It's an oil lamp you can cook food on.
I don't know that I would trust it to cook a fat steak like they show in some of their marketing images, but I expect it's comparible to my little alcohol stove I use to heat canned foods as well as water for soups/drinks when the power is out. I do like that it's multipurpose and another backup method to heat food, but what I really like is that you can buy replacement parts including the heatproof glass:
https://www.thouswinds.com/collections/new-in/products/thouswind-firedance-oil-lamp-stove?variant=44442212958400
I was disappointed that the tiny griddle in their images is not sold on their site. Where the heck does one get a little six inch or so griddle (that is actually for cooking food and not just a toy)?
The oil lamp stove is also available on Amazon, AliExpress, etc, all for varying prices, but I didn't see any that were less than $127.99.
Quote from: Anianna on December 29, 2025, 01:16:00 AMI was disappointed that the tiny griddle in their images is not sold on their site. Where the heck does one get a little six inch or so griddle (that is actually for cooking food and not just a toy)?
The text on it reads "Gaobabu" and a quick search turns up the "Gaobabu Multi-Grill Plate for mess tin".
Amazon: https://a.co/d/g2EAYAn
eBay: https://ebay.us/m/L7Xifq
My question is:
"Is a $123 wick-based lantern-stove economically or functionally superior to an alcohol stove (and traditional oil lamp), when measured by: boil time, simmer control, maintenance, fuel availability, and total system cost including lighting?"
A cat can stove is free not including the alcohol. Or a Coleman unleaded/white gas pump stove is way less expensive and burns and cooks way better. A simple knock off oil lantern can be had for $20.
Cooking with an oil wick is not ideal. I think a larger wood gas stove made out of a coffee can would perform much better. There is the Rayo Lantern Cooker for $54. But I still think a separate fully functional cooker and light is a better option.
Screenshot_20251230_161021_Amazon Shopping.jpg
https://a.co/d/8l9ZnuV
Quote from: Moab on December 30, 2025, 02:12:19 AMMy question is:
"Is a $123 wick-based lantern-stove economically or functionally superior to an alcohol stove (and traditional oil lamp), when measured by: boil time, simmer control, maintenance, fuel availability, and total system cost including lighting?"
A cat can stove is free not including the alcohol. Or a Coleman unleaded/white gas pump stove is way less expensive and burns and cooks way better. A simple knock off oil lantern can be had for $20.
Cooking with an oil wick is not ideal. I think a larger wood gas stove made out of a coffee can would perform much better. There is the Rayo Lantern Cooker for $54. But I still think a separate fully functional cooker and light is a better option.
Screenshot_20251230_161021_Amazon Shopping.jpg
https://a.co/d/8l9ZnuV
Who cares about functionality? Look at it! It's glorious.
I'd see it more as a "need light, heat up your mulled wine/ soup at the same time" use. Similar to wood stoves with a heating nook or inbuilt samovar.
Quote from: tirls on December 30, 2025, 06:13:17 AMQuote from: Moab on December 30, 2025, 02:12:19 AMMy question is:
"Is a $123 wick-based lantern-stove economically or functionally superior to an alcohol stove (and traditional oil lamp), when measured by: boil time, simmer control, maintenance, fuel availability, and total system cost including lighting?"
A cat can stove is free not including the alcohol. Or a Coleman unleaded/white gas pump stove is way less expensive and burns and cooks way better. A simple knock off oil lantern can be had for $20.
Cooking with an oil wick is not ideal. I think a larger wood gas stove made out of a coffee can would perform much better. There is the Rayo Lantern Cooker for $54. But I still think a separate fully functional cooker and light is a better option.
Screenshot_20251230_161021_Amazon Shopping.jpg
https://a.co/d/8l9ZnuV
Who cares about functionality? Look at it! It's glorious.
I'd see it more as a "need light, heat up your mulled wine/ soup at the same time" use. Similar to wood stoves with a heating nook or inbuilt samovar.
Right? It's so cute.
