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The electric coil changed my life on the Camino!

Yes, I use the mug to boil water,cook cous cous,boil up dried soup & also stick an electric heating coil in to make coffee when I am staying where there arent any coffee/tea making facilities......sometimes you have to compromise on weight for the sake of a bit of comfort...................Vicrev
 
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I am completely amazed by this thread. Please do not get me wrong here. I love a good cup of coffee in the morning. I use that as my incentive to get up and moving to the nearest bar or Panaderia each morning. Sometimes it's 600ft, other times 10km's. While this item provides near instant caffeine, it is also extra weight and clean up each morning. I will skip it but I support anything that bring this much joy to other Pilgrims. A caffeinated Pilgrim is a happy Pilgrim^^.

Ultreya (while drinking his morning coffee),
Joe
 
Well, as you know Joe, there's no advocate quite as passionate as someone who has converted. I am a very recent convert to the electric coil. But after walking 11 caminos without one, when I took the plunge this past year I wondered why in the world I had waited so long. The turning point for me was the Invierno, followed the next year by the Lebaniego/Vadiniense, in which nothing was ever open before 9 and the distance from where I stayed to the next bar could be 20 kms. After a couple of mornings trying to make coffee with hot tap water (blech), I thought about the advice of margaret, anniesantiago, sil,and others and decided to carry the extra weight this year. It's not trivial, admittedly, but it's all a question of priorities. Surely well under a kilo, but maybe Susanna the weight expert can tell me what it all weighs.

On the Levante I frequently rejoiced that I had it. I did balance things out a bit by buying a new camera that weighs about half of my old one so I didn't notice any difference.

We all have to draw our own lines in the sand when it comes to equipment -- I stop with the electric coil and am not tempted by the bodum press, but hey, to each his/her own!
 
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peregrina2000 said:
Surely well under a kilo, but maybe Susanna the weight expert can tell me what it all weighs.
Click to expand...

Yep. My electric coil weighs 142 gram.
And a mug from 50 gram something, depending on what model one prefers.
That's not much.
I used mine to make tea in the morning and in the evening. With tea bags from Nepal.(weighing 2 gram each)
And also to cook water for the emergency food I had on the Salvador (Real turmat, 160 gram).
 
I bought a really heavy coil in SJPdP for 35 Euro ... the first mistake because things are cheaper in Spain. The second mistake is that it was heavy and large enough to boil a pot of water. I had not used it by the time I got to Puente la Reina and abandoned it there.

I am dependent on the cup of tea in the morning with breakfast. There were maybe 3 or 4 places where it was not possible to boil water in the morning even if sometimes thinking out of the box a little was needed. In Burgos for instance I had to use a wine glass in the microwave as my cup is metal ...

Those mornings without tea ... I purchased a coke the night before. Coke makes an adequate (caffeine and sugar) if unsatisfactory substitute.
 
I just ordered this mug from Amazon. I think they must be getting it from Mars since it isn't coming until at least November 9th. Good thing I have plenty of time! 349 days to go!
 
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Laurie:

I hope my comment was not interpreted as being negative towards you or any others who have contributed to this thread. Someday, when I walk a longer, more remote Camino, I will change my mind. For the moment, electric coil, cup, coffee and milk equate to more weight versus the nearest Bar/Panaderia is incentive.

Ultreya,
Joe
 
Hi,

Hi, Joe, Absolutely no way did I take any negative tone from your post. Au contraire -- I was mighty pleased to see that our electric coil club has the power to amaze other forum members who just haven't drunk the electric coil KoolAid.
 

The problem is in finding a place to buy the fuel canister. It's illegal (and dangerous) to bring it on the plane, and, while I wasn't exactly looking, I didn't see any place that sold them along the camino.
 
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whariwharangi said:
The problem is in finding a place to buy the fuel canister. It's illegal (and dangerous) to bring it on the plane, and, while I wasn't exactly looking, I didn't see any place that sold them along the camino.
Click to expand...

I haven't been looking for them either, but I'm sure one can find them. You can buy them at Decathlon, for example:
http://www.decathlon.es/Comprar/Primus
 
Caplen said:
That's the nice thing about the GSI one I linked - the handle is webbing, so collapses.
Click to expand...
I like this mug also. My one reservation is about it's ability to handle the electric coil. I have seen one review that says it is not suitable although there was no comment re the testing proceedure utilised.
I hang my mug from belt, harness or pack using a carabiner. Everytime I come to a fountain I drink a mugful and fill my water bottle.
 
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Well, I just received my GSI mug in the mail from Campmor. It was very cheap, and I was skeptical. I used my electric coil to boil water in it and there were no problems. Thumbs up for the GSI!

