I have acquired a lot of camping/hiking stoves over the years.  I certainty don't consider myself an "Expert", but I have learned a few things from folks here and elsewhere.

Mostly I favor those stoves that are Multi-Fuel capable, even though I can leave some components behind, and allow them to be single-fuel stoves.  I like choices.

I also like stoves that are collapsible and fit within "pots" or cups which protect them.

Let's begin by stating what Stoves I NO longer use, on account of their being valuable antiques, and in most cases have been superseded by better, more Modern stoves.  Further allow me to say that NOT suggesting any vendor links supplied below as suggestions, mere well-pictured examples.

1) Optimus 199 (Ranger/NATO) stove.  https://www.ebay.com/itm/125755849353?campid=5338967982&mkevt=1&mkcid=1&toolid=10050&customid=&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&campid=5338967982&mkevt=1&mkcid=1&toolid=10050&customid=790353b8c18d18e6d7f13052509c9408&mkrid=710-53481-19255-0

This stove has gotten so insanely high-priced that I question my using the seldom-used example that I own.  With included "windscreen" emplaced, it is "relatively" quiet compared to many stoves.  It will burn most any liquid fuel, as long as one has the proper jets to do so.  Fortunately, I added-on every possible accessory for this stove when such were still available.  Dumb luck on my part; maybe not so "dumb".

2) Primus 99 Brass Stove  https://www.ebay.com/itm/314265139094?var=0&mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&campid=5338767604&toolid=20006&customid=4581939845895940_377867579_o
Again, an antique which is increasing in price.  Will only burn Kero, but it is a flamethrower.  With added "silencing" items burns fairly quiet.  It's a Beast.  Some of these stoves may need to be re-built in order to make them safe and useable, but parts and tools are available, usually from folks in UK.

3) USGI M1950 stove.https://www.ebay.com/itm/195560669929?chn=ps&_trkparms=ispr%3D1&amdata=enc%3A1lDMs_ZD4QNaKJO5yYXEddw60&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-213727-13078-0&mkcid=2&itemid=195560669929&targetid=4581046489808870&device=c&mktype=&googleloc=&poi=&campaignid=418640322&mkgroupid=1239149842233245&rlsatarget=pla-4581046489808870&abcId=9300602&merchantid=51291&msclkid=2b583d81a701174bb0665e6b3e5e7b9e

Not too expensive on Ebay--yet, but prices are climbing for "Good" or better examples.  I just bought a maintenance kit for this stove for $25 which should extend its' use far into the future.  Aftermarket "silencers" are available for this type of stove, and I highly suggest them.  Usually comes with a dual part aluminum "case" which doubles as cooking pots.

I rather think "quiet" is "useful" in many ways.  Some of these stoves make a significant sound when operating.  Not for nothing, but some folks call them "Roarer" burners for good reason; Some of them sound like miniature jet engines.  YMMV, but I prefer "silent" stoves over "noisy" ones and I'll pay extra $ for devices to make "noisy" stoves "Quiet".  YMMV.

Anyway, that's an example of stoves that I don't use on account of their being antiques and there being mostly better modern stoves out there. As some will have noted, buying spare parts for their stoves while they are still available and relatively inexpensive is almost always a wise idea.

More to follow.

The only vintage stove I really want is an original SVEA 123

They just look too cool.

Svea 123 is always a "favorite" amongst older, and experienced campers.  IMHO, there are better alternates out there, some much better.  I admit there is something to be said for a 100 year old design brass stove still being useful.

No "Expert" but there are some modern clones, or near-clones of the SVEA 123 available, possibly in stainless steel or titanium.

A good many Svea 123 stoves for sale on e-bay, and because they were made in the millions over the years, the prices are not unreasonable for used, but complete and decent examples.  Parts and needed tools are still available, if required.  These types of stoves are so inherently reliable that they seldom break, but gaskets and so forth do wear out.

Classic Camp Stoves  might be a good place to start; There are lots of sites devoted to collecting, repairing, modifying, and using such stoves.

The Fettle Box might also be a good resource.

Miles Stair's Wick Shoppe can also be a highly useful resource.  If one digs down onto Miles Stair site, one will find that he is a longstanding "Prepper".

Prepper coments

@Bubbatheredneck

Somewhat off-topic, but there is a related site dealing with "pressure lamps":  Classic Pressure Lamps

About 50 years ago I had an Optimus 8R white gas stove which traveled most areas of the White Mountains, and a good percentage of the Appalachia trail.

ETA. Now all I have an MSR XGK stove somewhere in the house for lightweight camping.

