Snow Peak GigaPower Auto

If you're think you're too old-school to go with a canister stove, put your scruples aside. I finally gave my Svea a break and started packing this lightweight, hassle-free babydoll of a stove.

For both sentimental and financial reasons, I like to use the trusty backpacking equipment that I bought in the mid-1970s. Amazingly, nearly all of my equipment from back then is still serviceable.

But it's not all ultralight, nor is it hassle-free. Take my Svea 123 stove, for example. I bought it in 1975, but its design dates back long before that. This stove even has its own Wikipedia page. I'm pretty sure it's the stove that will eventually get me through the Apocalypse. 

The Svea is a thing of beauty—bright, shiny brass when polished up, it's even cooler looking when it's covered with soot after a week of trail duty. With its intricate pre-heating and lighting ritual, a Svea is much more an instrument than an appliance. And, of course, you and your buddies get to witness a small-scale explosion with nearly every use.

On a recent AT section hike, though, I found that my younger fellow-travelers, all equipped with tiny canister stoves, were well into their morning java while I was just beginning the hocus-pocus with my Svea. I'm not even sure they were impressed by the fireball I set off; I think they were worried it would scorch their iPhones.

With the excuse that I needed to cut down on my load, after I got home I started shopping around for an itty-bitty canister stove like I'd seen the other kids packing. I looked at several, each of which was nifty in its own way. I settled on what I finally figured was the best fit for me, a Snow Peak Gigapower stove. I even sprang for the model with a built-in igniter. 

This little marvel weighs just 3.75 ounces (106 grams) without the canister. That's about one-fifth the weight of my Svea when it's empty. I haven't calculated the weight difference between a fuel canister and an equivalent amount of white gas in a fuel bottle, but my guess is that a canister would win this contest. (There are two sizes of canisters, containing 110 grams or 250 grams of fuel. The 110-gram canister weighs 7 ounces full and is rated at 45-50 minutes on high, which pretty much corresponds to my experience so far.) 

With the Snow Peak, it's easy-peasy to attach the stove apparatus to the canister, and you can detach it afterward without losing fuel. Since it has far less exposed metal, cool-down time is much faster than with a Svea. And, while I never would have admitted it before, it's sort of nice not having to risk gunking up my other equipment with soot and grime. The Snow Peak packs away cleanly, with just a quick wipe of its little metal arms to remove whatever soot there may be. 

I'm the sort of hiker who prefers to leave his watch at home, a stop-and-smell-the-humus kind of guy who'll happily stare at a lichen-covered tree stump for 25 minutes, no intoxicants necessary. Still, I can say that, when it's below freezing at dawn, I find I'm willing to dispense with the romance of lighting my Svea in the interest of getting some hot food and drink in my system. It's a tradeoff, for sure, but I'm telling myself that now that I use the Snow Peak stove, I have more time to explore that rock outcropping or, in the afternoon, take a sun bath in a mile-high clearing.

Besides the super-rapid ignition, the Snow Peak excels in a second area: it takes up almost no space at all. With the canister removed, it folds up into a plastic case not much bigger than a candy bar. Amazing.

Finally, there's the matter of temperature control. With some camping stoves, you're pretty much stuck with two options: on or off. That's fine if all you do is boil water, but not if you want to simmer, cook something more gradually or just do a quick reheat of your coffee. The Snow Peak's control knob will actually let you adjust the flame pretty much however you like. The knob feels flimsy at first, but it's more rugged than it seems.

If you don't want the model equipped with a Piezo igniter, you can get a manual version for 10 bucks less. For my part, I figured if I was ditching my Svea, I may as well go all the way. (Well, I'd never really ditch my Svea; it's on the shelf in my closet, and I might even ask my wife to bury me with it.)

This stove rocks! This stove heats water very quickly. It's very stable. I'd recommend buying this stove for backpacking, when you're cooking or heating water for 1 or 2 people.

2017 UPDATE!  It's been three and a half years and this stove still ignites instantly. I've used it backpacking, car camping, road tripping, and even a couple times for my morning coffee when a blizzard knocked the power out. I've changed my rating from 4 stars to 5, because this stove has made me a hero when I've whipped up coffee for my wife on a cold, dark, blizzardy morning.