One thing that I did notice was that it took FOREVER for the water to boil. I had never used the coil in the US before. Over in Spain, water boiled very quickly with the coil. Is that explained by the 120 vs. 210 volts difference?
 
.
 
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It took very long to boil the water in my new mug too, because its so big.
I'm thinking of buying a smaller mug. Your mug looks nice but it's very expensive in Sweden.
I'm thinking about this one instead, which one can find on ebay too:
http://www.peak62.com/products/gsi-outdoors-cascadian-mug-14-orange

I like when there's a handle on it. And it's lighter.
 
Camino Way markers in Bronze
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
Caplen said:
The best instant coffee I've found so far is Starbucks Via (We like the Columbian medium roast).
It's also very easy to pack, in little individual sleeves, in a baggie inside the lidded mug.
Click to expand...

I totally agree with you that Starbucks (medium roast) is the best option for instant coffee but you might need to bring it with you. When I inquired at a Starbucks in Barcelona, the young woman reacted with a bemused smile at the curious notion of instant Starbucks. Spain is a real "coffee country" so I think that people aren't usually shopping for less than the real thing. Like Laurie said, I did see instant Nescafe.

P.S. Sorry, I can't figure out how to get rid of the image from the post I was quoting.



 
.
 
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I am not as much a coffee aficionado as a caffeine aficionado, so real coffee lovers will probably not agree, but I have bought some of the Spanish Nescafe "specialty" instant coffees that were not so bad. They have a dark roast that I thought was just fine.

And on the coffee topic, when you go to a bar/cafe for coffee watch to see how many filling "clicks" or "flicks" the bartender gives to put coffee in the little metal bucket that gets attached to the espresso machine. In the past few years I have seen a DRAMATIC decrease. The norm used to be two, sometimes even three, but now I find that the stuff most peregrinos get in a bar has just one click on the coffee container. That brings with it, as you might imagine, a decrease in both taste and caffeine.
 


Yep, coffee in most parts of Spain in not very good. Still better than the stuff the call "coffee" back home in the USA ,France or UK.
The quality of coffee used here isn´t what it used to be.

Buen Camino!
 
The norm used to be two, sometimes even three, but now I find that the stuff most peregrinos get in a bar has just one click on the coffee container.
Click to expand...
I have one of those grinders. You can set them to deliver different quantities, so the machine can be set to fill the holder with a single "click." The barista may have set his so that two clicks filled the holder. The next barista may need only one. It is hard to find a bad coffee in Spain except the percolator brew (and instant coffee ).
 
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As I said above the quality of coffee has gone down the drain ( pun not intended). Most coffee in Spain is what is called here "torrefacto" which is burnt sugar. As well it´s imported from places like Vietnam where coffee quality isn´t as good as other places. Luckily there are still parts of Spain where you can still find & get a decent cup of coffee.

Buen Camino!
 
Can ground coffee be purchased along the way? I DO NOT plan to bring a coffee grinder
 
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Try using two stones to grind your coffee. (joking)....... of course you can find ground coffee along the way.

Buen Camino!
 
MendiWalker said:
Try using two stones to grind your coffee. (joking)....... of course you can find ground coffee along the way.

Buen Camino!
Click to expand...
Two stones - hey what a great idea, why didn't I think of that!

The reason I asked was everyone talking about instant and that what is more commonly available is espresso
 
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Dear members of the elecric coil club,
I thought I share with you the report of a little experiment I did last night, with my electric coil.
That might make some of you a bit nervous, as I'm also a member of a Swedish forum, where one of the mods built a nuclear reactor in his kitchen.

But I did not do that. I boiled an egg.
Boiled eggs: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boiled_egg

Okay. Will now post some pics.
Back in a few minutes...
 
...ok, back.
Stuff I used: an electric coil, water, a mug, a thermometer and an egg.

The boiling process: water and egg goes into the mug, and the electric coil. Plug in, and start boiling.

Now that's the tricky part. When it's boiling, you got to plug out. Then after say five minutes, check the temperature. It was down to about 68c. I then had to boil the water again, and wait a few more minutes.
Then I decided to crack it, the result is here:


It was rather yummy, I thought. But think if you want it hard boiled, you got to boil it a few more minutes.

Would be grateful for input how to improve my egg boiling technique before the next camino.
Thank you
 
Yummy Yummy!!!
 
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I'm going to go back a bit here,how do you carry the eggs,on the Camino, without breaking them ?..............Vicrev
 
Camino Way markers in Bronze
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
Pardon me for intruding on the Coil Club,just wondering if I could dry my boots with a coil ? ......just had a thought,maybe I should have addressed this query to the Technical Department..................Vicrev
 
vicrev said:
Pardon me for intruding on the Coil Club,just wondering if I could dry my boots with a coil ? ......just had a thought,maybe I should have addressed this query to the Technical Department..................Vicrev
Click to expand...

