This site contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. Full Disclosure Here.
When I first got an EcoZoom Versa rocket stove back in 2011, I barely knew how to start a fire, let alone keep one going. These days, I am pretty darn good at starting fires using my own DIY fire starter plus gathered biomass and kindling. I have even been known to chop a log or two. But most of all, I have become proficient at using the EcoZoom Versa, not so much because I had to, but because it is fun to use. Yes, I know. Preppers can be strange sometimes.
A couple of weeks ago, longtime sponsor EarthEasy.com asked if I would like to review the EcoZoom Versa and to share my experience with Backdoor Survival readers. After explaining that I already owned two EcoZooms, and was a big fan, they offered one up as a giveaway. How could I refuse?
More about the giveaway in a moment. First I would like to share with you a bit about the EcoZoom itself and also my experience cooking from food storage using this remarkable rocket stove.
EcoZoom Versa: The Basics
The EcoZoom Versa is a good sized rocket stove, standing about 12 inches tall and 9 1/2 inches in diameter. In spite of its size, it is easily moved around using the two handles that are built into the sides. It is designed to burn biomass (twigs, leaves, branches and organic materials) as well as charcoal.
As you can see in the photo, there are two hinged doors. The top door, when open, is used to feed wood and biomass into the combustion chamber while the smaller door is used to control airflow, thus regulating the heat. The wire tray that is sticking out of the front holds longer pieces of wood and branches that can be slowly fed into the fire.
Feeding biomass into the EcoZoom Versa
At the top of the stove is a three-pronged cast iron stove top that can support a flat or round bottomed pan, as well as stainless steel handles with silicone grips to assist you in moving the stove. My older EcoZoom is not quite as advanced with its six-pronged top but it still works great.
Although I prefer cooking with biomass (it’s free!), you can also use charcoal briquettes in the EcoZoom. For that, you use the integrated adapter grate. I have found that six charcoal briquettes will burn a long time without being tended.
Finally, according to the EcoZoom website, these stoves use up to 60% less wood than an open fire and decrease smoke and harmful emissions by 70%. I can tell you from personal experience that the EcoZoom emits very little smoke. On the other hand, there is quite a bit of steam generated from your food as it is cooking, always a good sign that the food it getting hot.
EcoZoom Portability
The EcoZoom Versa is easy to move around using the integrated handles with silicone grips. For ultimate portability, however, there is a new carrier bag that you can use for stowing your rocket stove. Let me tell you, this sure beats trying to stuff the EcoZoom back inside its shipping box. It has a sturdy strap making the stove a breeze to transport, plus it has room for a few extra supplies such as firestarter, matches, and even a small amount of biomass.
Real-time Cooking with the EcoZoom and Food Storage
In the past, I frequently used my EcoZoom with and old Revere Ware pot, you know, the kind with a copper bottom. These days, I tend to use cast iron instead. That said, both work well and depending on what you are cooking, you may choose one type of pot over another.
One of the favorite “survival meals” I make from food storage is chili. In the photos below, you see me preparing Chicken Chile using the following recipe.
Food Storage Chicken Chili
2 cups freeze dried chicken ( can omit or substitute FD ground beef)
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups freeze dried sweet corn
1 1/2 cup salsa (I used canned)
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
2 cups pinto beans (I made my own the day before but you could also use canned)
1 can diced tomatoes
1 cup water
Put everything in a Dutch oven or other pot and heat until hot and ready to eat.
Adding the ingredients.
To get things started, I put some pine cones and dry leaves into the upper chamber along with some dryer lint to use as tinder. It all lit up right away so I immediately began to feed in twigs and branches, being mindful not to overload the chamber.
That is something you need to watch for. If you overload the chamber with too much biomass, the fire will choke and go out. The other thing to keep in mind that depending on the thickness and dryness of your fuel source, it may burn quite fast. If you use little branches like I do, you need to mind the stove, so to speak, to keep the fire burning. Kindling sized chunks of wood burn far more slowly so less tending is required.
Sometimes you want the fire to die down a bit. This allows your food to simmer instead of boil. To resurrect a full flame, perhaps for another pot of food, I add additional pine cones or leaves and the fire flames right up again. For someone who was not a girl scout in her youth, I find this amazing.
But I digress and need to get back to my test.
