It's 7:45pm. The sukuma is half-fried, the flame dies, and the cylinder is empty. Here's your action plan — and the permanent fix so it never happens again.
Right Now: Your Options
- Check the clock. PataGas delivers 8am–8pm. If you're inside the window, order immediately — same-day delivery may still reach you.
- Outside hours? Some vendors claim 24-hour delivery — verify licensing and seals carefully; desperation makes people accept unverified gas. If in doubt, wait for morning rather than risk a fake cylinder.
- Bridge the meal — a gas lighter's cousin: the meko/single-burner backup, electric kettle for hot water, or tonight's dinner goes in the oven alternative (see below).
The Honest Truth About "24-Hour Gas Delivery"
A few Nairobi operators advertise it. Before ordering from one at midnight: confirm they deliver sealed branded cylinders, not decanted gas — the late-night market is exactly where illegal refilling thrives. A sealed ProGas at 9am beats an unsealed mystery cylinder at midnight.
The Permanent Fix: The Two-Cylinder Strategy
Every household should run one in use + one spare:
- 13kg users: a 6kg backup cylinder + meko burner (~KSh 3,000 total) — when the main runs out mid-cooking, the spare carries you until the refill arrives.
- 6kg users: a second 6kg — swap between them.
- The spare lives upright, valve closed, in your storage spot — see storage rules.
Cost: one-time ~KSh 3,000. Value: you never cook by torchlight again.
Never-Run-Out Habits
- Check the level weekly — the hot-water trick takes 30 seconds every Sunday.
- Reorder at 25%, not 0% — when the water line shows a quarter left, that's your signal.
- Know your burn rate — how long your size lasts for your household; mark the calendar.
- Heavy cooking ahead? Hosting nyama choma for 15 people this weekend — order the refill before, not during.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does PataGas deliver at night?
We deliver 8am–8pm daily. Orders placed in the window arrive same-day; the spare-cylinder strategy covers the rest.
Is it safe to use a small camping burner while I wait?
Yes — a meko burner on a 6kg is designed exactly for this; ventilate as usual.
Can I keep a cylinder "on standby" connected?
Keep the spare disconnected and valve-closed — connect it only when needed, then leak-check.
End the midnight scramble: add a 6kg backup set to your next order — one purchase, permanent insurance. Shop backup sets →