Mini

I was looking to buy a Trangia spirt burner and stand. When I found out that for about one dollar more I could purchase the T28. This was the burner and stand but also came with a cooking pot, lid/frying pan and pot grip. So why not buy this instead?It has a small pot that holds around 650 ml or about 2 and 1/2 cups, give or take. It is small enough that it fits in a USGi Molle canteen pouch. That is big enough for a one person cook kit.If all you want to do is heat water for a freeze dried meal there are other things more suited for you. But if you also want to actually cook something this might be for you. I like to make a one person stew and soups. It is just the right size for that. Anything bigger and I'll get fatter than I already am.The alcohol stove, or spirt burner if you are not American, not only quickly boils water but by using the simmer ring you can also regulate the heat output. The lid also acts as a small frying pan. It is anodized and can be made nonstick. It is just the right size to cook a couple eggs.With this cook set, a potato, carrot, small onion, small garlic clove, bouillon cube, some spices, a little flour and beef Jerky chunks with a little water, you have all you need to make a stew.It is small, versatile, light weight and easy to clean. On the downside, like all thin aluminum pans, it may have a hot spot. You need to learn how to get around that.Some people complain about the pot gripper. If you use it upside down it can be difficult. It took me maybe 2 seconds to learn how to use it properly. It works great! I have no complaints on that.The stand has sharp edges. Watch out for that. A little fine sandpaper will take care of the problem. The pan is recessed on the bottom edges or maybe it is better to say the bottom center is punched out, so the pot centers itself on the stand and adds to stability when cooking.Another good thing about the stand is that the bottom of the stand is solid. You can put a little alcohol there to help preheat the spirit burner in colder temperatures. There is no need to carry a extra device to put under the stove to heat it.I'm happy with this purchase and would buy another one if I lose this one. But why would I lose this one?

I have a Trangia 27 and use it extensively when solo self-contained cycletouring (up to a month on the road cooking 75% of meals) and backpacking (typically 1 - 3 days). Recently, I have taken an interest in S24O's on the bike and shorter/steeper day hikes into nearby mountains. For these trips all I really need is to heat water for coffee and oatmeal or to make a bowl of soup, beans and/or rice for dinner. For these solo overnight trips the 27 is wonderful...but overkill.For these shorter trips I have been using an MSR PocketRocket and a GSI HA Kettle. It works but the stove is noisy and unstable, the various parts don't nest together so they rattle and take up a bunch of room in my pack and I can't ever figure out how much fuel is still in the canister so I often bring a spare which usually ends up coming home unopened. I don't travel "ultralight" but I also don't like carrying unnecessary fuel.So, I picked up a "scratch and dent" Tranagia 28 here on Amazon for a good price. The stove itself is the same as that in the 27 - a bulletproof, time tested design that can easily carry enough fuel for two quick meals (beans and rice type dinner and instant oats for breakfast) and 2 large cups of coffee/tea/hot chocolate. The pot that comes with the 28 is a bit smaller than the inner pot of the 27 but is still large enough to contain a large can of Campbell's soup. It will also hold enough water to make for one American size cup of coffee and 2 packs of instant oatmeal at one go. The fry/pan lid is a good size to cook two eggs....and the eggs didn't stick! (If you ever want to scrub dishes try making eggs in an HA kettle.)After using all three products: I wasn't ever very happy with the PocketRocket. It's too noisy and unstable and will soon be listed on CL. The GSI Kettle is OK but really limits your cooking to boiling some water. I will keep it...for now. The Trangia 28 (this product) is great for short tours/hikes of a few days duration or if trying to stay really light for distance or speed. I tend to cycletour at a comfortable pace and distance so the 27 will stay in my right front pannier for longer tours (4+ nights). The 28 fits in my backpack very nicely (without rattling!) and is far more useful than the PocketRocket/kettle setup ever was. So, the 28 is my "weapon of choice" for all hikes and shorter (1 - 4 nights) cycle tours.If you are still considering buying something else, consider this: For about $30 you get a good size pot, nice fry pan, great stove, and decent windscreen/pot stand with the Trangia 28. The PocketRocket alone costs about $40 and you still have to buy a pot. For the Trangia, you can buy fuel at any hardware or automotive store as well as many gas stations and grocery stores in the US. The PocketRocket requires visiting a store that has a camping section. Thus, many whole towns don't have anywhere that sell PocketRocket/Jetboil fuel canisters. Ultralight gear (titanium pots and DIY alcohol cat stoves) might work for some folks but I like my food somewhere this side of charcoal and don't like unstable flaming things in the woods.