New stove opinions and experience

[mick91]

So this weekend I'm going camping a little out of my comfort zone by not going into my usual plot of woodland. So unfortunately I will probably be unable to have my usual open fire (or my earth oven) to cook on. So I'm looking into a new stove. I prefer using liquid fuel when I do have to use one so have an old brass primus, and I mean OLD as in 2 days older than grass, unfortunately I have to agree with SWMBO that it much like my hammer gun (although I still use it above any modern gun) , is antiquated, hard to use and dangerous. So it's being relegated to a decorative item.
I'm looking at a primus omnifuel or MSR dragonfly. Does anyone have any suggestions or reccomendation? Any common faults or limitations? Or do I stick with ol' leaky?

 

[sunndog]

I swear by my dragonfly. It really is a superb stove, for actual cooking as well as just boiling water
Mine was the sole means of cooking for two of us for a couple of months once.

if i was trying to keep weight down with a multi fuel i'd go for the omnifuel TI though

 

[MongooseDownUnder]

I have had an omnifuel for about 15 years and it still works brilliantly the pump is however machined from an aluminium billet. A friend of mine has a dragonfly bought the same time as my primus and has killed 2 pumps ao far. The only thing I hate about both stoves is the jets flying overhead everytime I light it up.

 

[cranmere]

I would service the old brass stove. I still have one from the 1970s that works a treat but every decade or so it needs taking apart, cleaning and new seals and pump leather. This place does spares for all sorts of stoves, new and old.

http://www.base-camp.co.uk/

The multifuel stoves are great if you're not sure what sort of fuel you are likely to find, but tend to be more temperamental and fiddly to use.

The Dragonfly has a pretty good reputation. For a petrol stove I have a Coleman, I think they still do a similar model.

 

[Quixoticgeek]

The MSR dragonfly is a nice stove. But it is *NOISY*. It's like cooking on the afterburner of a fighter jet. But it will burn pretty much every liquid fuel on the planet...

I have both the MSR Dragonfly and a MSR Whisperlite Internationale (Original version). I'm soon to be flogging said dragonfly as I don't use it. The Whisperlite is very good. Simmers well, boils well, nice and quiet.

If I was to be buying new today, I would look at either the MSR Whisperlite Universal, or the Primus Omnilite TI.

J

 

[sunndog]

But it is *NOISY*. It's like cooking on the afterburner of a fighter jet.

Makes a good camp alarm clock.....once i'm up, nobody sleeps!

 

[mick91]

Cheers guys I never even considered noise with it. And cranmere ive serviced it a few times and replaced every washer but there's bits of metal fatigue. I'm not sure how old it is, but it's very old

 

[Quixoticgeek]

You can get silent stove adapters from various places that make the noise considerably more bearable. AFAIK, the only one made by the manufacturer themselves, is the one for the Primus Omnilite Ti. But there may be others.

J

 

[mick91]

You can get silent stove adapters from various places that make the noise considerably more bearable. AFAIK, the only one made by the manufacturer themselves, is the one for the Primus Omnilite Ti. But there may be others.

J

That's a thought actually cheers because I'm normally first up so wouldn't like to wake everyone else up at dawn!

 

[Quixoticgeek]

Do you have a pressing need to burn more than just Kerosene and petrol? If you expect to be needing to burn diesel and avgas, then the Dragonfly is a good bet. *BUT*, if you are only going to burn petrol, coleman fuel, aspen, kerosene, then you are better off getting a Whisperlite Internationale or Whisperlite Universal. Sure they are ever so slightly harder to simmer with, but as long as you are careful, it can be done. The whisperlites are lighter, quieter and cheaper.

The Primus Omnilite Ti with the silencer is the other option worth seriously considering.

J

 

[mick91]

Do you have a pressing need to burn more than just Kerosene and petrol? If you expect to be needing to burn diesel and avgas, then the Dragonfly is a good bet. *BUT*, if you are only going to burn petrol, coleman fuel, aspen, kerosene, then you are better off getting a Whisperlite Internationale or Whisperlite Universal. Sure they are ever so slightly harder to simmer with, but as long as you are careful, it can be done. The whisperlites are lighter, quieter and cheaper.

The Primus Omnilite Ti with the silencer is the other option worth seriously considering.

J

I will probably be running it exclusively on kerosene. As I said it's rare I need to use one but when I do I want something I can rely on. That being said if I can run it on unleaded then ideal because I already have a tilly lamp that runs on it so I guess 1 fuel would be easier

 

[Quixoticgeek]

I've had my Whisperlite since the last century. I've only ever used unleaded petrol in it. Never had a problem with it.

J

 

[mick91]

I've had my Whisperlite since the last century. I've only ever used unleaded petrol in it. Never had a problem with it.

J

One thing I saw online was that petrol can block the jets but I guess 15+ years of use I'm worrying about nothing

 

[British Red]

I had two pumps fail on my dragonfly. Least reliable stove I have ever owned, would never buy a stove with a plastic pump again.

 

[mick91]

I had two pumps fail on my dragonfly. Least reliable stove I have ever owned, would never buy a stove with a plastic pump again.

I have to admit I was leaning more toward the primus because it's a brand I trust. Ive seen £30 knockoffs but don't fancy that

 

[Quixoticgeek]

One thing I saw online was that petrol can block the jets but I guess 15+ years of use I'm worrying about nothing

Yes, that is a concern. The MSR stoves have their shaker jet design, which makes cleaning pretty simple, shake the stove every now and then (effectively done by your movements in the pack while walking). The stove is pretty simple to service/clean if you need to.

J

 

[mick91]

Yes, that is a concern. The MSR stoves have their shaker jet design, which makes cleaning pretty simple, shake the stove every now and then (effectively done by your movements in the pack while walking). The stove is pretty simple to service/clean if you need to.

J

Has to beat soaking the brass one in turps and using a single wire brush bristle I suppose they've come on a little since ol' leaky was made

 

[Quixoticgeek]

The MSR service kit comes with a tool for cleaning out the jets.

J

 

[mick91]

Have just ordered a whisperlite. Hopefully it'll last as long as the old primus. Just checked there and it was made between 1908 and 1911. Seems a shame to retire it now and a testament to old world quality when only a few leather seals needed repairing in over 100 years! Not so bad for a fiver from a car boot sale

 

[cranmere]

One thing I saw online was that petrol can block the jets but I guess 15+ years of use I'm worrying about nothing

That was more so with the older leaded petrol. I tend to use COleman fuel if I can get it though.