I'm... I'm a bit of a stove whore. My favorites are the Kovea Spider, Soto Windmaster, and Optimus Polaris.

The last one is the most intriguing to me. One jet, burns anything petroleum based. I've been tempted to try running ETOH through it, but I don't want to risk destroying the pump or fuel line, so that'll be an intrusive though until something better comes along and I don't mind the risk as much.

I own:

SVEA 123R. I like it and it nests very well. It's coming on a motorcycle trip this spring. I wouldn't want to start it in zero degree weather without a pump though.

Coleman M1950. Not a fan, fun stove to use but I don't trust the pump NRV valve.

Optimus 199: also not a fan. It has a lot of parts/pieces to lose

Coleman 502: my favorite. Kind of a weak stove, but very easy to rebuild, very simple to use , and very very reliable. Too big/heavy to lug in a backpack though.

Coleman 400(B?): mine is NIB and I haven't used it, but the generators are unobtainium and not as robust or rebuild able as a 502.

IIRC, parts for the M1950 available on ebay.  Pumps for the Svea 123 (and other, similar stoves) also available there, as well as the fuel tank caps with the Non Return Valve (NRV) required to use the pump.  As you noted, the optional (and often lost) fuel tank pump is highly desirable, going on a necessity IMHO.

Old Coleman Parts  might be a place to investigate.

Perhaps this Generator  might serve?

@302w

I was intrigued by the "no-fuss" multi-fuel capability of the Polaris, but after some investigation it seemed (to me) that what one gets for less fuss is "paid-for" in reduced fuel efficiency.  Just my opinion, and not a criticism of your choice or the product.  I like that the Polaris will also run on Isobutane gas.

Given choices/prices at the time, I chose a Primus OmniFuel  Stove.  Given current choices, I might choose differently, maybe not.  One of the factors involved in my choice was that the Primus pump was said to be more durable than the MSR pump used in similar MSR stoves.  I'm currently looking into whether or not the Omnifuel can be run on Isobutane gas, but even if not, I have stoves that will do so; more on that later.

I actually made a new NRV pip for my M1950. It works, but I don't trust it. The AGM/Thermos style pumps don't inspire confidence.

I have one user and one spare 123R pump

I'm a return customer at OCP. I actually have spare 400A gens. I just don't use my 400 as it is NIB.

Great! Kits mentioned for sale on Ebay have modern Viton pips and are likely far more durable than OEM plastics.  Just trying to help, and glad to see that you are ahead of me.  All best wishes!

RE: Optimus 199.  Yes, it can be a bit of a hassle to set it up, but some "judicial" filing on the "legs" of the stove which support pots can prove useful.  Long ago I bought some Stainless Steel "legs" for the 199 (probably unobtaium nowadays), replacing the chrome plated plain metal OEM "legs"; the new ones don't rust, unlike the OEM "Legs".  I had to do some careful bending and some careful filing of the ends of the "legs", but now they "drop-in" and easily "pull-out" easily, neither of which the OEM "legs" ever did.  I don't mind taking some time and effort to make things work properly, but YMMV.

The only "problem" I've ever had with the 199 is the necessity to buy a "T" shaped jet changing handle, since the OEM valve-turning key seems to be useless for that purpose, even though it has a slot for the fuel jet.  Looking into lighter and smaller alternatives right now.  OTOH, the "T" handles of the jet changing device will allow user to file an appropriately shaped "keys" (likely a square and a slotted "Key") for servicing most NRVs on most fuel caps.  If done properly by simple filing, such modification should not damage the metal on the "T" handle.  At least the modified tool will be able to do multiple duties.  Suggestions for jet-changing tools requested.

Just to show what a "Nerd" I have become, I ordered multiple Trangia plastic bags for my Trangia clone Stoves (which lacked such), at about $2 each.

Why?  Because:

(1) Everyone suggests not stowing (possibly leaking) alcohol stoves inside cooking kits due to potential fuel contamination of cooking vessels.  Nearly all alcohol stove fuel is poisonous.

(2) Next user might need directions on using such stoves, and full multi-language instructions are written on the bags.  "Next" user might be a family member using the stove in my absence, or anyone absent personal training; having instructions will be useful.  Also useful for practicing somewhat limited foreign language skills.

(3) It's also useful to store Brass items physically and electrically insulated from other non-brass metal items.  There is a form of corrosion due to dis-similar metals contacting each other which occurs over time.  I reckon a multi-use and stout plastic bag is cheap insurance.

