Butterfly Brand Camping Oven : WARNING !

Discussion in 'Stove Forum' started by hydro451, Apr 12, 2010.

  1. hydro451

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    WARNING :

    THE GLASS ON THESE OVENS IS JUST ORDINARY GLASS !

    NOT HEAT PROOF !! MINE BROKE AT 350F !

    Luckily I was not looking into the oven at the time this happened :

    butterfly_oven_glass_cracked-jpg.85613.jpg

    I contacted www.stpaulmercantile.com , a distributer for these ovens in the USA. The sales man said the glass was ordinary glass - not heat proof and will break ! Acted like no big deal, so what , never claimed to be heat proof and he would replace it, but with ordinary glass again ! I said that was dangerous - sales arse-hole said so what , tough doo doo - wow needless to say I hit the roof ....

    The oven over all is well built although - double walled thru out, nice and heavy , but the glass front is dangerous - beware if you have one or plan to get one. Just replace the glass and it should be a good oven

    Just had to let everybody know the score on these
    ovens

    Tom
     
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  2. pianojuggler

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    I would contact the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

    That sounds extremely dangerous.
     
  3. Doc Mark

    Doc Mark SotM Winner Subscriber

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    Hi, Tom,

    Dang!! I'm sorry that you had to endure that breakage, and also the sorry so-and-so from St. Paul Merchantile! In truth, I had a bad deal from them, too, with a Sigg Fire-Jet stove. They were not helpful in the least, and I, for one, will not do business with them again. Word to the wise, right?! I'm sure you could get a local glass company to order you some heat-proof glass, measured to fit your oven, if you want to keep using it. Again, sorry for your misfortune, but thank you, very much, for sharing this with everyone! We need to take good care of each other, in this hobby, and you've done everyone a huge service with this report. Take care, and God Bless!

    Every Good Wish,
    Doc
     
  4. anlrolfe

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    Sorry to hear.

    I'll admit that I have a butterfly lantern. Works OK. At least it'll tie me over till I get a Petromax.

    If all else fails, replace w/ tin. Then it will be all but bullet proof.

    Don't forget the BBB(Better Business Bureau)

    AR
     
  5. pianojuggler

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    So, I was looking at the St. Paul Merc web site.

    Just wondering... the "Butterfly #2412" stove... flimsy piece of junk, or would it actually be a useful, functioning kero stove?

    I searched for past posts here, and the only comments are along the lines of -- thinner brass and rough threads, compared to classic Euro stoves. Just what I would expect from a source like this.

    But does the thing work?

    It is worth $50 to have one to play with?
     
  6. RonPH

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    PJ, the Butterfly brand I think is either made in China/Thailand/or Singapore marketed for Asia. Its being used by a lot of households in the remote areas. It does work just like the Butterfly Lanterns. Yes, they may (I dont own one, but used one loaned a long time ago by a farmer - a lantern) be rough around the edges and perhaps of thinner gauge brass/steel hence being affordable to the masses.

    Ron
     
  7. mr optimus

    mr optimus United Kingdom Subscriber

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    thank you for pointing out this company and the brand of oven as you could have saved a lot of members wasting money on dangerous rubbish in fact i cant believe how any manufacturer could be so daft in making a oven with normal glass being of no use what so ever.
    Well done on tom on posting this issue and sorry you have found out the hard way
     
  8. gotnoeyebrows Banned

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    made in china?
    is the distributor an american company?

    was this item bought from a store or mail order? i suspect it was mail order and the distributor is also a chinese company.
    even heat proof glass can break, but to sell a portable oven that is not resistant to heat AND admit they know it sounds a bit cavalier.
    surely your consumer rights legislation forbids this kind of thing.
    perhaps they are exploiting a loophole in the law somehow.
    i'm amazed that they think they can get away with it, clearly not fit for purpose.
     
  9. anlrolfe

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    Perhaps the Coleman folding camping oven is an alternative. I don't think that it is double walled but it is simple durable looking. (any opinions?)

    AR
     
  10. theacox

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    I bought a kero wick stove here for a possible use in Honduras. I haven't used it since I first got it because I could not get it to boil a pot of water!

    http://www.milesstair.com/BF_2418.html

    Strange place!

    Tim
     
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  11. Sparky

    Sparky Subscriber

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    I have a Coleman Camp oven and they are functional (Note my lack of superlatives). Yes, it will work as long as you check the calibration of the thermometer with a reliable one first. Mine was reading low by 50F at 350F. It is a bit small and finding miniature baking pans can be a challenge, too.
     
