This Device Lets You Charge Your iPhone While You Go Off-Grid

When you go on camping, is your biggest concern how will you be able to charge your gadgets while you're out in the middle of nowhere? The BioLite biomass burning CampStove may ease that concern, as it doubles as a stove to cook your dinner as well as an electronic charger for your phone and other gadgets.

It works like this. Stick in some wood or pine cones found around the campsite into the biomass stove. The device then uses its thermo-electric generator to turn 5000 watts of thermal energy into electrical energy. Additionally, the fan requires 1 watt and the device uses the extra electric energy from the generator to power or charge USB devices like smart phones, GPS receivers, and LED lights.

The USB port is available to power devices about 10 minutes after starting the fire.

The CampStove uses the fan to keep all the combustible gasses inside the fire. Trapped gasses make the fire burn more efficiently, burning 50% less fuel. It also helps reduce emissions by 95%, according to the company.

That's why the device doesn't smoke.

The device weighs about two pounds. It is pretty compact, only about 8.25" by 5" when it is packed in your camping bag and slightly larger when setup.

The CampStove is available for pre-order and costs $129, which is near the same price point as high-end MSR camping stoves.

BioLite claims that it plans to use the money from CampStove to fund another product called HomeStove, which would provide billions of people without access to electricity the chance to use wood fires to cook their meals while reducing their exposure to smoke emissions. The emission reduction technology in the HomeStove eliminates 1.5 tons of carbon dioxide.

The company has plans to deploy the HomeStove on four continents this year.