That's a good idea.
Makes me realise that when someone ask me "Susanna, can I use your coil?", I must always ask what they are going to do with it. Don't want my morning tea to taste like wet boots.

Ok, but if you want to try (with your own coil) make sure the boots are really wet, as the coil must always be dipped in water. Good luck.
 
Okay, I thought I let you know I plan to test to cook more interesting dishes with the electric coil.

For new members, what is an electric coil: http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-an-immersion-water-heater.htm

Mspaths description of how to use it:
The electric coil changed my life on the Camino!

This weekend I will try to cook pasta with it. Am not sure if things will go well as the coil must always be in water. So I wonder if it might be too much % of pasta in the mug. Does it have to be all water?

If anyone ever tried to do this, please let me know, also if you tried to boil milk.
Thanks
 
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peregrina2000 said:
there's no advocate quite as passionate as someone who has converted. I am a very recent convert to the electric coil.
Click to expand...

Just to add some balance for folks reading this thread and trying to decide if the extra weight is worth it … I’m a convert AWAY from an electric coil. Let me explain why. I have an electric coil and I often bring it on business trips -- nice when I’m working late in a hotel and want to stay awake or just want to start my day with a coffee in the morning before heading off.

Also, when I’m at home, I always start my day with two cups of coffee.

On the Camino, many things are different from life back home (or when travelling for work) and coffee, for me, is one of those things.

First, I found I didn’t need a hit of caffeine first thing in the morning. Radical for me with a 2 cup start of day habit. Instead, my wife would have our breakfast at the albergue (usually yogurt and fruit purchased from a grocery store the day before, but no coffee), then we'd set off and walk for an hour or two before stopping for a coffee. Ideally, we’d stop in a panaderia or a place where we could also get a pastry or cake. Yum! And it was fun to interact with a local bartender as he/she prepared the brew and join the locals and other peregrinos in a nice cup of coffee.

I loved the coffee in Spain, always fresh made with an espresso machine and often with foamed milk. I drink my coffee black at home, but I usually ordered cafe con leche -- initially to get a bit of extra protein in my diet -- but it's so tasty! Then, for an added boost of energy, I started adding a bit of sugar -- tastier!

Anyway, I think it's great the coil club is enjoying their coil, so keep on coiling, but for those reading this thread trying to decide if they should take one, just want to add the perspective that coffee made fresh in a bar or coffee shop was a great daily ritual for us and we really enjoyed it. And no added weight to our pack.

Buen Camino!
Larry

p.s. Having returned home, I’m back to my 2 cups of black coffee first thing. I really, really miss the cafe con leche in a little bar after a nice long walk.

p.p.s I think I’ll start a thread about a non-electric gadget I’m a recent covert to: an umbrella (250 g) … stay tuned!
 
MendiWalker said:
Yep, coffee in most parts of Spain in not very good. Still better than the stuff the call "coffee" back home in the USA ,France or UK.
The quality of coffee used here isn´t what it used to be.

Buen Camino!
Click to expand...

I hadn't checked in on this thread in a while, glad to see it's still going strong!

MendiWalker, I think I have to agree with you. I just spent three days in Madrid and went from bar to bar looking for a good cup of coffee. It was all pretty mediocre. I am NOT a coffee snob, and I'm sure there must be good coffee shops in lots of places in Spain, but I think the average cup of coffee in a small "coffee shop" in the US is likely to be better than the average cup of coffee in a cafe/bar in Spain. Maybe that's just because we have so many establishments in the US dedicated to one single product, whereas the cafe/bar in Spain provides a much broader range of stuff.
 
Camino Way markers in Bronze
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.

Hi, Larry,
We of the electric coil club are quite open to any and all views on the electric coil, so we welcome your alternative perspective. I actually agree with a lot of what you say, but for anyone who is walking a camino other than the Frances or maybe the Norte or parts of the Portugues, the lovely social routine you describe is just not available. For me it was one caffeine-deprived camino, the Vadiniense, that tipped the scale, and the Levante I walked this year just would not have been as enjoyable without it.

Let's get an umbrella thread going -- I think Anniesantiago is also a convert so you may have a lot of support! I've never carried one but would be open to the wisdom of those who have.
 
Excellent thread. So I don't need to bring a Brown Bess (earthenware teapot), tea caddy and silver sugar tongs. Can't function without tea in the morning. I will shamefully bring some tea bags from Blighty as my experience of Liptons tea in Spain & elsewhere was 4/5 tea bags for one decent strength cup of rosie. A coil and enamel mug it is then.
 
