Best outdoor cooking stove
- Thread starter twr198
- Start date
Depends on what conditions you would be using it in I suppose.
Alcohol stoves are simple, reliable and cheap - like Trangia's and others
MSR and Optimus have good reps for multi-fuel stoves with innovative designs
I have never been a fan of the gas canister jobbies
My current 'squeeze' is a Bushbuddy
You could make your own?
Alcohol stoves are simple, reliable and cheap - like Trangia's and others
MSR and Optimus have good reps for multi-fuel stoves with innovative designs
I have never been a fan of the gas canister jobbies
My current 'squeeze' is a Bushbuddy
You could make your own?
The msr stoves are very good but I think they are all more than £70 now..
I have the whisperlight, it boils very quick, but requires priming and it does not simmer very well. Has a very good self cleaning mechanism and is pretty easy to maintain. A good stove for cold climates and mountain tops...
I have the whisperlight, it boils very quick, but requires priming and it does not simmer very well. Has a very good self cleaning mechanism and is pretty easy to maintain. A good stove for cold climates and mountain tops...
I love my MSR whisperlite and have had it for years. You can pick them up for cheap off the bay of evil if you look around. I considered selling mine last year but very quickly changed my mind.
rik_uk3 found this little beauty and he is a stove nut and as such would be one of the first people who I would ask for recommendations.
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=28765&highlight=ebay+stove
Have fun
Greg
rik_uk3 found this little beauty and he is a stove nut and as such would be one of the first people who I would ask for recommendations.
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=28765&highlight=ebay+stove
Have fun
Greg
I seem to have a small collection, though Rik's prob the guy to talk to on here I would guess 
Ultralight alcohol's the way to go. Not too keen on them now in winter though in summer they're better. Just too much like hard work getting them going and too slow. Prob partly because I take the 28 mini version not the full sized set
Jetboil's great for hot food FAST with no hassle. Not so good for very cold use (cold UK winter), being cannister, but great the rest of the time. Not TOO bad on weight
Svea 123R is a bit heavier again but soooooo simple and reliable, I really do like it. Petrol / coleman fuel / clear wipe so great in winter too
Optimus Nova is a brilliant multifuel, about the same in weight as the 123 by the time you add a fuel bottle. Very hot, very reliable (though I still like the no-pump capability of the 123), love it... not sure about cost; used to be around the £100 mark but could be less now
Not had much experience with MSR (suprisingly maybe since everyone seems to have them) but they've pretty much ruled for years.
Pretty much covers the full range. For general purpose backpacking and simple cooking I'd say the jetboil's hard to beat.
Ultralight alcohol's the way to go. Not too keen on them now in winter though in summer they're better. Just too much like hard work getting them going and too slow. Prob partly because I take the 28 mini version not the full sized set
Jetboil's great for hot food FAST with no hassle. Not so good for very cold use (cold UK winter), being cannister, but great the rest of the time. Not TOO bad on weight
Svea 123R is a bit heavier again but soooooo simple and reliable, I really do like it. Petrol / coleman fuel / clear wipe so great in winter too
Optimus Nova is a brilliant multifuel, about the same in weight as the 123 by the time you add a fuel bottle. Very hot, very reliable (though I still like the no-pump capability of the 123), love it... not sure about cost; used to be around the £100 mark but could be less now
Not had much experience with MSR (suprisingly maybe since everyone seems to have them) but they've pretty much ruled for years.
Pretty much covers the full range. For general purpose backpacking and simple cooking I'd say the jetboil's hard to beat.
Sorry to say this (as it reminds me of the world we live in), but you might want to edit your signature. I think it is unwise to give away your identity in that way, I have no concrete reason other than it just feels bad to have somebody else knowing my full name and daytime location. But it's your choice.
As for stoves, well, you can't go wrong with a simple trangia. Cheap, reliable, fuel effective (comparing with the light weight pepsi can jobs). But do you really need a stove? Why not just a stainless steel pot? Will develop your wilderness skills in a whole different way.
Only time I use multifuel is in severe winter conditions (snow and subzero temperatures). Really no need for it the other time of year.
Jetboil is lame. You can't do any proper cooking at all.