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My local MEC did not sell the GigaPower Auto, so I bought the manual model and bought the igniter. The igniter installed easily, except that the screw needed to attach the igniter to the stove (supplied with the igniter) is TINY. You need a very small screwdriver, tiny hands, and patience to get it lined up and screw it on. Fortunately, once the igniter is installed, it stays on and there is no requirement to remove it.

It is very stable, and it holds a pot that is larger than the base and the pot holder prongs. As with any stove, you need to ensure that is placed on even ground. If even ground isn't available, then obviously you need to find a way to make is sit evenly.

The stove screws onto the tank easily. The valve must be in the open position when it is nested in the plastic storage box. This means that you MUST remember to close the valve prior to screwing it onto the fuel tank. If you don't, you'll hear the hiss and smell that funky terrible smell of LPG. After a few times, I started to remember to close the valve.

Once the stove is attached to the fuel tank, you can install the windscreen. The windscreen has four slots for each of the four pot holder prongs. It also has a spot for the igniter to poke through. Once the windscreen is placed on the stove, the pot holder prongs can be fully extended. The windscreen for a canister stove is different from the windscreens on different types of stoves.

It does not wrap around the stove. This is because a wraparound screen would reflect too much heat onto the fuel tank, and could cause an explosion. The user manual states that you should NEVER use that type of windscreen. The windscreen for this stove works to block some wind, and also to reflect heat back up to the bottom of the cooking pot. It also shields heat from the fuel tank.

The flame can be controlled on this stove. It can be turned right up to boil water quickly and rapidly, or it can be turned down to simmer. This is one of the reason I bought this stove. Many other canister stoves do not have the capability to simmer.

I have not used this stove in an unsheltered area, so I cannot testify to how well it performs in high winds. I doubt I ever will find that out, because I would use my backpack, or a tarp, or my body, or the terrain, or whatever I could find to block the wind.

The fuel canister is supposed to last 40-60 minutes on high. I understand that some people don't like canister stoves because they are not as ultra-light friendly as some other stoves. I don't have a problem with it.

The stove lights instantly. Every time. Really it does. The igniter is great.

When not being used, the stove packs down into a small plastic box that contains the folded stove. The box and the fuel tank easily fit inside my 750ml cooking pot and lid. The cooking pot nests into the windscreen.

I have had this stove for a few months, and I used it daily in the month of December. As with canister stoves, they are not the most efficient for winter use, but I found that if I warmed the fuel tank in my jacket, and shielded the stove well, it worked great.  

So far I have no issues with durability, but as I said, it's only been a few months. One thing that made me confident to try this stove, is that it's been in use for many years and it appears that the design has been left relatively unchanged.

I look forward to using this stove in a variety of conditions, and I'll update this review as I go.

NOTE: The price I've listed is the total (before taxes) that I paid for the stove, the igniter, and the windscreen.

Excellent lightweight stove with Piezo igniter built in.

I upgraded to this little stove from my old MSR PocketRocket. In terms of size and weight, it was more of a lateral move (The GigaPower is smaller than the PocketRocket, but comes in at 3.8 oz as compared to 3.1 with the PocketRocket).

However, the real upgrade for me was the Piezo igniter. Granted, a gas-powered stove will light with just about anything; spark, lighter, matches, happy thoughts, but the piezo igniter makes it truly push-button. It also adds another possible fire-starting tool to my hiking gear.

SETUP

This stove is a breeze to set up and use. Simply fold back the four arms until they won't go any further, screw it onto your fuel canister, turn the fuel knob until you hear a slight hiss, then push the ignition button.

IGNITION

The built-in Piezo igniter works like a charm. Once you have turned on the flow of fuel, you simply push the ignition button to light your stove. This system leverages a button connected to a spring-loaded hammer. When pressed, the hammer hits a piezoelectric crystal (quartz and lead zirconate titanate are common ones) which responds by generating a very small electric charge.

This charge then arcs between a small lead and the stove itself, igniting the gas. This means that (so long as the hammer and crystal hold out) a piezo igniter can be used without additional fuel.

