Outdoor expert Chris Townsend gives his thoughts on the Robens Fire Beetle…
Remote canister camping stoves are good for use with big pots as they are very stable due to the low profile and wide legs. They can also be a good choice if you’re nervous at the idea of the burner and pot sitting on top of the canister.
Chris Townsend’s verdict
The Fire Beetle is made from stainless steel and should last well. That does make it quite heavy though. The cost is low and it is good value for money.- Stable
- Low profile
- Low cost
- No pre-heat tube
- Needs windscreen
- Not that light
| Quick specs | |
|---|---|
| Price: £41 Weight: 205g Accessories: none Fuel: Butane/propane canister Packed Dimensions: 12.8 x 7cm Burner Diameter: 4.5cm Burner weight: 205g Power: 3000w Boil time: 2min 58sec std pot, 1min 50sec HX pot Fuel used: 10g std pot, 8g HX pot https://www.robens.de |
The Robens Fire Beetle has a typical design for this type of stove with three fold-out legs/pot supports and a flame control lever that sits on the canister. Unlike many such stoves it doesn’t come with a foil windscreen though and doesn’t have a preheat tube so you can’t invert the canister for better performance in freezing conditions. This is a shame as the burner isn’t regulated and so doesn’t work so well in the cold or with almost empty canisters. In more than a gentle breeze a windshield is essential. Foil ones are lightest. The windshield can be wrapped right round the stove as there’s no canister to overheat.
The lack of a regulator and a preheat tube makes the Fire Beetle a three-season stove. For that it works fine, boiling water fast and simmering well. With a fresh canister the boil time was the second fastest of the stoves tested with both the standard and HX pots.
The Robens Fire Beetle is made from stainless steel and should last well. That does make it quite heavy though. The cost is low and it is good value for money.
