10 Things That Your Family Teach You About Cheap Multi Fuel Stoves

10 Things That Your Family Teach You About Cheap Multi Fuel Stoves

Cheap Multi Fuel Stoves

Summary: These simple and lightweight stoves burn wood as well as hexamine tablets, gas canisters, and white fuel with a single nozzle. These stoves are popular in cold weather, however they are noisy and lack the ability to control the simmer.

Some multi-fuel stoves are hybrids, that can burn different types of liquid fuel. The MSR WhisperLite Universal can be used with white and isobutane fuel canisters.

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 and an aluminum pump that self-purges, and a precise simmer control. Its low center of gravity and broad legs make it a solid, rock-solid stove. This makes it a perfect stove for base camps for groups kayaking, the 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 fixed by simply flipping over the bottle. This removes intake hoses from the fuel, and forces them to take in air, which extinguishes flames and depressurizes bottles.

This seems like a fairly clever solution to a long-standing problem and it certainly is effective. The Nova can be used with any standard fuel bottle that has an o-ring seal, which includes MSR bottles. It comes with an oven bag that has pockets for tools, spares along with lubricant and fuel pump.

This is a great stove for backpacking that is suitable for use in the UK. It is particularly ideal for trips, where various fuels are required. Its cost is affordable when compared with canister stoves of similar capability. The Optimus Nova is also easy to maintain and a joy to use.

Kovea Hydra

The Kovea Hydra multi fuel stove first came on the market in 2010 and has been a favourite choice for backpackers ever since. Fewer UK backpackers pay it much attention nowadays perhaps because they've caught up with better known brands or whatever the most recent lightweight stove from China or Korea is but it doesn't mean the Hydra doesn't still have its merits.

It's a relatively compact and light stove, burning all liquid fuels including white gas and propane butane, using one nozzle.  multi fuel stoves for sale near me 's a typical stove with an inbuilt burner that is attached to a body, which is secured by three fold-out support legs. A pump is located on top of the fuel hose and the generator loop runs around the inlet, and the flame spreader is situated above the inlet. The burner is a slow-moving flame type. This means that it is not affected by the wind.

One of the best features is that it can be used with a canister of propane or isobutane which makes it a versatile small cooker. It is simple to simmer with isobutane and propane and it burns all fuels at a reasonable rate. However when using white gas, the stove can be a little slower.

The instructions for the Hydra are written in English, but they were clearly not written by native users of the language. The instructions caution you against using certain types of lighter fluid. If you don't follow the instructions correctly this could cause an accident, and possibly put Kovea into legal trouble. That said that, any 7/16ths UNEF threaded gas canister from a trusted brand should work just fine.

Primus OmniLite Ti

The Primus Omnilite Ti is a ideal choice to those looking for an all-fuel stove that can cook using a variety fuels. It can be used with petrol/gasoline, gas, or diesel, kerosene and aviation fuel. It has separate controls for each type of fuel and can also be used to alter the size of the flame which is a great feature. This stove also comes with a fuel line that sits flat on the ground and can be easily connected to the tank.

While the Primus Omnilite is a fantastic stove, it will require maintenance to ensure that it functions properly. It could be dangerous as it explodes when priming. This is a problem that is common to all stoves with liquid fuel that utilize a secondary spindle at the stove's end instead of an evaporator to cool the fuel.

It is also important to know that each fuel type requires an individual jet. If you cook with kerosene then the jet hole will be smaller than if using gas. This is a minor nuisance but it's still worth mentioning.

MSR Whisper Lite

The MSR Whisper Lite is one of the lightest, smallest and cheapest multi fuel stoves. It is also easy to repair in the field. It can be run on canister fuel or liquid gas and includes attachments for both. The new design is lighter by 10% than its predecessor and the burner mechanism was redesigned to improve heat distribution. It's great for beginners or backpackers with a budget.

It takes some 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 extremely powerful when it is turned to the max and can boil the water to a liter within two minutes or less. The only drawback is it's not as efficient for simmering as some other stoves.

This is why MSR has developed the Dragonfly stove to be a more capable simmering burner. It has a similar design to the whistler, but is smaller and has more performance. It's not as affordable as the Whistler Lite. The Soto Amicus stove and cookset is a great alternative that gives you the same setup at half the price. Whisperlite International and Universal can be utilized with isobutane. The same basic design is used in both, but the Universal version can also be run with canister fuel as well.

Coleman Sportster II

Like many Coleman stoves this is a simple unpretentious unit that gets the job done. It's strong, compact and self-contained with the tank on the bottom and the burner up at the top. This makes it simple to use and a good choice for beginners, backpackers who want to save on weight, and for those who like to keep an extra or two in the van.

The stove is designed to burn Coleman's proprietary fuel (naptha gas, also referred to as white gas) This stove can be used with non-leaded gasoline too. This will save you money since one gallon of gasoline could last longer than the standard Coleman liquid fuel cylinder.

Liquid fuel stoves have a steep learning curve since you'll need to pressurize and prime them before you create a beautiful blue flame. If you get it wrong the fuel could pool, spray beyond the burner, or sputter. To master this, practice outside before you go on your excursion.

This stove does give up some performance or flame odor effectiveness with non-coleman fuels however that's a trade off for the added versatility it offers. Just be sure you're buying unleaded gasoline and not something enhanced with methanol or (alcohol). These types of fuel can cause the performance of the vehicle to decrease and even explode.

ATG Jiko

The ATG Jiko Multi Fuel Stove from South Africa is an ultralight multifuel designed for harsh environments such as Africa. It's a compact and robust stove that burns gels, solid fuel tabs, and alcohol through a single nozzle. It's a minimalist and ultralight design that is priced lower than other multifuel stoves. It also costs less per liter compared to gas canisters.

Other multifuel stoves have a separate nozzle for each type of fuel. It isn't easy to switch fuels in bad weather, or when wearing gloves. This can also add to the overall weight. The newest models of multifuel stoves have come up with an option to use the same nozzle for multiple fuels which is much simpler. The latest models of these stoves are known as 'hybrid' or 'compressed fuel multifuel stoves' and there are various names for them such as isobutane canister fuel white gas, kerosene and unleaded gasoline/car petrol.



A multifuel stove kit can be bought to transform your Trangia burners into multifuel cookers. They are typically available from specialised camping stores and are available internationally. They are perfect for Trangia enthusiasts. They can burn all liquid fuels, aside from diesel, and with the right accessories they can even simmer.