I, who have a summer cottage without electricity, am completely dependent on a wood stove and gas. This type of stove, which runs on a pc5 bottle, has been around for a long time. The construction is about the same in the different options available for purchase, but the Sahara from Bluegaz stands out from the crowd with its delicious stainless steel cylinder design. Not a box you need to put away, but rather a modern piece that blends into most homes.
Rating 4 out of 5
Opinion
A stylish, sturdy and efficient gas stove with really good safety features. A good buy even if it costs more than the alternatives.
Positive
- Stylish and solid
- Heats quickly and efficiently
- The security features
Negative
- The fastening device for the back piece
- More expensive than the competition
Assembling the stove took about half an hour, much of it due to unclear instructions. If you don’t have your thumb in the middle of your hand, you still solve it quickly. The construction is significantly more stable than cheap alternatives, with one exception: the back piece, a half-cylinder in curved sheet metal, hangs alarmingly unstable on the two hinges. It feels like I’m going to accidentally bend the plate when it’s hanging loose on the hinges. Locking it in place with the two quick-release fasteners requires both hands and a bit of fiddling.
This could have been solved better. But on the other hand, you don’t often need to change the bottle, and when you want to unscrew the gas, you just stick your hand into the hole on the back.
On the top side there is a control where you can set the effect in three different positions and a button for the piezo ignition. No rocket science right away and the stove starts easily every time. There is also a system here that shuts off the gas if the CO or CO2 content becomes too high or if the flame goes out. A very important function in a stove like this, which can otherwise be dangerous if not used correctly. I tested this function, both by extinguishing the flame and by leaving the stove running in a sealed room, where the oxygen quickly ran out. In both cases, the gas was turned off.
The power is specified at 4,200 watts in the maximum mode. And you can tell, this stove heats up quickly! In a cold cabin of 25 square meters, it is no problem to get enough heat in an hour.
Is the Bluegaz Sahara worth its relatively high price? Yes, it absolutely is, even if the regulator is not included. I have tested several similar stoves from just under a thousand Swedish kroner to the 2,500 kronor class. If you buy a cheap variant, you usually get a really rickety construction. The Sahara heats efficiently, it is robust (apart from the back panel) and above all, it is really nicely designed.
Bluegaz Sahara Facts
Information from: Bluegas
Taken: SEK 3,695 at Bluegaz
Effect: 1 400W/2 800W/4 200W
Gas pressure: 28-30 mBar
Security system: Oxygen Depletion System (CO, CO2, flame)
Element: Ceramic
Material: Stainless steel
Weight: 14 kg
Compatible Bottles: PC5 or PC10 (not included)
Other: Regulator not included