As I mentioned, I had some doubts about using cast iron on the EcoZoom. There was no need, however, since my Lodge Dutch oven was full and yet it only took 10 minutes to come to a full boil. I had to take the lid off to prevent my pot from boiling over which, coupled with letting the fire burn down a bit, allowed my chicken chili to simmer a bit and meld the flavors.
The finished product. Sometimes I omit the chicken and use FD ground beef or no meat at all.
So how did it all turn out? Well other than the fact that Shelly and I were arguing over who got to feed the fire, the chili was delicious and once again, the EcoZoom came through with flying colors.
The Giveaway
Here is the part you have been waiting for. Eartheasy.com is sponsoring a giveaway to win an EcoZoom Versa for free.
A special word about the giveaway question/comment: Please read the question and respond accordingly, even it the answer is “I don’t know”. The question is:
“As of this moment, what arrangements have you made for cooking when the grid is down and traditional sources of power are not available?”
I think the EcoZoom rocket stove is quite remarkable. It is durable, portable and has solid cooking power. Cooking with biomass from my yard is fast and I will say it again, fun. The EcoZoom Versa simply works. Mine sits outside all year long and still looks and cooks like new, although I now plan to store it in its carry bag along with a Swedish fire steel, some dryer lint, and a BIC lighter for one of those just-in-case moments because you just never know.
I would like to thank EarthEasy for sponsoring this giveaway and encourage you to enter. The winner, whoever you are, will not be disappointed.
~~~~~~~~~~
Update: And the Winner Is . . .
Oh my gosh! What a giveaway this has been. Today I am thrilled to announce the winner the recent EcoZoom Versa Rocket Stove giveaway.
The winner is Bob M. who wrote:
If I had only three items in my bug out bag, they would be: a small axe, a water filter, and a fire striker.
Bob was notified and responded back with the following:
I am very VERY pleased to have won the Ecozoom stove. I have been trying to budget for one to take to Ethiopia where the orphanage (where my grandchildren came from) cooks over open fires in a room with no chimney!
My daughter is going back there in the next month for our next two kiddos, and will take it with her.
I am so unbelievably thrilled at this that I am beside myself with joy. This giveaway could not have had a better ending. Now just so you know, Bob’s entry was selected entirely at random using the tools available on the www.random.org website which means everyone had an equal opportunity to win.
The response to the EcoZoom Giveaway was astounding. There were 604 valid entries and sorry, but there were 28 invalid entries. Most of the invalids were from a single person who tried to stuff the ballot box. Shame on you! Most of the others came in after the deadline.
One thing that I do want to point out is that many of you combined two entries into one. I mentioned this a couple of times over on my Facebook page and some of you were able to get your second entry in. For clarification purposes, in the future, when I indicate that a Facebook Like is bonus entry, you must post a separate comment telling me so. Two comments = two entries.
The Remarkable EcoZoom
For those of you that did not win, I encourage you to consider purchasing an EcoZoom as a viable option for cooking outdoors with biomass, wood or charcoal. It is efficient, sturdy, and easy to use. It simply works.
I really do wish I had more than one EcoZoom to giveaway but alas, there is only one. That said, you can count on some new giveaways coming up soon, including a giveaway for a free WonderMill grain mill that will be announced next week. Until then, make every week a prep week!
Enjoy your next adventure through common sense and thoughtful preparation! Gaye
Burning twigs and pinecones, this stove will cook a big pot of rice or chili in under 20 minutes. The stove is solidly built and will burn charcoal as well. Don’t forget to check out the carrier bag. The price as of this writing is $129.95 including free shipping to the lower 48 states.
Bargain Bin: Today I feature products mentioned in today’s article plus other items to enhance your outdoor cooking.
Swedish Firesteel: Using this basic pocket fire-starter, you can get a nice fire going under almost any conditions.
Lodge Dutch Oven/Camp Stove: I originally purchased this Dutch oven because it was so darn cute. But over time, I have learned to love it for its versatility. Remember, a camp stove is designed so that you can bake with it by arranging charcoal on top of the lid as well as underneath the Dutch Oven itself.
US Forge 400 Welding Gloves Lined Leather: These well-priced gloves provide complete heat and burn protection. They are made of soft and supple top grain leather for comfort and pliability, plus they have an internal liner gives more comfort and durability.
Zippo Street Chrome Pocket Lighter: Zippo has been creating virtually indestructible, windproof refillable lighters for more than 75 years. The Zippo Street Chrome pocket lighter is no exception. This lighter features a classic textured chrome finish and carries the same lifetime guarantee–to either work or be fixed by Zippo free of charge–for life. All wearable parts including flints and wicks are replaceable. Every prepper should own at least one Zippo! See What You Need to Know About Zippos and Lighter Fuel.
