because of flame flare-ups and out of control temperature build up within the unit. I have personally seen a lot of people suggest 91% rubbing alcohol and I just cannot agree with that. I have portable fire pits that I use with alcohol and using 91% rubbing alcohol is completely intolerable because of the fumes it produces. But I never ever have a problem with 70%. However, with that said, I do think there is some merit in concentrating the 70% if you wish, in order to reduce the water content. To do so you pour the 70% alcohol into an open container, pour in some plain table salt, wait for two layers to form, one layer will be alcohol and the other will be water, the alcohol will be on top, and then take an oven baster and siphon off the alcohol returning it to the original container. You will then have rubbing alcohol with less water content.
Thank you!! Appreciate your review Sir! Impressed with how quickly it heated 1 small room! Looking into getting this unit soon as we do not yet have an INDOOR heating or cooking back up option. God Bless! 🙏🏻
I have one of these. The instructions clearly say that, if you are only using one can of fuel, to put it in slot #1, which is in the BACK. And turn the top the other way, so the fan is over slot #1. THEN, when you shut the tray, it secures the fan end of the heater, which is actually the back. The air then is blown FORWARD, through all the chamber to pick up heat from the other flames. I see you turned the whole thing around, but just still note that slot #1 is under the fan, not in the front.
you could probably get get a pot hotter and boil water easier if you use a camp cook set, boil water in a canteen cup or just good old fashioned cheap aluminum pots and pans.
Thank you for reviewing this. I have been pondering this product, and your review gives me food for thought.
Water will reach a boil faster if you cover the pot and none of it will have steamed away. I'm expecting my Vesta stove/heater to arrive in a couple of days. My bedroom is the best area since I'll have access to the attached bathroom. This bedroom is the best insulated. Myself and my cats will be comfortable. I also have the Mr. Heater Buddy to which I'll attach a fan, similar to this one, to move heat forward rather than directly upward. Thank you for your review!
I got this stove because I first got the Heat Buddy (propane) and I could not handle the fumes with that one even with the window several inches open in the same room. I suggest you give that one a test run just to see if you can handle those fumes. I couldn't. I got this Vesta now and I need to try it too but I'm pretty sure it will be much safer than the heat buddy in terms of fumes. I sure hope so.
this is the same heater/stove seen on the channel the Provident Prepper, I am intrigued by this heater
bought 3 only use one for my office as needed and it does work well. I only use two burners. My office is 12x10 and it keep me warm a night.
I love mine i usually use a whistling tea kettle to heat water and it works great
looks very cool. wonder how it would do with regular 3 wick candles, or other sources? why didnt they put a handle on the heat unit? thats weird. awesome video. i want one of these.
It would be interesting to try w candles, but you may get that wax smell. Should work.
It does have handles, on each side.
Wax can catch on fire, not really safe enough, unless you have it in a container that won't leak, but it can still catch on fire. I tried tea candles in a flower pot heater and they caught fire. @@kookietherapy9398
@@kookietherapy9398 I tried with tea candles but it didn't put out nearly enough heat. That would be my last resort.
I’m wondering the same thing. I make candles using small mason jars that are the size of the canned heat. They are soy, so the smell will be minimal.
Put a lid on it you're losing heat! Thanks for this video
Never use metal utensils on Teflon !!!
Why would you not use a lid which is a normal way to cook ?
Mister prepper, thank you for the great in depth review. I've got my eyes on the instafire for a couple of weeks, and i want to buy it, but unfortunally its not for sale in Europe. I have contacted Instafire but they wont ship to the EU. Do you know a place where they can ship the stove to Europe?
Thanks mate :-)
Amazon ships to eu
What about a lid on your saucepan ?
3 in diameter candles will probably work as well.
Or, add one candle to 2 cans. Good idea. Might have wax smell.
Rather crappy he only got 2 cans w unit and not 3; considering it's set for 3.
Thanks for the nice review!
Can you burn a different fuel like alcohol?
I got one of these to try in my van for heat when camping and it was terrible. It barely generated any heat. I could put my hand right in the front of it and feel almost nothing. I could touch the metal fins and not burn myself. I don't get it. Left it running in the van for 3 hours with 3 cans going and nothing really.
Wow, I was thinking of it for that purpose. My van is insulated but sounds like that won’t matter.
@@healingjourneys4241 I put up insulated coverings over the windows and across the opening into t he driving space. Floor is a super thick foam floor.
