Is $20 a good deal for 12 butane cans at Costco

I was at the Costco business center today and found that they are selling a 12 can pack of Sterno Butane for $20. This is $1.66 a can and is significantly cheaper than anywhere else.

If you are camping above 32F then butane works perfectly fine. Use a butane to lindel adapter and then you have a significantly cheaper alternative to those $7 MSR, Jetboil, Snow Peak, Optimus etc cartridges.

I did a post about this topic a couple years ago:

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Vapor pressure does begin to drop around freezing. If you are cold weather camping you will need to use Isobutane, propane or white gas.

My dad says butane’s a problematic gas.

Grayden said:
My dad says butane’s a problematic gas.

Well it certainly isn’t clean-burning, energy-efficient propane. Just ask Hank Hill.

Cade said:

Grayden said:
My dad says butane’s a problematic gas.

Well it certainly isn’t clean-burning, energy-efficient propane. Just ask Hank Hill.

Who do you think my dad is?

@Grayden
darn it Bobby

Harper said:
@Grayden
darn it Bobby

That boy ain’t right

I pay that at my local Asian store. No one ever thinks to look there

Blake said:
I pay that at my local Asian store. No one ever thinks to look there

Shhhh, let’s keep the secret of the Asian stores quiet. (I am white)

Lin said:

Blake said:
I pay that at my local Asian store. No one ever thinks to look there

Shhhh, let’s keep the secret of the Asian stores quiet. (I am white)

Haha my bad. I’m white, too, but shop there regularly :joy:

Lin said:

Blake said:
I pay that at my local Asian store. No one ever thinks to look there

Shhhh, let’s keep the secret of the Asian stores quiet. (I am white)

Yeah. We’ll lose out just like we have on the ox tail.

Blake said:
I pay that at my local Asian store. No one ever thinks to look there

Great for hotpot!

I actually find these cans perform poorly around 45-40 degrees due to evaporative cooling. Pretty much only use them in warmer months. That’s a good deal though.

In Japan, they have these canisters with a winter blend due to the popularity of the style of stove that uses them.

@Scout
Kovea sells an 80% butane / 20% propane mix in the US. REI used to sell them but I have only seen them at Big5 sporting goods and online now.

@Scout
Thanks for this

@Scout
Yeah it depends how you use them to an extent. If you’re boiling one cup of water relatively slowly you’ll fare better at low temps than if you want more power and for longer. A stove which is designed to be used with an inverted canister will be fine to around freezing (but those are bulkier).

Sterno is one of the brands I’ve found has a good btu output.

Pick up a GasOne Butane burner. Great for camping and power outages. Outdoor only.

So do those fit Coleman style stoves or Pocket Rocket style stoves?

Val said:
So do those fit Coleman style stoves or Pocket Rocket style stoves?

They fit butane cartridge stoves. These aren’t for vertical canister mount stoves since the bottle is the shape of a can of spray paint. You can fill isobutan canisters with the right adapters but it’s easier just to buy an appropriate stove like a Soto ST-340.

@Scout
Ok I see, those Korean BBQ style stoves, the only kind I don’t have. Oh well