Iwatani ZA-3HP Butane Stove

I purchased this particular unit a few months ago, specifically for Hot Pot with friends. We didn't purchase any other Iwatani accessories at the time. Setting up was a more difficult process than I'd like to admit. It look my whole party of 6-7 people to figure it out. We didn't purchase Iwatani gas canisters, although the instructions came with a distinct warning to not use anything but an Iwatani canister. Either way, the canister worked and we were happy with it. In terms of getting the burner to light up for the very first time, it took maybe half an hour before we figured out that the white knob (set next to where the flame appears) has to be turned towards the metal (in the middle) before it would ignite. The settings were perfect. We kept the flame on simmer the entire time, and it was still hot enough to keep the broth in the pot boiling. The flame stayed on the entire meal, and we had enough gas to power the burner for half of the next meal. A month later, I decided to purchase a BBQ plate to go on top, because I wanted to have a Korean BBQ night. I purchased the Iwatani one (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001028IWY?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00) because I didn't want to risk having something that wouldn't work with this burner. So glad I made that decision! One downside is that I suggest you to not leave the gas canister inside of the burner. I don't know if the gas runs out, even if the lever is flipped up. But the canister just wouldn't work the next time we tried to light it. We ended up having to use a new canister, even if the old one still had gas in it. Such a waste. Don't know if Iwatani canisters have this same issue though.

I am quite amazed at the intensity of the flame this little burner puts out. It really puts out a hot, strong flame. Butane seems to be a lot more intense than propane. The build quality is adequate. I would not leave it out in the weather, but with reasonable care, it should do well. I use this out on my balcony to really heat up an iron pan and sear steaks without setting off the smoke alarms indoors. Does a great job. The carrying case is a nice little extra, to help keep it from getting dinged up. I have used this 6 times so far, about 15-20 minutes each and the fuel in my first can is still going. My understanding is that they last an hour or so. I seem to be doing longer. I got the gas for about $2 a can at a local oriental market. If there is a Chinese community near you, they might be cheaper. Seems it would also be great for camping. To make sure I am clear, this is great for those who need an intense, very hot flame for a relatively short time, such as superheating a wok for a stir fry, or an iron pan for searing a steak. It is not so well suited for long slow cooking like making a pot roast or some such, or for your main household burner for everyday use. The limited fuel capacity would likely become an annoyance in that kind of usage, though so far, can 1 is still going..

I ordered two of these bad boys and received them in a timely manner, no packaging issues at all; I haven't had a chance to use them, because I needed an outdoor prep station (ordered the Suncast outdoor prep station -- that's a totally different review); after purchasing a 4-pack of generic butane fuel from the local asian store, I assembled my prep station, unpacked the burners, popped in the fuel, and these bad boys lit up like nobody's business! You can really feel the heat, even on simmer, and its a uniform blue flame; I really like the fact the flame is easily adjusted, and it works with generic fuel cans -- no need to order them from Amazon, because my local (3 exits away via fwy) Asian stores carry the fuel cans. Until we get our BBQ unit and canopy,I intend to use the burners for frying my burgers, lumpia, daing na bangus, krupuk and other items outside that tend to smell the house up. Will also take these camping so we can have a hot meal in the great outdoors. The carrying case (especially the clasps) is rather flimsy, but serves its purpose of storage. I have no regrets, and eagerly look forward to putting it to use.

This is the first and only butane burner I've purchased, so I have no way to make direct comparisons. But I did a fair amount of comparison shopping and found the following: Butane burners are used a lot in Japan for something called "Hot Pot" where they keep a pot cooking right at the table. Iwatani appears to be a leading manufacturer catering to this Japanese market, and has made a technologically advanced product with safety interlocks, thermal safety shutoff, and a heat sink. The heat sink was what made this burner stand out for me, and I only found two models that include it in their product description (the other is made by Sterno). The heat sink is a piece of thick aluminum that transfers heat from the burner flame over to the underside of the butane canister. As the butane dispenses, the canister tends to get very cold. When the canister gets cold, the butane doesn't dispense as reliably, and your flame is inconsistent. The heat sink warms the canister, ensuring reliable butane flow and a consistent flame. And it really works. The case is OK, and the burner construction seems like what you'd expect from quality stamped sheet metal--not "rugged," but well-assembled and good fit and finish. The output is impressive, and a little surprising for a guy who has cooked only on electric stoves. When I set the dial on "simmer" to heat up my Lodge Seasoned Steel skillet, before I knew it the skillet was over 600 degrees. So there's plenty of power there, and a caution to keep the flame lower than you might think necessary until you master the stove. All in all, I'm impressed with the burner, it's great for a little "gourmet" action when traveling, and it has features that seem hard to find on the cheaper units.

