Volcano Grills 2 Fuel Charcoal & Wood Collapsible Stove

I already owned a Volcano II stove before purchasing this one. This time, I purchased the Volcano II stove with the propane option (yes, I know I could have only purchased the propane option itself, but I wanted the second stove). The Volcano II stove can use wood, charcoal, or propane to heat the food. This is a well-built, sturdy stove. It is not light, so it's probably not the right choice for backpackers. However, for those who want a sturdy, well-functioning stove for emergency preparedness, or something they can pop in the car for a trip to the beach, this is the right stove for you.I read one claim where a full meal can be cooked on a Volcano II stove with only 15 briquettes. Guess what? It worked! With the oxygen control lever, you can control the heating intensity vs length of burn. I was able to cook a full 12" Dutch oven full of apple crisp with only 15 briquettes! Thanks to the retracting legs, you can set the stove on almost any surface while cooking. In my case, I set it up on one of my small folding tables you can buy at Wal-Mart or Target. I cooked the meal on the table without any problem or discoloration of the table itself. Setting up is simple - lift the unit by the handle and the legs come down. When you're done, simply wipe out the remaining ashes, then lift it by the base and the legs retract. Couldn't be easier.This is not the type of stove you want to have when you're tailgating or inviting the neighborhood over to sample your steaks. The grill is way too small for something like that. However, when your family wants a steak, use the Volcano II. You can cook a couple of steaks at a time without any problem. This is a terrific, well-built, heavy duty stove that's well worth the money.

I have looked for a small and well made grill for years. I've had several Weber's and a Lodge and some hibachis but they either fall apart or just don't work that well. My main complaint has been the inability to get the coals close enough to to the grill to get some extreme heat - the kind that works best for most everything.This little gem has blown me away with it's smart design. It collapses and expands, it has two levels for the charcoal with the upper being only inches away from the grill, it has great flow and consistent heat. My research showed it was popular with the prepper crowd and while I think of them as generally crazy they do know durable multifunctional gear. This thing rocks. The grill fits perfectly on the top so it doesn't slide - smart. It is very efficient with lump charcoal (don't use briquettes - yuck) and it's also proven to work great with wood as well.My only regret is that I didn't buy the oven cover as well although I did buy the planchet/griddle which is fantastic. It does double duty as my new pizza stone in our home oven and once the cover shows up I'm going to try my hand at pizza while camping. It's capable of some very serious heat which really opens up the doors to what you can do. Another great benefit is that it stays cool under the grill (as least while using the upper coal tray) so it can be set on a table and not worry about ruining the surface. We cook pancakes, bacon, eggs and potatoes on the griddle and steaks and burgers on the grill and I like it so much more than my Weber that I've pretty much retired it save for when we're cooking for a larger group.Perhaps the only downside is the size but I consider it a bonus. The surface is enough space to cook for four or five people which suits our family perfectly. We keep it in our RV now and use it to cook most all our meals while we travel. It's also doing the job at home when I need more heat than the Weber is capable of - unless I burn an entire bag of charcoal. I'm considering a second one just for cooking at home.

I cannot say enough about this stove. I have used it with propane and charcoal fuels and it performs perfectly. I will add that a much needed accessory is the Kevlar Hood, with this added feature you can bake like a pro. I do a lot of Dutch oven cooking and this stove has given me a no fail experience with less fuel and less time. I would suggest that you purchase the propane adapter for large and small canisters because it adds to the versatility but practice first because you really to be conscious of how little heat is needed to cook.I give it a four star because after using several times the legs will jam causing the stove to fold incorrect, a little nudge sets it right.I purchased this stove for family camping and emergency situations and have since bought a second one for baking more than one cake.

It is exactly as described-I have mostly used it with wood but I can't imagine gas would create any problems. It is small and compact so don't expect 10 sq feet of grill surface but with even basic to moderate grill skills you should be able to keep a 5-10 person gathering fed with a minimum of wait times even if you insist on only burning random branches, sticks and twigs from the vicinity. If you are serious and wish to bring some charcoal to the party you can easily extend the cooking volume and time. It is well-thought out and designed but isn't really rocket science-burn your fuel, cook your food and enjoy in a safe compact footprint that stows away easily (not recommended for backpackers-it is pretty heavy to carry more than a mile but easy-peasy for anyone with any kind of modern transportation) once it has cooled off and the coals and ashes have been safely disposed. Set up is almost non-existent-just pull and twist, drop in your wood or charcoal, place the radiator and the grill and sit back and enjoy the primal recipe of food + fire. Love the versatility- probably going to add the dutch oven &cover just because the primary product works so well.