Here is a very detailed tutorial that shows how you can make a simple 10 dollar rocket stove out of a section of square tubing. Rocket stoves have been making big waves in the sustainability community over the last several decades due to ease of construction; minimal amount of fuel needed and a high amount of heat output.
Originally designed by Dr. Larry Winiarski at the Aprovecho Research Center in 1982; the simple stove has gone through many redesigns and interpretations over the last 30 years and won the 2009 Ashden International Energy Champion Award. The awards are given to organizations who create and support sustainable energy systems that provide social, economic and environmental benefits. Aprovecho won the award in conjunction with the Shengzhou Stove Manufacturer for mass producing cook stoves that cost less than $10.
Some people will argue that the project in the video is not a true rocket stove because it does not follow Dr. Winiarski’s design principle of adding insulation. While that may be true, it’s still a pretty cheap method of making an energy efficient cook stove. If you do not have the tools or experience to tackle this; it should be able to be fabricated at a local shop for a relatively inexpensive cost. Another option would be to check if your local high school offers a shop class; maybe the teacher might just think the project is interesting enough to have the students make it for you.
You can see Dr. Winiarski’s 10 design principles below.
