We all know that a poor stove set-up wastes fuel, and a using additional tools, like a pot parka, saves fuel beyond a “normal good set-up.” But how much does fuel consumption differ with stove set-up?

We put it to the test by testing three Whisperlite stoves with three different treatments. We controlled as many variables as we could by testing the same stove under each of the three treatments, always using the same amount of fuel, always pumping the stove the same amount, always heating 2 liters of water, and always starting with water of the same temperature. Here’s what we found.