Multi-Fuel Stoves

Featured review by Noah Brainard

Excellent stove for boiling water and fast cooking I have used this stove in the Beartooth Wilderness of Montana and the Porcupine Mountains in Michigan. I was able to turn the stove low enough that I could cook eggs and pancakes with it, but that is really pushing the stove on the low end. If you need to simmer a pot of gourmet gumbo, look into the MSR Dragonfly instead. I highly recommend this stove and have never been let down by any MSR product.

Stove sets up easily. Just thread the pump into the bottle, connect the fuel line, and it is ready to light. It doesn't have a built-in lighter, but I have never had an issue lighting it with a match. The flame is slightly adjustable, but don't count on this stove to simmer. This is primarily a water boiling stove, but I have used it for pancakes, eggs, and bacon with desirable results. Boil time with white gas was about 9 minutes for 2.5 liters of water in a real world test. This is very close to the claimed times.

Read more: MSR XGK-EX reviews (13)

Featured review by Trouthunter

Finally here is a true multi-fuel (MSR calls it a hybrid) stove that burns both liquid fuels and canister gas (upright or inverted). Not only does it burn these fuels, but it does it well — plus it simmers...no it really does! In just a couple minutes the stove can be configured to burn the various fuels (see below) by simply changing a couple parts using the supplied tool. This is a great option for anyone who wants a stove that can be used year round in multiple climates, with multiple fuels. For groups it allows flexibility through the use of multiple fuels — or for those who travel abroad to places where some fuels may be harder to get or if it's not clear what fuels will be available. The Universal will burn: White gas – Unleaded auto gas – Kerosene Canister gas – (upright or inverted)

A review of the MSR Whisperlite Universal Hybrid fuel stove A backpacking stove made by Cascade Designs – Seattle WA, USA I received this stove from Cascade Designs for testing and used it on five separate outings as well as a lot of testing at home. Stove Description: The stove arrived in a nice looking cardboard package (see photos), it included the stove, all parts for changing fuel types, pressure pump for liquid fuel bottles, canister stand, wind screen and ground protector, a nice stuff sack, and full instructions in three languages (three separate booklets) plus a quick reference guide in two languages, along with warnings etc.

Read more: MSR WhisperLite Universal reviews (12)

Featured review by Ross Tapp

After having my isobutane become unusable at temperatures below -30° C., I purchased this stove for winter trips. It is loud but there is a reason for that and that is it is creating huge amounts of heat.

The MSR Draonfly has been around for years. It is a tried and true expedition stove. It works on multiple different fuels from white gas, jet fuel, diesel, kerosene and gasoline. It will work in all temperatures and at all altitudes.  I bought the stove after struggling in colder temperatures to get my isobutane stove to work properly and this stove had no trouble in temperatures below -30° C. It is great at melting snow for water and can boil a liter in less than 4 minutes. The stove has a large pot stand that can easily accommodate large pots and pans with great stability.

Read more: MSR DragonFly reviews (46)

Featured review by Jon.C

There is only one thing preventing this stove from being perfect and that is the fact that it is a roarer burner: the jet of fuel is spread out onto the pan's surface by hitting a metal concave cover on the way up. Other than that, there is very little to fault it. The pump shaft is metal, not plastic (I know several people who have broken MSR pumps and sometimes have had to buy the entire pump assembly again). I have stood on this stove a couple of times and each time the legs just bend back into place.

Read more: Primus OmniFuel reviews (21)

Featured review by Vladimir Gorbunov

Lightweight but true expedition-grade stove for use on numerous types of fuel, regardless of the country where you are. In the meantime it’s well suitable for all people who often cook in cold weather and disregard the canister gas.

I’ve been using this stove since 2013 in all my outdoor adventures. The primary fuel is white gas in domestic trips and car petrol in international trips (for me finding the gas canisters or white gas in unfamiliar country is a waste of precious time). My primary stove in 2008-2013 was Primus Omnifuel, which I liked very much despite its weight and size.  There are two main reasons to use the multifuel stove instead of regular gas stove: Performance at low temperatures. If you cook at temperatures below +10 °C (50 °F) and ESPECIALLY below the freezing, the gas stoves are not a good choice for you.

