Diff in coleman dual fuel stoves
- Thread starter zimflux
- Start date
FellowTraveler
Explorer
WARNING, In my experience dual fuel stoves no matter brand become fire hazards when using fuel w/ethanol (alcohol) which damages the seals/o rings etc. Use something to neutralize the alcohol in the fuel and the stove will give you good service.
Desert Dan
Explorer
I just saw Coleman white gas at Ralph's for $13.89/gallon!
I really just want to use gasoline but came across a non duel fuel version.
I have not logged in in a while but I wanted to clear a few things up. Coleman stoves are hugely under-rated and by far the most cost effective method of cooking while camping/travelling/off-roading. Every Craigslist in the country has Coleman stoves listed often for $20 or less, which if you think about it, won't get you a set of Snow Peak Chopsticks. Coleman stoves from the 50s and 60s can be made to run again like new, and when you consider the fuel is part of the stove, they don't take up a huge amount of room. Coleman stoves are built like old school plumbing. There are not any O-rings. There is a gasket under the filler cap, so get a new cap with an old stove.
Regarding dual fuel vs white gas, here is the deal....it isn't marketing. The dual fuel models have a bigger more clog resistant generator, because regular unleaded gas produces more carbon inside the generator of the stove. White gas or Naptha burns cleaner and is recommended even for routine use in a Dual Fuel. A white gas stove (red tank usually) should mostly be run on it's intended fuel, but even those can run on regular unleaded in a pinch. The dual fuels are ideal for vehicle based camping since if you run out of Coleman Fuel, you can burn unleaded with no problems.
In general, the older stoves are built better than the newer stoves. The best are 60s-70s, but the dual fuels from the 90s were still pretty good. THe last few years the metal in new stoves seems disappointingly thin. Look for build dates on the bottom of the case or underneath the fuel tank tabs. In general, the white gas stoves will have red tanks and the duel fuels will have gray tanks. Some very old white gas models will have copper/gold tanks. Recommendations:
For a small 2 burner the 425 White Gas or 424 Dual Fuels are excellent. Nice small package and fuel efficient.
For a large 2 burner the 413 White Gas or 414 Dual Fuel "Powerhouse" are what you want. Big hot main burner fr real cooking.
For a massive crowd cooking stove, the 426 is an awesome machine.
Seriously, this will be the best $20 you will spend on kit ever, and produce way more heat for less money than any propane source. I spent 10 years with propane stoves and went back to Coleman stoves because of better performance. They aren't sexy, they just work.
I know it's hard to cook on a Coleman stove when you're sitting in a $400 camp chair, but trust me, a step back is a step up.
Regarding dual fuel vs white gas, here is the deal....it isn't marketing. The dual fuel models have a bigger more clog resistant generator, because regular unleaded gas produces more carbon inside the generator of the stove. White gas or Naptha burns cleaner and is recommended even for routine use in a Dual Fuel. A white gas stove (red tank usually) should mostly be run on it's intended fuel, but even those can run on regular unleaded in a pinch. The dual fuels are ideal for vehicle based camping since if you run out of Coleman Fuel, you can burn unleaded with no problems.
In general, the older stoves are built better than the newer stoves. The best are 60s-70s, but the dual fuels from the 90s were still pretty good. THe last few years the metal in new stoves seems disappointingly thin. Look for build dates on the bottom of the case or underneath the fuel tank tabs. In general, the white gas stoves will have red tanks and the duel fuels will have gray tanks. Some very old white gas models will have copper/gold tanks. Recommendations:
For a small 2 burner the 425 White Gas or 424 Dual Fuels are excellent. Nice small package and fuel efficient.
For a large 2 burner the 413 White Gas or 414 Dual Fuel "Powerhouse" are what you want. Big hot main burner fr real cooking.
For a massive crowd cooking stove, the 426 is an awesome machine.
Seriously, this will be the best $20 you will spend on kit ever, and produce way more heat for less money than any propane source. I spent 10 years with propane stoves and went back to Coleman stoves because of better performance. They aren't sexy, they just work.