Quote from: Moab on December 30, 2025, 02:12:19 AMMy question is:
"Is a $123 wick-based lantern-stove economically or functionally superior to an alcohol stove (and traditional oil lamp), when measured by: boil time, simmer control, maintenance, fuel availability, and total system cost including lighting?"
A cat can stove is free not including the alcohol. Or a Coleman unleaded/white gas pump stove is way less expensive and burns and cooks way better. A simple knock off oil lantern can be had for $20.
Cooking with an oil wick is not ideal. I think a larger wood gas stove made out of a coffee can would perform much better. There is the Rayo Lantern Cooker for $54. But I still think a separate fully functional cooker and light is a better option.
Screenshot_20251230_161021_Amazon Shopping.jpg
https://a.co/d/8l9ZnuV
Yea, that's why I mention it as another backup. I have a little alcohol stove and a rocket stove for if the available fuel is wood, but I also already have oil lamp oil for my oil lamps, so an oil lamp that can also hold a pot is just another way to use the available resources.
I admit that I had not seen that particular model, but, after reading the reviews, I think I'll spend the extra money if I'm going to have a lantern that doubles as a cooker. Extra expense doesn't always equal better quality, but sometimes cheap is just cheap.
Quote from: Anianna on December 30, 2025, 10:15:31 PMQuote from: tirls on December 30, 2025, 06:13:17 AMQuote from: Moab on December 30, 2025, 02:12:19 AMMy question is:
"Is a $123 wick-based lantern-stove economically or functionally superior to an alcohol stove (and traditional oil lamp), when measured by: boil time, simmer control, maintenance, fuel availability, and total system cost including lighting?"
A cat can stove is free not including the alcohol. Or a Coleman unleaded/white gas pump stove is way less expensive and burns and cooks way better. A simple knock off oil lantern can be had for $20.
Cooking with an oil wick is not ideal. I think a larger wood gas stove made out of a coffee can would perform much better. There is the Rayo Lantern Cooker for $54. But I still think a separate fully functional cooker and light is a better option.
Screenshot_20251230_161021_Amazon Shopping.jpg
https://a.co/d/8l9ZnuV
Who cares about functionality? Look at it! It's glorious.
I'd see it more as a "need light, heat up your mulled wine/ soup at the same time" use. Similar to wood stoves with a heating nook or inbuilt samovar.
Right? It's so cute.
Well, if anyone's interested in trying it out, this is about the best price I could find. $42.41 delivered (https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256806589733796.html?spm=a2g0o.detail.pcDetailTopMoreOtherSeller.1.10846869fK3AbV&gps-id=pcDetailTopMoreOtherSeller&scm=1007.40050.354490.0&scm_id=1007.40050.354490.0&scm-url=1007.40050.354490.0&pvid=9db8697c-111c-440d-8a32-7d7a48c5d3f2&_t=gps-id:pcDetailTopMoreOtherSeller,scm-url:1007.40050.354490.0,pvid:9db8697c-111c-440d-8a32-7d7a48c5d3f2,tpp_buckets:668%232846%238110%231995&isseo=y&pdp_ext_f=%7B%5C"order%5C"%3A%5C"80%5C"%2C%5C"eval%5C"%3A%5C"1%5C"%2C%5C"sceneId%5C"%3A%5C"30050%5C"%2C%5C"fromPage%5C"%3A%5C"recommend%5C"%7D&pdp_npi=6%40dis!USD!70.58!44.91!!!70.58!44.91!%402101c44517671846513432121e5df6!12000038263585213!rec!US!!ABXZ!1!0!n_tag%3A-29910%3Bd%3A2c02ca65%3Bm03_new_user%3A-29895%3BpisId%3A5000000187773236&utparam-url=scene%3ApcDetailTopMoreOtherSeller%7Cquery_from%3A%7Cx_object_id%3A1005006776048548%7C_p_origin_prod%3A). ETA: Never mind, that was just for the f*cking storage bag. AliExpress wants $300+ for the actual stove. Looks like Walmart's $119 clone is your best bet.Agree it's adorable. I have a bit of a weakness for Youtube antique restoration videos (OK, they're totally my kryptonite - there's something soothing, almost zen-like about them) and coincidentally, I recently
got lulled into a nearly catatonic state by watched one about this kind of device. Apparently they were at one time a functional and fairly common item.
