Frequently Asked Questions

Can I return the order I received?

You can return your order within 30 days of receipt. Look here

Do I have to use a special pot in the EcoStoof®?

No, you can use your own pot. The EcoStoof® is suitable for all sorts of pots. Stainless steel, cast-iron or any other material used for pots.

What size pot do I need for the EcoStoof®?

The EcoStoof® is flexible and suitable for everything from the smallest pots to pots of a maximum diameter of 26 - 28 cm (without handles) and height of 14 - 16 cm. You can tighten the drawstring to fit your pot. Make sure that you always use a protective cloth so that your EcoStoof® doesn't get damaged or dirty. This can be a hand towel or a tea towel or one our special matching protective cloths, of course.

How does the EcoStoof® work?

You simply put your ingredients in a pot, bring it to the boil and place the whole thing in the insulated EcoStoof®. The meal stews in its insulated wrapping until it's done, maintaining all its flavours, without the use of energy and without burning. Vegetables retain their bite, meat becomes deliciously tender, and rice becomes nicely moist.

I find the EcoStoof® too expensive. Why is that?

The EcoStoof® works by retaining (insulating) the heat of your pot. The stronger the insulation, the better it works and the more successful the dishes you make will be. To attain the very highest insulation values, we used expensive, infrared reflective materials for the EcoStoof® , with sewn, fibre-filled insulation pockets and a thick, insulating cork base. This high quality means you can cook almost anything in the EcoStoof®. Our price is also influenced by something we (and we hope you too) find important:

• The EcoStoof® is not made with child labour. The EcoStoof® is made in the EU and the workers are paid a fair wage.
• The materials used to make the EcoStoof® do not pollute our planet.

 How long does food stay hot in the EcoStoof®?

We have tested the EcoStoof® numerous times with 1 litre of contents such as a soup or a stew. Food stays about 65 °C for around 3 hours. That is hotter than the temperature at which food cooks through. After that it cools down slowly.

The greater the volume, the longer it stays hot. If your food has been in the EcoStoof® all day or all night long, you should reheat it to boiling point before eating. Stewed meat needs to be reheated after three hours and then placed back in the EcoStoof® for a further three. 

What can I make in the EcoStoof®?

The EcoStoof® is suitable for making most sorts of dishes: meat, fish, vegetables, potatoes, pasta, rice, pulses and even yoghurt. You can also use it to make delicious side dishes, like stewed apple or poached pears.

How long does food need to be in the EcoStoof®?

The stewing time depends on the dish. Soups are done in 20 to 30 minutes, potatoes in 30 to 45 minutes and meat stews in 3 to 6 hours. Food cannot burn in the EcoStoof®. Our cookbook, the recipes on the website, and our recipe newsletter contain tested stewing times. Take a look at basic stewing times here

Can the EcoStoof® withstand the heat of hot pots and pans?

The EcoStoof® is heat-resistant up to 100 °C. The EcoStoof® is not suitable for temperatures in excess of 100 °C, like deep fryers. A heavy-based casserole will sometimes reach temperatures above 100 °C. Therefore to err on the side of caution, we recommend that you wrap your pot in a protective cloth before placing it in the EcoStoof®. This could be a hand towel, a tea towel or one our special matching protective cloths.

Can I wash the EcoStoof®?

Yes, you can. It's best to protect the EcoStoof® by wrapping a protective cloth around your pot before placing it inside the EcoStoof®. If nevertheless, you do get a stain on your EcoStoof®, you can wash it by hand at a maximum of 30 °C. It can also be washed by machine on the wool setting. Do not spin. Line dry.

How should I wash your linen protective cloths and other linen accessories?

Linen requires a little extra care when washed because it's a fabric made of plant fibres. To look after the fabric as well as possible, it's best to wash linen on a delicates setting, preferably at 30 °C, or 40 °C if it's especially dirty. At the same time, linen is a strong fabric and all our products are pre-washed, so we cannot guarantee that no shrinkage will occur if you wash it at a higher temperature. You can also soak the fabric in lukewarm water with Biotex for half an hour before you put it in the machine. Only half-fill the drum because linen needs space to move. Add a dash of vinegar to the wash so your linen maintains its softness. Linen dries quickly so it's better to line dry and not tumble dry it. It's easiest to iron when the fabric is still a bit damp.

How should I clean my cast-iron EcoStoof® pan?

Fortunately, there's not too much work involved in cleaning an enamelled cast-iron pot. After use, clean the pot with a soft sponge or brush. Use warm water and a little washing-up liquid. Is the pot properly clean? Then rinse it with clear water and make sure it's dry before putting it away.

You can use a stick blender. But be careful not to let it knock against the sides of the pot too often.

How much energy can I save with the EcoStoof®?

With an EcoStoof®, you can save 30% of the energy you'd usually use for cooking.

How long will it take for the EcoStoof® to pay for itself?

According to our calculations, the EcoStoof® can save you about 30% of your energy costs for cooking. That means that you save €100 to €130 per year at current energy prices. Good for the environment and your EcoStoof® purchase pay for itself in a year.

How sustainably is the EcoStoof® made?

The EcoStoof® is mostly made of linen. Linen is many times more environmentally friendly than cotton and is also more environmentally friendly than organic cotton. (Source Milieu Centraal). Its insulating filling is made from recycled textile fibres from Frankenhuis BV (www.frankenhuisbv.nl/diensten/vezels). It has a cork base. Cork is among the most sustainable organic materials and is heat insulating. The lid includes an infrared reflective textile layer. This combination forms an optimal mix of heat-insulating and heat-reflecting characteristics. We had a life cycle report made based on CO2 balance. We didn't only look at the raw materials, but also at the distribution, packaging and waste phase. As far as CO2 production is concerned, the EcoStoof® pays for its production footprint in about 6 months. At current energy prices, your EcoStoof® will pay for itself in 1 year.

Where is the EcoStoof® made and who makes it?

The EcoStoof® is made in the European Union, in Lithuania. Baltic Flax in Vilnius is our manufacturing partner. We have personally visited the workshops to see the working conditions. All the EcoStoof® employees are paid a fair wage and are proud of the work they do.

What are your safety instructions for use?

For safety reasons, the EcoStoof® should not be used by children without supervision or without receiving prior instruction on its use. Children should not be allowed to play with the product.

Do not put cooked food into the EcoStoof® directly. The EcoStoof® is not made for this. Always put food in a pot before placing it in the EcoStoof®

Exercise caution when removing the pot from the EcoStoof®. You are advised to wear oven gloves when opening the EcoStoof® and lifting out the pot inside.

Do not place the EcoStoof® on the hob, in the oven or in the microwave.

Do not place pots at temperatures above 100 °C (boiling point) in the EcoStoof® such as pots recently used for deep frying. The fabric the product is made from could be damaged as a result.

Make sure that all the ingredients in the pot have been thoroughly heated to 100 °C before placing the pot with the ingredients in the EcoStoof®.

If a dish has been in the EcoStoof® in excess of 5 hours, we recommend you reheat it to 70 °C minimum before eating. This is to kill any bacteria that may have developed.

Protect the inside of the EcoStoof® from dirt, damage and stains with a hand towel, tea towel or a special EcoStoof® protective cloth.