Has anyone ever shipped a stove overseas? If so whats the most cost effective way to do it also do customs etc get involved?
Hi Garth, this is quite and emotive topic so you will probably get many conflicting opinions. For items under 2 kg I always use Royal Mail. I have probably sent 30 plus stoves overseas, and never had one confiscated. Also, I have never paid more than £25 to ship, including Australia and Alaska. HOWEVER you must make sure the stove is clean and dry and doesn’t smell of paraffin/petrol. Pack it well in a strong cardboard box. If you buy your postage label online you also get a CN22 (customs) form which you fill out and stick on the package with the shipping label. I never put ‘stove’ in the description, I always put ‘camping equipment’. I also separate the burner and tank, and leave the tank open with a note stuck to it saying ‘This tank has been cleaned, rinsed, dried and left open so it is suitable for air freight’. This is just in case it gets opened and inspected on route.
It will make it to the UK fine on a Boeing but then Royal Mail will get hold of it in the destination city and destroy it because it is unsuitable for air transport.
I've gotten over 30 stoves the last year from GB, sent to me in the USA. One stove confiscated and seller refunded me, you could see the shine of kero all over the outside of the stove in the listing. Duane