Susannafromsweden said:
Yep. My electric coil weighs 142 gram.
And a mug from 50 gram something, depending on what model one prefers.
Click to expand...
I might buy an electric coil, but would want to buy one in Spain. This avoids the need for an adaptor (extra weight).
Susanna's coil weighs 142gms. Is this about the weight of a coil normally, are Spanish ones heavier or lighter?Does anyone know please?
Also where should I look for one? (I mean which shops would sell them)
Thanks
HH
 
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Well, I'm hoping some of the Spanish speakers will help us out here, because I have no idea how to say "electric coil" in Spanish. ¿Serpentín electríco? That was the closest I got but a few google searches revealed that isn´t the right word. I´ve tried a few searches and have looked through Decathlon´s web page and Barrabes.com as well but no luck. My guess is that you are more likely to find them in what the Spaniards call "tiendas chinas", stores usually owned by Chinese people where there´s a whole variety of stuff, all of which is cheap. Dollar stores, I think we´d call them in the US.

I will say, though, that the adaptor probably adds less than an ounce or two, but I know every little bit counts.

So, has anyone bought one in Spain and knows what they are called?

Buen camino, Laurie.
 
peregrina2000 said:
So, has anyone bought one in Spain and knows what they are called?
Click to expand...
Bought one from a little one man hardware shop in Pamplona. 15 Euro. Can't help with the Spanish name but a little game of 'Charades' got the desired result for me. This included the valuable instruction on immersing the device in the water b4 turning the power on, and turning it off b4 removing. Hilarious that was!
Regds
Gerard
 
Thanks Gerard, this helps. So, HH, you want to ask someone where the nearest ferretería is, that´s the Spanish name for a little hardware store. But until someone can tell us how to say "electric coil" in Spanish, you will have to resort to Gerard´s method of hand gestures.

My only other little comment is that the coil I bought in the US cost $15 and works on both 110 and 220 volts, which is quite handy. It also came with an adaptor plug.
 
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I did Camino Frances with the coil and an enamel camping cup purchased at WalMart this past September. I also brought instant coffee and powdered International vanilla sugar-free creamer since I am not normally an instant coffee fan. This worked well for me and I still stopped for a delicious cafe con leche for a mid-morning break. I am planning Camino del Norte next and will include the above again.
 
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These all sounds great, and I think it would be very useful for hiking in places like Yosemite or Appalachian trails. However, for me one of my highlights of the Camino French walk was the daily stop at local village pub for a nice cup of Americano I am very adverse to any added backpack weight.
 
Canuck said:
Calentador de inmersion or Calentador de agua electrico

Official translation.
Enjoy,
Jean-Marc
Click to expand...
So I typed these into a search engine and got...........
an immersion heater for a 150 - 200 litre water-tank . LOL

Adding the words 'para taza' produced a result -
calentador de la taza eléctrica with a nice picture.
Now I need to write that down for future reference.
HH
 

I don't know which search engine you used, but using Google you get exactly the item called ''Electric coil'' when searching with the names I first proposed.
Cheers,
Jean-Marc
 
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Canuck said:
I don't know which search engine you used, but using Google you get exactly the item called ''Electric coil'' when searching with the names I first proposed.
Cheers,
Jean-Marc
Click to expand...
I was using Yahoo. Obviously they think bigger is better.
HH
 

As one of the club's founding members, I try to rush to the defense of our group when we are misunderstood. I think that the club is made up of three very different types of people, all of whom enjoy the frequent stops at local village bars, but for whom that is not enough:

1. Those who walk Caminos where there are no bars in the town where you slept and no bars in any town you will walk through during the first 20-25 kms of the day. That's me. My Camino Vadiniense was way too painful with many caffeine-free days. My Camino Levante, my first with a coil, was so much nicer.

2. Those who are real coffee purists (I won't say "snobs" ), for whom the joy of an excellent, perfectly brewed cup of coffee is worth the extra weight and for whom the social part of the first cup of coffee is irrelevant. These guys use their coil for their first cup or two, and then they can be happy even if subsequent cups of coffee are bad coffee drunk in a nice social environment in a local village establishment.

3. Those who start to walk early in the morning before anything opens up and are just physically incapable of starting out without an infusion of caffeine, even if the first café is only 5-10 kms away.

So, Jnlee, just know that you will always be welcome in the coil club isf you ever change your ways. We don´t take your comments as an absolute rejection of our founding principles.

Buen camino, Laurie
 
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The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.

