“I ran out of fuel to operate my generator and roads were closed, so I couldn’t get more.”

“Propane filling stations all around my house were damaged from the earthquake, which meant that propane was cleared out at the hardware stores. No one could get it.”

If your survival cooker is fueled by any of the following substances, take care! These fuels may not be available when you need them most.

Unleaded and Diesel Fuels – Unleaded and diesel fuels are some of the first resources to disappear in a disaster, and it can take a long time for new supplies to reach your area. GasBuddy's head of petroleum analysis, Patrick DeHaan, described the protracted delays in delivering fuel after Hurricane Michael:

“Most areas begin to see improvement [in fuel availability] within a week of landfall of a major hurricane...Hurricane Michael caused such devastation in the Panama City area that more than 50% of the area’s gas stations still had no fuel 13 days after the disaster was declared.”

Wood – Wood supplies can and do run out. The price of firewood is currently spiking in the US and supplies are running low in Europe. As Fortune.com reports:

“…There are signs of panic buying of the world’s most basic fuel. Hungary even went so far as to ban exports of pellets, and Romania capped firewood prices for six months. Meanwhile, wood stoves can now take months to deliver.”

Wood supplies have gotten so low in parts of Eastern Europe that families are resorting to burning trash. Bloomberg reports that “Residents of a suburb outside Warsaw [Poland] [say] they can smell trash burning everyday now, while some towns are noticing less garbage is being picked up.”

Survival Cooking Can Jeopardize Privacy and Security

When looting is rampant, most residents are eager to keep a low profile. Off-grid cooking, however, can give away your location quickly.

Visibility – Light from a fire pit or smoke from a fireplace signal to everyone around that you are "open for business." There's no telling who might answer that call.

Noise – Some people use a generator to run appliances like electric stoves during an emergency. Unfortunately, generators —even the quiet ones—can make a lot of noise. Survivors often report that their generators make them feel like sitting ducks. The noise announces to anyone within ear shot that you’ve got fuel, food, and other resources for the taking.

Fuel Can COST You

The cost of keeping your stove gassed up—especially when fuel is in short supply—can quickly surpass the price of the unit itself. For example:

Firewood – Wood is a finite resource, and as such is prone to price spikes. We're seeing this right now in Europe, where wood pellets and fire logs have doubled in price in recent months.

Propane – Because propane is such a widely used gas, prices frequently shoot up. Case in point: the price of propane in the US fully TRIPLED between 2019 and 2021.

Our Top Recommendation for Common Off-Grid Cooking Problems

If you’re looking for a survival cooker that avoids the problems listed above, we highly recommend the “VESTA” Self-Powered Indoor Space Heater & Stove by InstaFire.

We like it so much we’ve decided to sell it on MyPatriotSupply.com! 

Here’s what makes VESTA special:

Safety – Because it runs on Ready Hour Canned Heat (made of a special blend of chafing fuel), the VESTA emits little to no smoke or other hazardous fumes.

Even better, the VESTA poses very little fire risk. The chafing fuel burns in an entirely covered, ventilated, metallic chamber. The fuel itself has a low flash point, meaning it’s much less of a fire hazard than more ignitable fuels like propane, gas, and even wood. If spilled, it will not light easily (without a wick)

By any measure, the VESTA is one of the safest indoor heaters we’ve seen—and it requires no electricity to run. 

CLICK HERE TO SEE A VIDEO ABOUT THE VESTA SPACE HEATER & STOVE

Fuel Is Readily Available – Chafing fuel is in much lower demand than propane, gas, and wood, so it’s easy to find. If you pick it up from My Patriot Supply, the chances it will be in stock are VERY high.

Privacy and Discretion – When emergency circumstances require it, staying indoors is often your smartest option. Building a fire outdoors could give away your location. But if you have the VESTA, you won’t have to worry about a thing.

That's because the VESTA casts very little light and emits no smoke. More importantly, it can safely be used indoors, which will keep your activity hidden from the outside world.

It doubles as a space heater!  –Apart from its functionality as a stove, the VESTA is also a SPACE HEATER that warms up a 200-square-foot room. Our testing shows it can raise the temperature in a 30-degree room to 65 degrees quickly!

Super lightweight and easy to carry – Weighing in at just 7.6 pounds, this unit is lighter than most camp stoves and space heaters. The Canned Heat by Ready Hour weighs just 7.11 ounces, a fraction of propane cannisters and wood.

Easy to use and self-contained – Just about any adult can pick up the VESTA and use it right away. You don’t have to be a survivalist or gearhead to easily get it running.

It's hands-down THE BEST option for off-grid cooking. If you're able, pick one up. We've found that you can't go wrong with the VESTA.

Stay fed, stay warm, and stay safe, friends.

In liberty,

Grant Miller

Preparedness Advisor, My Patriot Supply