(4) The stove bags can also accommodate many fuel bottles, in case the fuel bottles leak.  Bag dimensions below.

In any event scant cost for a potentially useful item.   Usual "baggies" are far less stout than the Trangia bags.

YMMV.

Just as an addenda to this stove thread, some stove users might find the "legs" of their stoves a bit "problematic", in that they won't support small cooking vessels. If so, suggest considering buying some "appropriately sized" metal computer fan grates.  Many sizes available.

Sure, they will rust, but they are cheap and serve immediate needs until something better comes along.

More later on some stoves I have bought and currently use.  Not being an "Expert" myself, I have relied on Expert comments from some folks here on Arfcom, as well as Experts on other sites.  When I say "Expert" what I mean is a person who has very wide-ranging and long-standing experience in subject matter, and also a person who is willing to revise their opinion when new facts become available; this latter shows an open-minded and intelligent mind, IMHO.  That's the sort of "Expert" that I respect.  YMMV.

Link to bags?

Not Everclear

Good thread. I have a few multifuel stoves (good reminder to do a little maintenance as they haven't been used in a while; including those O-rings on the fuel bottles). MSR, Optimus and Primus, all a little bulky, but good performers. My MSR XGK is an older version that has no regulation, something I much prefer having these days.

The only issue with multifuel stoves is practicing the fuel valve replacement (if your model has various ones for the fuel types). JP8 fuel is pretty dirty for a camp stove.

ROCK6

Coleman fuel will get into rice crispy treat packaging and Mtn Hse packaging.  Make sure the fuel bottle lid is on tight.

At Philmont, 2014, the kid carrying the night's meal was also carrying the fuel bottle.  Apparently the lid was loose on the bottle.  

We noticed the Mtn Hse meal, (some Mexican dish with rice & black beans), tasted funny, but we ate it anyway.  When we got to the rice crispy treat the fuel taste was obvious and after one bite they were thrown away.

I belched fuel all night and it burned when it came up.

Search "Trangia Plastic Yellow Spirit Burn Bag" on Amazon.  Laid flat, the bags are about 7-5/8" x 13-3/4"; long enough for many fuel bottles, too, if the top is secured.

Thx.

BTW, I'm sure you've seen this site?

https://classiccampstoves.com


   

Yes, thank you!

Well, on a lark, I pulled the trigger on a pretty good looking SVEA 123 off eBay.

That's my favorite stove.  I still use it some, but I usually take the Jetboil.

Good for you!

Here's a tip I picked up from YouTube contributor Mark Young about how to adapt most any wood twig stove to burning wood pellets.  While certainly a hiker, Mr. Young also seems to have a certain talent for tinkering.  I highly recommend his videos.

Why bother? Because wood pellets are cheap, easily bagged-up and stored indefinitely, and they can serve to start your wood stove and "dry-out" wet twigs. If it happens to rain before you have a chance to gather appropriate dry fuel for your wood stove, you're all set.

YMMV, of course, but IMHO it's nice to have choices.

Involves creating a simple screen for the bottom, and perhaps adding a cover for the wood fuel port on the side of the stove.  Sometimes a flat or domed stainless steel kitchen sink "strainer" will do, or perhaps a 120/140mm computer fan grille appropriately cut down/sized.  Cheap and easy in any event.  The devices weigh practically nothing and adds versatility to your stove.

I'm sure this mod is not new to many, but it's new to me, and I thought it worthwhile to mention.  Enjoy!

Some other YouTube "Stove" folks are:

1) Hiram Cook.   Many modern YT stove folks reference Mr. Cook, and for good reason.  He was experimenting with stoves many years ago, and many of his experiments are considered "bedrock" by newer stove folks.  No new vids for years, but what he contributed remains entirely valid today.  Honest opinions.

2) PaleoHikerMD  This YT contributor has made many newer posts about stoves.  What I appreciate about him is that he has a very broad range of experience with different stove types and gives honest opinions.

I unreservedly suggest both YT providers as being highly worth viewing.

Likely I have omitted, through ignorance, other fine YT stove experts, and my apologies.  Please post links to stove Experts with broad and deep experience, or others who have something particularly useful to add.

Enjoy!

Totally understand going with the Primus. I went with the Optimus because you *can*, carefully, strip the burner out of the stove and use it with a Trangia cookset, with several caveats. I already owned three Trangia sets at this point, so it was a big factor in my decision.

You are correct that, due to the 'universal' jet size, the Optimus isn't as efficient as the Primus, but if I want efficient I'll break out the JetBoil or MSR Windburner. Options are important, and everyone has their preferences!

