First published in August 2008, this article is a great look at a time proven technology.
I don’t know how I would have made it through my tour in Germany without my trusty Esbit Cooker. Issued as part of the German Ration Pack (EPA), Esbit fuel was readily available all over Germany. The tablets burn for between 7 and 12 minutes depending on the size and should boil half a liter in about 7 minutes. What I really liked about them was lack of smell or smoke.
The cooker itself is a simple design. Its stamped galvanized steel with riveted folding legs that once folded flat, carried its own solid fuel bars. They come in three sizes: small, medium, and large. The legs are adjustable by detents stamped into the legs. The larger the cooker, the more settings. For example, the small cooker’s legs can be set at 90 degrees, 45 degrees, or closed. You can see in the picture the indentations in the legs for the settings. I tossed mine years ago but the only place it ever showed the slightest sign of rust was at the rivets. I never thought I would be able to find another one, until now.
And now they have mugs!
Esbit products can be found here on the web but I purchased mine at Eddie Bauer.
Photos from Esbit GMbH.
Tags: Esbit
Awesome. You know those things were first issued to German troops in the 30’s?
Hi Guys,
the ESBIT cooker was not bart of the EPA, but issued to the soldier directly, the EPAs never contained heaters (the french RCIR contain them).
Also I cannot hardly believe you praise him for the “no smell”, in germany its inferiour smell, a bit like dead fish, is legendary 😉
Cheers,
Walter
Another reason to carry Esbit or similar, one of the primary ingredients in solid fuel tablets can be used to synthesize:
United States Patent 4163845
…. 1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazacyclohexane, by nitrolysis of hexamine….
Most won’t recognize the chemical formula, but will recognize the common name for the compound.
Hey there,
Good Article, but I have to correct you, the cooker isn’t delivered with the EPA, it’s a general issue part for every soldier in the Bundeswehr.
So every soldier has his own cooker, every soldier is supplied with tablets in differing quantities (depending on how good you know the resupply-guys).
The tablets indeed are very good, but actually they do smell a lot when not burning, but I have never paid any attention to any smell while burning.
My mother told me a story about a little kitchen for kids, her father built her, the oven was actually working, guess with what…
… with Esbit tablets.
I had a conversation with an US WW2 Veteran, who said, that he liked the Esbit cooker and the tabletts pretty well and tried to organize them whenever possible.
I really like your blog, thanks for that and keep up the good work.
Regards
Max
they have been issued to british troops for decades.one cooker and a box of fuel with every 24 hour ration pack.
Funny, I used mine Saturday night to boil some tea water while out night hiking. Truly like this stove for t
The Australian Army issued them in the 80s and 90s. We called them “Hexi-Stoves” after the Hexamine fuel they burn. I have no idea if they still issue them or not though.
Still standard issue for Australian army, though you do see a lot of diggers purchasing their own jetboils and pocket rockets
These are still current issue to the British Army! Which is why most of the Infantry uses a jetboil or similar!