I know it's hard to cook on a Coleman stove when you're sitting in a $400 camp chair, but trust me, a step back is a step up.
matt s
Explorer
Andrew is dead on.
My personal experience is that burning unleaded stinks (literally) and I felt like that smell permeated the food. Happy to know that the dual part of the stove worked and could save me if needed, but I only use white gas for normal use. People cry about the prices but I think I have to buy about a gallon a year.
Btw same results for duel fuel lantern. Works great smells like a car running in camp. Stick to white gas.
My personal experience is that burning unleaded stinks (literally) and I felt like that smell permeated the food. Happy to know that the dual part of the stove worked and could save me if needed, but I only use white gas for normal use. People cry about the prices but I think I have to buy about a gallon a year.
Btw same results for duel fuel lantern. Works great smells like a car running in camp. Stick to white gas.
Inyo_man
Don't piss down my back and tell me it's raining.
I too am a Coleman stove fan.
I've been running the same Coleman stove (424/duel fuel) since it was purchased in the early 90's.
We ran the thing for the better part of a year on petrol while overlanding through Mexico and Central America.
There was never a problem with the o-rings. Back in the states, we run it on white gas because is cleaner.
When using a base camp, I always bring my grand father's Coleman from back in the day for more cooking space.
I've been running the same Coleman stove (424/duel fuel) since it was purchased in the early 90's.
We ran the thing for the better part of a year on petrol while overlanding through Mexico and Central America.
There was never a problem with the o-rings. Back in the states, we run it on white gas because is cleaner.
When using a base camp, I always bring my grand father's Coleman from back in the day for more cooking space.
Sirocco
Explorer
Stinks? are you over-fuelling it? Never found that.
Never had trouble with my single burner, double burner or lantern. All have been run on unleaded since new, no problems 5 years later. I sometimes drop a litre of white gas in to clean it up but generally only use unleaded.
Although the price of unleaded here is catching up with white gas!
G
Never had trouble with my single burner, double burner or lantern. All have been run on unleaded since new, no problems 5 years later. I sometimes drop a litre of white gas in to clean it up but generally only use unleaded.
Although the price of unleaded here is catching up with white gas!
G
matt s
Explorer
Stinks may be too harsh. Just smells like a car running vs the white gas that burns so clean.
Chris21700
Observer
In my experience these stoves don't burn unleaded very well at higher elevations. I'm not sure exactly at what altitude it starts to have problems, but mine really struggled to have a good flame at 9700', in fact it couldn't, just sputtered. (In the manual Coleman recommends white gas at "higher elevations." Didn't notice that part prior to purchase.) I returned it after that trip and went back to propane.
Scott B.
SE Expedition Society
I know we are talking about big camp stoves, but I have a Coleman Peak 1 backpacking stove I bought in the mid-80s.
This stove works wonderfully! It is by far the best, most reliable stove I own. It is a white gas stove (not dual fuel), but will burn old fuel as well as new. This stove has never failed to light - it is the only stove I own that I can say that about.
It is a little heavy for backpacking, but ultimately reliable.
This stove works wonderfully! It is by far the best, most reliable stove I own. It is a white gas stove (not dual fuel), but will burn old fuel as well as new. This stove has never failed to light - it is the only stove I own that I can say that about.
It is a little heavy for backpacking, but ultimately reliable.
Junkinduck
Observer
I have 10+ Coleman stoves. I have bought most at yard sales for 5.00 or less brought them home and they worked. I just can't pass them up. Unleaded will work in any of the old Coleman's in a pinch but the white gas is cleaner. I also keep a propane converter around to run the old stoves. It's great for weekends with the camper and bulk tank.
These are the cheapest and most reliable stoves you can get. They are field reparable with a multitool and a spare generator. They can be had from one to three burners.
These are the cheapest and most reliable stoves you can get. They are field reparable with a multitool and a spare generator. They can be had from one to three burners.