Primus ETA Lite+

Backpacking hunting stove.

Purchased this stove for a backcountry elk hunting trip in Colorado. Stove worked flawlessly, but there are a few things that could make it a little more user friendly. 

Knob turn has on and off, should be longer to be able to grasp with having to place hand under the cup if it boils over to shut it off. 

Stove is fairly compact, but wish the cup was larger to fit a canister and the fold-up base. 

Background

This stove has been with me on several Colorado and Idaho backcountry trips and has yet to fail to light and function as it should.

An affordable, lightweight, reliable "All in One Stove" that meets...no...exceeds expectations for solo or duo backpackers! A feature-rich and innovative design that still keeps it simple.

                                       PRIMUS LITE+ "ALL IN ONE GAS STOVE"

Primus makes sturdy, reliable, innovative stoves...and the Primus Lite+ is no exception. I have and still own numerous stoves by various manufacturers, but the stove I use exclusively when in the backcountry on short or extended trips is the lightweight Primus Express piezo ignition stove. Front country camping, I utilize my Primus Primetech 1.3 stove set, especially if I'm cooking for multiple people, where weight and size is not critical.

Enter the Primus Lite+ "All In One Stove"...featuring a creative locking mechanism that secures the 500 ml pot to the stove burner with a simple insertion and twist. The Primus Lite+ also incorporates their proprietary Laminar Flow Burner Technology, which minimizes distance from pot to burner...along with lowering overall height.

Like the Primetech Stove pots, the Lite+ pot also utilizes the integrated heat exchanger which both distributes burner heart evenly, thereby reducing fuel usage, and helps block the wind, also assisting with faster cook times and lower fuel consumption.

As a member of another website, I get the opportunity to test and evaluate outdoor products for review either for free or deeply discounted, as was the case for the Primus Lite+ All in One Stove.

Box Contents:

• Stove with locking mechanism and Piezo ignition
• 500 ml (nearly 16 oz or 2 cups) pot with integrated heat exchanger/wind-block
• Plastic lid with strainer holes
• Removable, felt-lined Insulated pot sleeve with strap grab handle
• Folding canister stabilizing legs
• Suspension cord 
• 3 Threaded Stabilizing Studs (for using standard flat bottom pots on stove)

Available Accessories:

• Coffee Press: A 500 ml pot will give you two cups of coffee using the Primus Coffee/Tea Press (not included). This sized pot is sufficient in the backcountry to provide meals for two...based on the one-cup meal servings.

PROS:

• Reasonably lightweight at 13.9 oz
• Integrated ignition is simple and works
• Insulated sleeve with handle gives it a "mug" feel
• Pot heat exchanger heats fast and evenly
• Pot/stove burner interface locks securely
• Canister stabilizing legs fulfill their purpose

CONS:

• Primus did not use ceramic coating on pot interior
• No stove pouch provided (unlike the Express Stove)

The Primus Lite+ ticks almost all the boxes for my preferred usage. If Primus would've used their ceramic coating inside the pot, along with providing a nylon storage pouch for the stover burner, it would place Primus further ahead of the competitors in this hot market. Cleanup would be a breeze...and the storage pouch would minimize stove damage and pot interior scratching

There is nothing difficult or foreign about usage, nor is there a learning curve. Remove the contents from the box, thread the stove head onto a fuel canister, line up the triangle on the stove head with the triangle opening on the bottom of the pot, insert...twist and shazaam! Fill the pot with your desired contents, turn the black fuel adjustment knob so it releases gas, press the red piezo ignition inward, adjust the flame, and in a few minutes dinner is served.

Final Thoughts:

The Primus Lite+ is a solid all-around performer! Light enough to take with you anywhere-everywhere again and again. Absent are any complexities...simply user-friendly and practical. While I would like to see Primus utilize their ceramic coating on the pot interior and include a protective mini stuff sack for the burner they don't affect performance or function in any way, though I think it would help bring the competition to their knees.

Overall Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Background

As briefly mentioned in the above narrative, I have utilized Primus camping and backpacking stoves for many years. My go-to is the minuscule and trustworthy Primus Express Stove. This Primus Lite+ may edge out my Express Stove and GSI Dualist, that I've relied on in recent years, for backcountry prominence.