Easy to use and holds a nice flame with small amount of kindle.

Even with dry leaves and sticks, this thing is very difficult to get started and going with a pan or pot over it. It's worth the few extra dollars to get a small, compact propane stove.

Using this stove to heat water was much faster than trying to build a legit fire. This product was most useful when I was not making a camp fire. I created little smoke once the fuel reached a sufficient temperature. The amount of light emitted was minimal compared to a camp fire. Add in fuel well before you feel you need to add more fuel. There were situations where I added fuel too late, and there was not enough heat to ignite the new fuel. This wasted fuel, ignition material, and time.
I took this wood burning stove on a week long back country hunt in northern Minnesota. Temperatures ranged anywhere from 40F to 10F. When air temperatures were above freezing, I could boil 24oz of water by filling the stove to the top with oak twigs. When air temperatures were below freezing, sometimes I needed to refill the stove to boil 16oz of water. Depending on the temperature of the air, water, and the density of the wood you are using, time to boil/ amount of fuel will vary. Always gather more than you think you will need.

If you want to use this as a heating stove for warmth, you will be disappointed. I cut and quartered an oak branch that was just a bit smaller than the fuel receptacle and it burned for about 15 minutes. All the heat that is generated flows directly upwards with the convection current, and the only noticeable heat radiated was from the direct line of sight of the flames.

I plan on taking this stove with me on a hunt next year where I will be mobile and super stealthy. Everything will be carried on my back, I will sleep wherever I am when the sun goes down, and I will probably use the stove to heat water for coffee. There's nothing like a hot cup of coffee to make you feel human in the pitch black hour before sunrise.

In conclusion, it is a very effective and convenient tool, but it specializes in one thing only (heating a container). If you just want a cup of coffee in the morning and go, then this is for you. If you just want a hot meal at night before passing out, this is for you. If you're going to have a camp fire, you could save the space and weight in your pack for something else like a larger axe or folding saw. For $16.99 with free one-day shipping, this is an awesome tool to have in your arsenal.

excellent item

Awesome little stick stove. It will boil two cups of water on a couple feeds of sticks. I use dryer lint for a starter, fill with easy to gather small twigs and this stove will make me coffee or hydrate a meal. Great purchase!