Primus MultiFuel

Bought a Primus Multi-Fuel Stove (not the same as an Omni-Fuel) at REI in 1997 to to take to Saudi Arabia. (Primus Isobutane gas was available there in Saudi.) Stove worked perfectly for a few camping trips. I came back to US in a couple of years and only used stove 2~3 more times, always with Primus butane, never with liquid fuel. Always worked perfectly. Now I can't get any gas through the fuel line to the gas jet nipple.

The stove was fast to set up, lit instantly, boiled water really fast, but had problems staying lit in windy conditions on lower flame settings (simmer) without a big sheet metal wind screen. It has what Primus calls a wind screen built in, but that doesn't do much. I never timed brining water to a boil or kept track of how much food I could cook on a 100g canister of gas.  It always did what I expected it to without any problems (except simmering in the wind).

It's compact, although the factory supplied pouch is pretty snug.

The stove worked perfectly the last time I used it - about 2002.  It's been in its pouch in my pack in a closet since 2002. Now, with a fresh canister of gas it won't start. No gas comes out of the jet (same jet that's worked perfectly before).  I've cleaned the orifice with the tool, but it seems the fuel line between the canister valve and the jet is clogged.

I can't get the flexible metal-mesh hose unscrewed from the hollow metal fuel tube on the stove to clean them both, following the directions. The brass nut holding the flexible metal-mesh fuel hose onto the curved metal fuel tube on the stove is brazed in place and won't turn. I've never used the pump and any kind of liquid fuel.  Don't even have a fuel bottle.  I like gas.

My Star Rating: If I could get it apart and clean it so it would work I'd give it 5 Stars. With a clogged fuel line it get 0 Stars. Average - 2 1/2 Stars.

Would I recommend it? See my Star Ratings.

I can't get a response from Primus/Brunton.  So now my $165 stove is a worthless piece of junk!  Anyone have any ideas?

I just used this on a 5 day backpacking trip and I used an MSR fuel canister. The stove worked very well overall. I like that it comes with a thin metal windscreen. It is fairly loud when it is turned up high and you are right next to it but if you walk 20 feet away it is not that much louder than other stoves.

I have had a little bit of trouble lighting it. Sometimes I will have my lighter lit and then I turn on the gas and it literally blows out the lighter flame instead of igniting. It is kind of stubborn and sometimes does that several times but it always eventually lit. When you first light it, you can't turn the flame down very low but after it has been on for several minutes, the flame is much more adjustable and you can get it down to a nice simmering level.

Remember that I've only used it with a canister and not with white gas or anything else. Finally, the bag that it comes in is is very durable and a great size to fit the stove and the windscreen.

Great little stove - never let me down.

Excellent for cold weather use when petrol/paraffin is used.

Excellent for countries where gas canisters are expensive/hard to get hold of - we used regular petrol in Sweden with no problems.

Only niggle is the fuel jets. More modern stoves allow you to change fuels without changing jets, this does not.

Still a solid workhorse that will quite easily cook for groups (made curry for 7 on mine before!)

TIP: in cold weather using gas invert the cannister, that way the stove is fed liquid fuel that it then vaporises in the chamber.

I have had my multi-fuel for ten years. It has proven itself to be a perfect tool. I've had it hiking, canoeing, on daytrips and it's spent weeks on end in my motorcycle's saddlebag.

The only complaints I hear are about the noise. I kinda like it. I tell people it's a jet engine. I convinced a friend to buy one for his cross-Canada bicycle tour. He says that in performed flawlessly.

I have owned two Primus Multifuels for several years. They have never let me down, always worked very well in all conditions, high altitude, moist conditions and heavy winds.