2012 Gift Guide: BioLite CampStove/HomeStove

Biostove

* I originally posted about the BioLite stoves back in May 2012, but sure enough, I saw pictures of them being used during the recovery from Hurricane Sandy. While it might be overkill to just have one of these on hand for emergency purposes only, I am sure it came in handy for those who had one. That said, at $129 it really isn't that expensive a tool to add to your emergency kit. Cell phones and other electronics are our virtual lifelines these days, and anything that can keep them charged during emergencies is probably a great idea.

The BioLite CampStove (and its larger sibling, the HomeStove) were originally designed to replace less efficient and dangerous open fires in developing countries. That said, the CampStove could easily find a place in your camping (or earthquake preparedness) kit this Summer. It could be just what you need to keep your phone charged and communicating when you need it most.

Available for pre-order at $129, the CampStove not only cooks your food and boils your water, it can also power your USB gadgets like smartphones and LED lights. Even better, it does this using small sticks, pinecones, pellets or other biomass, not large amounts of firewood. The wood is continuously fed into the stove and a thermoelectric generator turns a small fan to aid in complete and efficient combustion of the materials. The excess energy is then available to use for your technology.

More information is available from the BioLite web site

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