Once obsessed with technology and gadgets, Chris now spends his time developing his North Dakota woodland into an edible food forest, storing his food for a rainy day.
Let’s see …… Weber charcoal grill, Hibatchi, Kelly Kettle, rocket stove, Volcano stove, 2 lanterns that have a plate on top to warm food, 2 alcohol stoves, 2 esbit stoves, a propane camp stove with oven, a reflector type oven and a propane burner, commonly used for canning. The wood stove in my new house cannot be used for cooking. It is walled in – basically looks like an insert. But for a truly long term incident, I have a small box wood stove and all of the stovepipe and accessories for installation to be able to use it as a second heat source and to cook on.
Oh my. I could write a book. I have a fire pit in my back yard with a tripod over it. I have a 500 gallon propane tank hooked to my ventless fireplace in the living room for heat. It is also hooked to my kitchen stove as well as the stove in the basement I use for canning. I have fire bricks and blocks for building a rocket stove. I have a thick wall 6 inch steel pipe at my grandson’s (but he has now found out about girls, so my project is on the back burner) to cut at a 45 degree angle and then rewelded to make a super-dooper rocket stove. I have a Texas gas cross country high pressure gas line going across my property with a tap. I have a 2 meter satellite dish with reflective mirror tape applied to use for solar cooking. A large variety of Coleman stoves and lanterns with attachments on top in which to cook . I also have all the material to build a thermal mass rocket heater in the basement. I’m just getting to lazy. My wife says to build it or get rid of all that mess on the driveway.
I have a gas grill, Charcoal smoker grill, Natural gas stove with pilot lights(works when the power is out), camping stove, folding Sterno stove, grate for camp fire cooking. I think something like the rocket stove would be a great addition.
Both of our table top propane and charcoal grills we picked up for $10.00 each at end of season clearance, believe it or not at our local Krogers. Watch for sales and clearance at end of season and look in the most unusual places for great deals.
Yeah, I got 9 cans of Coleman camping fuel (white gas) at my local supermarket at 80% off their prices (made it half the price Walmart was charging) at the end of last summer. And I regularly get barbecue gear like disposable grilling pans for 75% off at the end of the season too. I probably have 5+ years worth of that stuff, but every year I’ll clear the shelf at the supermarket when it hits the 75% discount level.
So, everyone should check their supermarkets at the end of the summer for clearance deals, but make sure you know what price you can get things online first since some 50% clearance prices still don’t make it to online discounter prices….
A few years ago we set up a natural gas line to a new grill that is set up just for natural gas. Have a small table top propane grill and a table top Weber charcoal grill with extra supplies. Purchased a camping cooking grate with legs for our indoor fireplace for winter use. There is family that is moving and can’t take their large propane grill so we now have that one to use with 3 tanks. Written instructions and most of the materials to make a solar oven and rocket stove. Fire pit is another item on our to do list for alternative cooking. Gathering supplies to build that now. Also, to cook indoors we have purchased 2 butane burners like you see used at food sample displays in grocery stores, Sam’s Club or Costco along with extra fuel. For our bug out bags we each have a folding stove and fuel to heat a tin cup of something. The EcoZoom would be a great addition. I have tons of biomass between all the trees and pine cones in the neighborhood.
I use a small folding pocket stove and a metal bucket about 2 1/2 feet diameter in which I bolted angle brackets inside the rim for a grill that I found; these two get used the most for both cooking and staying warm. I have plenty of biomass fuel since my 4 foot diameter tree fell. I had to get permission from the city code enforcement people to keep my own fallen tree (hint: it has aesthetic appeal). I also have a good amount of charcoal.The chimney charcoal starter works great for when I’m limited on time. I use matches and lighters to start my fires and have magnesium, propane, butane, fuel tabs, oil, cardboard/wax cat food cans, and an old eye glass piece for backup. Last week I made my first batch of char cloth. I also have a propane camp stove, a butane camp stove, and a single electric burner that I use infrequently. Other than all that, I have a fold-up stainless steel grill, a regular BBQ pit, and a very old small wood burning stove that I’m itching to try out next winter, or possibly sooner.
