A global review of end user needs: Establishing the need for adaptable cookstoves

Over 100 improved cookstove projects have been initiated since the late 1990s. However, despite the improvements in burn efficiency, such projects have been met with low adoption rates. A leading reason for this is that improved cookstoves often do not meet the needs of the user. This research answers the question: What are the end user needs for a successful cookstove and how do these needs vary across different regions and with differing household preferences? A review of published literature was performed to ascertain the requirements necessary for a successful improved cookstove. The results reveal there exists a set of primary end user needs and a set of secondary end user needs that must be met for users to be satisfied. Additionally, the use and expectations of a cookstove are influenced by a variety of regional, community, and household factors. The successful design of a cookstove requires an understanding of these factors and how they vary with time and circumstance. Given the large variability in cookstove use around the world, it is unlikely that a single rigid stove design will satisfy all the requirements for a successful cookstove. It is recommended that adaptable cookstoves be developed, thus increasing accompanying adoption rates.