Coleman 550B Multi-Fuel Stove

This stove is the heavyweight big brother to the Coleman Apex 455/450 stoves. Almost identical burner, gen tube, and valve design, but with a much different tank and pump. The 550 has an integral tank under the burner like the GI stoves (520) your granddaddy used in WWII and Korea and uses the standard Coleman pump design your daddy used on his two burner table top stove (413), his kerosene/gasoline lanterns (200/220/228) and his ol' 500/501/502 backpacking stove.

Everything this stove does well, other stoves do better and therefore it is not on the top of my list for backpacking. I like it, it is small, robust/rugged, simple to operate and one of my favorite packable (i.e. small size important, weight not so much) kerosene burners, just a bit lower on the list than my ol' Optimus 96. I have a sweet spot for old brass Swedish stoves and for kerosene burners. First because brass just looks like class and kero doesn't go 'foop' when you light it. I keep my 550 set up for kerosene as the integrated tank/valve/burner doesn't tend to leak kero all over the place between cooking sessions like the remote tank backpacking stoves (apex,wisperlite,dragonfly,optimus96). But let's get to the review.

1) As a backpacking liquid fuel stove it is a bit heavy. The apex, whisperlite, fyrestorm and most all remote tank stoves are much lighter.

2) As a white gas stove, the Coleman 400/442/508/533 burner primes a lot easier with less probability of flooding. (the 550 doesn't have the air/fuel mixing in the tank like the 450/455 apex stoves nor does have that 'fireproof felt' inside the burner to soak up liquid fuel like the 400/442/508/533 stoves so flooding on light is more likely). The MSR (whisperlite/dragonfly), SVEA123 and the Optius (8R/96) all use a priming bowl design which are less likely to flood. One might say that these latter stoves use a 'controlled flood' to fill the priming bowl so technically they flood every time you light them.

3) The burner output is about 7.5-8.5kBTU/hr depending on which fuel you use and how much you pump it up. Most stoves operate at 10kBTU/hr with the exception of the ol' SVEA 123 and Optimus 8R/96 (~5kBTU/hr).

So in summary you have a backpacking stove that is heavier, harder to prime and lower heat output than most others backpacking stoves on the market. But the one piece design (i.e. integral fuel tank) and multi fuel (i.e. kerosene) features are the key selling points. If you don't mind the extra weight and might need to burn gasoline or kerosene the 550 is a solid performer. Once you master the art of the prime this stove grows on you.

White Gas/Gasoline: Pump it up, open the fuel valve to let out just enough fuel to wet the burner, then turn the valve off. Light the wet burner and let it burn until it is just about out, then open the valve full until the stove heats up the gen tube and burns blue.

Kerosene: As kero won't burn by itself you need to prime with priming paste or alcohol. I use alcohol, about 1/8oz on a cold burner, light and then wait for the prime to just about burn out, then open the valve full until the stove heats up the gen tupe and burns blue.

If you see liquid full on the tank or the flame is a tall yellow fireball, turn the fuel off and wait.

When I am done cooking and the stove is cooled down, I unscrew the tank cap to release the tank pressure before I pack up the stove. A stove with pressure in the tank is a stove that is more likely to leak in your pack. Of all my kero stoves the 550 is the one that tends to get the least fuel on the stuff sack and my pack. The stove can burn low and hold its prime (it has the same burner and gen tube design as the Apex) but the valve control is so course that it is hard to fine tune the burn point.

One last observation, cooking with anything large than a 2 quart pot will result in thermal feedback from the burner to the tank which will make the valve assembly and tank hot. With any backpacking stove with a fuel tank under the burner limit pots to 2 quarts or smaller and never use a encompassing wind screen.

In closing if you like the form factor (integral tank under the burner) of the ol' WWII GI pocket stove (520) and are thinking about a 442 but might need to burn kero then the 550 could be the stove for you. Elsewise, review your priorities and find a better fit for your needs.

43 years and still going strong. Ready to cook in seconds. Good power. No priming on white gas down to about 10deg F. Burns clean and hot with amazing simmer. A little bulky and heavy, but the tank is integrated. Go from gasoline to kerosene with a 2 minute generator change. Light weight parts bend easily, but bend back easily too.