Looks like fuel selection is really important. And as tiny as EBuff's accessory Multi-Grill Plate is, I bet it does a better job than a large frying pan at concentrating the modest heat this thing produces for cooking.
Quote from: majorhavoc on December 31, 2025, 06:49:27 AMQuote from: Anianna on December 30, 2025, 10:15:31 PMQuote from: tirls on December 30, 2025, 06:13:17 AMQuote from: Moab on December 30, 2025, 02:12:19 AMMy question is:
"Is a $123 wick-based lantern-stove economically or functionally superior to an alcohol stove (and traditional oil lamp), when measured by: boil time, simmer control, maintenance, fuel availability, and total system cost including lighting?"
A cat can stove is free not including the alcohol. Or a Coleman unleaded/white gas pump stove is way less expensive and burns and cooks way better. A simple knock off oil lantern can be had for $20.
Cooking with an oil wick is not ideal. I think a larger wood gas stove made out of a coffee can would perform much better. There is the Rayo Lantern Cooker for $54. But I still think a separate fully functional cooker and light is a better option.
Screenshot_20251230_161021_Amazon Shopping.jpg
https://a.co/d/8l9ZnuV
Who cares about functionality? Look at it! It's glorious.
I'd see it more as a "need light, heat up your mulled wine/ soup at the same time" use. Similar to wood stoves with a heating nook or inbuilt samovar.
Right? It's so cute.
Well, if anyone's interested in trying it out, this is about the best price I could find. $42.41 delivered (https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256806589733796.html?spm=a2g0o.detail.pcDetailTopMoreOtherSeller.1.10846869fK3AbV&gps-id=pcDetailTopMoreOtherSeller&scm=1007.40050.354490.0&scm_id=1007.40050.354490.0&scm-url=1007.40050.354490.0&pvid=9db8697c-111c-440d-8a32-7d7a48c5d3f2&_t=gps-id:pcDetailTopMoreOtherSeller,scm-url:1007.40050.354490.0,pvid:9db8697c-111c-440d-8a32-7d7a48c5d3f2,tpp_buckets:668%232846%238110%231995&isseo=y&pdp_ext_f=%7B%5C"order%5C"%3A%5C"80%5C"%2C%5C"eval%5C"%3A%5C"1%5C"%2C%5C"sceneId%5C"%3A%5C"30050%5C"%2C%5C"fromPage%5C"%3A%5C"recommend%5C"%7D&pdp_npi=6%40dis!USD!70.58!44.91!!!70.58!44.91!%402101c44517671846513432121e5df6!12000038263585213!rec!US!!ABXZ!1!0!n_tag%3A-29910%3Bd%3A2c02ca65%3Bm03_new_user%3A-29895%3BpisId%3A5000000187773236&utparam-url=scene%3ApcDetailTopMoreOtherSeller%7Cquery_from%3A%7Cx_object_id%3A1005006776048548%7C_p_origin_prod%3A). ETA: Never mind, that was just for the f*cking storage bag. AliExpress wants $300+ for the actual stove. Looks like Walmart's $119 clone is your best bet.
Agree it's adorable. I have a bit of a weakness for Youtube antique restoration videos (OK, they're totally my kryptonite - there's something soothing, almost zen-like about them) and coincidentally, I recently got lulled into a nearly catatonic state by watched one about this kind of device. Apparently they were at one time a functional and fairly common item.
Looks like fuel selection is really important. And as tiny as EBuff's accessory Multi-Grill Plate is, I bet it does a better job than a large frying pan at concentrating the modest heat this thing produces for cooking.
I have a soft spot for cast iron.