That was such a great post Laurie. Thank you.
I would like to add type 4, if I may.
That's us who wants a nice cup of tea, in the morning, and in the afternoon just when you arrive at the albergue. And another cup in the evening.
 
I think we might need one for a steam inhaler, if staying where there is a room but no cafe below. We have the handheld inhaler but will be dependent on a source of near boiling water early in the morning and again at night. A coil could be the answer, but we'll wait and buy along the way if needed. Good to see what we need to ask for in Spanish.
 
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I cant tell you how thoroughly entertaining you all are. Very serious business of coils and mugs . I live in the USA and while coffee is important we don't hold a candle to you Brits and your tea needs.. Love signing on to the forum and smiling at all of of you~ Thanks for the giggles!!

RJ
 
Those of you in Europe; is there a brand of heater or online location you would recommend for buying a 240V coil? There are several locatons in the US, but the reviews are spotty. Since this is likely to only be used on the Camino, I prefer to have one with the correct plug and a good reputation.
Thanks.
Rambler
 
Hi, Rambler,

This is the one LTfit found, which seems to be available mainly in ferreterias and also on ebay in Spain. I have not been able to find anything at either Barrabes or Decathlon, the two big outdoor stores I know of in Spain. Nor does the Corte Ingles appear to have one.

http://www.ferreteriajulio.com/es/p...or-viaje-hogar-calienta-para-agua-resistencia

The one sold by Magellans online is dual voltage and comes with a plug adaptor, which I am going to duct tape to the plug so I don't leave it in the wall. The complaints you will see generally have to do with using it at 110V, which takes a whole lot longer. But when I use it in Spain, the water is boiling very very quickly at the higher voltage.

Some of the European residents on the forum have warned against buying them in Tiendas de Chinos because of the risk of poor quality.

One last suggestion, if you will be going on the Frances and through Pamplona, would be to contact the Caminoteca. The owner, Istvan used to post here a bit, but I think you can contact them directly through their website. Good luck with this.
 
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Susannafromsweden said:
Vad trevligt!

Man kan nog köpa kåsor i Norge också, om man vill.

(I said that one can probably buy these kinds of mugs in Norway, too)
Click to expand...

Also Germany! When I went on your link, I saw that you can order it thru a German company. Since I will be making before to visit family and get over some jetlag, I can order it beforehand.

Thanks, Susanna
 
As I posted earlier we had decided to get one of these electric coils for a mini steam inhaler, not cups of tea/coffee. It is not possible to get one it seems in the UK, only car 12v ones are available. However we have found one on Amazon which looks good and saves having to hunt out a ferreteria when we reach Spain. (And I had carefully learnt the Spanish to buy one). There is a warning to switch it off before removing from the water as it has no cut out - and it comes with a continental plug. We have a continental to UK adaptor so will test it when it comes. Pleased with its weight too - given as 100gms.
 
Would this be OK for heating my hot water bottle for bed time snuggles on camino?
 
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I have written to a ferreteria with online service, and the owner has promised to check the warehouse to see if he has any more coils left, which he would then send out (more easily and cheaply to Europe, I suppose). I will report back.

And Tia Valeria's comment about shorting out the device is very important. Remember that the coil must be immersed in water when you plug it in and when you unplug it. I know someone who learned that the hard way, fortunately it wasn't me.
 
pilgrim b said:
Would this be OK for heating my hot water bottle for bed time snuggles on camino?
Click to expand...

That is a great idea.
What kind of bottle do you have?
I got a wide mouth Nalgene (1 litre) which I used as a hot water bottle.
I have just tested if the coil fits in there and it went well.
 

Just got a response from the Ferreteria Julio. Their online store is run via ebay, which imposes a charge apparently, but you can get the electric coil sent anywhere in the world for under 20 euros for the coil plus shipping.

If anyone tries this option, let us know how it went. Buen camino, Laurie

http://cgi.ebay.es/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=231133737312
 
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Susannafromsweden said:
That is a great idea.
What kind of bottle do you have?
I got a wide mouth Nalgene (1 litre) which I used as a hot water bottle.
I have just tested if the coil fits in there and it went well.
Click to expand...
Hi sorry Susanna I was only joking but yes it would work and keep you nice and warm.
It would work in a tritan bottle too I think.
 
Update from the Ferretería Julio. You can now order the electric coil directly from them, without using ebay.

Their new online store is here: http://www.ferreteriajulio.com/es/index

Up on the right where it says "buscar" type in "calentador de vaso". The products will come up. I see that they have two made by the same German company Marux. One is about 15 euros, seems comparable to what most of us have. But for 30 euros you can get one that can heat 15 liters of water to boiling in about 5 minutes. Seems like that might be overkill even for the most fanatic of the coil fanatics!

