Thoughts on the ORIS Skottle?


Seems like someone took the base idea of using the bayou classic griddle and adding legs/base to it for multiple uses.

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Herbie

Rendezvous Conspirator
Strong side-eye at that one.

There's a small amount of value-add there, in that you have access to the burner on the stand without the cooking surface, but there's also value-delete in that it loses a lot of what makes the Tembo Tusk Skottle work. The ur-Skottle being thinner steel means that it heats up quickly, and gives good "throttle control". I've never burned my eggs in my Tembo Tusk. The dished "shallow wok" shape is also critical to a number of dishes and is a key part of how I use the tool.

A big, flat plate of cast-iron will have good heat retention, but will take longer to come to temperature and can't be used as readily with wet-heavy or "stir-fry" style dishes where I need to move stuff through a pool of cooking fat or sauce. For the times when I want flat cast-iron, I have a $25 reversible griddle-pan from Lodge that works just fine (though that does necessitate a 2nd burner.)

It's also priced like $100 higher than the ur-Skottle on a like-for-like comparison. A fraction of that price gets you a second Coleman propane burner (or a dual-fuel butane/propane stove) and you can cook two things at once. So, I'm not sure the "use it like a free-standing stove" is enough of a plus unless you're seriously committed to winnowing down your gear and want a single-burner solution for all your cooking/boiling needs. (And in that case I'd be more likely to again use a $30 propane/butane tabletop burner with a pan or griddle plate on top...)

The above only addresses the merits of the tool itself and doesn't even begin to address how I feel about the... let's say, adoption of an existing idea/product and name. Tembo Tusk may even have a course of legal action on this one, if they've trademarked "Skottle", since that spelling is unique compared to the original Afrikaans "Skottel Braai" that their name derives from.

At least the base set is claimed to be made in USA, but I'd bet folding money that the Bayou Classics griddle plate is not.

EDIT: I had to search, and yes, TemboTusk has a USPTO Word mark on "Skottle".
 
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WVI

Adventurer
I've been thinking about a small Blackstone type grill and a small single burner as you described Herbie.
Possible just two single burners altho WM has the classic Coleman 2 burner on sale right now.
 
Strong side-eye at that one.

There's a small amount of value-add there, in that you have access to the burner on the stand without the cooking surface, but there's also value-delete in that it loses a lot of what makes the Tembo Tusk Skottle work. The ur-Skottle being thinner steel means that it heats up quickly, and gives good "throttle control". I've never burned my eggs in my Tembo Tusk. The dished "shallow wok" shape is also critical to a number of dishes and is a key part of how I use the tool.

A big, flat plate of cast-iron will have good heat retention, but will take longer to come to temperature and can't be used as readily with wet-heavy or "stir-fry" style dishes where I need to move stuff through a pool of cooking fat or sauce. For the times when I want flat cast-iron, I have a $25 reversible griddle-pan from Lodge that works just fine (though that does necessitate a 2nd burner.)

It's also priced like $100 higher than the ur-Skottle on a like-for-like comparison. A fraction of that price gets you a second Coleman propane burner (or a dual-fuel butane/propane stove) and you can cook two things at once. So, I'm not sure the "use it like a free-standing stove" is enough of a plus unless you're seriously committed to winnowing down your gear and want a single-burner solution for all your cooking/boiling needs. (And in that case I'd be more likely to again use a $30 propane/butane tabletop burner with a pan or griddle plate on top...)

The above only addresses the merits of the tool itself and doesn't even begin to address how I feel about the... let's say, adoption of an existing idea/product and name. Tembo Tusk may even have a course of legal action on this one, if they've trademarked "Skottle", since that spelling is unique compared to the original Afrikaans "Skottel Braai" that their name derives from.

At least the base set is claimed to be made in USA, but I'd bet folding money that the Bayou Classics griddle plate is not.

EDIT: I had to search, and yes, TemboTusk has a USPTO Word mark on "Skottle".
I agree with all of your points on this.

I made my own version with this same cast iron top.
Its harder to get the temp just right, I made mine with a windshield that actually holds the burner so you can pop the cast iron off and use a pot/pan/etc.

Yeah, I think to be "Made in the USA" it just has to be assembled here with some usa parts.
Speculation, but i assume most of it is china stuff and then sent over to be put together.
 

Herbie

Rendezvous Conspirator
It's the use of the name not the design.

Yes. As I noted in my first post, TemboTusk owns a US Trademark on "Skottle", which is a unique spelling of a word not otherwise in common use.

In the same way, you are totally free to create and market a line of Oat-based breakfast cereal formed into a 1/2" diameter toroidal (doughnut) shape. But you absolutely cannot call it the "Miami Cheerio".
 

plh

Explorer

dbhost

Well-known member
I first saw a Skottle in a video shared on Youtube this morning. My main thoguht was why suck up that much space? It looks like one of those things they use to cook meat for street tacos in Mexico. Not a bad thing, just seems like it is overkill for overlanding or camping.
 

Herbie

Rendezvous Conspirator
I first saw a Skottle in a video shared on Youtube this morning. My main thoguht was why suck up that much space? It looks like one of those things they use to cook meat for street tacos in Mexico. Not a bad thing, just seems like it is overkill for overlanding or camping.

All depends on how many you're cooking for. It's borderline overkill for my family of 3. When we camp with the extended family and I'm prepping pollo asada tacos for 8-10 people, it's barely enough!
 

dbhost

Well-known member
All depends on how many you're cooking for. It's borderline overkill for my family of 3. When we camp with the extended family and I'm prepping pollo asada tacos for 8-10 people, it's barely enough!

True enough. I typically cook for 2, however when I do have extended family along on trips we use 2 white gas 2 burner stoves. Pollo Asado isn't my favorite camp dish, however I have been known to make Carne Guisada on the Coleman. (I'm a Texan).

Like I said, the Skottle looks like those cookers the street taco makers use. I could probably love having one along for cooking for 10 or more, as long as someone else is hauling it. And paying for it. Man they are spendy...

Of course if I paid full new price for my white gas stoves, cast iron cookware etc... I guess I am deep in already...
 
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Beowulf

Expedition Leader
Anyone have a source for small Discada? I'm looking for something around 12-15". Just want the pan that I can put on my snowpeak stove.
 

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