Updated July 2021: I purchased this after doing a fair amount of research and watching You Tube videos. So far I have used it regularly since Feb 2021 and it has worked very well. I use a Pyrex covered glass pot to boil water and cook soup and do stir fries in a T-Fal non-stick pan. Both work just fine on this stove. However please read on because there are some dangers to know about when using these portable stoves. What you should know: 1. The instructions say that this stove should only be used with Iwatani butane canisters, so I bought those too. I know most companies will push their own accessories, but apparently this has some merit. Unlike other butane canisters, Iwatani canisters are produced under very stringent quality controls and are equipped with a patented Countersink Release Vent (CRV) system for extra safety. If the pressure in the canister gets too high, the CRV activates and releases the pressure. Since safety is a big concern with me, this purchase was a no-brainer. I recommend buying the Iwatani canisters - they are more expensive than GasOne canisters (about $10-$15 more for the 12-pack), but they are safer. 2. When you use a butane stove, you need to have adequate ventilation and space, i.e. do not use a portable stove in a small enclosed area like a tent, van, or an apartment when the windows are closed. There is a Prop 65 warning on the canisters which initially freaked me out, but it turns out that is because using these stoves PRODUCE CARBON MONOXIDE. Be careful when using them indoors - have a window open, a fan going, and have a carbon monoxide detector that is nearby. And please, DO NOT LIGHT THESE FOR HEAT DURING A POWER OUTAGE. I saw a review where a mother said she tried to do that and I was horrified. This stove burns fuel, and burning any kind of fuel can kill you and your family if there is no ventilation. 3. Be careful storing the canisters. You can't let them get moist or wet (rust and corrosion danger), they need to be in a ventilated area, and the temperature has to be between 32 degrees and 125 degrees Fahrenheit. 4. Some reviewers seem to have a problem getting these stoves to turn on. I did too until I realized that you have to turn the on/off knob all the way to the left until it CLICKS. Then the stove will turn on and you can adjust the flame from there. 5. Also, remove the canister from the stove when not in use, and replace the cap. Do not leave the canister in the stove because it can leak. I docked this stove 1 star for the fact that A) It is not easy to contact Iwatani - there is no phone number and you have to go through their website via e-mail, B) Information about the Prop 65 warning was nowhere on the Iwatani site, and it was hard to find on the internet, and C) The construction of the lever lock mechanism that holds the canister in place is a bit flimsy and I am always wondering when it will break. Otherwise, with a little care and some safety protocols, these can work well for cooking and come in very handy. I will update this review if I start experiencing any issues or problems.

First I have to tell you that I spent several hours on different days to choose the stove that suited my requirements, I was not looking for something cheap, but of course I wanted to get the best quality i could get for my money. My first requirement was that I wanted a stove made of durable material, because all I saw online and in stores looked so weak and they would not resist so long. This stove looks quite sturdy and consistent. My second requirement was a quality burner, almost all stoves are defective and they happen to give uneven flame. When testing this stove the flame was perfectly symmetrical and abundant. My last requirement was the compartiment where it is placed the canister, it is important that the canister receives controlled heat, otherwise the canister get cool and the flame decreases to almost nothing. This stove comes with a aluminum flap that heat slightly the canister allowing gas flow constant. The stove also comes with a case, it is not very durable but it will resist if you use it kindly. One thing to consider is the brand of this stove, I wanted to compare prices at stores that sell Iwatani but I couldn't find the model. However, all models offered were above $100 and I assure you that this stove had everything they have. I still have to try cooking something, I go camping soon, I will make an update of this review with more information. July 11th: Review of my review I went camping, this stove still has 5 stars! excellent product I am in love with it. I had no issues, this stove has a great flame, I cooked pasta and water boiled in 2 minutes!! 100% recommended.

This little burner is a godsend, especially in an all electric home kitchen. I bought it specifically for wok cooking, but I find myself using it all the time! I have very little experience in cooking with gas, but, from what I remember, this little thing gets HOT compared to a similarly sized NG burner. I'm assuming that maybe butane burns hotter than NG? Either way, don't let the price and portability of this fool you into thinking it's underpowered. This little thing cranks out the BTU's! It fires up on the first click of piezo starter every time. The only issues I've ever had with this burner were when I forgot it outside overnight and, of course, it rained. It took a few hours for the water to evaporate out of the gas passages in the burner, but after that it was back to normal operation. The only gripes I could conjure up against it are things I am conflicted about. The things that make it extremely portable (i.e. small size and light weight) also give me the most grief when using it. It really likes to slide around on my glass cooktop, so any time I pick up a pan to toss food, stir one handed, or bump a pan handle it willingly moves around. Not the biggest of problems, but annoying none the less. The other complaint I have is probably an issue for just about any gas burner. Using outside proves difficult if there's more than a slight breeze (assuming you don't go the trouble to shield it in any way). Wind blows the flame around and heating become erratic and uneven. Those caveats aside, I absolutely love this little portable gas burner and would highly recommend it, especially to anyone with an electric cooktop!

The price on these seems to fluctuate quite a bit. After watching for a few weeks, the price dropped to $30 for a couple days and I bought two of them. The stoves themselves are very good quality and produce strong, even flame ranging from a nice simmer to a powerful roar. Fit and finish is acceptable for the price--the stove is light and the metal is thin, but not too thin. The case is, as others have mentioned, rather cheap and flimsy and not up to the quality of the stove itself. I would be careful if I planned to take these camping and expected them to be knocked about, but for use in the kitchen, I find them acceptable. I also own the 15k BTU stove and think it is too expensive compared to this model. I also prefer the manual (non-magnetic) fuel bottle latch on this model since it is not finicky and allows any brand of butane to be used. Unless you are looking for a butane stove specifically for use with a wok, where every BTU helps in your pursuit of ultimate stir fry, this stove is a terrific choice (and you definitely _can_ stir fry on it if you cook small portions at a time). Recommended.

LLego mucho antes de lo programado buena calidad y funcionamiento

Arrived on time. Excellent quality. Uses every last drop of fuel and works really well and consistent at a low flame

very good

Una garantía de aparato. Calienta la comida de inmediato

It works as described. The flame can be very powerful, meaning you can heat up food quickly. What's great is that the flame remains consistent till the end and the butane fuel can is emptied. In the past, with the weaker butane burners, I had to continue burning even after all food is finished and pot removed till I have expelled all the gas from the canister for proper safe disposal.