Buen camino, Laurie.
 
I haven't read the entire thread, but it just occurred to me that this coil could have been useful in a couple of places I've stayed where there is no hot water to wash with. Hmmm… where WAS that?
 
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We are waiting for our electric coil to arrive and also have ordered what we hope will be a useful collapsable cup to heat water in. We'll let you know. Otherwise a cheap lightweight tin mug will have to do, but we'd rather not have the handle.
Folding cup on Amazon UK
 

Remember those collapsible cups we used as children or in Girl Scouts? Maybe the scouts still sell them?
 
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I'm sure it's a nice mug but isn't it's very small? I wonder, is it really for coffee?
Looks like it would be great for schnapps.
 
I know that many people cannot get started with that first hot cup of tea or coffee in the morning. However, when I run the numbers on my new master packing list for 2014, based on actual experience in 2013, I find the following:
  • My über lightweight titanium mug weighs 95 grams or 3.5 ounces
  • My immersion coil with EU plug adapter weighs 105 grams or 3.7 ounces
  • I discounted including the weight of a container for coffee or tea for reasons that will be apparent by MY PERSONAL solution...below.
So, just to tote the mug and heating coil along "costs" an additional 200 grams or 7.1 ounces. With all-in, rucksack-only weight already pushing 11 Kg and climbing - I have not yet added toilet and first aid items to the worksheet - I have already ruthlessly cut extra clothing to the minimum based on my experience at the same time last year, an additional 200 grams or 7.1 ounces is a luxury I cannot afford.

My alternative solution works for me. It may not work for you. But, I offer it here as a counter-option.

I fill one of my .5 liter water bottles with the hottest water I can get from the available potable tap at my overnight lodging. To this I add one container / tube of Nescafe instant coffee...shaken not stirred...until dissolved. Voila! I have a serving or two of coffee, albeit it tepid. However, I can drink it on the go, as I am walking. Yes, it usually results in cold coffee eventually, but I find it is the aroma of the coffee that gets me started in the morning.

The advantages are that the plastic water bottle can be rinsed and refilled with water. The Nescafe single serving packets are available all along the Camino, but particularly in larger towns and cities. Supermercados are more likely to have them instead of tiendas in small towns. And the individual servings can be stored in a Ziploc bag until needed. I think this is lighter than having to carry a separate tin or container for ground coffee.

I hope this helps.
 
Anniesantiago said:
Remember those collapsible cups we used as children or in Girl Scouts? Maybe the scouts still sell them?
Click to expand...
We just had an e-mail to say that this is coming from China
Susannafromsweden said:
I'm sure it's a nice mug but isn't it's very small? I wonder, is it really for coffee?
Looks like it would be great for schnapps.
Click to expand...
No it isn't for coffee Susanna. Terry needs to keep his chest clear with a handheld mini inhaler (water nearly boiling plus eucalyptus oil) so it is for that only. We hope that the coil will fit in it, but it is so cheap that it won't matter if it is too small for drinking purposes.
I remember schnapps.....these days we prefer whisky
 
Let us pick up your suitcase once you arrive in Europe....
...and ship it to Santiago for storage. You pick it up once in Santiago. Service offered by Casa Ivar (we use DHL for transportation).
Hi Tia i have one of those cups the coil will just fit but you need to be carefull how you handle it as you wont be able to hold the rim with hot water in it because of the heat transfare, that leaves holding the base and if you do hit the top it will collapse and may scald your hand, I ordered a proper tin enamel cup with a handle for to bring with me on my camino. I realy think they were made for cold liquids only
 
Thank you for this thought Agnogel. We had already thought this through and hope that it might fit inside the inhaler so not need to be moved/touched. Otherwise a hanky to hold it at the top carefully.......or??? We intend to experiment at home first. Another concern would be that it doesn't tip over with the coil in it.
 
About 12 years ago I bought a cup-sized electric coil that has a little hook that clips onto the rim of a cup in the travel section of a department store in the interior of BC, Canada because missing out on tea first thing in the morning is not my preference. On trips I always bring sufficient Red Rose tea bags with me, one for each morning that I'll be away from home. I have taken my coil all over North America and Mexico, and most recently to the Camino Frances where I used it every morning with the help of a voltage adapter plug. It was always a simple matter to obtain some water and the use of an electrical outlet in the albergues. Later on in the morning I was happy to order café con leche at a bar or café along the Camino. I've used various sorts of cups over the years but have settled on an enamel-coated metal one. The space and weight the items add feels negligible and the satisfaction they provide are enormous. I googled the aforementioned phrase with "calentador" and I found several on eBay that are being sold in Spain at the moment.
 
