Yama Glass Portable Butane Burner - Adjustable Flame, Refillable For Siphon Coffee Makers, Camping & Lab Use

Great premium quality. Feels nice and easy to use.

I tried another, slightly less expensive burner twice. The first would not light and the replacement lit but did not burn cleanly (orange fuzzy flame instead of sharp and blue). This burner works as well now, more than 6 months after purchase, as on day one. Note that although this burner might be sold by Yama there are no markings indicating that Yama manufactured it. I suspect this is a standard piece of lab equipment by a company named Rekrow (the name that is stamped on the burner) that Yama resells, but who cares.A couple of tips on use, which others probably have already suggested: weigh the burner before you fill it and record the weight. Weigh it again after filling to see how much butane was loaded. The Amazon description says it holds 30-35 grams. I get around 29 at most of the time (your experience may vary). Then keep track of the weight after each of your first few uses. How many pots of coffee you get between butane refills depends on how much water you need to boil, if you preheat the water, how long you simmer the brew, and who knows what else. I usually brew about 12 ounces, use hot water from the tap, simmer for 2 1/2 minutes and get about five brews per refill. Not a lot, but it takes about 10 seconds to refill. As a side note, the density of liquid butane is 0.8 grams per ml, so a 300 ml can of butane should hold 240 grams, but there will be losses during refilling. I haven't tracked it properly but I think I get about 200 grams of usable butane per can. Hope this helps. Happy brewing!Update. It's now March 2019 and after daily use since purchase, burner works fine.Another update, July 2024. Originally purchased May, 2016, the burner is starting to show it's age. The spark is slowly getting weaker. Turning up the gas before sparking helps, but often I need to use a match or other flame to fire it up. Eight years, two months isn't too bad.PS - a long time ago I started bringing the water to a boil in a small tea kettle on the stove top and transferring it to my Hario siphon pot instead of using hot water from the tap. Cheaper, faster and just more efficient. I haven't calculated how many cups I get per butane refill, but it's much, much more than 5.

I bought this back in 2015 and I use it regularly. It works well and I really do like it. It burns pretty cleanly too. Recently, I wanted to avoid the hassle of it running out of gas, refilling it, waiting for it to stabilize before I can use it again... so I looked into other options. I scoured halogen beam heaters from 3rd party and Hario's two versions (the analog vs the $800+ digital versions). In the end, I came back and decided to get a second one of this same one, mostly because I have limited countertop space and the halogen beams would take up too much space.So I am back and I'm purchasing a second one of these, so when my first one runs out of gas, I can pull out my second one to continue making my siphon coffee, and I can refill the empty one later. I've had my Yama burner since 2015 and it's now 2023, the quality is apparent.

I bought it for using as a Bunsen burner in a University microbiology lab that doesn’t have natural gas lines plumbed in. Used weekly for many years and then the autoflint lighter stopped working so now we light it with a lighter and it still works fine otherwise. I bought a second one since we like it so much.

This is a good unit--if you know a few tricks before trying to use it. I had two and both seemed to fail until I figured out how to use them. The reason I bought this unit is because it's the brand used at a local restaurant with their siphon coffee makers, and they said with the right fuel and fueling technique, these burners last for years with daily restaurant use.1. Do NOT use lighter fuel. The long, thin nozzle butane can that works for lighters, kitchen torches, and the like is NOT what you want. You need butane fuel that comes in a can that looks like a paint can. The nozzle is shorter and slightly larger. The Sterno or Coleman brands work, and I'm sure there are others. The can I purchased said it is for "butane appliances," rather than lighters. This type of butane can be found with camping fuel at Walmart and sporting goods stores, as well as at some kitchen supply stores.2. Be SURE the valve is OFF. That little black knob turns farther than you expect. When you THINK it is off, turn it some more because it's probably not really off. This is why I give the unit 4 instead of 5 stars. The valve can be hard to get all the way off and then hard to turn back on. Be sure to get the valve turned all the way off when you are done with it as well so as not to leak out gas.3. Hold the burner UPSIDE DOWN when fueling it. If you are using the correct fuel, the can will sit flush against the base of the burner. You will know the burner is filling because it will become very cold. It's full when a tiny bit of liquid gas sprays out. I fill the burner outside on the patio just to be safe.For making coffee, the burner is good for about 3 pots, and that's starting with very cold water.I noticed a number of reviewer comments about gas leaking when filling or leaking at other times. That is because they are using the wrong type of butane refill container and they are not getting the black valve knob turned far enough off.

I found this to be a fun gadget to play an experiment with I had fun with it

This butane burner works GREAT with my siphon filter. Fits snugly underneath and goes great with the brewer. Shiny, heavy duty housing. Easy to refill. I can hear a difference in the flame when it’s getting low, so I have extra butane nearby for refills. Valve turns easily and seals so no gas escapes. Igniter fires every time! This heats my water at least 2x faster than the included alcohol burner. No issues, and would definitely buy again! I have NOT been compensated for this review.