I got this new in 1990 while stationed in Germany.  Everything I originally thought would be a weak point on this stove turned out to be wrong.  It's been smashed, dropped, stepped on, overloaded, abused, burned all types of gasoline, kerosene, and JP-8 and never failed me. 

It will burn gasoline or kerosene, but I prefer running it on Coleman fuel best.  No priming, ready to cook in about 10 seconds on white gas if it's 40deg F or above.  A bit longer the colder it gets.  Bottom line, it's ready to cook on white gas FAST. FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS EXACTLY AS PRINTED ON THE STOVE.  Pump AT LEAST 35 full strokes(these love pressure), hold match/lighter/striker to burner, open valve to HI/LIGHT and it will light instantly.  If you don't have your lighter ready, it will flood in seconds, so be ready with your lighting device.  As soon as it lights start adding pumps.  Instant lighting uses a lot of air.  When the spitting/crackling sound stops, adjust your flame and start cooking/boiling.  It takes longer to explain it than to actually do it.  I can't express how fast this thing is ready when compared to ANY other liquid fuel stove.  It's that fast. And there is no setup really.  Just spread the 3 feet, pump, light, pump and cook.

It's not quite as powerful as a Feather 400/476/505/442 etc, but not much less. Same burner as the APEX with an integrated tank.

The feet have a leveling ring the seemed flimsy from day one, but it's still working fine 43years and counting. 

It runs well on kerosene but not as fast or clean as white gas.

The light burner and pot supports can get bent up, but can be bent back to like new in seconds with a pair of pliers or a multi-tool.  Easy to work on. 

The simmer on these is top notch.  Not quite as easy to set as the Apex with gloves on, but easy enough.  Simmers ultra low on white gas for hours.  Not so low on kerosene, but I've only simmered for long periods a handful of times.  I never liked preheat paste and used alcohol to prime for kero.

This baby earned its keep making coffee, boiling water, and heating MREs.  There is a bulky windscreen ring add on is nice if you have the room for windy days.

Great all weather stove that durable and dependable as all get out.  They made a ton of these, so they are still readily available on auction sites as are spare generators.

Background

I own well over 100 stoves of all kinds.
21+ years active military service
Like to cook on camp stoves outdoors even at home.
Have used, owned, restored, repaired hundreds of stoves.

Excellent old school stove.

The Coleman 550B is an excellent stove that has been proven on the trail by campers and by several countries‘ militaries in the field. It is meant to be carried in a pack and used with lighter weight cookware.

It has full flame control and can be used from full blast for snow melting and water boiling to simmering for rice cooking or trout browning. The stove is designed for people who actually cook in the field, not for the ultralight crowd who only boil water.

For a weekend camper the stove is very competitive weight wise. With 305 mL Coleman gas it weighs 822g. That will give a couple hours of typical cooking, enough for the weekend without carrying more fuel. For comparison, an MSR Whisperlite with pump and 325 mL fuel bottle full weighs about 775 g. And it won’t simmer.

In above freezing temperatures the 550B is super easy to light. Follow the directions on the side, in case you forgot, pump it up, hold your lighter to the burner, and turn it on. After less than 10 seconds it will be settled down and burning blue. In the cold, fill the burner pan with alcohol and light. After the alcohol has burned off, turn on the stove.

In conclusion, if you want to use a cast iron dutch oven or if you are an ultra light water boiler, this stove is not for you. But for many this is a well proven and reliable stove. If necessary, the stove is easy to take apart and repair. A one minute repair you might have to do after many years of use is to replace the blue cold weather O ring on the fuel valve. It is a soft O ring and was meant to make the valve easier to turn in subzero temperatures. I replaced mine with a stronger Viton ring from the auto parts store.

These stoves are still available on ebay and I would recommend getting a spare generator while you can.

Background

I have 30 camp stoves and regularly use them.

Packable, nice wide flame pattern for frying. Simmer that won't quit until the fuel runs out even if you forget to pump it again thus keeping your food warm. Form factor allows better visibility of the flame and use of a narrow platform that might be higher than stoves with seperate fuel bottles and pumps.

This is my favorite stove given its versatility and friendliness to the operator and cook.

I have had this stove for 30 years, using it annually. Others I have bought and tried don't compare. It is easy to set up, light, and see the flame. The small, stable footprint allows it to be placed more conveniently in a rocky high Sierra campsite.

