There is a whole alternative universe devoted to stoves of various sorts.
There are hobo stoves which are effectively just cans with air holes and their posh relatives like the honey stove which is purpose built and collapsble.
There are the gasssifiers which aim to increase efficiency and reduce soot like the bush cooker and this lot
YouTube - Woodgas Simple Version
YouTube - Mini Wood Gas Stove
YouTube - guns4toys Homemade Wood Gas Stove Configurations
On top of that there are the alcohol stoves (search for 'Zen' and 'stove')
The real benefits of the alcohol stoves is their simplicty and the fact that they can partner with other stoves for very little extra cost, weight or volume. For example a soda can stove costs nothing once you've drunk the soda (or  ), weighs only the tail end of a  can and takes up no room especially if you pop it inside another stove.
A comonly cited weakeness with the alcohol stoves is that the energy content of the fuel ls low compared to, say petrol (sorry..english.. gasoline for everyone else - or Coleman fuel for the campers) but if they are carried as a back up to another stove then the penalty is not too great.
I very much like the idea that I can, if I find I'm not using a stove that I can just throw it away.
I like the home made gassifiers for the same reason: they only really cost tinkering time.
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