Mr. Buddy heaters...

[Dakota Iceman]

I have seen numerous post's regarding these heaters and the trouble with the pilot blowing out...My questions is why are they so popular? I use a coleman powercat (flameless and no fumes)They work like a champ and there is nothing to blow out The coleman powercat retails for 69.00 what is the cost of the Buddy vrs that? Im thinking maybe its a cost issue and that is why so many use the buddy set-up

[Captain B.R.K]

The cost difference between a BUDDY and the POWERCAT is only $5 when a sale is going on. I would bet that isn't the big hoopla about this little heater.

Benefits of the MR. BUDDY HEATER
1) Size and weight-- very portable with a one pound propane tank screwed in and doesn't take up much space. Plus no need to pull a 5, 10, or 25# tank along because of ability to run off a 1# cylinder of gas.
2) Has 3 different settings that a guy could use though the 1-2 setting is typical for people to use (else it gets to hot).
On those settings a 1# tank lasts quite awhile.
3) HEATING. With this heater you can move it around your house and not have to worry about scorching a hole in your tarp because the heat generates up (as oposed to out on the Mr.Heater)
4) SAFTEY. The Heater has a low oxygen shut off indicator in case your house starts losing oxygen.

some benefits to the BUDDY and why people are moving towards them. YES the pilot light does blow out easy, but I don't recommend using them on the ice......sit it behind you inside the tub of whatever fish house you own.

[crappie todd]

The buddy is not a good windy day heater.Doesn't take much of a breeze to make it in effective. And it's noisy too.
I talked to Dr,Musky, sales guy at the new Gander Mountain In Forest lake. We discussed the Buddy heater. I told him mine blows out. He said he knows 150 people that have one and theirs doesn't blow out.
I Have a defective unit I was told.

CT

[Northlander]

Crappie Todd dont believe the hype! If yours is defective so are 100's more. Its a flaw in the design. all Ive seen or used are poor in the wind. In a house out of the wind they are great.

[EBass]

It sure does blow out if windy. Doesn't mean it's defective, just means it's windy.

Limit the amount of wind that get's into yer shack.

[HardH2O]

You can look and try as you might, but the best darned heater for a 1-2 man portable is the Coleman Focus 5. Durable, won't burn the canvas(unless you're careless), always lights, doesn't tip.

[Bob Cunningham]

Take a piece of tin and shape it to fit the bottom 2 bars on the front of the Mr. Buddy this will help stop the blow out problem. If you are in a shack they don't blow out its when the wind can blow directly into the pilot. I have had one for 2 years and the only time it would blow out the wind was howling and i opened my trap the wind then would blow it out. Good Luck and Happy Holidays

[Dan Wood]

I like my Buddy. They are very quiet, safe with the O2 sensor, adjustable heat range, nice handy and convienent design. You can set the backside up against a tent without worrying about burning anything and they don't take up much room. I only would recommend this unit for smaller portables in which you are out of the wind. They don't put out a ton of heat and they do blow out if you are in the wind.

[irvingdog]

Dakota Iceman:

Two reasons.

1) 3000-vs-9000 BTU's
2) Batteries

[riverboy]

HardH2O
Its too bad Coleman stop making those Focus 5 heaters. I agree those are a great unit. I have had one for almost 10 years, and have no problems untill recently. Does anyone know where you can find replacement parts for the Focus 5. Coleman doesnt even make parts for those heaters anymore.

[HardH2O]

There is a place that has parts.
Which parts do you need.
I will try and find it.
I do have a few focus 5's for sale. w & w/o electronic ignition.
Send me an e-mail, I will find the place.
d-seidel@comcast.net

[Steve Foss]

A little aluminum foil will foil the breeze in many cases.

I have a Dyna Glo, a Buddy knockoff that I got at a major home improvement retailer that came with a carrying case with room for two 1-lb propane canisters.

It's a 4,000 and an 8,000 btu unit. I took off the metal protector grid and molded aluminum foil over the inside of it, up about half way to the top of the grid. Replaced the grid.

It still blows out now and then, but more often pops out because the oxygen sensor goes off.

It still beats the stuffing out of my old Black Cat Coleman heater, which maxed at 4,000 btus and wasn't enough to heat the Trap II when it was colder than -10 degrees.

------------------
"Worry less, fish more."
Steve Foss
stfcatfish@yahoo.com

[cmherrmann]

Mr. Buddy is great, they will blow out if it gets windy, but an easy fix is to take some thin sheet metal and form a sheild around the sides and attach it to the gaurd. Very simple took me all of 5 minutes and makes a big difference. Like everyone else said it gives off virtually no fumes and has the co2 shut off, best heater for a 1 man or 2 man shelter. You have to get a 5 or 10LB tank, saves money in the long run. I also use it to keep my garage above freezing when it gets really cold. Can't let my beer freeze!!