Chris Thompson
814 Responses to “The Fantastic EcoZoom Versa Rocket Stove Reviewed”
Propane stove, charcoal grill, fire pit with grill grate. Working on a home made rocket stove.
Let’s see …… Weber charcoal grill, Hibatchi, Kelly Kettle, rocket stove, Volcano stove, 2 lanterns that have a plate on top to warm food, 2 alcohol stoves, 2 esbit stoves, a propane camp stove with oven, a reflector type oven and a propane burner, commonly used for canning. The wood stove in my new house cannot be used for cooking. It is walled in – basically looks like an insert. But for a truly long term incident, I have a small box wood stove and all of the stovepipe and accessories for installation to be able to use it as a second heat source and to cook on.
Oh and a sun oven.
Oh my. I could write a book. I have a fire pit in my back yard with a tripod over it. I have a 500 gallon propane tank hooked to my ventless fireplace in the living room for heat. It is also hooked to my kitchen stove as well as the stove in the basement I use for canning. I have fire bricks and blocks for building a rocket stove. I have a thick wall 6 inch steel pipe at my grandson’s (but he has now found out about girls, so my project is on the back burner) to cut at a 45 degree angle and then rewelded to make a super-dooper rocket stove. I have a Texas gas cross country high pressure gas line going across my property with a tap. I have a 2 meter satellite dish with reflective mirror tape applied to use for solar cooking. A large variety of Coleman stoves and lanterns with attachments on top in which to cook . I also have all the material to build a thermal mass rocket heater in the basement. I’m just getting to lazy. My wife says to build it or get rid of all that mess on the driveway.
I have a gas grill, Charcoal smoker grill, Natural gas stove with pilot lights(works when the power is out), camping stove, folding Sterno stove, grate for camp fire cooking. I think something like the rocket stove would be a great addition.
I have a sun oven, a charcoal grill, a camp stove, a gas grill and I am building a rocket stove in the backyard.
I have a little rocket stove, propane camp grill and gas fireplace. This stove looks neat!
I don’t yet have a way to cook should the grid go down. I am just starting to prep.
Both of our table top propane and charcoal grills we picked up for $10.00 each at end of season clearance, believe it or not at our local Krogers. Watch for sales and clearance at end of season and look in the most unusual places for great deals.
Yeah, I got 9 cans of Coleman camping fuel (white gas) at my local supermarket at 80% off their prices (made it half the price Walmart was charging) at the end of last summer. And I regularly get barbecue gear like disposable grilling pans for 75% off at the end of the season too. I probably have 5+ years worth of that stuff, but every year I’ll clear the shelf at the supermarket when it hits the 75% discount level.
So, everyone should check their supermarkets at the end of the summer for clearance deals, but make sure you know what price you can get things online first since some 50% clearance prices still don’t make it to online discounter prices….
A few years ago we set up a natural gas line to a new grill that is set up just for natural gas. Have a small table top propane grill and a table top Weber charcoal grill with extra supplies. Purchased a camping cooking grate with legs for our indoor fireplace for winter use. There is family that is moving and can’t take their large propane grill so we now have that one to use with 3 tanks. Written instructions and most of the materials to make a solar oven and rocket stove. Fire pit is another item on our to do list for alternative cooking. Gathering supplies to build that now. Also, to cook indoors we have purchased 2 butane burners like you see used at food sample displays in grocery stores, Sam’s Club or Costco along with extra fuel. For our bug out bags we each have a folding stove and fuel to heat a tin cup of something. The EcoZoom would be a great addition. I have tons of biomass between all the trees and pine cones in the neighborhood.
I use a small folding pocket stove and a metal bucket about 2 1/2 feet diameter in which I bolted angle brackets inside the rim for a grill that I found; these two get used the most for both cooking and staying warm. I have plenty of biomass fuel since my 4 foot diameter tree fell. I had to get permission from the city code enforcement people to keep my own fallen tree (hint: it has aesthetic appeal). I also have a good amount of charcoal.The chimney charcoal starter works great for when I’m limited on time. I use matches and lighters to start my fires and have magnesium, propane, butane, fuel tabs, oil, cardboard/wax cat food cans, and an old eye glass piece for backup. Last week I made my first batch of char cloth. I also have a propane camp stove, a butane camp stove, and a single electric burner that I use infrequently. Other than all that, I have a fold-up stainless steel grill, a regular BBQ pit, and a very old small wood burning stove that I’m itching to try out next winter, or possibly sooner.