Non-marine stoves on a boat

[GILow]

Originally Posted by El Pinguino

I just looked at the price of your Thetford/Bosch combo - about $1500. Add another $150 if you want the 'brushed stainless' on the Bosch bit.
Why not just spring for a GN Espace - a drop in the bucket of your total refit costs.
https://gn-espace.com/product/levante-lpg-cooker/
https://gn-espace.com/wp-content/upl...ooker-Test.pdf

Well, for a start, I can get the cooktop in excellent condition for $100 on Gumtree.

The GN Espace has good reviews but I'd still bet cooking on the Bosch would be better.

My real concern now is whether we actually want the oven/grill bit. I'm currently crunching the numbers on a convection microwave instead.

Stay tuned...

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by GILow

Well, for a start, I can get the cooktop in excellent condition for $100 on Gumtree.

The GN Espace has good reviews but I'd still bet cooking on the Bosch would be better.

My real concern now is whether we actually want the oven/grill bit. I'm currently crunching the numbers on a convection microwave instead.

Stay tuned...

I very very rarely use my oven on passage - and then only on a very very long passage when conditions are right. Even in port or at anchor its not used all that often.

I could probably live without it.

Un-gimbaled cooktop? I rarely lock more than a 5 degree tilt on my gimbaled one. Not to stop food slopping out of pans but to stop the frying pan sliding under the the 'pot holders' and off the back.
A modified bar across the back stops that.

Nothing to stop you knocking up a secure pot holder arrangement out of a bit of s/s for your Bosch.
A friend even had to do that with his Espace - which he bought as a 'boat show' special a few years ago and flew home with in his checked baggage.

[GILow]

Originally Posted by El Pinguino

I very very rarely use my oven on passage - and then only on a very very long passage when conditions are right. Even in port or at anchor its not used all that often.



I could probably live without it.



Un-gimbaled cooktop? I rarely lock more than a 5 degree tilt on my gimbaled one. Not to stop food slopping out of pans but to stop the frying pan sliding under the the 'pot holders' and off the back.

A modified bar across the back stops that.



Nothing to stop you knocking up a secure pot holder arrangement out of a bit of s/s for your Bosch.

A friend even had to do that with his Espace - which he bought as a 'boat show' special a few years ago and flew home with in his checked baggage.

Yes, you've captured the essence of what I've been thinking. And remember, I'm a whimpy coastal cruiser who thinks 72 hours is a long passage.

My current thought is to increase the planned battery capacity by 66% using a small fraction of the money saved by avoiding hideously expensive marine stoves and put in a second hand Bosch cooktop with new convection microwave with grill.

A thousand dollars or more saved overall and a much better battery bank. I'm having trouble seeing the downside.

[CarinaPDX]

The need for a gimbal is related to the boat type: my narrow, full keel lead mine "sails on her ear". A 15° heel is not unusual. So I find a gimbaled stove to be essential, and has allowed me to cook in some of the roughest conditions. If I had a cat I certainly wouldn't bother. Most modern monohulls sail much more upright than mine, and just using tall pots and clamps would be adequate. It just depends...

Greg

[GILow]

Originally Posted by CarinaPDX

The need for a gimbal is related to the boat type: my narrow, full keel lead mine "sails on her ear". A 15° heel is not unusual. So I find a gimbaled stove to be essential, and has allowed me to cook in some of the roughest conditions. If I had a cat I certainly wouldn't bother. Most modern monohulls sail much more upright than mine, and just using tall pots and clamps would be adequate. It just depends...

Greg

The new boat is a bit of unknown in this respect. It doesn't feel particularly tender but I've only sailed her in pretty mild conditions.

I'll certainly gimbal the convection microwave, that will be super easy to do and will cover most of the short passages we are likely to make.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by GILow

Well, for a start, I can get the cooktop in excellent condition for $100 on Gumtree.

The GN Espace has good reviews but I'd still bet cooking on the Bosch would be better.

My real concern now is whether we actually want the oven/grill bit. I'm currently crunching the numbers on a convection microwave instead.

Stay tuned...

I can tell you that a convection/microwave on a boat is mighty nice to have if youve got the juice to run it.

When we lived aboard, we did not have a gas oven, just a cooktop. We installed a convection/microwave/broiler instead. It had multimode operation (like convection or grill + microwave) which greatly reduced cook times make the load less of an issue.

[GILow]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

I can tell you that a convection/microwave on a boat is mighty nice to have if youve got the juice to run it.

When we lived aboard, we did not have a gas oven, just a cooktop. We installed a convection/microwave/broiler instead. It had multimode operation (like convection or grill + microwave) which greatly reduced cook times make the load less of an issue.

That's very good to hear, thank you. The power calculations were adding up ok, but I've never actually owned one of these things so I was a little unsure. Online reviews were good, but none I found came from yachties.

[OldGreyB]

Originally Posted by GILow

That's very good to hear, thank you. The power calculations were adding up ok, but I've never actually owned one of these things so I was a little unsure. Online reviews were good, but none I found came from yachties.

You state you have done the calculations on a convection / microwave oven. Since you already have a microwave, have a look at just adding a 2L air fryer for your oven needs. We bought a 2L from Aldi for $59.00 to play with at the house. A week later bought one for the galley and a year later it is still the "go to" tool in the galley. Normally 2 of us on board, so 2L is sufficient in size and quick to use. Same Kw as microwave. Freshly baked croissants for breakfast, Pork belly in 35 minutes followed by a freshly cooked Paavola for dessert. Any manner of foods in between, are quickly cooked. Our Eno Perigold oven is seldom used now. That's our real world experience this season of cruising the OZ East Coast.

[GILow]

Originally Posted by OldGreyB

You state you have done the calculations on a convection / microwave oven. Since you already have a microwave, have a look at just adding a 2L air fryer for your oven needs. We bought a 2L from Aldi for $59.00 to play with at the house. A week later bought one for the galley and a year later it is still the "go to" tool in the galley. Normally 2 of us on board, so 2L is sufficient in size and quick to use. Same Kw as microwave. Freshly baked croissants for breakfast, Pork belly in 35 minutes followed by a freshly cooked Paavola for dessert. Any manner of foods in between, are quickly cooked. Our Eno Perigold oven is seldom used now. That's our real world experience this season of cruising the OZ East Coast.

Funny you should mention it… an air fryer has been discussed. I’ll have a look at the physical size of the smaller models. My partner has one of the big ones and it is way too big for the boat.

[Wotname]

Isn't 'air fryer' just a fancy marketing name for a portable bench top oven?

[Kd9truck]

Originally Posted by Wotname

Isn't 'air fryer' just a fancy marketing name for a portable bench top oven?

With a fan, it’s basically a convection oven, but marketing genius’s came up with “ Air fryer”and it took off.

[GILow]

They reheat pizza very well, I know that much.