Billy can, mess tins..............

[IanG]

Hello,
beginner here looking for some advice regarding cooking utensils. I have seen billy cans, mess tins and portable stoves, but I have no idea of the pros and cons of each. So rather than blindly buy something I was hoping all you more experienced folks could shed some light on this and share your opinions. I have got a stainless steel water canteen coated in heat proof paint which I can use for boiling water, but any help regarding the various cooking utensils would be much appreciated.
Cheers folks
Ian

[Silverback]

tall thin pots like zebra billies are designed to nestle up against a fire wjith the heat up the sides, large shallow ones like the tatonka are designed to be suspended over a fire - but both types can do either job.

In my experience with Aluminium mess tins they are versatile and lightweight but prone to damage because they are very thin. Stainless steel is heavier but more robust and resistant to scouring etc. Im not a fan of none stick stuff as invariably it isnt ;) (must be my cooking)

There are several threads running at the moment if you use the search option

[Silverback]

http://www.naturalbushcraft.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?5861-What-cooking-set-up-do-you-currently-use&highlight=mess+tins

http://www.naturalbushcraft.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?5964-What-do-you-cook-in-your-%28zebra%29-billy-can&highlight=mess+tins

[beermaker]

Keep your eyes skinned in the charity shops and pound shops - can pick up stainless steel tea caddies and biscuit/bread bins that are easily modded into billies and dixies. I just got a clagger of a biscuit barrel in Help the Aged for £2, would have had the huge bread barrel that was next to it for a fiver but the missus was with me and said no!

[Kernowek Scouser]

As above and also, what are you hoping to cook?

Personally, when out for an overnighter or longer, I favour the cheap as chips Swedish Army Trangia
8998
linky to several variants (http://www.militarymart.co.uk/index.php?search%5Bkeywords%5D=trangia&_a=category)

Available in a variety of grades, in both Ali and SS. As is, you have a billy that you can boil stuff in over a meths stove or an open fire, with a little modding, you can also cook with hexi tabs, gel fuel and a small controlled fire (the modding prevents scorching the ground you are cooking on). You can also fry eggs, actual bacon rashers or canned spamalot rashers should the mood take you.

Not ideal if you intend to cook anything a bit more elaborate, but at £20 at the top end of the scale, which is a Friday afternoon in the pub (for me at least, on a good Friday:D) it might be work a punt.

Good luck & welcome,

Atb.

Colin
As always, no affiliation blah, blah, yada, yada

[alvino78]

As above and also, what are you hoping to cook?

Personally, when out for an overnighter or longer, I favour the cheap as chips Swedish Army Trangia
8998
linky to several variants (http://www.militarymart.co.uk/index.php?search%5Bkeywords%5D=trangia&_a=category)

Available in a variety of grades, in both Ali and SS. As is, you have a billy that you can boil stuff in over a meths stove or an open fire, with a little modding, you can also cook with hexi tabs, gel fuel and a small controlled fire (the modding prevents scorching the ground you are cooking on). You can also fry eggs, actual bacon rashers or canned spamalot rashers should the mood take you.

Not ideal if you intend to cook anything a bit more elaborate, but at £20 at the top end of the scale, which is a Friday afternoon in the pub (for me at least, on a good Friday:D) it might be work a punt.

Good luck & welcome,

Atb.

Colin
As always, no affiliation blah, blah, yada, yada
agreed!!! great set if your a starter or old hand!

[snowleopard]

I have a folding stove and a billy can that I take out with me.

[Humakt]

The answer to your question depends on how you intend on cooking with them - on fire, on meths, on gas? Hanging from a wire? Or do you have a grill? Or resting on the coals?
Hard to answer without more details or all you'll end up with is lots of recommendations many of which will be no use to you.

[IanG]

Apologies with the very late reply but thankyou to everyone for sharing their advice and recommendations.
Regarding what fuels to cook with, thats another thing entirely for me as I am new to this so I have no idea as to the pros and cons of each. Cooking on a fire is something I would like to get to grips with and then start thinking about trying out some of the methods using fuels. So much to learn when you look into this.

[Tony1948]

You'r right about the learning bit I'v been going out into the woods since I was about 10 and I'm still learning so thats 55years you a bit to go,keep at it,Atb.......Dont get eaten by the bears.........TONY.