  12. gotnoeyebrows Banned

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    well there you go, how can you possibly go wrong with a coleman product?

    a company with a solid reputation and if they source some items from the far east you can bet they have rigorous quality control.

    you don't see a glass window on a coleman oven, so large glass panels on a portable oven is maybe not a very good idea
     
  13. itchy

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    Tom,
    Thanks for the warning. Let us know what you come up with as a fix.
     
  14. linux_author

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    tom - have to echo a big thanks - not only for a warning on the product, but also on your experience with the dealer

    fyi - you can report this product here (click on the word 'report' by the consumer info:

    http://www.cpsc.gov/talk.html
     
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  15. z1ulike

    z1ulike United States SotM Winner SotY Winner Subscriber

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    I can't believe someone would make a stovetop oven with untempered glass. I use a 16 inch cast iron dutch oven for all my camp baking needs, pies, roasts, cobbler, corned beef, turkey, scones, cake...whatever. No glass to break but it weighs 35 pounds so backpacking is out of the question.

    Ben
     
  16. flivver United States

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    Hi all: This is a picture of my 85 year old Boss brand oven with original glass. I have used it often for over 25 yrs and inadvertently got it mighty hot (pegged the gauge) several times. Mike...


    dessert_cooking_1_1-jpg.85593.jpg
     
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  17. gotnoeyebrows Banned

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    if the broken glass is removed from the door it would be interesting to know if the outer edges have been ground smooth or have just been left rough
     
  18. David Shouksmith

    David Shouksmith Subscriber

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    It isn't double-walled. It loses a lot of heat through the hinged sides and really ought to be covered to minimise that. It's the price you pay for having a collapsible oven.

    On the other hand, my Rippingilles oven is a rigid cube so doesn't lose as much heat, but then it takes up quite a bit of space in the car.

    Yer pays yer money and yer takes yer choice... 8)
     
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  19. spm

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    Tom, thanks for sending me the link to your post about the Butterfly #2421 oven. I am the "arse-hole salesman" you spoke to today. I am also the owner of the company, plus the secretary, shipping clerk, etc.

    I'd like to talk a bit about the Butterfly #2421 oven so people know a little more background and can make an informed decision.

    The oven is made in Indonesia and is sold primarily in Asia and Africa. I import it because it provides the best balance of functionality and price that I've been able to find. The primary competitors are the Coleman fold-up oven and the oven sold by Lehmans. The Coleman is small and portable, but is not insulated and cooks unevenly. The Lehman's unit is very nice, a little larger than the Butterfly, and it sells for almost 4 times the price. The Butterfly is sturdy, has adjustable shelves, can accept a 10" square pan or a 1-lb loaf pan, and the sides, back and top are insulated with an air space so that it maintains a more even temperature throughout the oven. The Butterfly oven is $55 (Lehmans is $189).

    The glass in the door is not heat-tempered. I would obviously prefer that they use tempered glass, and I've asked them to consider that, but the US market is about 1/2 of 1% of Butterfly's market, and they have no interest in making any changes to support the US market. I have talked to local glass companies about making a glass replacement window that is heat-tempered, but have not received pricing yet. It has just been a low priority, but with your recent experience, I will move it up on the list.

    I have sold about 500 ovens over the past 10 years and during that time have had 6-8 people contact me about cracked glass. In all cases, it was just a crack, not a hole like yours, and I replaced the glass for them. Most people use their ovens many, many times and never break the glass. I'm simply saying that your experience is not typical. Nevertheless, I do agree that the use of a heat-tempered glass is a good idea and I will look into it.

    When you called, you said that you had purchased your oven from somebody on eBay. I assumed that you purchased it from someone else, but it occured to me after the call that you may have purchased it from me on ebay. If so, you may return the oven for a full refund, or if you don't mind waiting, I could send you one of the heat-resistant windows once I find a suitable replacement. Actually, even if you didn't purchase it from me, I'd still be happy to send you the glass for testing.

    Someone posted a comment about the #2412 Brass stove. It is similar to the Primus stove. Solid brass, pressurized, about 7k btus. At $50 for 1 or $90 for 2, it is much cheaper than other brands and the quality of workmanship is comparable. The Butterfly #828 pressurized lantern was also mentioned. It looks a lot like the Petromax, but is made of chromed steel vs nickel-plated Brass. I believe that Petromax moved their production to China a few years ago, so that "German quality" may be a thing of the past.

    I try to sell good products at fair prices, and I do enjoy a very good reputation within the survivalist/preparedness community. All Butterfly brand products are sold with a full money-back guarantee. Less than 2% of the products I sell are ever returned.

    If anyone wishes to discuss any of my products, my website is www.stpaulmercantile.com and my direct phone number is 301-616-7549.

    Thanks.
     
  20. rik_uk3

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    Thats very bad service from the company. Butterfly stoves are made in India IIRC.