Vango folding gas stove with heat exchanger cooking set

This foldable gas stove plus heat exchanger cooking set is a very versatile cooking system from Vango, writes This is Mike Gormley’s first attempt.

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These are two separate items in the Vango range, but they work very well together or independently depending on your needs.

Vango offer a range of small camping stoves. This one is listed as a Folding Stove with Windscreen and Piezo. It can be used as a standalone stove or alongside the Ultralight Heat Exchanger Cook Kit, described next. This stove is sturdy and folds up well. It has its own plastic container or can be slotted into the cooking pot if there isn’t a 230g gas cartridge stored there. Preparing the stove is quick and easy as three folding legs form a stable base. An attached windscreen protects the rather large burner which spreads heat over a large area of ​​the cooking pot when in use. The stated performance is that it can heat a pot of one litre of water in around five minutes. I seem to have used this stove on wet and windy days (poor planning or just bad luck?) but I was able to cook a hot meal and brew it as needed.

The Ultralight Heat Exchanger Cook Kit can be broken down into its individual parts depending on your needs. The Heat Exchanger is actually the cooking pot and kettle, which comes with a clear lid and heat resistant handle, as well as a series of draining holes for pasta and a steam vent. This lid is effortless to attach and remove with one hand. The pot itself has a very snug fitting handle that snaps into place and can be released with a squeeze and folded over the top lid to secure it and act as a safe way to hold and move the pot on and off the stove. The pot has an insulated matching lid that also keeps noise down during transport.

As the name suggests, the heat exchanger helps to transfer the valuable heat from the stove into the water or food and protects the flame from the draft. It also features a triangular folding base with two bowls and a folding combined fork/spoon set. A sturdy, effective and efficient design that works well and should last a long time.

Together, this makes for a very good and safe kit that you can fine-tune depending on your travel needs. I have to say, I like a kit like this that has a separate stove and pot, as well as a remote gas cartridge and control so you can keep your hands away from the heat and hot water… especially if it boils over.

(Images © Mike Gormley)

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