Performance comparison of charcoal cookstoves for Haiti: Laboratory testing with Water Boiling and Controlled Cooking Tests

•Four charcoal cookstoves were studied for use in Haitian relief efforts.•Stove performance was assessed using Water Boiling and Controlled Cooking Tests.•Improved stoves saved 20–50% of fuel on average compared to the traditional one.•CO emission rates were reduced by 20–45% but failed to meet WHO targets.•The traditional stove had fastest time-to-boil, an important user consideration.

Charcoal cooking accounts for a large portion of Haiti's energy usage and leads to severe economic, health, and environmental hardships. Organizations are hoping that fuel-efficient cookstoves can help solve the problem. In this study, four charcoal cookstoves intended for dissemination in Haiti were rigorously assessed and compared using Water Boiling and Controlled Cooking Tests.Due to the poor thermal efficiency of the traditional stove, all improved stoves saved fuel on average over the traditional with the majority also reducing the total emissions released. However, the traditional stove could be difficult to replace because it had the fastest time-to-boil, an important consideration for end users. Through the testing, the number of trials conducted was found to be an important consideration for error analysis. Also, noticeable differences in stove performance were seen between the two protocols, supporting arguments by prior researchers of the necessity to use multiple test protocols for practically useful comparisons.