[C.Winslow]

I've seen a few things about canned heat. How exactly does canned heat work? And where can I get some? Can you just throw a few cans into your survival kit and be good to go?

 

[PaulL]

Hi

I use canned heat. Have you ever seen Sterno in stores. I carry it in my pack all the time. the only down side to using canned heat it is slow cooking. It may take about 20 min. to boil water, but I think it is great to use.

 

[ke4sky]

Sterno Canned Heat

Sterno is alcohol jellied with calcium acetate. It is widely used in the food service industry for keeping buffet foods hot over 140 degs. F. which is necessary to maintain food safety under FDA guidelines. You can buy 3-packs of Sterno in any grocery store, and a box or two is a great thing to keep at home for when the power goes off, or in your car survival kit with your coffee can stove. The Sterno folks also make a product which burns hotter, lasts longer and is safer for indoor use:

Emergency Resources - Canned Heat

Solid fuel tablets such as Esbit are better for backpacking or bug-out bag use.
Military trioxane bars burn hotter than Sterno, but produce toxic fumes and deteriorate with age. Trioxane has been replaced by a flameless, smokeless fire gel product in packaged in single-use envelopes, having the same chemical composition as Sterno safe fuel linked above.

Esbit has been around since WWII, and is used by most European NATO forces. It is widely sold in backing stores and is the preferred compact solid fuel among backpackers.

For more information see:

Cooker / Stoves (final update) Kit that works and kit that doesn't

The RuckSack

-Esbit Stove "Tommy Stove" Nitro-Pak.com The World Leader in Innovative & Affordable Preparedness Gear

 

[dksac2]

The bad thing about canned heat is that it evaporates from the can over time, even if fully sealed. It's good for short time usage, but I would not count on them for long term storage. I've opened old cans that have never been used and found it fully dried up. Others have said the same.

JK