@@Bigbacon thanks, I’m not a fan of the cold and I’ve been reluctant to do a diesel or propane heater. May have to rethink that 😞
Just bought one a few hours ago. Got a deal with 24 extra cans of heat . $264 bux from Patriot Supply. I didn't want to spend the extra bux? But everytime I do it works out in my favor.
Shit always costs later? I bought a bunch of canned meat from Survival Frog. It was priecy at the time. Cheap now compared to supermarket prices.
I eat food cold. I'm not picky.
But a 70F room is already very warm. Anyone tested this at -10C or -20C?
Better than nothing, buy 2; or go for a $2K Diesel Planar Heater.
You asked about 14⁰ f weather (-10⁰ c). I'm aiming to test it out in 20 to 30° f weather this season and will get back to you. It's on its way to me.
@@educational4434 wow! thanks for getting back to me! winter is coming and very interested to see your results!
@@clee666 And you'll be happy to know that I will not be testing it in a 70° room! Those tests always bug me, haha. I wanted to see people test it in an uninsulated vehicle that's been cooled down to outside temperatures, or in a room with the power out for a while or unheated for a while, or during whipping rain and wind in an uninsulated tent or vehicle. Real world tests!
leave the door open? wish you would explain how much to crack window or door. How is it good as a heater if you have to leave the door open? can anyone elaborate on how to ventilate and still keep room warm?
If your door has a gap at the bottom, that will be sufficient to create the draft that the heater needs.
Just a small crack, 1/4 inch or so, to let air in.
Door inside house, not outside. It is just because anything burning uses up oxygen eventually in a small room, including breathing people. So, you just need it open slightly to let oxygen in from rest of house. Although, most inside doors have an inch of space at the bottom anyway, so probably not too much of a problem. On the other hand, if you are using a Mr. Buddy that uses propane, then the fumes can be toxic and you will need to exhaust to outside of building or leave nearby window partly open at least. I would also recommend keeping a battery operated carbon monoxide detector nearby if using propane or butane even with ventilation. Better safe than sorry.
@@lf4061 thanks for reply. yeah i have the heat buddy with propane and I cannot use it due to fumes are way too intense even with a window several inches open right next to it! That's why I got this thing and I hope it's not toxic. Actually I hope I never have to use it.. ie hope I will never need emergency heat!
thanks for reply! @@jeanene72
I’d cover the empty burner to keep the heat inside the burner when Cooking. Heat is escaping.
Also keep the cover on the pan.
Maybe a tent or vehicle, but here in subzero temps I don't think it could take a space from -15°f to freezing
Buy 2.
Make a blanket fort in a small room or keep a small pop-up tent that can be set up in a small room. Make small pockets of air within pockets of air inside a house/building. The focus ultimately is staying alive. Comfort comes second.
Will it heat up a hot tent???
nice but needs an upgrade! 2 rows of 3 candles each! I'll wait......
I ordered two first one good second one was defective from manufacturer nothing being done as I ordered it off Amazon don’t get yours Amazon pic posted on Amazon review
You people realize those same type of canned heat are used at many venues indoors by caters under their trays as food warmers?
It’s actually not the exact fuel type as typical sterno. It’s a similar set up sure, but the fuel source is not the same. It’s designed to be safe inside and a low risk of CO poisoning with good ventilation (not an enclosed small space so leave a door open instead of closing it to the rest of the house.
@@suecbrn oh 100% you have to have ventilation and leave windows/doors cracked.
Not windows AND doors, just one cracked a tiny bit is enough. Else you are trying to heat the outdoors. @@coreyrees840
can you use coal or wood?
No, not if you use it indoors. I wondered the same thing, to use outdoors, but I think wood or coal might get too hot and warp the metal.
What fuel does it burn?
canned heat, as illustrated.
@@jeanene72 that doesn't help. I meant what chemical ie, methylated spirit, gasoline, gel etc.
Diethylene glycol@@darrencasey828
@@darrencasey828 It burns gelled alcohol/ethanol. What I plan to do is to use the three included heat cans. Then when they are done, using needle nose pliers, I will carefully remove the top from each one, refill them with 70% isopropyl rubbing alcohol, and then replace the top back on each one.
Assuming you pay full price for locally sourced 32 oz bottles of isopropyl rubbing alcohol at $4 a bottle, that brings the cost to 29¢ (running two cans) to 43¢ (running three cans) per hour to heat up a 200 square foot room. I'll be heating a 100 square foot room, so two cans should more than suffice.