[Tigger004]

I mostly use one pot and it has to do on any fire or stove, wood or fluid powered, I say mostly because I have a couple of size variants to suit the occasion,
My main pot is a 1.6 tatonka stainless kettle (billy) cheap on amazon

[Johnnyboy1971]

I mostly use one pot and it has to do on any fire or stove, wood or fluid powered, I say mostly because I have a couple of size variants to suit the occasion,
My main pot is a 1.6 tatonka stainless kettle (billy) cheap on amazon

+1 on the Tatonka 1.6. I use mine as a kettle and a pan and love it to bits. I use it on open flame and meths. My only concession is a jetboil zip, I know its bulky but when you wake in the middle of the night or first thing in the morning it gets the water hot quick for that essential cuppa. I have also cooked peas and carrots in mine while the meat has been cooking in the tatonka.

[ADz]

+1 on the Tatonka 1.6. I use mine as a kettle and a pan and love it to bits. I use it on open flame and meths. My only concession is a jetboil zip, I know its bulky but when you wake in the middle of the night or first thing in the morning it gets the water hot quick for that essential cuppa. I have also cooked peas and carrots in mine while the meat has been cooking in the tatonka.

Why not make a brew night before and put it in a Thermos mug, then its ready for you even quicker then the Jetboil and less bulky ;)

Also +1 for the 1.6 Tatonka, Not had chance to use mine yet though.

[IanG]

I have been thinking about this and from what I have read a meths burner seems a good option. The hexi stove was something else I was considering but from what I have read they seem to use up a lot of fuel. Mind you, I have used neither so I cant say for myself. Maybe those of you that have can advise between the two.

[Whistle]

I have been thinking about this and from what I have read a meths burner seems a good option. The hexi stove was something else I was considering but from what I have read they seem to use up a lot of fuel. Mind you, I have used neither so I cant say for myself. Maybe those of you that have can advise between the two.

HI IanG ... For myself , I prefer Meths stoves ... Gas stoves are great , very quick but noisy ,

sometimes you don't want to disturb the peace and quiet .

Hexi stoves have their place but I don't like the fishy stink they give off

and the tabs can occasionally be difficult to light ...

Fires can be a dead giveaway if you are trying to be stealthy ,

you can smell wood smoke miles away !!!

Meths stoves are quiet , odourless , simple to use , virtually maintenance free ,

don't soot up your pots like fires or wood burning stoves do and are cheap to run ...

I likeee ... Purely personal choice !!! Cheers Whistle

[Realbark]

Well i have been a bit of a stove/pot geek. I have a number of billys but my favourite, and most used, is my Hobo billy from Wilkos. Cost about £3.00 and does what it should - dosent melt and heats/cooks grub. I made a handle (bail arm :) ) from fencing wire for open fire cooking and used in conjunction with a cut-down pot gripper it does all i need it to. For other cooking i use a tatonka meths stove which works well - the large capacity is excellent! IMO the hexis are ok at a push but thats it. If you are on your own keep the pot small as larger justs wastes fuel even if its shiny and labelled. HTH.

[Tigger004]

HI IanG ... For myself , I prefer Meths stoves ... Gas stoves are great , very quick but noisy ,

sometimes you don't want to disturb the peace and quiet .

Hexi stoves have their place but I don't like the fishy stink they give off

and the tabs can occasionally be difficult to light ...

Fires can be a dead giveaway if you are trying to be stealthy ,

you can smell wood smoke miles away !!!

Meths stoves are quiet , odourless , simple to use , virtually maintenance free ,

don't soot up your pots like fires or wood burning stoves do and are cheap to run ...

I likeee ... Purely personal choice !!! Cheers Whistle

I agree with this post , meths over hexi every time but it can spill or leak

[wildish64]

i ditched the meths and use bio-ethanol now,much cleaner,hotter and no smell. also a fraction of the price of meths...2liters £5 from B&Q

[roberts]

Hmmm tough one I wouldn't go to the expense of a zebra as they can be restrictive to hat you can cook in a small packable one say 12 inch I mean you carnt fry steak or make a propper fry up , mess tins are great or frying pan with folding handle and metal mug for brewing up

[Johnnyboy1971]

Why not make a brew night before and put it in a Thermos mug, then its ready for you even quicker then the Jetboil and less bulky ;)

Also +1 for the 1.6 Tatonka, Not had chance to use mine yet though.

Thermos mug, can't cook in that can i;) if I'm not able to have an open fire I still have a way of cooking.

[Old Guard]

I have used quite a few different pot & pans ... but I am going back to basic mess tins (non-stick coating), as I feel they are more versitile, for my style of cooking (British Army have used them in the rectagular style since 1937, so they must have something going for them :D)