Alcohol stove or portable gas stove: which should restaurants and families choose?

When preparing a hotpot meal, a buffet or table service at a restaurant, many people are unsure whether to use an alcohol stove or portable gas stove. Both are compact and easy to move, but they serve rather different purposes. Let us compare them so you can choose the right one.

What is an alcohol stove?

An alcohol stove burns solid alcohol fuel (dry fuel) or gel fuel, held in a cup or tray beneath the pot. The flame is small and steady, and cannot be turned up or down as easily as a gas stove. Alcohol stoves are usually used to keep warm a small hotpot, a buffet tray or food that has already been cooked. See the MS-001 alcohol stove.

What is a portable gas stove?

A portable gas stove (also called a camping gas stove) uses a butane canister, with a control knob to adjust the flame and ignition by turning the knob. The flame is strong and cooks quickly, making it suitable for cooking: hotpot, grilling, stir-frying, cooking noodles and boiling water. See the VNG/BG003 portable gas stove, which uses 220 – 250g butane mini gas canisters.

Alcohol stove vs portable gas stove compared

Alcohol stove or portable gas stove: which to choose?

• Restaurants, hotpot restaurants: dishes that need to be cooked at the table (seafood hotpot, beef hotpot, grilled food) call for a portable gas stove, so the flame is strong and customers do not have to wait long. Dishes that are already cooked and only need keeping hot (single-portion mini hotpots, braised or stewed dishes) can use an alcohol stove.
• Buffets, events, wedding receptions: an alcohol stove under a chafing tray is the familiar choice because it is compact and can be placed in many positions at once.
• Families: a portable gas stove is more versatile — for hotpot and grilling at the table, and as a back-up during a power cut or when the gas cylinder runs out unexpectedly.
• Picnics, camping: a portable gas stove can cook many dishes; an alcohol stove is light and compact if you only need simple reheating. Outdoors, shield the flame from the wind and keep it away from tents and dry grass.

Running costs

Do not look only at the purchase price of the stove; factor in the cost of fuel over your actual usage time. An alcohol stove usually has a low upfront cost, but each cup of fuel only burns for a certain length of time and is mainly for keeping food warm. A portable gas stove costs more upfront, and running costs depend on the number of gas canisters used according to flame level and cooking time — see how long a mini gas canister lasts.

Safety notes

With an alcohol stove:

• Never add fuel while the stove is burning or still hot; wait until the flame is completely out and the stove has cooled before replacing the fuel. If you use liquid alcohol, do not overfill, and wipe up any spills before lighting.
• An alcohol flame can be very hard to see in daylight; do not put your hand over the top of the stove to test it.
• Place the stove on a flat, stable surface, away from tablecloths, paper and flammable items.
• Put out the flame with a metal snuffer lid or the lid of the fuel can; do not blow it out or throw water on it.

With a portable gas stove:

• Do not use pots, pans or grill plates so wide that they cover the whole stove and the canister compartment; do not wrap foil around the stove.
• Do not let the gas canister get excessively hot; do not place two stoves close together.
• Fit the canister correctly, turn the knob off when not in use and remove the canister after cooking.

For detailed guidance, see how to use a portable gas stove safely.

Storing stoves and fuel

• Solid alcohol fuel, gel fuel: keep tightly closed in a dry, cool place, away from heat sources and out of the reach of children.
• Mini gas canisters: keep in a cool place, out of the sun; do not leave them in a car parked in the sun.
• Stoves: wipe clean and store in their box to keep out dust and dirt.

Restaurants that have opted for portable gas stoves for hotpot can refer to how to plan stoves and reserve butane stock for a hotpot restaurant, so they have enough stoves and canisters for their tables and a clear routine for staff.

For weddings and conferences that use alcohol burners to keep buffet dishes warm, our guide to planning buffet alcohol burners for events helps you position burners safely, estimate fuel, and put them out and clear them away properly afterwards.

Frequently asked questions

Written by the VietnhatGas technical and sales team — a batch manufacturer of LPG cylinders. This content is for reference; regulations and standards may change, so please check the current texts.