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Fire Dragon - Burner

Overview

The Fire Dragon burner / folding cooker is a solid-fuel, folding, multi-fuel type stove produced by BCB (a UK manufacturer). It’s designed for minimalism: a lightweight, compact cooker for boiling water or basic cooking using solid fuel tabs or gel fuel, windshields folded into side walls, and a tray that holds the fuel. It is also part of issued kit in the British military in some specs, using the FireDragon fuel tabs / gel. The cooker folds down small, the fuel tabs are compact, and it emphasises simplicity and reliability over speed or output.


Strengths


  1. Very Compact & Lightweight The cooker folds flat, takes little space, and weighs modestly (~110 g for the cooker alone). Fuel tabs are also small and light.

  2. Multi-Fuel FlexibilityWhile optimised for FireDragon fuel tabs / gel, it can work with generic solid fuel, gel fuel, etc. Useful in field when proprietary fuel isn’t available.

  3. Good Wind Protection / Integrated Windscreens The side panels double as windscreens when opened, helping to contain flame and improve efficiency.

  4. Fuel Efficiency & Speed (for Solid Fuel) FireDragon tabs are reported to boil ~500 ml of water in about 5 minutes under good conditions. That’s relatively fast compared to many solid fuel/gel/tab systems.

  5. Durable Build & Mil-Spec Grade Fuel Both the cooker and fuel are NATO approved. The build is solid metal folding walls; fuel tabs are designed to burn clean with low soot.

  6. Fuel Storage Integrated into CookerThe stove can carry three fuel tabs inside itself when folded. That helps reduce bulk / packaging to bring.

Weaknesses


  1. Limited Output for Larger Volumes or Cold Conditions One tab often is not enough to boil 500 ml in colder temps or with a large pot. May need two tabs or partial second tab, which increases fuel usage and time.

  2. Flame Spread & Heat WasteBecause flame is fairly loose (less focused than gas or alcohol burners), much heat is lost around pot edges unless you use a good windscreen and flat-bottomed pot. Efficiency suffers if conditions are windy.

  3. Residue / Fuel Waste / Packaging Issues Some users report leftover material from gel or tabs, soot or some polymer residue, and packaging waste that’s not always easy to dispose of. Also, parts of the tabs’ packaging or foil containers can produce waste.

  4. Slower Boil Times vs Canister or Liquid Fuel Stoves Even though it's decent for solid fuel, it cannot compete with fast boil times of gas or liquid fuel stoves. If you're in a hurry, or need to boil several litres, it's less suitable.

  5. Handling / Setup in Wind or Rain The open flame (tabs or gel) is more vulnerable to wind gusts or rain than covered burners. Needs careful placement, good wind shielding, and often needs more fuel or protection in adverse weather.

Product Details


Specification

Detail

Brand / Maker

BCB (FireDragon series)

Type

Folding solid-fuel / gel tab boiler / burner cooker

Fuel

FireDragon solid fuel tabs or gel; can use generic solid fuel tabs/gel fuel

Boil Time

~ 5 minutes for 500 ml water (with one FireDragon fuel tab, under good conditions)

Weight (Cooker Only)

~ 110 grams (≈ 3.88 oz)

Fuel Tab Weight

Each tab ~ 27 grams; 6-tab pack ~ 0.9 oz / ~27g total fuel weight per box of 6 tabs

Dimensions Folded / Unfolded

Folded: roughly 11.4 × 8.4 × 2.6 cm; unfolded with walls up somewhat taller to support pot.

Material

Stainless steel or similar metal frame; folding side walls serve also as windshields. Build solid, military-grade.

Fuel Efficiency

One tab burns ~ 8 minutes; gives enough heat for small cooking tasks.

Fuel Burn Characteristics

Low soot, relatively clean burning, odor modest/low, can light when wet.

Storage / Portability

Stove folds flat; fuel tabs can be stored inside the stove; very packable.

Best Use

Weekend camping, bushcraft, survival kit, economy trips, when solid fuel is preferred or required (e.g. mil-spec, or constraints on liquid/gas fuel)


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