I like Esbit fuel for shorter trips. It’s not quite as efficient as my alcohol stoves, but they do have some advantages. I use either an Esbit “tray” in my Emberlit Fire Ant stove or the Esbit titanium folding stove (which is really tiny). Where I find the solid fuel tabs handy is when using my natural fuel stoves and the weather sucks to the point I don’t want to deal with damp or wet wood. For a minimalist, short distance setup, I really like that titanium folding stove; the only issue is it’s hard to stack fuel tabs if you have a larger pot, but if managed right it works for warming a couple cups of water for a meal and/or hot drink.
I’ve found Esbit brand fuel tabs are the best. Coghlans’ fuel tables are far less efficient to the point it’s almost a two-to-one ratio when comparing the two. Fuel tablets do smell. I store the tablets in an Alosak bag and of course, they have a distinct smell when burning…that smell really bugs some people. Residue is another issue to be aware of. It’s a pain to clean off the bottom of your pot, but it’s still manageable. Coating your pot with a little soap before use and storing it in a dedicated bag to keep it from dirtying up your other gear when packed.
That compact folding stove is nice, because it creates about the right height to minimize too much residue; however, you really need a good windscreen to maximize efficiency. I just use some aluminum foil and you just need to eliminate as much wind as possible. This is where Esbit isn’t often the best choice if you’re trying to boil water for purification. I typically just filter water first and use that to heat up because I may not always get a rolling boil.
If you can find an efficient setup without adding too much extra weight, the nice aspect is getting a pretty good idea how much water you can heat up with one tablet and plan accordingly. What you can’t do is “cook” using Esbit tablets. I know you can get some different stoves that allow you to simmer, but I think that defeats the purpose of this kind of minimalist setup. Much like alcohol, I use these stoves to get me hot water which is then added to a dehydrated or freeze-dried meal/soup, or used to make a hot beverage. I still prefer alcohol, but my small Esbit stove and fuel tablets (Esbit brand) is about half the weight of my alcohol setup for the same number of “boiled” water meals/drinks. Also, much like alcohol, these stoves require a little more planning and patience than your typical gas stove or Jetboil.
ROCK6