Given the increase in the price of gas and the difficulty in accessing alternatives such as solar or wood-fired stoves with cement, this article teaches a quick, safe and completely free solution for cooking in emergency situations: a stove made with recycled cans, stones and homemade materials.

Materials Needed

• 1 large can (such as powdered milk)
• 1 empty can of insecticide
• 1 ordinary can (can be vegetable or soup)
• Gravel, stones or sand
• Plastic bag
• 4 large stones to hold the pot
• Firewood or dry branches
• Basic tools: knife, tweezers, marker, nail

Steps to Building the Stove

1. Prepare the cans

• Remove the lid from the large can.
• Place the can of insecticide inside and mark the necessary cuts to fit it.
• Make “pizza” cuts on the edges to make it easier to fit.
• Remove the residual air from the insecticide can and pierce it so that it does not explode.
• Insert this can into the can of powdered milk.

2. Assemble the structure

• Cut another opening the size of the regular can into the side of the large can.
• Fit that second can forming an “L” shape where you will feed the fire.
• Place a bag inside the main can and fill it with gravel or gravel.

3. Prepare the cooking base

• Remove the bag and put four rocks around the stove as a support for the pot.
• Make sure they are higher than the stove to allow air to circulate.

Ignition and Use

• Place thin wood through the side tube to start the fire.
• Once lit, add larger branches to keep the flame going.
• You can use dry wood or pruning remains.
• In the absence of gravel, use sand as thermal insulation. Wet slightly to prevent the wind from blowing it into the pot.

Practice

• Use only dry wood, never green or wet.
• Store branches in a protected place to have them available when you need to cook.
• Do not leave the stove unattended while it is on.
• Ideal for emergencies, camping or energy saving.

Advantages of this Stove

• Totally free and reusable.
• It does not require cement, mud or special tools.
• Easy to assemble in less than an hour.
• Ideal for rural areas, blackouts or crisis situations.

For a better understanding of this content we invite you to watch the following video from the Soy Víctor Internacional channel:

This homemade stove not only helps you save gas, but can be a vital tool in contexts of emergency or energy poverty. Taking advantage of recycled materials for cooking is a sustainable, accessible and effective way to solve an everyday problem.