Expert Advice On Cheap Multi Fuel Stoves From A Five-Year-Old
Cheap Multi Fuel Stoves
Summary: These simple stoves that are lightweight can burn wood, hexamine white fuel, white fuel, and gas canisters with one nozzle. They're popular in colder weather but they're loud and don't have a simmer limit.
Certain multi-fuel stoves can burn different kinds of liquid fuel. The MSR WhisperLite Universal can be used with white and isobutane canisters for fuel.
Optimus Nova
The Optimus Nova is a multi-fuel stove that can be used with a variety of liquid fuels. It has a quick-priming burner, an aluminium pump that self-purges and precise simmer control. Its low centre of gravity and wide spreading legs make it a solid stove that can be used on hard ground. This makes it a perfect stove for group backpacking base camps, kayaking and camping in the Arctic.
The Optimus Nova is different from other liquid fuel stoves that have a problem with unburned fuel lingering in the fuel line or the nozzle. This can be fixed by simply flipping over the bottle. This disconnects the intake hose from the fuel, and forces it to suck air which smothers the flame and decreases the pressure of the bottle.
This seems like an ingenious solution to an age-old problem and it certainly does the trick. The Nova can be used with any standard fuel bottle with an o-ring seal. This includes MSR bottles. It also comes with a fully featured stove bag that includes separate pockets for spare parts, tools and lubricant, as well as the fuel pump.
This is a great all-round backpacking stove that is suitable for use in the UK especially for long-distance trips where a wide choice of fuels is required. The price is very affordable when compared with other stoves in the canister category with similar capabilities. The Optimus Nova is also easy to maintain and enjoyable to use.
Kovea Hydra
The Kovea Hydra multi fuel stove was first marketed in 2010 and has been a favourite choice for backpackers since. Fewer UK backpackers pay the stove a lot of attention maybe because they've gotten caught up with better known brands or whatever the most recent lightweight stove from China or Korea is but this doesn't mean that the Hydra does not have its merits.
It is a compact and lightweight stove that can burn all liquid fuels including white gas, propane butane and white gas with one nozzle. Recommended Website 's a typical stove design, with a burner bell bolted to a body that anchors three fold out support legs. A pump is located on the top of the fuel hose, the generator loop goes around the inlet, and the flame spreader is situated above that. The burner is a slow-moving flame type. This means it is less affected by wind.
One of the best features is that it can be utilized with a canister of propane or isobutane making it a multi-functional little cooker. It's simple to simmer on isobutane or propane and burns all fuel types with a decent amount of heat, but is a bit slower than some other stoves when using white gas.
The instructions for the Hydra are written in English, but they were not written by native speakers of the language. The instructions warn you against using certain types of lighter fluid. If you don't follow the instructions correctly, it can cause an accident and put Kovea into legal trouble. But that, any 7/16ths UNEF threaded gas container from a reputable manufacturer should work just fine.
Primus OmniLite Ti
Primus Omnilite Ti can be a great choice for those who are looking for a multifuel cooker that can cook with a variety fuels. It can be used with gas, petrol/gasoline or diesel, kerosene, and aviation fuel. It has separate controls for each fuel type and allows you to adjust the flame size. This stove also has a fuel line that lies flat on the ground and can be easily connected to the tank.
While the Primus Omnilite is a fantastic stove, it does require maintenance to keep it working correctly. It could be dangerous as it flares up when you are priming. This issue is common to all stoves with liquid fuel, which use a secondary spindle on the stove end instead of an actual coil to vaporize the fuel.
It is also important to remember that each fuel type requires the use of a different jet. This means that if you cook using kerosene, the jet hole needs to be smaller than when cooking with gas. This isn't a major issue but it's still worth mentioning.
MSR Whisper Light
The MSR Whisper Lite is one of the lightest, smallest and cheapest multi fuel stoves. It is also easy to fix on the field. It can run on either canister fuel or liquid gas, and includes attachments for both. The new design is 10% lighter than its predecessor, and the burner system has been redesigned to ensure better heat distribution. It's great for beginners or budget-minded backpackers.
It takes some time to install, prime, and boil water but the whistler Lite is a reliable camp stove that will not let you down. The flame is powerful and can easily boil one Liter of water in just two minutes. The only downside is that it doesn't simmer like other stoves.
MSR developed the Dragonfly to be a more capable burner. It has a similar design to the whistler, but is more compact and provides better performance. It's not as inexpensive as the Whistler Lite. The Soto Amicus stove and cookset is a great alternative that offers the same configuration for a fraction of the cost. You can also get a Whisperlite International or Universal for isobutane containers as well. Both versions have the same design and style, however, the Universal version is also compatible with canister fuel.
Coleman Sportster II
This is a simple, no-frills Coleman stove that can do the job. It's small, self-contained and solid, with the tank at the bottom and the burner on top. This makes it simple to use and a good option for backpackers, beginners who want to cut weight, and those of us who have spares in the van.
This stove is designed to burn Coleman's proprietary fuel (naptha which is also referred to as "white gas") but can be used with unleaded gas too. This option will save you money since one gallon of gasoline could last as long as the conventional Coleman liquid fuel cylinder.
It takes a bit of practice to create a solid blue flame on a liquid fuel stove. You'll have to pressurize them and prime them properly before you can do this. If you do it wrong the fuel may be sprayed onto the burner, or even sputter. To master this do some practice outside before your excursion.
The stove will sacrifice some performance or flame odor efficiency when using non-coleman fuels but it's a trade-off for the extra flexibility it offers. Make sure to purchase unleaded gas and not something that's enhanced with alcohol or Methanol. This is because these kinds of fuel will cause the unit to disintegrate, leak, sputter and even explode!
ATG Jiko
The ATG Jiko Multi Fuel Stove from South Africa is an ultralight multifuel engineered to withstand harsh conditions like Africa. It's a compact and reliable system that can burn gels, solid fuel tabs and alcohol using one nozzle. It's a minimalist, ultralight design that costs less than other multifuel stoves. Fuel is also cheaper per liter compared to gas canisters.
Other multifuel stoves use a separate nozzle for each kind of fuel. This makes them a little difficult to switch between fuels in the rain or without gloves and can add to their weight overall. Multifuel stoves that are of the current model have a single nozzle that can burn multiple fuels, making it simpler. The newer versions of these stoves are known as 'hybrid' or 'compressed multifuel stoves'. there are a variety of names for them such as isobutane canister fuel white gas, kerosene, and unleaded car petrol/gasoline.
A multifuel stove kit is available to convert your Trangia burners into multi fuel cookers. These are available at camping stores that specialize in outdoor equipment and are also available internationally. They're a great choice for Trangia fans. They're capable of burning all liquid fuels, with the exception of diesel. If used with the correct accessories can even cook.