The Patsari Cookstove, an improved cook stove is an adaption and improvement of the Lorena Cookstove which has been in use in Guatemala and Mexico since the early 1990's. It is designed and distributed by the Interdisciplinary Group of Rural and Appropriate Technology (GIRA) located in Patzcuaro, Michoacan, Mexico. In comparison to the Lorena, several improvements have been incorporated into the design of the Patsari including:
- The exterior is made of brick in order to lengthen the lifetime
- Molds are used in the construction process in order to guarantee the proper dimensions of the combustion chamber for standardization
- A highly optimized combustion chamber
- Secondary burners that maximize heat transfer to multiple cooking surfaces
- Baffles redirect hot gases to the secondary burners
- The heating surfaces (comales) are sealed to prevent smoke from entering the living area
- A prefabricated chimney base that facilitates ease of cleaning
Patsari means "the one who takes care of" in the indigenous Purhe'pecha language; the stove is designed to take care of the health of the users as well as the global environment. Some of the benefits of using the stove are:
- 50% reduction in fuel consumption
- 66% reduction in indoor air concentration of particulate matter and poisonous gases (CO)