Cooking when the power goes out.

[Jillybean]

Hi,

I've finally managed to get back into prepping (life got in the way!). I have been thinking about cooking with no power. I have a few methods of cooking outside, however I'm trying to find a safe indoor method (mostly so I can have coffee which is essential, oh and feed the kids). Has anyone tried anything that is concerned safe? Thanks.

[Yorkshire Andy]

Welcome jillybean

Can you please pop to out introduction section and post one

http://www.uk-preppers.co.uk/forum/viewforum.php?f=9



As for what cooking device for inside use I'd go for a 2 ring with grill gas stove as it is stable and provides enough room to cook and grill beans on toast for example

https://www.millets.co.uk/tents-camping ... lsrc=aw.ds

Then get a manageable lpg bottle and regulator to suit local bottle gas seller is much cheaper than camping gaz

Store the bottle in a shed or garage ideally but they are safe enough to use indoors with a bit of common sense just crack a window when in use (people with gas cookers don't usually and have no issue) a Carbon monoxide alarm and and a fire extinguisher are wise preps shtf or not regardless of what cooker

[grenfell]

If you are able to cook outdoors then i'd stick with that as much as possible. Other than that the gas approach does seem probably the most efficient way to go. If you have a fire outside it is always possible to heat up stones and p!ace them directly into a pot of stew to cook it . The same stones can also be used to warm a bed too .
Another option although it would work out expensive for any length of time could be a flameless heater , for example
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/UN-FLAMELESS ... ect=mobile

[Yorkshire Andy]

The more budget option

https://www.millets.co.uk/equipment/258 ... stove.html

[Jillybean]

Thanks.

They look interesting, and I think my OH is a little more interested in my desire to prep (which means I can spend some money).
It was way back in March I introduced myself. Just before it became apparent that dd1 couldn't manage mainstream education, so that became my primary focus. I will say my initial stocking up on foods and cleaning products came in handy, as I was unable to leave the house as regularly as I would like and found having extra in took off some of the pressure of that time.

I think having an option for cooking whist bugging in would be good. Ta.

[Yorkshire Andy]

My mistake sorry I thought you was a new member, I'll plead the MIL having a 8 hour operation to remove cancer and a sleep reduced state :/



We've gone though various problems re cooking electric cooker going BANG just before Christmas / Power cut/ me and Mrs A have been camping for years so we are fairly well versed and have used between us almost every form of outdoor cooking. From camp fire to glamping with a electric induction hob came home one night to 2 tent pegs on top of the chimnea and stew and dumplings on the boil......

I still like the humble gas stove and bottle you do get scare stories about carbon monoxide and gas going bang , but treat the kit with respect and it will look after you, (one thing I won't get second hand (however local Facebook pages have plenty of cheap empty refillable calor bottles ) you take it to a calor agent eg B&Q or a petrol station new regulator costs about £10

https://chorleybottlegas.co.uk/shop/cal ... as-bottle/

https://www.amazon.co.uk/CALOR-BUTANE-R ... B075759PM2

And a hose clip to secure the regulator to the rubber pipe

Plus a spanner to fit

Added bonus is the ability to cook inside in bad weather and the like has its appeal especially at 5pm on a dark winter's night

[Jillybean]

Yourkshire Andy, I hope your mil makes a swift recovery. It was a long time ago as well. I'm more shy with groups and tend to be reading old posts so my name rarely comes up.

The big gas bottles do scare me, but then so did gas until I got use to my blowtorch. I think that's one of my reasons for looking into alternative methods for many things and giving them ago and being able to use them before a shif situation. It's one thing having them ready, it's another thing to be able to use them safely.

[grenfell]

Back in my earlier years on building sites we had what we used to call a motorbike. It was a simple gas burner , propane bottle feeding a burner which consisted of a wire mesh that heated up and acted as a radiator and a cracking toaster and with a place on top for a kettle or saucepan. It had the nickname of motorbike because of the distintive throbbing noise it made but was ultimately replaced with electric kettles and microwaves. We used them in the sheds we were provided with which were probably leaky enough to not have to worry about ventilation.
iIt's difficult to find anything better than gas and I've got something very similar to the cooker in the link above as well as a couple of other fypes. We also have a flat topped wood burner that i've cooked on several times

[featherstick]

Have a look for "retained heat/haybox" cooking - very simply, getting a pot of soup or stew up to temp on a stove, then insulating well to finish cooking for a few hours. Works very well, saves time and power, I can have dinner on the table within 15 minutes of coming in from a wet walk.

[Deeps]

Hi Jillybean, would I be right in assuming you're not really a camper/hill walker ??? If that's the case then the 2 examples Andy has given you are very simple and user friendly, I've even given one of the small 1 ring gas cookers to my mum to use and she's 85. I keep 2 at Casa Deeps and we've one up the allotment for the missus too. They have a built in igniter so you don't need to muck around with matches or a lighter and the fuel is relatively cheap and freely available from Asda/B&M etc. The one time our gas went off I just broke out the 2 in the house and we had a 'normal' meal, no need to live off pot noodles or whatever.

If you have a BBQ or other type of outdoor cooking option that''s something to consider, weather dependent. Some of us on here could bore the backside off you about different camping options, maybe handy if you wanted to go down that route but if not then the simple gas ones are fine, you can even use them for picnics etc too of course.

Then there are things like this.....



https://www.google.com/search?q=gas+pow ... e&ie=UTF-8

I've no idea how good they are, I've never tried one but there are a lot of alternatives to mains supply gear if you have a nose around. Hope this helps.