This review is for the Esbit fuel tablets in the 14 gram size. Developed in 1936 in Germany, these fuel tabs are made of hexamine and are in solid form. They have been used in purpose-specific pocket stoves for decades, in WWII, as part of humanitarian packets worldwide, and for years as part of NATO troops’ standard kit. I use these primarily for the Esbit pocket stove but they also make for excellent fire starters, especially in adverse conditions. Amazon has proven a reliable source for these as well as a decent price, though I’ve found they can be had for comparable prices at local outdoor/adventure stores. I have been using these for years and have found them so reliable that they live in my home and auto-based emergency kits, my dayhike pack, and my backpacking gear. The following is a breakdown of my experience with the Esbit fuel tabs:

Pros:

* Utterly Dependable – It has been found that these fuel tabs burn just as long and just as hot after decades in storage. I don’t know that I can say that about any of my other camping stove fuels: White gas, diesel, isobutane canisters, or alcohol. Any of the others would be prone to spills, evaporation, varnishing, leaky valves after an extended period of time. After years of use, I’ve never had one fail to light or burn, ever. This kind of dependability makes them ideal for long term storage in emergency kits, that you may not be opening regularly.

* Flexible – My typical use of these fuel tabs is in the Esbit pocket stoveEsbit Pocket Stove, but they also happen to make excellent fire starters, especially in less than ideal conditions. If your tinder happens to be slightly damp, starting a fire can be a challenge. These fuel tabs will burn over ten minutes (14 gram size), giving time and heat enough to dry and ignite surrounding tinder. This allows you to save matches on those cold damp days when you really to get a fire going.

* Performance – As a stove fuel, the Esbit tabs are perfectly reliable and can bring a pint of water to a boil with a single tablet, under good conditions. To increase the heat, or to extend the duration of the burn (a single tablet burns approximately 12 – 14 minutes), you can simply burn more than one at a time, or in succession. For large scale cooking, or when you really need to modulate the heat, a backpacking stove or camping stove is the way to go, however.

* Clean – As a solid fuel, spills are never an issue. When burning, the flame is smokeless, usually less than a burning candle. The fuel tab can be reused also, by blowing out the flame – the remaining tab can be re-lit for the next meal. When completely burned, there minimal residue remaining. To keep your Esbit stove especially clean, just put a small piece of aluminum foil on the burn surface – after the fuel tab burns, just toss the foil with the residue on it.

* Simple – This may well be a drawback to some, but this reviewer appreciates the simplicity of this fuel, along with the Esbit pocket stove. I’ve got several fancy backpacking stoves that have valves, o-rings, pressurized fuel bottles, multi-fuel capacity, and that can boil water in minutes flat. And sometimes that’s good: When the wife is hungry and tired, it’s not healthy for me to make her wait. But when I have that rare moment when I can be somewhere remote when it’s just me and the silence, I really enjoy the quiet, dancing flame of my Esbit stove. No pumping, priming, adjusting, or extensive set up of a fancy stove, nor the jet engine howl of the gas burner. No. Just unfold the stove, light the match, and listen to the soft hiss as your water comes to a boil. With all the electronic connectivity of modern life, sometimes simple is good. Better than good.

Cons:

* Wind Sensitive – As these can be easily blown out, care needs to be taken to shield them from the wind if the best performance is to be had from them when cooking or heating water. I make my own windscreens for my Esbit pocket stoves by folding a long sheet of aluminum foil length-wise a few times until it is about 3 to 4 inches wide and about 18″ long; I then make slits at the bottom to allow air to the flame and place the windscreen around the outside of the stove, allowing enough space for air to flow. Thus protected, I’ve never had issues with my Esbit-fuelled stove. Most backpacking stoves are likewise sensitive to the wind and need to be similarly protected by a windscreen.

* Limited Cooking Options – When used in a pocket stove, Esbit fuel is ideally suited to boil a pint of water to reconstitute a dehydrated meal, cook ramen noodles, or to make tea, coffee, or hot cocao. This makes it ideal for minimalist backpacking, day hikes, as an emergency or backup stove, or for keeping in your truck (like I do) for those times when you are out in the boonies on a frigid day and could really use a hot cup of tea or coffee, or a steaming bowl of noodles. It’s not that you can’t cook a full meal on it, and I have – but it will never be as fast, easy, or convenient as using a more capable and adjustable backpacking stove.

* Smell – When burning, the fuel doesn’t give off too much odor unless you’re in an enclosed space. (which, of course, you shouldn’t be anyway) The residue, however, smells of old fish. I recommend storing your stove (which will have the residue on it after use) in the excellent Opsak bags by Loksak OPSAK Odor Proof Barrier Bags (3 Size Options) These bags will stop odor dead in its tracks. If you’re backpacking or hiking in a regulated area, your stove bag also makes an excellent way to pack out human waste for those areas that are regulated, or if you just want to be a good citizen. (Side recommendation here: 12-pack WAG(tm) Bag Kit )

Possible Uses:

I carry spare fuel tabs, along with the Esbit pocket stove, stormproof matches, four tea bags, plastic baggies, a nano pack towel, an ounce of campsuds, and a titanium spork in a Snow Peak Trek 700 cup/pot. This little piece of kit is a surprisingly versatile cook kit that lives in my truck and goes on every day hike and backpacking trip. It’s always at the ready to serve up a cup of tea, rehydrate a Mountain House meal, or cook ramen noodles. Of course, it’s also there if I needed to boil water in an emergency in order to purify it, start a campfire, etc.

Bottom Line:

While there are many options for camp stoves, I always carry these Esbit fuel tabs in a pocket stove wherever I go and also use them for my home-based emergency kit. I’ve found them to be reliable, durable, and handy. I can unequivocally recommend them for outdoor recreation, simple camp cooking, emergency use, or for back up to other camp stoves. Great product, five stars.

They work incredibly good but stink pretty bad. Super easy to ignite and will get a boil going. They SMELL

If you need a fire starter or a heat source under a canteen cup to make your favorite coffee please check these fuel tabs out. It will work with a lighter great. If all you have is a ferro rod, once you crumble this item up a little, it can catch a spark and burn. Value wise and time wise it works great.

I have had these in my ‘go-bag’ for years. Went camping last month and it rained the whole time, so instead of cooking over the campfire I busted out my tiny stove and these fuel tablets to cook our meals. They worked great. One tablet helps you cook one pan of food, so if you’re doing many items (eggs, then sausage, then bacon, etc) you’ll go through many tablets. But for heating up one can of beans, or one can of Chef Boyardee, one tablet is perfect! Oh, and the tablets smell like fish (before and during the burning process).

I’ve been using these for many years while backpacking and they work great with my Esbit stove. There is not much odor while burning but the smell is discussing when stored in my backpack or garage. I now keep 4 boxes of them handy in three layers of ziploc bags which helps.

Visto in Yuru Camp 3° serie, l’ho comprato per curiosità assieme al mini fornello pieghevole e funziona alla grande! Si può scaldare l’acqua per il riso, farsi una bevanda o il caffè (si intende per una persona!!!)
Comunque divertente da provare.