Sounds like you are not only well-equipped, but well-informed.  My respects!

Today I used 2 x 120mm computer fan grills (amazon) to make items which will allow use of common wood pellets for a couple of my "wood-burning" stoves which are not suitable for such as offered by some manufacturers.

Your particular wood-burning stove might not need such device in order to constrain wood pellets from falling through the body of the stove, and thus being useless.  Some wood burning stoves require a decent grate at their bottom with which to both constrain wood pellets from falling through (and being wasted) and also allow critical air inflow into the stove.

Just experimenting with things, but I suspect some computer fan grills might be useful, suitably modified by the user.

Suggest measuring the stove carefully and then buying an appropriate size computer fan grill.  You can always cut down a too-large fan grill with simple hand tools.  For example, the outer diameter of the grill wires of a 120mm computer fan grill is less than 120mm.  All these items are custom fitted, but fairly simple to do.

Original stoves either had very wide wire grills in bottom of stove (allowing wood pellets to drop through OEM grills and be wasted), or no grills whatsoever.

Both wood stoves are the more useful for it, and at scant cost. Potential benefits of using wood pellets discussed in my post above.

Measure twice and cut once.


ETA: There are currently offered some round, flat stainless-steel plates for some of the "Solo" stoves which are intended to allow wood pellet use in such stoves.

On amazon, search "Solo Stove Accessories".

@raf
Do you have pictures of the pellet setup?

Sorry, no.  It's just a cut-down computer fan grill sitting in the bottom of the stoves.  YT posters have been adapting wood/twig burning stoves for use of wood pellets for a while now.  It's so simple to do (10 minutes for two stoves) that taking a pic seemed a bit much.

SVEA 123 came yesterday, looks hardly used.
I fired it up tonight.
Neat little stove
It's all brass construction and simplicity are nice aesthetics.


But certainly not one you would use in a tent or under a low tarp!

Liquid fueled stoves are generally ill-advised for contained areas.

When I bought my first 123R, I was 18 and didn't know it was supposed to have a flame spreader. You can imagine how thrilled my mom was when I lit it up on the back porch and sent a gout of flame up to scorch the ceiling...

That's a good safety tip kids.

I think many of us have cheated with a MSR stove in a tent vestibule, but you don't douse those stoves with fuel and set the entire contraption afire either!!

I sense a can of Brasso in someone's future.  Did Svea come with aluminum cover/pot and its handle?  Perhaps a fuel tank pump for cold weather use?

Details, my man, Details.  Allow us to vicariously enjoy your new purchase.  @Bubbatheredneck

Further interesting stove info.  Allow me to share what is "new" to me (while not new to others) because it might be useful to others.

Secondly, understand that all this is somewhat new to me, and anyone attempting these things MUST do their due diligence in research.  Some of the practices described below can be potentially dangerous, so proceed at your own risk!  DO Your Research!

Many of us own "gas" fueled stoves, which are different from "liquid" fueled stoves.  All stoves have their pros and cons, but gas stoves are very common.

NOTE:  Examples provided below are intended to show specific items, and NOT intended to suggest certain vendors.  By all means DO shop around!

What I have discovered is that there is an inexpensive way to allow gas stoves to run on various types of gas fuels (Isobutane/Butane/Propane) by use of simple adaptors.  Lixada Multi-Gas Adaptor

Here's a vid on how to safely do so:  Re-filling Fuel Cannisters

The Lixada device allows user to adapt different types of fuel canisters (containing different types of gas fuel) to most common gas-fueled stoves which use a typical Lindal screw-on fitting.  So far, it's worth buying just for that purpose, IMHO.

An additional and significant benefit of this device is that it will allow re-filling of empty fuel canisters from a larger canister, or re-filling a partially empty cannister.  No sense in toting two half-full cannisters when a single full one will do.

CAUTION One will need a decent scale in order to do this safely!  Over-filling any fuel cannister is NOT safe!

There are forms of butane cannisters that are much cheaper than others.  Most likely the expensive ones are made for campers who might experience low temps, while some other butane canisters are intended to be used with indoor stoves.   I suspect that the "indoor" butane fuel canisters might do perfectly well for summer campers, and at much lower cost.  Indoor Butane Cannister  

Use of Propane is another issue, Propane being stored under higher pressure than Butane, IIRC.  Kovea makes a Propane-to-Lindal adaptor with an adjustable pressure regulator.  Kovea Propane/MAPP Gas Adaptor Quite expensive compared to non-regulated "straight-through" adaptors.  I have seen vids of stoves intended to be run on Iso-Butane cannisters being run on straight Propane with no apparent damage.  OTOH, the set-ups I saw did NOT include a Kovea adaptor with a pressure regulator, and there were some "issues" in adjusting the flame.  

