Abstract: The present invention is drawn to a self-priming alcohol stove comprising a burner cup with a base and side walls for storage of liquid alcohol, a main burner attached to the burner cup, a start-up burner, and a heat transfer unit to transfer heat from the main burner and/or the start-up burner to a quantity of alcohol held by transfer unit within the burner cup at a location distal from the side walls and the base. The vaporized alcohol passes to the main burner and is ignited by flames from the start-up burner. More alcohol is then continuously absorbed from the burner cup by the wick between the concentric, cylindrical walls to maintain the main burner flame. Operation of the main burner substantially deprives the start-up burner of oxygen so that heat from the main burner vaporizes alcohol absorbed between the concentric walls.