The activity of Co/ZnO and Rh/Al 2 O 3 catalysts in ethanol steam reforming was studied in a tra ditional tubular reactor with a fixed catalyst bed and in a microchannel reactor. At temperatures of 600 and 700°C, the Rh/Al 2 O 3 catalyst was much more active and stable than Co/ZnO. A comparison between the reactors of two types showed that the ethanol steam reforming occurred more efficiently in the microchannel reactor because of intense heat and mass exchange. The specific hydrogen production per unit weight of cat alyst in the microchannel reactor was almost twice as high as that in the traditional reactor.