Anybody had a Biolite for a few years?

HazeDoll · 10-09-2022 01:26PM #1

Every so often I take a look at the Biolite stove and I'm sorely tempted. I've never gone for it though, and my main concern is the short life of things with batteries. Powerbanks, phones etc all suffer from loss of charge retention over time. I would be buying the Biolite in case I need it in the future, mainly as a handy source of power for phones and torches in an emergency. There's no point getting it if it doesn't have much of a future! I have lots of other options for off-grid cooking so that's not such a big consideration.

Can anybody who has had and used a biolite for a few years vouch for it?

ThreeGreens · 10-09-2022 01:34PM

I considered it too. But all the (non-paid) reviews of it that I saw, said that it gives very little charge and you'd need to be feeding it constantly with small dry sticks.

Portable solar doesn't really work in Ireland either. In the end you're best off with a big battery bank of a good brand (I'd suggest a large Anker battery).

Ubbquittious · 10-09-2022 01:43PM

I've seen one in use and I wouldn't bother. I think these use peltier modules which aren't that great. Power bank and solar panel would be better

HazeDoll · 10-09-2022 01:45PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119599653#Comment_119599653

Thanks. The idea is so attractive but a little 'too good to be true.'

I have a good powerbank and a little Texenergy turbine to charge it, but then I'm relying on wind. I think I could come up with a way to use a small river at my house to generate power from it in a real emergency.

Shame. I wanted to 'need' a Biolite...

The Continental Op · 10-09-2022 01:56PM

Another one to take a look at if you can find it anywhere

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kK4ZA2fqvMI

HazeDoll · 10-09-2022 01:56PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119599686#Comment_119599686

That's a pity. I think my reservations were justified so.

HazeDoll · 10-09-2022 01:58PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119599734#Comment_119599734

Hmmmmmm...

Commencing gadget-hungry googling...

Edit: Reviews are not encouraging and the company seems to have stopped fulfilling orders.

The Continental Op · 10-09-2022 02:00PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119599744#Comment_119599744

Let us know what you find. I'm not looking because if I find it I might buy it ;-(

HazeDoll · 10-09-2022 02:04PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119599760#Comment_119599760

Looks like a nope.

The company has stopped fulfilling orders.

HazeDoll · 10-09-2022 03:29PM

Hmmmmmmm...

https://blue-freedom.net/store/

The Continental Op · 10-09-2022 04:25PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119600066#Comment_119600066

Good that's expensive enough for me to say no, if it was down nearer to €200 I'd at least think twice about it.

HazeDoll · 10-09-2022 05:58PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119600267#Comment_119600267

I felt exactly the same!

Ubbquittious · 11-09-2022 12:34AM

300 whole quids for 5 watts of power. This is insane unless it's literally your only way to get power (ie you are going camping by a stream in Northern Iceland for the entire winter and you're only allowed 1kg for your generator).

These startups are a dime a dozen, bunch of fellas put together 5k for some experts to run a kickstarter campaign, they get a website that looks the same as every other similar start up and drum up hype on social media and as soon as they have 150 odd K in the bank it's on the phone to Shenzhen for a bit of injection moulding and their hardware guy orders a pack of circuit boards from JLC. Only other thing they need is a crappy DC motor to spin as a generator using a couple of plastic gears

Anybody had a Biolite for a few years?

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