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The coil has arrived, looks good but we haven't tried it out yet. We do have a few questions to those of you who have used one:-

Should it sit on the bottom of the cup or does it need to hang off the edge?
Ours has a little hanging hook on the handle. We presume that it should not sit on the bottom of a melamine cup.

Is it OK for it to be in contact with a 'bare' metal cup, or is enamel better?

Thanks for any help or advice
 
Hi Tia
the hook is so the cable does not slip under the water if its in a larger cup/mug than the lenght of the element, dont lift the coil out or in the water without disconecting it from the wall socket other wise it will over heat and fail, a bare metal cup will do the job fine , i dont know what a melamine cup looks like but if its heat resistent it should work fine , one more thing dont leave it unattended when in use as you dont want the cup/mug to boil dry as it will heat the water very quick
 
Great, we have an old (museum piece?) milk ladle/measure which could be just right. Light and with a hooked carry handle so easy to hold etc...
 
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Well, how cool is this thread to stumble upon! I purchased a coil to travel N.India with, then had to return S. with Sciatica. The indian plug is same as Europe I believe... Haven't used it. I have a handle-less insulated travel cup w/lid, metal inside, plastic out. It's all pretty darn light. I'm into tulasi herbal tea, it's light, but do love a good dark coffee. The honey is the problem...sugar is light...I can drink it all black!
My light packing plan expands. : (
 
I lean toward using mugs made of non-reactive materials such as enamel, ceramic, tempered glass or stainless steel. Melamine might seem ideal because it is unbreakable; however, in the studies about melamine exposure from foods there is concern about prolonged exposure to boiling water increasing the risk of melamine leaching into the hot beverage, and that long term consumption of lower levels of melamine may contribute toward health risks. There are several credible web pages with cautionary information regarding the use of melamine for hot food and beverages.
 
Tia Valeria said:
Great, we have an old (museum piece?) milk ladle/measure which could be just right. Light and with a hooked carry handle so easy to hold etc...
Click to expand...
Our measuring pot is actually aluminium, but it isn't going to be used for drinking. My concern here about the melamine would be that it is OK for holding hot water but not for contact with the coil which it would sit on the bottom of the mug unless held.
 
Camino Way markers in Bronze
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.

Hi, Tia,

I bought the cup pictured in post #120 of this thread (is it possible we are now pushing 200 posts on this topic?!). I am not sure if it's melamine, but it is some plastic-like substance. The cup is big enough so when I hang it on the side with the handle it doesn't touch the bottom, but it definitely touches the side. I've used it several times to test the heating and it seems fine against the cup (this is consistent with what other posters said earlier, too).

BTW, did you order from Ferreteria Julio's online store or some other source? And is it the German Marux brand pictured in LTs post (#155)?
 
The-electric-coil-saved-my-life-on-the-camino.

It was stormy early morning a blistering cold February near Santo Dominigo.
The feared north eastern Sibirian winter storm had ravaged through Europe and had hit the Bay of Biscay, turning the area into a deep freezer. All animal life had retracted to northern Africa or was hiding from the relentless winds hoping that it soon would change. It was indeed dire times.

Five pilgrims, strangers to each others, had been caught by surprise in the blizzard the day before.
Fatigue and tormented with snow blindness they had found a temporary shelter in a ruin dated back to the 12th century. Little did they know that a group of pilgrims the previous summer had spend the night the same place and had been witnesses to a tropical summer night with shooting stars and a full moon to be remembered.
400 and some years before the farmer that had build the house had been famous of his exquisite grapes that he grew and both made him a known and respected man. A man who always welcomed his guests with the best wine he had produced the last decade. A wine that had defined this special area of Spain.

Anyway..
There we were.
Packed into our sleeping bags with all our cloths on. Everything!
The emergency blanket that one of our piers wisely had armed himself with was serving as a windbreaker,
the thermo with warm water that another of our group brilliantly had filled regularly served as frost bite preventer, the bread machine yet another pilgrim had brought served no use to us at all.
It was dark and cold.

The night turned into daybreak and we knew we had to do something.
It was now or never.
I was in a delirium state and could do nothing but say Buen Camino, when our youngest in our group took the electric coil in her hand and said; " I will be back".
Off she went swinging the electric coil over her head, making it make an unknown sound of #"' SwooShhhH#".
No matter how far into the emptiness she went, I could hear it in my dengue fever dreams.
A cry for help.