As a side note, I've been re-filling "one-time" use propane cylinders for years.  I always wondered why some accepted less fuel than others.  Turns out that the cylinders that accepted less "new" propane probably had higher internal pressure.  One of the adaptors included in the example above will allow 1"# Propane cylinders to be completely vented and thus capable of accepting a full re-charge from a 20# cylinder with appropriate adaptor.

All this is relatively new to me, so I've not made any tests yet.  I reiterate the specific cautions given above; Proceed at your own risk and do your homework.  I'm certainly NOT a subject matter expert.

All best wishes!

Looks great!  It appears that the whole stove might fit into the pot in the picture, which is a good way to protect the stove.

May I suggest a QuietStove Device as an option?  I've bought them and used them and they certainly help quiet the stove, but not to absolute silence.  I have heard claims of some small fuel efficiency gains and perhaps better simmering flexibility, but never tested for such, so can't confirm.

 Always ready to help you spend your money, lol!  Seriously though, these gadgets do greatly help "quiet" the stove.

@Bubbatheredneck

The quietstove looks neat.
But not 59.99 neat  
I kinda like the roar the stove has; very distinctive

You're correct. Both the GSI in the pic and my Snowpeak Ti 700 Trek will slip over the stove, just like the original aluminum cup does. As if it were made for it.

I measured the volume of the original cup last night. It holds 12oz when filled to the brim and has a reasonable working volume of 8 oz or so.

Yeah, QuietStove item is expensive--but IMHO worthwhile.  Your call.   I prefer silence over noise, and that silence can be tactically useful.

I've bought the devices for all stoves which I own.  No regrets on my part, but understood others have reservations as to cost, weight, and expense.

I much prefer "quiet" stoves.  YMMV.  All best wishes!

I like the roar of the Svea too.

I understand. I always prefer "quiet" instead of a jet engine roaring away cooking my food and boiling my water. Most of these stoves, with "silencer" devices installed work at least as well with the silencer devices as without them, some say better with 'em.

I can say they are a lot quieter on account of personal experience.

I like choices.  I like silence.   I'll pay the extra money to have some silence, perhaps tactically useful silence.

It's a choice.  YMMV, and to each his own.

RAF, I understand your appreciation for silence as well.

No right or wrong answer, just personal opinion on the best application for specific circumstances.

For example, when I hunt and want quiet, I use a Trangia stove for prepping a midday meal in the field.

You bet!  All best wishes!

It's been quite a while since I've visited this thread.  I've gone through every stove already owned (M-1950 GI, Primus Omnifuel, Optimus 199 Ranger, vintage Primus 99, and Swede GI surplus Mil Trangia.

I've bought spare parts and necessary tools for all of them, and some accessories, if not already owned.  Much to my surprise, full-scale spare parts ensemble is available for the M-1950.

I've used most of the above in the past, so no point in reviewing those things here.  I think I have some fairly decent liquid fuel stoves.

I have watched countless hours of Youtube vids, and prowled many forums for advice, including this one.

Some recent acquisitions are a Kovea Spider and a Soto WindMaster gas powered stoves, and "Caldera Cone" multifuel stove. Accessory windscreens from flatcatgear.com.

I've also bought some "Twig-burner" stoves and have modified them to burn wood pellets.  The "Twig-Burner" stoves I bought were carefully chosen to be able to use twigs, Trangia alcohol stoves, wood pellets, and sometimes accessory gas burners.  Some stoves required some "custom" modifications, usually some sort of metal "floor" or "screen" that allows adequate bottom-up air flow in order to contain and burn wood pellets.  Some wood pellets will tide over some users when dry twigs cannot be immediately found.  Being able to use an utterly reliable alcohol Trangia stove is also useful--if the stove will accept it, and if you have it to hand.

As mentioned, each stove is kept in its' own bag, with everything for that stove included within the bag, except for liquid fuel.  Take what one needs; leave the rest.  Many of the stoves are encapsulated inside appropriate and protective titanium cooking vessels--with lids, and carbon fiber insulating "hats" for the lids.

At present carefully reviewing each stove and what is stored with it.  Along with spare parts and accessories, I always store some sort of suitable ignition device with each stove. along with a P-51 can opener.

