RETHINKING PROPANE ON BOARD: Plan B: Butane Burner

After discovering the severe corrosion on the gas feeder tube of BIANKA's factory installed stove and oven. I decided to look at other alternative burners for cooking. My first experiment was with a Coleman burner which worked out very well. Even though most of my cooking can be accommodated using just one burner. Having another burner available is a good idea. Having it it use an alternate fuel also seemed like a good idea. With that in mind I bought a Iwatani Butane Stove :

It has a smaller footprint than the coleman burner and also comes with a case that makes it easier for storage.  I've had a similar cheaper butane burner on board for years but, when I went to use it earlier this year the flame plate had fallen off making it useless. the Iwatani seems to be better built and I've seen reviews that said they were used in Japanese restaurants for Hot Pot dishes called Nabemono in Japan. So they must know a thing or two about building quality stoves. Though a lot of the stoves may look similar form the outside this Iwatani has an additional metal heat sink goes from the burner to the the butane container area:

This metal heat sink warms up the butane container slightly to prevent it from freezing and reducing gas flow to the burner while cooking.

Another nice thing about this burner is the butane canister fits inside the burner unlike the Coleman's externally mounted propane canister.

 So the foot print is somewhat smaller in the galley than the Coleman burner. But, the butane canister does not hold as much fuel as the Coleman either. Also the Iwatani does not have the raised  loops on the burner grill like the Coleman burner does so pots and pans can easily slide off if you are cooking underway and not paying attention.

I found that the butane canisters using this burner last me about a week where as the Coleman one pound propane canisters lasted two weeks. The butane canisters also have no way of being refilled. But, the Butane Fuel  can be purchased in bulk quantities to provide months of cooking time. Though some have said they are also often readily available in Asian grocery stores at very reasonable prices too.

CAPT MIKE'S USAGE NOTES: 
Though the Iwatani Butane Stove cooked just as well as the Coleman burner and takes up less space. I will probably make the Coleman the primary cooktop on board. The Propane canisters last longer and the burner has the loops that hold pots and pans more securely. But, I will keep the Iwatani unit on board with several canisters as a backup or as additional burner when needed. Also with it's carrying case it is easier to store and allows me to have a chance to find  an alternate fuel if the propane canisters can not be found when cruising. As a plan B backup it should work very well.