As for stoves, well, you can't go wrong with a simple trangia. Cheap, reliable, fuel effective (comparing with the light weight pepsi can jobs). But do you really need a stove? Why not just a stainless steel pot? Will develop your wilderness skills in a whole different way.
Only time I use multifuel is in severe winter conditions (snow and subzero temperatures). Really no need for it the other time of year.
Jetboil is lame. You can't do any proper cooking at all.
rancid badger
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Best stove I've had, bar none and I've owned/used a few!
I've had mine, I thinkabout 14 years now and it's seen some action. Cold, hot, wet, dry, blowing a gale and even underground, it's a cracking piece of kit. There are lighter, probably hotter stoves available and you need to keep the jet clean but for reliability and reasonable ruggedness I love it.I've tried gas stoves and borrowed one or two "all singing all dancing" ultra lightweight ones and always preferred the Whisperlite. I've gone through a few wind shield/reflector kits over the years ( 3, I think) and I buggered a jet once after losing the "progger" and tried to clean the jet with a safety pin
They can be a bit sooty sometimes but It doesn't bother me. I accept the fact that it needs looking after, like any piece of equipment.
If I had to replace it, I would probably buy the same stove again.
Regards
R.B.
I've had mine, I thinkabout 14 years now and it's seen some action. Cold, hot, wet, dry, blowing a gale and even underground, it's a cracking piece of kit. There are lighter, probably hotter stoves available and you need to keep the jet clean but for reliability and reasonable ruggedness I love it.I've tried gas stoves and borrowed one or two "all singing all dancing" ultra lightweight ones and always preferred the Whisperlite. I've gone through a few wind shield/reflector kits over the years ( 3, I think) and I buggered a jet once after losing the "progger" and tried to clean the jet with a safety pin
They can be a bit sooty sometimes but It doesn't bother me. I accept the fact that it needs looking after, like any piece of equipment.
If I had to replace it, I would probably buy the same stove again.
Regards
R.B.
rancid badger
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Self cleaning mechanism?
Hmm... that obviously doesn't figure in my "prehistoric" version
sounds like the "back room boys" have been sassing up the design over the years! Mind you, I've never had much trouble simmering with it, except in a blow!As I say, I think I've had mine about 14 years, heck! it could be a lot longer-I'll have to have a look at the latest model I think!
Thinks: "Ah.. no more sooty fingers"
Cheers
R.B.
I would recomend the jetboil, its light, come complete with ts own mug and boils in around 1-2 mins, i have used mine for about 3 years and never had a problem, it fits x2 issue ration packs in to warm with little water, then you can make your wet in it after wards, if you want to put a pan on it you can remove the cup and buy a separate pan atachment stand, for the bacon frying all for less than 50 popounds, oh and you can get a coffle plunger for it to!!!
www.jetboil.com or similar outdoor kit shop
Any questions feel free!
Jim
www.jetboil.com or similar outdoor kit shop
Any questions feel free!
Jim
Optimus Nova, though a little over your budget, gets my vote. Bombproof pump construction (greatly superior to the MSR plastic ones), very efficient, easy to clean. It's not extremely light but it's light enough and so versatile when travelling to the more remote parts of the globe.
The simplicity of the Trangia has a lot to recommend it, too, but locating the equivalent of meths in a foreign language can certainly be interesting!
I think that Jetboil are not up to much. They're good for a quick brew but you can't cook that readily on them. When your fingers are cold, turning the gas control knob and pressing the piezo ignition thing can be the devil's own job. They're not especially stable in use - a tall(-ish) tower balanced on a gas cylinder doesn't inspire confidence - and, if you're heading out into the wilds (beyond Europe and U.S.), getting hold of the canisters and disposing of them when they're empty can be tricky.
The simplicity of the Trangia has a lot to recommend it, too, but locating the equivalent of meths in a foreign language can certainly be interesting!
I think that Jetboil are not up to much. They're good for a quick brew but you can't cook that readily on them. When your fingers are cold, turning the gas control knob and pressing the piezo ignition thing can be the devil's own job. They're not especially stable in use - a tall(-ish) tower balanced on a gas cylinder doesn't inspire confidence - and, if you're heading out into the wilds (beyond Europe and U.S.), getting hold of the canisters and disposing of them when they're empty can be tricky.