I have a lot of testing to do, but I >>hope<< most, possibly all of my new stoves will be as reliable as my already-owned stoves.

I also understand my personal approach includes some amount of duplication and extra expense; that's required in order to have every single stove available as a more-or-less "Grab and Go" package.  I admit having become something of a "Geek" on stoves, but no apologies for that.  All these devices will be useful.

Liquid fuel bottles:  Two types: (1) Capable of being pressurized, and (2) Simple fuel carriage bottle which is not certified for being pressurized.  Please do NOT confuse the two!  Most liquid fueled stoves Require a fuel bottle certified for being capable of being pressurized.

As a final point, I'm planning on also investigating use of solid/gel fuels in some stoves which lend themselves to doing so.  I have heard from trusted YT experts (Mark Young) that some "bargain" fire-starters might be longer-lasting in storage, far cheaper than the usual "high-cost" solid fuels, and just as effective.  Experiments to follow.

All for now, and all Best Wishes!  @ROCK6

I love my Kovea Spider. It's the best.

What is the benefit of a remote butane stove, like the Kovea Spider, over one that attaches directly to the cannister?

The remote stove assy is typically a lot lower to the ground, and usually more stable.  In addition, the remote stove (if it has a "pre-heat" tube) can allow the fuel source to be inverted for cold weather use.  It is also easier to rig up a safe windscreen for a remote fuel stove compared to a burner which sits directly atop the isobutane cannister.

Having bought a number of carefully-considered stoves, burners, and accessories over the past few months, it will take some time to sort them all out, and to properly accessorize/modify them.

I'll report back in the future about it.  I have much to learn, but fortunately I have listened to Experts.

Been running an MSR Whisperlight International for about 20 years, it’s a pretty reliable stove, but it doesn’t simmer well. That’snot why I don’t use it much anymore though…. I found that it was serious overkill for boiling 2 cups of water at a time and an alcohol stove was much better for me that way. I don;t camp in freezing weather so the alcohol stove makes more sense for me.

That, and sheet metal stoves from Merkwarz and my MKettle don’t need any fuel at all. Just twigs. Or an alcohol stove inside to both boil water and cook food.

An inverted canister stove is a canister stove that can burn canister gas (an isobutane/propane mix) in lower temperatures than a regular canister stove. It’s good for winter camping when the nighttime temperature drops below 15 degrees (F). That’s the temperature at which point regular (upright) canister stoves like a Jetboil Flash, MSR Windburner, or MSR Reactor begin to fail because the gas inside them can’t vaporize.

But an inverted canister stove can burn gas down to about 0 degrees Fahrenheit because it burns canister gas in its liquid form rather than as a gas. This is done by turning the canister on its side or upside down so that the fuel comes out of the canister in a liquid form rather than a gaseous one. Inverted canister stoves are specially made so that they can burn the liquid fuel feed.

This is a great thread @raf

The issue with having too many stoves is disciplining yourself to pull them all out at least annually, inspect and put into operation. The biggest failure points for me have been the liquid fuel pumps that use a leather pressure cup and the pressure bottle O-rings that seem to degrade over time even if stored properly. Have spare O-rings for connectors and bottles and a little silicon grease for my leather pumps; I’ve heard silicon gets too stiff in really cold weather, so other options like mineral oil and Neatsfoot oil are recommended.  

To be embarrassingly honest, I need to start downloading maintenance videos. Not all the instructions are clear and when you don’t use a stove liquid fuel stove for a few years, you kind of forget what to focus on.

I keep a few gallons of White Gas on hand and rotate through it. I typically just use the outdoors grill or our propane camping grill in the house during power outages, but I also like to use those opportunities to fire up my liquid fuel stoves.

Liquid “gas” fuel stoves have mostly been used for higher elevation/cold weather trips, but those aren’t as frequent now that we’ve been in the Southeast for the past decade-plus. That said, they’re an efficient, effective, and robust option for home use, vehicle use, etc. They’re just a little too heavy outside of a very large bugout bag. The multi-fuel stoves give you more options, but you do need to experiment, especially if you’re swapping out the needles. Some hybrids like the Primus OmniFuel stoves can use both liquid fuels and iso-butane canisters. With adjustable output liquid stoves, you can do more traditional “cooking” instead of just boiling water; they’re very efficient when maintained properly. These are great “long-term” options or when you need to cook or boil larger quantities of water, and while the fuel is heavy, consider these “crew served stoves”.  

Some stoves like the Svea 123 and Colman have onboard tanks, all of them require a little priming and windscreens help increase their efficiency. Being pressurized, they often perform much better at higher elevations and colder temps.

