Backpacking and hiking often mean embracing simplicity and resourcefulness, especially when it comes to gear. Imagine my surprise in the spring of 2006 when Ryan Bozis, known as Major Slacker in the hiking community, gifted me a stove made from a Fancy Feast Cat Food can. Initially, I was skeptical. Having relied on a more complex, double-walled stove made from Red Bull cans during my Sea-to-Sea Route hike, this simple Fancy Feast cat food stove seemed too basic to be effective.
However, curiosity and the spirit of experimentation led me to put the Fancy Feast cat food stove to the test against my trusted Red Bull can stove and other designs. The results were astonishing. The Fancy Feast cat food stove proved to be not only faster but also more fuel-efficient than the others. Its minimalist design translated to a lighter weight, fewer materials, minimal construction time, and virtually no cost. Furthermore, it cleverly doubled as its own pot stand, streamlining my entire cooking setup. And unlike some stoves, it required no pre-heating. Since that summer of 2006, this humble Fancy Feast cat food can has been the foundation of my backcountry cooking.
Key Advantages of the Fancy Feast Cat Food Can Stove
This unassuming stove, born from a Fancy Feast cat food container, offers a range of benefits that make it a favorite among lightweight backpackers:
- Ultralight: Weighing in at a mere 0.3 oz (approximately 10 grams), it adds negligible weight to your pack.
- Incredibly Affordable: The cost is minimal – around $0.50 for the Fancy Feast cat food can itself (including tax) and a small investment of $3-$5 for a hole punch.
- Reliable and Durable: With no moving parts to fail or delicate components to break, this stove is remarkably robust. Even if accidentally crushed, it can often be reshaped and reused.
- Integrated Pot Stand: Eliminating the need for a separate pot stand reduces the number of items you need to carry, simplifying your cook system.
- Fuel Efficiency and Readily Available Fuel: It burns denatured alcohol, a budget-friendly and widely accessible fuel. Denatured alcohol can be found in hardware stores (paint department), gas stations (as HEET gas-line antifreeze), and even hiking hostels. Alternative fuels like Everclear or grain alcohol can also be used, though they are more expensive. Fuel storage is simple in readily available plastic bottles.
- Efficient Boiling: Approximately 0.6 oz of denatured alcohol is sufficient to boil about 1.5 cups of water in just 5-7 minutes, depending on factors like pot type, water starting temperature, and windscreen effectiveness.
Considerations and Limitations
While the Fancy Feast cat food stove excels in simplicity and efficiency, it’s important to be aware of its limitations:
- Pot Size Stability: The stove’s 2.5-inch diameter base may not provide adequate stability for larger pots. For bigger cooking needs, consider using a larger can, such as a tuna fish can, as an alternative.
- Smaller Pot Inefficiency: Smaller pots, like 600 ml mugs, might not be optimally heated by the side-burner design of this stove. In such cases, a top-burner model might be more efficient.
- No Simmer Control: The stove lacks a simmer function, meaning there’s no way to adjust the flame intensity. However, for backpackers focused on simple boiling for dehydrated meals, pasta, couscous, and soups, this is generally not an issue.
- No Off Switch: The stove burns until all the fuel is consumed. To extinguish the flame, you must smother it with a pot, mug, dirt, or water. Blowing it out is difficult.
- Boil Time: It is not as fast as white gas or canister stoves. If speed is paramount and a few minutes saved are worth the extra weight of a faster stove, then other options might be preferable. However, the few minutes of boil time can be used productively for other camp tasks.
Crafting Your Own Fancy Feast Cat Food Stove: Supplies and Steps
Ready to create your own ultralight backpacking stove from a Fancy Feast cat food can? Here’s what you’ll need:
- 3-oz Fancy Feast cat food can (or similar sized can): Look for the knock-off brands to save even more.
- Single-hole punch: A standard hole punch works, but an arts & crafts model with a longer reach can be easier to use.
Follow these simple steps to assemble your stove:
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Prepare the Can: Remove the Fancy Feast cat food, thoroughly wash the can, and ensure it is clean.
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Smooth the Edge: Flatten the sharp edge left by the lid using the hole punch (or a butter knife or similar tool) to prevent cuts.
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Punch the Top Row of Holes: Just below the can’s lip, create a complete row of hole punches. Space the holes approximately one-eighth of an inch apart to avoid tearing the tin between holes.
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Punch the Bottom Row of Holes: Below the first row, create a second row of holes. Position these bottom holes directly beneath the gaps between the holes in the upper row.
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Construct a Windscreen: A windscreen is essential for optimal stove performance, especially in windy conditions. Refer to guides on how to make a windscreen specifically for Fancy Feast cat food stoves.
Operating Your DIY Alcohol Stove
Using the Fancy Feast cat food stove is straightforward:
- Pour denatured alcohol into the stove.
- Ignite the alcohol with a match or lighter.
- Allow 20-30 seconds for the fuel to preheat and the stove to prime.
- Place your pot on top of the stove.
For efficient water usage, consider boiling slightly less water than needed for your meal’s rehydration. Once the food has absorbed the boiled water, add non-boiled water to reach the desired consistency. This method conserves fuel, prevents “soupy” meals, and cools down your food for immediate eating.
Variations and Customization
The standard 3-oz Fancy Feast cat food stove is ideal for solo backpacking with pots around 1 liter. For larger pots or group cooking, you can adapt the design by using a larger can, such as a tuna can, following the same construction steps.
Experimenting with the number of holes may influence the stove’s heat output and fuel efficiency. More holes might lead to a hotter but less efficient burn, while fewer holes could result in a cooler but more fuel-efficient flame. The ideal number of holes can depend on various factors, including pot type, water volume, and windscreen efficiency, making precise optimization complex.
Video Instructions
For a visual guide, you can find video instructions online demonstrating the construction process of the Fancy Feast cat food stove.
Embrace the simplicity and ingenuity of the Fancy Feast cat food stove for your next backpacking adventure. It’s a testament to how everyday items can be repurposed into essential and efficient gear for the outdoors.
