The Biogel stove
Biogel stoves became very popular during the period of load shedding in South Africa. The fuel is an ethanol gel which is a renewable energy source ie it is not a fossil fuel. Most biogel stoves are very simple, having a reservoir for the fuel, an adjustable vent and a stable base for a pot to rest on. The most popular are double plate stoves which means one can cook two separate foods at once. At the time of writing the stoves and the gel were available at Pick and Pay stores.
Advantages of a Biogel stove
The stove has a wide flat base and can’t be knocked over.
Because the fuel is a gel, not a liquid, it can’t spill.
The vent controls the amount of air getting to the fuel so the stove can be adjusted for low, medium or high cooking.
There is no unpleasant smell, just a clean alcohol smell.
The stove is portable and easy to carry.
Disadvantages of a Biogel stove
Once the food is cooked, if all the biogel has not been used up, it can’t keep in the stove as it dries up. It is necessary therefore to know exactly how long you want the flame to last for and use the appropriate amount of gel (see table below)
Biogel fuel at present is more expensive than paraffin and so is more often used as a back up for electricity cuts in urban areas than as a normal method of cooking in poorer or rural areas where the increased safety would cut down the number of fire related accidents.
Table showing amount of Biogel to use for various times of cooking (measuring cups were used to measure gel)
Volume of Gel Time of burning on high (minutes)
| 100ml | 27 |
| 200ml | 54 |
| 300ml | 81 |
| 400ml | 108 |
| 500ml | 135 |
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