Downsides is that they are typically bulkier, heavier, and some are pretty loud. They also require the most maintenance and having some key spare parts on-hand. The MSR fuel pumps are the least robust (but still pretty good); I prefer the steel pumps on Primus and Optimus stoves.

The iso-butane canister stoves are great short-term, short trip options. Many are pretty small stoves and with 110gr, 220gr, and larger 450gr canisters, you calculate what best fits your needs. The smallest 100-gram canisters will last me 6-10 days depending on my cooking options (amount of water to boil or needed cooking time) and frequency; those size of canisters will usually burn for about a full 60 minutes. These are best for simple freeze-dried or instant meals where you just want to boil water.

As with most of these stoves (aside from the JetBoil or those with built in wind-deflectors), you really need a windscreen. Most sit on top of the canister creating a less stable platform (without attaching leg stands) and require a good windscreen to avoid loss of BTU output. Some complain about hauling around a partially full canister; it is what it is. These stoves are mostly quite simple and robust, provide extremely fast boil times with easy setup and take down (little to no priming needed).

Downsides are typically dealing with wind and cold temps. I know some, like the Kovea Spider, the canisters can be inverted as the butane fuel condenses in colder weather and is more of a liquid.

Alcohol stoves are unique, tiny, very simple, quiet, low signature options. I love alcohol stoves, but they’re similar to the canister stoves in terms of operating use. I can stretch 8-10 ounces of fuel about 4-6 days when I’m only boiling enough water for single hot meal per day and a cup of coffee in the morning. They’re a little more temperature sensitive and better for warmer, low elevation climates. For colder mornings, a small piece of tinfoil under your stove will help reflect and make the heating process much more efficient.

Downsides are that most are not very durable aside from the brass Trangia stoves. They’re a little larger than most backpacking options and heavier, but they also have a built-in fuel tank that holds about 125ml of fuel (enough to burn about 20 minutes; or boil a cup of water at room temperature in three minutes). I really like them for short field trips. What is nice about alcohol is that it’s a pretty universal fuel, even to the point that you can burn grain alcohol, such as Everclear if needed.

Solid fuel stoves have been around for almost 100 years (hexamine fuel invented in the 1930's). The Esbit stove is probably the most popular, but there are several other options available. These are excellent options for those 3–4-day field exercises where you do need to keep a low signature. They’re compact and pretty BTU dense but suffer many of the same challenges as do alcohol stoves. For my patrol kits using just a canteen cup, I prefer the robust, easy to pack solid fuel tablets. Hexamine is the most common and Trioxane has also been used.

Downsides (other than the challenge of keeping them as efficient as possible), is that you need to take care where you use it. They give off some pretty toxic fumes, so you don’t want to be in a small, enclosed area or have your head right over the stove.  Also, they don’t always get a full, rolling boil, so I wouldn’t use these as your secondary means of purifying water. They’re good for a couple cups of hot water for a hot drink and cup of soup.

There are some pretty nifty hybrid options, like the Kuvik Titanium folding, multifuel stove that has a plate for solid fuel, will hold a Trangia alcohol stove, and can also serve as a pot stand for the Trangia canister fuel stove.

Twig or natural fuel stoves. These have blossomed over the past decade or so with tons of knockoffs. None are really “originals”, but I know the Bushbuddy (gasification) stove was copied by Solostove (vastly more popular), the Emberlit folding stove has been massively copied, and variations of the “box” stoves are popular with several sizes.

The gasification stove is unique and very efficient. While less robust (really should be stored in a steel or titanium pot for travel protection), they’re extremely efficient and when burning give off little smoke and typically produce very fine ash for a minimized footprint. This is where it’s nice instead of just building a ground fire. You can capture the ashes and spread them a distance from your camp to leave zero trace of your presence.

I also like the titanium Emberlit Fire Ant stove as it’s very small and flat when folded. The other is the folding Firebox Nano; both of which can also be used with an alcohol stove or solid fuel platform for hexamine. I much prefer titanium because of the weight, and they cool off within a minute or two to pack up. These both pack up real flat and are quite robust.

The value here is that I often pair up a natural fuel stove with an alcohol (or solid) fuel stove. Using the natural fuel, twigs, wood chips, etc. when conditions are good or less concern about signature. If the weather sucks or I need a lower signature, I can use the alcohol stove.