No more than six hours later she returned with a dog sledge and the emergency team that had been searching for something completely different, but they had heard the #"' SwooShhhH#", #"' SwooShhhH#", #"' SwooShhhH#".!-"#
Not soon after we were seated in a warm bodega in Santo Dominigo and boiled our eggs with the same electric coil. Eggs that told us that, indeed, miracles happens. Whether it is in relation to a hen, egg or cock.
Whether it has to do with pilgrim comradeship. Luck. Coincidences. We will never know.
All that matters is: Come prepared! ! ;

Electric coil is not ≠
whether to electric coil or not

It is rather=
Why not...

Buen Camino,
Lettinggo
 
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Our coil came from Amazon (UK) and is by 'Relags', very similar to Susanna's coil (post - #132). It might have an extra coil on it and weighs a little more at 180gms, including its plug.
Due to our limited broadband allowance I tend to look at pictures and then turn them off in my browser so I had to hunt for it. We have a melamine mug and the aluminium measurer; our collapsible pot is on its way etc....so we will wait and see which is the lightest and safest option before looking for anything else, but thank you.

(Edit:- The collapsible cup won't work as we want, looking at other options)
 
Last edited:
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Anniesantiago said:
Clean up a used tin can and outfit it with a ribbon so it ties to your pack?
Click to expand...
Annie this idea from the 'cup' thread is brilliant. We had thought about cutting down a lightweight aluminium type bottle but a 'ring-pull' can would work just as well maybe. We'll experiment using the electric coil in one next time we actually open a can. The added advantage is it would be a good excuse to buy a tin of peaches on the Camino to replace the can occasionally Thank you
 

Remember those little "sleeves" people put on glasses and cups when we were kids, instead of using coasters? Might be nice to have one of those because the tin would get hot. You also could pick up a cardboard sleeve from a coffee shop?
 
Take care with using the can from peaches as a cup for heating with a coil. The hot can MIGHT burn your lips!!

As you know from scanning the above posts I am a FIRM believer in carrying and using an electric coil; it is the only luxury I do carry. Three Decembers past when walking towards Finisterre I met a Korean woman who was close to exhaustion. Together we crossed the cold, bleak forest landscape to Vilaserio. We stopped in the old school which was then the only open albergue and minimal. (The impossible alternative was to walk in the frigid dusk 20k further to the next accommodation at Olveiroa.) The school had a toilet, shower, floor mattresses, electricity but NO heat! Outside it was sleeting; inside on the tile floors the constant cold was hardly bearable! Multiple cups of strong hot tea and soup heated with my trusty coil were our only relief. Frankly I am surprised that we even made it through the night! Next morning a thin layer of treacherous ice stretched to the horizon. Eventually I called her a taxi and I SLOWLY walked on...Hence my firm belief in the electric coil!!

Margaret
 
Camino Way markers in Bronze
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
Thank you both for your concern:-
Annie - We can use a piece of cloth to pick up the can.
Margaret - It isn't for drinking from, but for filling Terry's inhaler. Our only concern is that the can has a rolled edge so as not to cut our fingers or the stuff in the pack; the ring-pull type should work fine so long as the coil goes into it safely ie without it tipping over.
 
Well I just joined the club! I just ordered the coil and the gsi mug. Looking forward to making soup and couscous and of course morning coffee. Thanks for the ideas!
 
Hi there just a thought but if your carrying an electronic device (phone, tablet, camera) and are looking at buying things on your Camino like an immersion coil, cup, umbrella? Perhaps taking photos of the item and having then on your device should help cut down on the hand gesture charades ? Just an idea I've had for going abroad where there is a language issue.
 
Get a Spanish mobil number + data while on the Camino
Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
This thread must be bumped...what has happened to this once-thriving club? If I do anything but the Frances, I will humbly ask the founders for admission.
(The things you stumble upon when exploring different Camino options.....)
 
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Viranani said:
This thread must be bumped...what has happened to this once-thriving club? If I do anything but the Frances, I will humbly ask the founders for admission.
(The things you stumble upon when exploring different Camino options.....)
Click to expand...

Well, one of the founders, SusannafromSweden, has sadly left the forum and stopped walking Caminos, so the leadership responsibilities are dumped onto a smaller group of people. I should also point out that we have a couple of distinct sub-groups

-- those who use the coil only for a hot drink in the morning vs. those who use it to perform all sorts of culinary magic;

-- those who only use it because they are walking remote Caminos where there is frequently no other option unless you are willing to walk 2o km without caffeine vs. those who use it even on the café laden Camino Frances as a money saving measure or as a way to ensure high quality

-- those who bring it along as the exception to the rule that they generally bring no gadgets vs. those who love gadgets and carry as many electronics as possible.

You don´t have to decide which sub group you fit into though as a precondition to membership. And you see Viranani there are some members who both walk the Francés and use the coil, it´s just up to you to decide on your own principles.
 
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