Building a better stove seemed like a hard task to do. Our EcoZoom rocket stoves have always been loved for their durability, performance, and ease of use. That being said we have received feedback from customers along the way pointing out how we could improve our stoves. Some of the suggestions were simple, while others were more complicated. As we looked at our stove line we looked to keep the updates simple yet high impact.

The first component we addressed were the handles. Our old stoves used wire handles that offered flexibility but didn't necessarily inspire long-term confidence. They were flexible but lacked a stiffness for carrying and moving the stove around without wondering if they were going to bend or break over time. The solution was to instead use stainless steel handles that offered a proper stiffness for carrying and moving the rocket stove around when needed. We then wrapped the handles with silicone grips to ensure that the handles don't become hot when the stove is in use and that you can actually shift the stove when in use if need be.

The other major update to the stove is the cast iron top. While our former top was nice and sturdy, it had six stabilizing prongs that emerged vertically from the top of the stove and were very sharp in terms of their shape. This sharpness could lead to increased wear over time where the prongs could crack or chip easily based on their thin profile. To address this concern we flattened out the prongs of the stoves so that they are less prone to chip. We also added in grooves to the prongs to help keep your stove from shifting based on the friction they create. Lastly, we reduced the number of prongs from six to three since they prongs are wider, decreasing the number of features that could possible by compromised.

Finally, we made the stove body more sleek and lightened up its total weight. The top stove diameter was reduced by 2cm but doesn't affect what types of pots or pans you can use with the stove. Cookware that has a larger diameter than the stove top still work perfectly, although you will quickly notice that a 10" pot/pan fits perfectly on the top of the stove. To make the stove lighter we have insulated the body of the stove with a ceramic fiber insulation. This insulation still provides ample insulation but saves the stove nine pounds in weight, making it easier to transport and move. Outside of weight savings, it also reduces the cracking and chipping risk that comes with using a solid piece of ceramic.

Our latest product enhancements have all made using our classic rocket stoves even more easy and enjoyable. As always, we look forward to hearing from our customers on what they think about our new stoves and where our next product enhancement should be focused.