Downsides of course are with any fire prep. You need good tinder/fire-starter material and collect or process some small kindling and have a couple handfuls of fuel immediately on hand. You need to give it more attention to feed it and keep the output up. The smaller, more compact the stove, the hard it is to feed. Usually a much great signature. Harder to use in adverse weather, and they take a little longer to get a canteen cup or small pot boiling than most other stoves. Oh, and they’ll leave your pots with a lot of soot; store them in a bag to keep from getting your pack or pouches covered in soot.

Of course, there are lot of various options within those categories to include the “self-heating” chemical packets some of us grew up with in the military (MRE heater), battery operated fans for natural fuel stoves, etc. Many of us have also foregone heaters and just suffered with cold food and drinks…lessons learned where you appreciate a hot drink, meal, or even warm water to clean up with (even shave for those that needed to) after a couple days of miserable field conditions.

The good news is that there are several options!

ROCK6

As usual, being an SME, ROCK6 has touched all the bases in his well-written post.  I appreciate his comments because he has longstanding experience with most all these devices, and it shows.

I would add one minor point to his post above.  Many burners/stoves (of all types) require a wind screen for best performance; some burners will refuse to work properly in even relatively mild winds.  A "gas" burner with a remote fuel canister can have the wind screen tightly drawn around the burner + cooking vessel, thus making the wind screen (and thus the burner) more effective.  In some cases, such a tightly drawn windscreen might make all the difference as to whether the stove/burner will be uesful or not.  A "gas" burner sitting atop its fuel canister will likely need a taller wind screen (more weight/bulk) which must be deployed up-wind of the stove and far enough away from the "gas" burner + fuel canister so as to NOT allow the fuel canister to be heated-up and over-pressurized by the heat retained by the windscreen.  Note that an over-pressurized "gas" fuel canister can be a significant safety hazard.

A side benefit of a remote canister burner/stove is that the burner/stove assy + pot is usually lower, and thus more stable.  Most "gas" canister stoves require an add-on "leg" item to be added to the bottom of the gas canister, thus increasing height (and decreasing stability) of the entire cooking rig.

MSR has recently come out with a device (heavy and expensive) to adapt top-mounted burners to being remote burners.  I have one, and it works; may drill some holes in its' legs to lighten it.

A good vid on this exact subject Here

I always pack a useful windscreen with all stoves/burners, even those which are resistant to wind, such as the Soto Windmaster.  My stove/burner is useless if it will not burn effectively due to wind.

In practice, I have moved away from the usual folding-panel aluminum windscreens and have moved towards windscreens made out of Carbon Cloth which are lighter, more versatile, and easier to stow.  They require some "L" shaped rods to deploy which the user can make out of stainless steel rod.  Firebox offers Titanium "L" rods and Carbon Cloth windscreens for just this purpose, but making your own is a simple and cheap project.

See Y/T vid by Hiram Cook on using Carbon cloth as a windscreen Here.

Carbon Cloth available on Amazon, as are stainless steel rods.

@trails-end

For those owning an Optimus 199- dropped mine on ebay with a .99c start after the price reference in this thread.

It sold for $600 after a 7-day auction.

Neat thread though, I like stoves. Currently have:

Single burner:

Svea 123r (pak cook clone, to be exact)- Neat and works OK. Cumbersome compared to newer things but still works. Will need to rebuild the graphite packing soon.

Coleman 533. On sale recently and a much more usable car camping stove than the svea type. Not suitable for backpacking. IMO this type is about the best if you want a single burner car camping type white gas stove.

BRS 3000T. Cheap, weighs nothing, loud. I haven't really used this much. Seems like a great backup/emergency or ultralight. Simmers well but take a lot of gas to do anything.

Camp chef stryker. Use this a lot light/fast car camping, field stuff, or quick family cooking with an added fire maple pot support and skillet. Larger and easier to use than most integrated canisters, which are already easy. Durable build.

MSR Windburner single. Primary backpacking for drinks/freeze dried. Extremely fast, efficient, and wind does not affect it much at all. No windscreen needed. Remarkable little piece of equipment. Like a cheaper/lighter version of the hard use reactor stove line

Two Burner

Coleman 425 (C, E). Get these at yard sales for $15-20. Very portable for car/static camp, tough workhorse stoves. Fiddly to use compared to propane, but easy compared to other white gas stoves. Made to be rebuilt, and easy to rebuild. Almost impossible to beat for dollar value as they will last decades.

Coleman propane classic. Probably most used car camping stove. Not much to say about these- they're everywhere and everyone has seen them. The convenience of one of these with a lantern running off a distribution tree when scout/group car camping is hard to beat.