9 Things Your Parents Taught You About Cheap Multi Fuel Stoves

Cheap Multi Fuel Stoves

Summary: These basic and lightweight stoves burn wood as well as hexamine tablets, gas canisters, and white fuel through only one nozzle. They're popular in cold weather but they're loud and don't have simmer control.

Some multi-fuel stoves are hybrids that can burn different types of liquid fuel. The MSR WhisperLite Universal, for example, burns white and isobutane fuel in its canisters.

Optimus Nova

The Optimus Nova is a multi-fuel stove that can be used with a variety of liquid fuels. It features a quick-priming burner and an aluminum pump that self-purges and precise simmer control. Its low center of gravity and wide legs make it a stable and solid stove. This makes it an ideal stove for group base camps kayaking, arctic camp.

The Optimus Nova is different from other stoves with liquid fuel that are plagued by unburned fuel remaining in the fuel line or the nozzle. This can be resolved by flipping over the bottle. This disconnects the intake hose from the fuel, and forces it to draw air into the stove, which extinguishes the flame and depressurizes the bottle.

This is a pretty ingenious solution for an age-old issue, and it works. The Nova can be used with any fuel bottle with an o-ring seal. This includes MSR bottles. It also comes with a full-featured stove bag with separate pockets for spare parts, tools as well as lubricant and the fuel pump.

This is an excellent all-round backpacking stove that is suitable for use in the UK, particularly for expeditions where a wide choice of fuels is essential. Its price is also very affordable when compared to canister stoves that have similar capabilities. Furthermore the Optimus Nova is easy to maintain and enjoyable to use.

Kovea Hydra

The Kovea Hydra contemporary multi fuel stoves fuel stove was first introduced in 2010 and has been a favorite choice for backpackers since. The Hydra is not as popular among UK backpackers anymore, perhaps because they have been able to catch up with more well-known brands or the most recent lightweight options from China or Korea. But that doesn't make it any less useful.

It is a small and light stove that can burn all liquid fuels like white gas, propane butane and white gas with a single nozzle. It's a pretty standard stove design, with a burner bell bolted to a body that anchors three fold out support legs. The pump is situated just above the fuel line, the generator loop wraps around the inlet and the flame spreader is situated just above. The burner is a low-velocity flame type. This makes it less affected by wind.

It is a very versatile cooker as it can be used with isobutane canisters or propane canisters. It is easy to simmer with isobutane as well as propane, and it burns all fuels at a decent rate. However, when using white gas the stove runs a bit slower.

The instructions for the Hydra are written in English, but they were not written by native users of the language. The instructions warn you against using certain types of lighter fluid. If they are mistaken, it can cause an accident, and possibly put Kovea in legal trouble. Any 7/16ths UNEF-threaded gas container of a trusted brand will be fine.

Primus OmniLite Ti

Primus Omnilite Ti can be an ideal choice for those who are seeking a multifuel cooker that cooks using a variety of fuels. It can run on gas, petrol/gasoline or Kerosene, diesel and aviation fuel. It has separate controls for each type of fuel and also allows to adjust the flame size, which is a nice feature. This stove also has a fuel line that sits flat on the ground and can be easily connected to the tank.

The Primus Omnilite is an excellent stove, but it needs maintenance to keep it running efficiently. Particularly it is prone to flare during priming, which could be dangerous. This is a common issue with all liquid fuel stoves which use a second spindle throttle at the stove end to vaporize fuel instead of a generator coil.

It is also important to note that every fuel type requires the use of a different jet. If you are cooking using kerosene, then the jet hole will be smaller than if using gas. It's not a major issue, but it's worth mentioning.

MSR Whisper Light

The MSR Whisper Lite is one of the tiniest, lightest and cheap multi fuel stoves most affordable multi-fuel stoves. It is also simple to fix on the field. It can run on either canister fuel or liquid gas, and comes with attachments for both. The new model is 10% lighter than its predecessor and the burner system has been redesigned to improve heat distribution. This is a great choice for backpackers on a budget or beginners.

It takes a bit of time to prepare, set up and boil water, but the whistler Lite is a reliable camp stove that will not disappoint you. The flame is powerful and can cook a liter of water within two minutes. The only issue is that it does not simmer as well as other stoves.

This is the reason MSR has designed the Dragonfly stove to become an efficient simmering burner. It's designed in the same way as the whistler, but it is smaller and has superior performance. It's not as inexpensive as the Whistler Lite. The Soto Amicus stove and cookset is a great alternative that provides a similar setup at half the price. Whisperlite International and Universal can be used with isobutane. Both versions share the same basic design however the Universal version is also compatible with canister fuel.

Coleman Sportster II

Like many Coleman stoves, this one is a simple, rough and ready unit that just gets the job done. It's compact, self-contained, and solid, with the tank on the bottom and the burner on top. This makes it easy to use and a good option for backpackers, beginners who want to reduce weight, and for those who want to keep an extra or two in the van.

This stove is designed to burn Coleman's exclusive fuel (naptha which is also referred to as "white gas") but can be used with unleaded gas too. A gallon of gasoline can last as longer as a standard Coleman liquid fuel cylinder so you'll save money on fuel by using this option.

Liquid fuel stoves have a learning curve as you'll need to pressurize and prime them before you can get a nice blue flame going. If you do it wrong the fuel could spill out, splash beyond the burner, or splash out. Try it out in the open before taking it on your trip to learn how to do it.

The stove will lose some performance and odor of the flame effectiveness if you use non-Coleman gasoline, but this is a tradeoff in its versatility. Make sure to purchase unleaded gas and not something that's enhanced with alcohol or methanol. This is because these kinds of fuel can cause the unit to be sputtering, leaky, and may even explode!

ATG Jiko

The ATG Jiko multi fuel stove from South Africa (formerly known as the jiko) is a light multifuel stove specifically made for harsh environments such as Africa. It's an extremely compact and reliable all-in-one system that burns solid fuel, alcohol, tabs, and gels with only one nozzle. It's a minimalist and ultralight design that is priced lower than other multifuel stoves. Fuel is also cheaper per liter when compared to gas canisters.

Some multifuel stoves also have different nozzles for each type of fuel. It isn't easy to switch fuels in bad weather, or when wearing gloves. This can also add weight to the overall load. The latest models of multifuel stoves have found an option to make use of the same nozzle for different fuels, making it easier. The latest models of these stoves are referred to as 'hybrid', or 'compressed fuel multifuel stoves' and there are various names for them such as isobutane canister fuel, white gas, kerosene and unleaded car petrol/gasoline.

Another option is to purchase a multifuel stove which converts your standard Trangia burner into a multi fuel wood burning stoves fuel cooker. They are typically available from specialised camping stores and are also available for purchase internationally. They're a great choice for Trangia enthusiasts and are capable of burning all liquid fuels with the exception of diesel and if used with the correct accessories can even cook.