I agree with big swede.
You can't go wrong with a Trangia.
What do you need the stove for: long trips or lightweight trips, 1 person or groups, summer or winter, in the woods or in the open, UK or worldwide?
All these factors have a bearing on your decision.
Having posted my thoughts on Trangias before I am well aware that you either love'm or hate'm.
Having used all sorts of stoves all over the world from -27 to +40 I still go back to the trangia for simplicity and versatility.
I look forward to the torrent of posts on this subject once again.
My current arsenal of stoves:
Sigg Firejet multifuel-now discontinued
Trangia 27 with 1x Stainless steel pan,1xnonstick pan and a nonstick frying pan.
Jetboil
Coleman pocket rocket
Esbit solid fuel stove
Camping gaz double burner(my wife insists on a certain level of comfort!)
You can't go wrong with a Trangia.
What do you need the stove for: long trips or lightweight trips, 1 person or groups, summer or winter, in the woods or in the open, UK or worldwide?
All these factors have a bearing on your decision.
Having posted my thoughts on Trangias before I am well aware that you either love'm or hate'm.
Having used all sorts of stoves all over the world from -27 to +40 I still go back to the trangia for simplicity and versatility.
I look forward to the torrent of posts on this subject once again.
My current arsenal of stoves:
Sigg Firejet multifuel-now discontinued
Trangia 27 with 1x Stainless steel pan,1xnonstick pan and a nonstick frying pan.
Jetboil
Coleman pocket rocket
Esbit solid fuel stove
Camping gaz double burner(my wife insists on a certain level of comfort!)
I diagree with some of the comments on the jetboil, its stands up easily with tha aditio of the plastic tripod, it will cook easily any manner of food due to the panstand attachment, which with any pan will be able to rustle up any meal, as for gas canisters, the small size that fits in the in the jetboil along with pan stand and tripod has happily lasted me for weeks, the addition of a lrge gas can will see you and four peoples worth of cooking for a couple of weeks, so unless you going to get lost for a month i would reccomend it, There is plentifull supply in all countries.
If you cant operate it due to cold hands then you are not looking after yourself properly in the field.
Cheers jiM
If you cant operate it due to cold hands then you are not looking after yourself properly in the field.
Cheers jiM
That I'd agree with, plus there's the point that even in cold weather it's no harder to keep a gas cannister in your jacket (ie warm) than it is to keep a trangia burner in there. Also, one thing you can do with the jetboil that you can't with most other stoves is hold the thing up in the air (via the insulated cosy and hand strap attached) while the stove's lit and it's cooking. With the ultra short boil times that's a real option when you've nothing flat to put it on, and though I haven't tried it in really cold weather yet, I imagine hovering it in mid air would be one of the best forms of insulation from cold ground / snow there is. Plus you get to warm your hands too!
Like I said, the trangia is brilliant for it's simplicity, but the jetboil is brilliant for fast food. NB wherever I go I take a firesteel with me too; I've heard that the part of the jetboil most likely to fail is the piezo ignition system. Often apparently it only reqires being bent in a bit towards the cannister but... just in case...
i agree with you to, if the ignitor does go, give a quick flick with a fire steel and off you go!
Cracking piece of kit.
Cracking piece of kit.
I would say that the best 2 stoves on the market for general purpose cooking in all conditions are the Optimus Nova and Primus Multifuel... The primus will burn cartridge gas if you want to. The nova packs up slightly smaller and has a bit sturdier legs. Plus both will burn Kerosene quite well... So you don't have to rely on $100/gallon Coleman fuel. If you want to go "all the way" with it get the conversion kits for either of these stoves to mount in a trangia windscreen set.
I love my set up and if I want to i can use the pocket rocket instead of the esbit system.
http://www.rosshome.dsl.pipex.com/abushcrafter/html/articles_bushcraft.html
http://www.rosshome.dsl.pipex.com/abushcrafter/html/articles_bushcraft.html
Are you sure about those weights? At 0.67 GRAMS, the mug would probably rise into midair due to the thermals from the fire...