The flame is in a wider pattern so you can fry your fish or flapjacks more easily. The simmer will last until the fishermen come home without frequent pumping. It gets plenty hot and boils fast with the the inner parts of the grate turning red hot.

It stores nicely in my 1.5 quart pot with the fry pan on top as a cookset unit. 

This is the 550B model Multi Fuel stove. Mine is the silver PEAK 1 version. The newer ones are copper colored Exponent models with the same 550B model number. Aside from that, I don't know if there are any differences or not.

For previous Coleman experience, I had a Coleman Sportster model 502 when I was a Boy Scout in 1970, and I have an Army model 1950 Vietnam Era Squad stove. I've also had the large dual burner "Camp Stoves". Also gas lanterns and propane stoves and lanterns.
My stove came with the instruction sheet, kerosene generator tube/needle, a wrench and a nice nylon stuff bag.

I followed the instructions, filled it with Coleman fuel (white gas) and lit it. This thing settles down to a nice blue flame right away, unlike older Coleman stoves I've had in the past. I boiled up some tea water and experimented with the 'Control Knob'.
the Control Knob takes a little getting used to; but with some practice you get very good flame control, and on mine, a very low flame for simmering.

As with all Coleman single burner pack stoves, it seems bulky and heavy compared to newer skeleton stoves and separate fuel bottles with hoses etc. What is has going for it is quick lighting, control from full blast to a low simmer and modular simplicity. That makes this stove acceptable for many backpackers.
I'm glad I bought it, so far it has passed the 'Initial Impression' test.

Petrol stoves aren't for the faint-hearted. You have to handle volatile fuel when filling them and they tend to go "woof" when you light them. That aside, this stove works pretty well if you follow the instructions carefully, it's economical on fuel and it settles to a nice clean blue flame within about 10 seconds of lighting up.

Top tips: have a lighter flame ready at the burner before you turn on the gas, or it will flood and take ages to settle down - you can't get near it when it's flaring up to add those essential extra post-light up pumps, so you need to minimise the warm-up time. Also don't run it at absolute full power ("HI") as it tends to lose pressure and flame out, leaving sooty stains on your pans. Just back it off a little and it will run happily.

I haven't tried the stove on paraffin (kerosene) yet as nowhere round here sells preheating paste. Received wisdom is that paraffin gives longer run time, slightly less heat, more soot but is, of course, a lot safer than Coleman fuel or petrol.

My stove is actually an army surplus model and only came with a kerosene generator tube, but I purchased the Coleman fuel generator as well. If the British Army run their 550B stoves on kerosene then it must be OK.

30-year-old product—still delivers 100%.

I‘m no expert on these stoves—this my first pressure stove, but I have a few pressure lamps so I’m familiar with the principles and safety aspects. 

This a 1989 model. Hardly used and works perfectly. Nice arc of intense green/blue flame that is highly controllable. Original box, made in Canada.

Will be used when camping a few times a year. Mainly coffee prep. 

Background

None...

This is my first petrol/white gas stove. It flares up on lighting but settles to a roaring blue flame within 5-10 seconds - have a flame ready at the burner when you turn on the control valve to avoid flooding. 

Powerful and controllable, the only real disadvantages are the location of the control knob right next to the heat shield (you get a blister on your thumb until you're used to it) and the stench of white gas when you turn it off.

I can't say it's brilliantly made (in the US; mine is a NOS army surplus model), and the pan support/windshield is pretty flimsy, but no-one has problems with them falling apart.

Its best feature is that it works in freezing temperatures when everyone else can't get their butane stoves to light.  Will be OK for a couple of nights' camping and a lot of tea drinking on a full tank.

I own a 550 stove and love the crap out of it. Yes, you need to clean it once in a while, but unlike other light stoves, this stove is a workhorse.

I first used a Peak 1 stove in Boy Scouts in the '80s which is similar to the Coleman stove. They are reliable and boil water in 5 minutes to 8 minutes. 

I have no complaint about this stove, and believe that there is no perfect stove, only you the controller can make a stove perfect. So all you guys out there complaining will still keep complaining when a better stove comes out.

Eagle Scout

Artun

Great for many years, until the 2000s, but now ready to go in its case and long sleeping in garage. Thanks a lot, Coleman.