Read more: Primus OmniLite TI reviews (3)

Featured review by Emanon Noname

Rugged stove that works well under all conditions. Easy to use but can be finicky in adjusting the flame.

My Coleman 533 is about 30 years old.  Used frequently on camping trips to perk coffee and cook simple meals.  Lighting the stove is easy.  If the stove is full, frequent pumping is necessary until fuels burns off to maintain a larger air volume in the tank.  The flame control does not work all that well.  The low heat "sweet spot" is hard to find and if you don't monitor it, the flame will go yellow and the stove will go out. A full large coffee pot has a tendency to be unstable due to the small footprint over the burner.  If you are careful however, it heats water quickly and coffee is ready in no time.

Read more: Coleman 533 reviews (5)

Featured review by Dimitrios Tacticos

Well built. Needs an additional silencer cap to achieve its potential.

I bought this recently as an alternative to my Coleman 442 and to replace a Primus Omnilite.  I tested it with its normal flame spreader boiling half a litre of water with canister gas, white gas, and kerosene. Apart from being very loud, which I expected, I found the performance on canister gas disappointing. It took a full minute longer than the other fuels to boil half a litre, and simmer control was poor, having a tendency to go out altogether when turned low.  On white gas and kerosene, it was considerably better, although pulsing occasionally.  The Polar Dawg silent cap, though expensive, transformed the stove.

Read more: Optimus Polaris Optifuel reviews (2)

Featured review by PhilNC

The 2017 Vargo Triad is a very sturdy and functional alcohol/solid fuel stove that I will continue to use due to its bomb proof design and consistent alcohol burn times. It has some inconveniences with the need to use at least 1.5 ounces of fuel and difficulty in recovering leftover alcohol, so may not be the best option for boil in bag solo hikers, but works well for two people and other cooking styles who want the flexibility of using multiple fuel types depending on conditions.

Note that this is a review of the 2017 Vargo Triad model, which is a multi-fuel (alcohol and solid tab/gel) stove - please refer to the 2003 model for the previous alcohol only version of this stove. I think any review needs context of the use and testing the gear was put through, and this is especially true of stoves due to the variety of approaches one can take to preparing meals on the trail. For the last few years, I have enjoyed the flexibility of my Trail Designs Sidewinder Ti Tri with Inferno for wood, alcohol, and solid tab fuel options.

Read more: Vargo Triad Multi-Fuel Stove reviews (3)

Featured review by PhilNC

After more than three years of constant use, I can confidently say this is still my favorite stove and piece of gear that I own! The light weight, versatility of fuel types, and heating efficiency of the Sidewinder Ti Tri have exceeded all my expectations. Minor negatives include the multiple-part setup, price, and being sized for one pot per stove.

After an initial review in 2014 and a minor update in 2015, I decided to completely rewrite this review as it didn't do justice to this great stove! I could rave on about this stove for hours, but will try to keep it to a couple chapters…as much as I love this stove if you are a simple "boil water and put it in a bag" person then I’ll save your time right now and suggest you go a different direction. However, if you love the camping aspect as much as the hiking part of backpacking, actually “cook” some meals, or just prefer the ultimate flexibility of multiple fuel sources then look no further or at least seriously consider the Sidewinder Ti-Tri!COOKING APPROACH After spending almost 30 years dabbling with canister, white gas, wood...

Read more: Trail Designs Sidewinder Ti-Tri reviews (2)

Reviewed by TheRambler

I recently purchased a Bushcooker LT 1 from Don Kevilus of Four Dog Stoves. I had heard a lot of really great things through the online backpacking communities about this stove and I decided to take the plunge. Pros: Multi fuel-This stove will burn nearly any solid fuel, or denatured alcohol, or a combination of. Being designed primarily as a wood-gas stove. Lightweight- at 2.5oz(includes ash plate and alcohol cup), the Bushcooker itself is 2.2 oz Small/Compact- Fits neatly and securely in a Snow Peak 700ml mug or similar size mug.

Read more: Four Dog Stove Bushcooker LT I review (1)