Day 14: Make a Coffee Can Heater (15 Minute Prepping Projects)

Welcome to DAY 14 of our 15 Minute Prepping Projects series. Today we are going to make a simple emergency heater using a coffee can or any quart-sized can.

Every day for the month of September we will celebrate National Preparedness Month by undertaking a small task to help us get more prepared. Do as few or as many days as you want. Jump in at any time. Do them out of order, or more than one in a day. And feel free to share what you are doing!

Click here and scroll to the bottom of the post to view all the past days’ projects.

For this project we will be making a small emergency heater that you can keep in your car or your home to use when you need a little warmth. Here are some basic instructions on how to make the heater:

Step 1: Clean out an old coffee can (you can also use a quart-size paint can, pantry can, or even a large vegetable can)
Step 2: Remove the cardboard center from a roll of toilet paper
Step 3: Stuff the roll of toilet paper into the can
Step 4: Insert the can, one package of matches, and a bottle of rubbing alcohol into a larger container or bucket (extra rolls of toilet and bottles of alcohol can be handy as well)

When ready to use your heater, simply pour alcohol over the toilet paper until it’s well-saturated. Light with a match and use in a well-ventilated area. If using in the car make sure to crack the windows. This will provide enough warmth to keep you from freezing before help arrives.

Share Your Results

If you put together a coffee can heater share a picture of your kit today! Here are some ways you can share:

Instagram: Use #15minuteprep and tag @jodi_foodstoragemadeeasy on any post or story you do featuring your project. You can follow the hashtag to see everyone’s projects and if you tag me I will repost in my stories throughout the day (if your account is public).

Facebook: Comment on the PINNED posts in my Facebook Group (If you are not a member yet I will try to get you added within 24 hours so you can play along). The most recent day should show up at the top and you can scroll to the right to see past days. I will try to share some of these to Facebook stories as well (no names will be used, don’t worry!)

Text me: If you are not already signed up to get the daily challenges via text just text 15minuteprep to 717-788-3663. You can always reply to the daily text with your “report” so I can check in on you.