Do not be tempted to just fill a Trangia-style burner container and set it in there. The reason you want to go with something that approximates what those little heating cans do (either by using those cans themselves or by purchasing something that is reusable that exactly replicates those), is that they control the flame and the heat output. If you decide to ignore this warning you will create an extreme fire hazard because of flame flare-ups and out of control temperature build up within the unit.
I have personally seen a lot of people suggest 91% rubbing alcohol and I just cannot agree with that. I have portable fire pits that I use with alcohol and using 91% rubbing alcohol is completely intolerable because of the fumes it produces. But I never ever have a problem with 70%.
However, with that said, I do think there is some merit in concentrating the 70% if you wish, in order to reduce the water content. To do so you pour the 70% alcohol into an open container, pour in some plain table salt, wait for two layers to form, one layer will be alcohol and the other will be water, the alcohol will be on top, and then take an oven baster and siphon off the alcohol returning it to the original container. You will then have rubbing alcohol with less water content.
...F.J.B.
I put my wood stove fan on my top burner on my gas stove in the21 'x 12' kitchen in my house with the smallest flame I can get it keeps it warm enough keep my furnace on 60 at nite 65 during the day when I get cold I go treadmill and watch Oprah get fat on tv or something
He did not express how dangerous this is in an enclosed space. Leaving the door open to the hallway is not enough. You need to crack a window if you are going to use this for an extended period of time.
They use these indoors all the time in restaurants, buffets, etc. It does not put out toxins, so a cracked door is enough to be oxygen into the space.
Tens of thousands of people each year are hospitalized during extreme cold weather because of CO2 poisoning burning gasses indoors without enough ventilation. So I would disagree that the restaurants are being safe by doing this.
But to each their own. It’s a free country.
Not great reviews form people using them for cooking - took forever to bring water to boil.
I bet you could lay a piece of tile or something that can take the heat in the fuel tray, to elevate the flame up towards the grid, closer to the water container. It can also be a case of boiling the minimal quantity of water needed vs trying to boil a larger pot.
@@Steinbacker4001he needs to cover the pot. He's losing volume and heat to steam by leaving the pot uncovered. There is minimal heat at the bottom, under the fuel.
Some of those who could not get water to boil were using cast iron, which takes a lot to just get the pan itself warm, and open pan. To cook on low flame, use a thinner pan and cover it. Use the smallest pan necessary for the job.
24 can $85 bucks. Man that would be expensive. No
Those cans are filled with a wick and gelled alcohol/ethanol. What I plan to do is to use the three included heat cans. Then when they are done, using needle nose pliers, I will carefully remove the top from each one, refill them with 70% isopropyl rubbing alcohol, and then replace the top back on each one.
Assuming you pay full price for locally sourced 32 oz bottles of isopropyl rubbing alcohol at $4 a bottle, that brings the cost to 29¢ (running two cans) to 43¢ (running three cans) per hour to heat up a 200 square foot room. I'll be heating a 100 square foot room, so two cans should more than suffice.
Do not be tempted to just fill a Trangia-style burner container and set it in there. The reason you want to go with something that approximates what those little heating cans do (either by using those cans themselves or by purchasing something that is reusable that exactly replicates those), is that they control the flame and the heat output. If you decide to ignore this warning you will create an extreme fire hazard because of flame flare-ups and out of control temperature build up within the unit.
I have personally seen a lot of people suggest 91% rubbing alcohol and I just cannot agree with that. I have portable fire pits that I use with alcohol and using 91% rubbing alcohol is completely intolerable because of the fumes it produces. But I never ever have a problem with 70%.
However, with that said, I do think there is some merit in concentrating the 70% if you wish, in order to reduce the water content. To do so you pour the 70% alcohol into an open container, pour in some plain table salt, wait for two layers to form, one layer will be alcohol and the other will be water, the alcohol will be on top, and then take an oven baster and siphon off the alcohol returning it to the original container. You will then have rubbing alcohol with less water content.
You had me till you brought politics in
Yet he isn't wrong. Why worry about heat and food if you choose to be blind to the economy? Good luck with that.
@@Steinbacker4001 last i looked the economy is at its best
@@roberttimlin2295what in the actual hell??!!!!???I have land in the Ozarks for sale 😅😂
@steinbacker4001 not sure what economy you are talking about … you are plum nuts! FJB
@@kimballurio1677 obviously uneducated and blind but thats trumpers for you
Whenever I see the words prepper or bushcraft or off-grid I hit "Don't recommend channel." Bye bye
But I bet you subscribe and stick around for tje latest tik tok dances. FJB