Coleman FI Powerboost Stove

This is a great canister stove. It's a bit heavier than some of the other compact stoves, but it has plenty of BTU power and simmers well. The four pot support legs offer great stability.

I picked up this stove at a Gabriel Brothers store a couple years ago for only $25. The stove folds down to a small size that will fit into just about any pot set, and it comes with a lightweight, drawstring storage sack. I've used it on several weekend camping trips and the piezoelectric igniter quit working after only a few uses. This is really only a minor inconvenience, as I always carry a butane lighter with me.

I own an MSR PocketRocket, and while I like its light weight, its small burner concentrates all the heat in a very small area of the pot, which can result in uneven heating and burned meals. The Coleman F1 Powerboost stove has a larger diameter, quiet burner that is still quite powerful (23k BTU's). 

I recently used this stove exclusively on a ten-day hike with two friends through Maine's 100-Mile Wilderness.  We used this stove at least twice a day, and it performed flawlessly. The stove  simmers very well and can be turned down quite low.  Unlike some backpacking stoves (including the MSR SimmerLite), the pot support legs can be locked into place by a knurled locking ring.  The four pot support legs are toothy enough to keep pots from sliding.  The F1 is slightly shorter than my Pocket Rocket, which translates to a lower, more stable center of gravity when cooking.

At 4.5 ounces, the F1 is a bit heavier than the lightest of the lightweight canister stoves, but I feel that the wider burner is worth the additional weight. I am disappointed with the igniter. Coleman touts the self ignition as a selling point for this unit; it should have lasted a lot longer than it did.

For the price I paid, the Coleman F1 Powerboost was a great value. Unfortunately, Coleman no longer makes this stove. If you can find one of these on Ebay, it is a great stove when you are cooking for two to four people.

This is agreat stove for three-season use. (For serious winter conditions I still use my MSR XGK.)

What impressed me about this stove is the extremely high BTU output -- 23,900! Compare that with other stoves. That's a high rating.

When cranked wide open this butane/propane cartridge stove roars like my XGK. It also turns down to a whisper for simmering. That's something my beloved XGK is not so good at.

The Powerboost is 4.5 ounces, that includes the built lighter which is very convenient. The serrated pot supports grip pans well. Also comes with a nice pouch for storage.

All-in-all this is an overloooked workhorse of a stove. I got mine nearly two years ago at REI for $49. Check it out, I don't think you will be disappointed.

This stove really surprised me. I just did not think that Coleman was a serious consideration choice for a good backpack stove. I was very wrong. This stove far surpassed my expectations. It started the first time every time and boiled a pot of water in half the time as my other stove. We are climbing Mt. Whitney in July with a party of nine and I will get another F1 for that trip. The quality, stability, and very light weight make this a true winner. The fairly low price does not hurt.

iv not long had this stove and have only used it a couple of times, but let me tell you, it's worth every penny i payed for it.

you can boils a litter of water in 2.30sec or turn it down to let food simmer, and the arms also fold together and fits into a neat little bag which is small enough to carry in your pocket.