Coleman vs Cook Partner propane stove

[Tom&Shelly]

We currently have a Coleman propane stove, and aren't too happy about the control we have over burner strength. One option is to pay the price and buy a Cook Partner stove.

1. Can anyone suggest a way to modify the Coleman stove so it has a greater range? We already went in and cleaned out the packing grease on the adjustment valves, which helped a little. Has anyone modified the stove by replacing the manufacturer's valves with something else? Any other ideas? It's great for getting cold water to a boil fast, but not so good for simmering food.

2. For those with Cook Partner stoves, do they have a good range?

We designed our galley so we can store a two burner model of the Cook Partner in the same space we now keep our Coleman, so the mods would be minimal. The Cook Partner is pricey, though fair given their relatively low volume production (relative to Coleman).

Thank you for your thoughts!

Tom

[tony.latham]

2. For those with Cook Partner stoves, do they have a good range?

Yes, we really love ours. Simmer to fireball.



I was hoping the 18" model would be fine, and it is. You can order them with the gas inlet on either the left or right sides. And be ready to accept the fact you have to use the provided high-pressure (26 PSI) regulator.

Tony

[Tom&Shelly]

Thanks Tony. Once we spring for a Cook Partner, we'll probably get an adapter and use the green 1 lb bottles, at least at first. May be a winter project to hang a 5 gallon tank on the teardrop somewhere.

The 8-10 week lead time has us debating whether to order it now , or wait until late in the season and use the Coleman in the mean time. Shelly thinks our cast iron cook wear will do okay, even with the high, less adjustable, burns.

When I was single, I was satisfied with camp meals out of the can, which meant a lot of getting it hot fast. (Usually, as I remember it, in a cold rain--if you want more soup, just leave the lid off!) Hot Coleman and aluminum pots were fine. Heck, I couldn't even spell "simmmer'n"!

Tom

[twisted lines]

I thought of this thread as I walked by a propane stove with burners at a sporting goods store

[tony.latham]

When I was single, I was satisfied with camp meals out of the can...

I worked wildland fire for fifteen years. Which means hundreds and hundreds of meals eaten from OD green cans in those days. C-rats for short.

They were horrible.

Tony

[Tom&Shelly]

When I was single, I was satisfied with camp meals out of the can...

I worked wildland fire for fifteen years. Which means hundreds and hundreds of meals eaten from OD green cans in those days. C-rats for short.

They were horrible.

Tony

Had them a few times in ROTC. Gotta say, I didn't mind them too much. Now and then a surprise: Chocolate cake in a can! Hmm (looking on the bottom) made in 1945 (that in 1983). It actually tasted OK.

We had MREs by the time I went on active duty. (Foil pouches instead of cans, and meals "updated" for the tastes of the 80's vs 40's, whatever that means.) Tried them during exercises (war games) in Europe. They were nothing too good, so we usually went to the burger place off base. We were warned that during a real war, the burger places wouldn't be around. (So?!) Fast forward a few years, and (I'm told--wasn't in theater) some Arab entrepreneurs sold burgers outside our bases in Saudi Arabia during the 1st Gulf War.

But, anyway, I suppose my tolerance for mediocre food is fairly high.

Tom

[gudmund]

C-rats weren't that bad.....(75/76 stationed on east German border) the cheese/cracker snack were OK - never had much use for the 'watery' grape jelly....or the cigarette pk's (4 cig's per pk = 'be nice to a smoker' give-away pk's ...being I never have smoked) When I transferred to the border, our mess Sgt. "unloaded" 4/5 cases off on me and I ended up having about a 2/3 month "free" supply of food in the 'one man' motor pool I was in control of. Ended up being some "good" trading material with some of the Brit's/German troops down the road from us................... I guess - "Cold War" = Cold Food sometimes.........
PS what was just written here, could be one of those "mature memory moments' being spoken being I am now over 67 and what is being remembered 'may not seem' to have been so bad any longer...................... and yes, the:beer: was GOOD!!! (that memory still says so..........)

[Ottsville]

1. Can anyone suggest a way to modify the Coleman stove so it has a greater range? We already went in and cleaned out the packing grease on the adjustment valves, which helped a little. Has anyone modified the stove by replacing the manufacturer's valves with something else? Any other ideas? It's great for getting cold water to a boil fast, but not so good for simmering food.



Tom

I would think you could go to a 5lb propane bottle and an adjustable regulator to further control propane flow with the coleman, but I haven't tried it.

[tony.latham]

C-rats weren't that bad...

You and I are going to agree to disagree on that.

By the end of my fire days, I could only stomach pilot crackers with jelly, the canned fruit, of course the pound cake and that was about it. And I'm not a picky eater.

We had MREs...

I always thought they were on the treat-side of the food scale.

Tony

[Tom&Shelly]

We had MREs...

I always thought they were on the treat-side of the food scale.

Tony

Better than kitty, almost as good as doggie...

The only one I remember specifically was supposed to be some sort of dessert. It had the appearance and consistency of chunks of Styrofoam, with a flavor sort of like fruit flavored candy (which to me doesn't taste like real fruit at all). My only question was, when the Spetsnaz (Soviet special forces) show up, how are we going to get them to eat this? I would've preferred the C-rations if they still had them.

Tom

[dbhosttexas]

Mind you, I only read the first post, and wanted to respond to that.

I am not sure you are aware, but Coleman over the years has manufactured a wde variety of propane stoves. It will help tremendoustly to know which model you are having issues with.

I have noticed that cookware has an awful lot to do with it as well.

If I want to sautee or simmer I ALWAYS use my CI cookware, using the thin stainless teel camping nesting sets skillets it ALWAYS goes straight to burn no matter how low a flame I use on whatever stove, including my stove at home...

I have the "Coleman Classic 2 burner Propane Camp Stove" the $44.00 model, and it works well including simmer.

I understand they have what they call I believe perfectflow technology that seems more adjustable than the older ones...

I DO find better flame adjustability in the traditional Coleman gas stoves. Honestly if you have someone you can borrow one from, I would ask that you try one out.

And yes I have read the reviews on my stove, and it seems a good number of folks have trouble getting theirs to simmer. I wish I understood why, mine has never been a problem. But like I said, it is easier to get a low flame established on the liquid fuel models...

This might help. Looking at the reviews on the Coleman website, they are asking reviewers to contact them at their consumer care hotline, they may have a fix for the simmer / flame control issue. Like I said, mine has been butter smooth and wonderfully adjustable, but it seems more than a few are not...

"Please contact our Consumer Care hotline at 1-800-835-3278"

Hope that helps you out!

[nevadatear]

If i were to do it again, i would get a blackstone 17” with the side burner. Best of both workds.