Bio Lite Campstove

Today's product is relatively new to the market and can only be found in a few places. This product is basically a wood burning campstove that uses heat from the fire to charge electronics via a USB cable. The only fuel needed to power the stove is small twigs. There is a fan built in that allows air to circulate thus creating and maintaining a larger, stronger fire. It is almost like a mini furnace. It will burn sticks in no time and this heat is transferred back into the orange power module creating energy to charge your devices. I will list all the features below but being an owner of this product, I have to say I am really impressed by the capabilities of this stove. I boiled a pot of water in about 4 minutes and meanwhile charged my iPhone battery about 5 percent. That is around 1 percent of battery a minute. That is pretty good for a device that is not plugged into anything. Another benefit of this stove is that you don't have to deal with butane mix fuel canisters. This stove puts out much less carbon emissions that a normal backpacking stove like the MSR Pocket Rocket. I will say there is only one downside to this stove: THE WEIGHT. Weighing in at around 2.1 pounds, it is a little heavy for a stove. But the weight doesn't come close to making you not buy this product. I think almost anyone would sacrifice a pound for a charged cell phone or light. Here are the specific features of the stove:

• There's no need to buy or carry heavy fuel canisters with this stove—simply collect twigs during your journey and burn them when you get to camp
• Using patent-pending thermoelectric technology, the stove converts heat to electricity that charges an internal battery and powers a fan to increase the efficiency of the fire
• Extra electricity can be used to charge small electronics like cell phones, headlamps and rechargeable batteries via the USB port; devices and charging cables sold separately
• For an Apple iPhone® 4S, 20 min. of charging with a strong fire gives you about 60 min. of talk time; charging times vary by device as well as by the strength of the fire
• During a full burn, the CampStove can boil 1 liter of water in as little as 4 min. 30 sec.; place your pot or pan on the built-in pot support
• Like a campfire, you can sit around the CampStove and watch the flames dance while you roast marshmallows and spend time with friends
• Twigs from hardwood trees, like oak, maple and hickory, will burn hottest and cleanest; choose wood that's dry, and avoid burning leaves, as they can be smoky
• CampStove can also burn wood pellets (available at many home and garden stores) if you're camping in a spot where you're not allowed to collect twigs or trees aren't present
• BioLite CampStove weighs about 2 lbs.and is about the same size as a 1-liter Nalgene water bottle; power module stows inside the fuel chamber when the stove is not in use
• Anodized-aluminum legs create a stable platform for cooking; legs fold in for compact storage when you're done making dinner
• CampStove's starter battery helps kick-start the fire before the stove begins generating its own power so it's best to charge the battery for 2 - 4 hrs. before leaving home
• BioLite CampStove comes with firestarter, stuff sack, USB cord for charging the internal battery and instructions for use; does not include a cable for charging devices

Here are the sites where you can buy this stove:

http://www.biolitestove.com

http://www.rei.com/product/846334/biolite-wood-burning-campstove

I hoped you enjoy my review of this product and be sure to check back tomorrow for the Outdoor Product of the Day!