I purchased my first portable burner about a month ago for a cooking party. I have seen these little tabletop burners at restaurants/hotels; I would observe the chefs using these burners to cook a variety of omelets. Because I am often paranoid to use anything with gas, I was afraid to turn on the burner. But once I got the courage to do so, I absolutely loved it! Not only can I use this burner for my cooking parties/demonstrations, but also I can use them at home to save energy! You can also use these burners in emergency situations that prohibit the use of electricity. As I have said before, these burners are very easy to use and because it comes with a case, traveling with the burner is very easy too!
There are many different brands of burners that range in prices. I purchased my burner (Sun Stove) for $12 at a local Asian grocery store and it works great! If you are not in an area where there are Asian grocery stores, then you can purchase other brands, like the Portable Push-button Start Butane Stove on Amazon.com for $14.89. There are other brands available and the prices will change depending on store and brand. Click this link to learn more or to purchase the Portable Push-Button Start Butane Stove for Camping, Emergencies.