FLAME CONTROL

The flame-control knob on this stove is a small wire extension that sticks out far enough for comfortable control even after the stove has been burning for a while. I've found that this stove will continue burning regardless of how I have the flame set (given a proper wind-block), which provides easy heat control (all the way down to a low simmer) for cooking.

COOKING

If you have low winds or a good wing-block, this stove cooks relatively quickly. However, the more wind you get, the slower it will go. I used it just this afternoon to boil 2.5 cups of water (this took about 9 minutes due to high winds on the trail today).

WIND

Wind is the achilles tendon of this stove. Snow Peak makes a windscreen designed to fit this stove and speed cooking, but I haven't been able to find it locally. If you find a good rock to cook behind or build a good wind screen with local rocks, you can cook relatively quickly. However, every time a gust of wind comes along, the flame gutters and loses efficiency.

STABILITY

I have found this little stove to be perfectly stable (given the fuel canister is on stable ground). It provides a platform that is easily wide enough and stable enough for most camp pots / cups.

PACKABILITY

When not in use, this stove folds up small enough to fit inside most cook sets. I personally store mine inside my Snow Peak cook set along with a fuel canister and a spare lighter (just in case).

Small, compact, reliable, no-fuss. Love this stove!

Hi. My name is Cadenza and I'm a coffee addict.

Oops. Sorry. Wrong meeting.

When I want coffee, I want it now!

On a 7-day backpacking/camping trip I will take a whole pound of Starbucks Verona just for myself. I can usually make it last the week. Occasionally, I will boil water for a meal, but I generally cook real food on a campfire. The stove's main purpose in life is to give me quick coffee. 

The GigaPower auto is as good as it gets from the time I first touch the stove until I have boiling water. There is no fumbling around, priming, etc.  Just open the valve, press a button, and set the pot on top.

For a couple of decades I carried the Svea 123.  It's a classic. I've had it for 35 years and it still works. I still think it's cool but...I basically retired the Svea about 10 years ago. My buddy had bought the GigaPower auto and we found ourselves drawn to the simplicity of his stove rather than going through the priming ritual of the Svea. After a solo trip a few years ago I realized how much I missed having his stove. I went out and bought my own.

The GigaPower auto is my go-to stove for any trip in 3-seasons. In the winter I switch to a white gas stove because canisters don't like cold temps. I wrote a review on the Primus Omnilite Ti, which is a great white gas/multi-fuel stove. In that review I praised the stove and condemned the storage bag that is included.
But with the GigaPower the little plastic protective box is one of the coolest features!

It fits the stove perfectly. It has enough stiffness/support to provide real protection. It takes up very little room and can be packed almost anywhere in the nooks and crannies of a backpack. The stove in its protective box will easily nest in a 400ml Ti coffee mug with room to spare.

I saw where one reviewer stated that he wished the stove had a windscreen. Though not included with the stove, Snow Peak does make a screen that attaches to the stove and is sold separately as an accessory. It's a semi-flat, round piece of stamped stainless steel. It does improve the efficiency of the stove, but it has to be packed separately. It will not fit in the plastic box containing the stove itself. This is not a problem as the windscreen packs flat in the round bottom stuff sack underneath my cook pot.

My camping buddy gave me the windscreen as a birthday present and I have used it enough to know that it improves stove performance. However, I used the stove for years without the windscreen, including in windy conditions, and I never had a problem in getting boiling water. While nice to have, it is not a necessity.

The flame control is easy. No problem simmering.

All my usual pots sit nicely on the stove. Any stability issues are determined by how the canister sits on the ground. The two most common canister sizes both work well. Setup is easy. Screw the stove into the can.  That's it. When it's time to pack up, unscrew, fold, place in storage container box. I can't imagine how it could be any simpler.

I've had this stove for five years, and it's never let me down. I work in the mountains, and it goes with me in my travel kit, then pulls duty on backpacking and motorcycle camping trips. Keeping the canister warm in the sleeping bag is a must on nights below freezing, and a stand-up wind block is nice, as is the accessory windscreen from Snow Peak.

I bought this stove initially to use on motorcycle camping trips.  It packs ultra small, lights easily, and is pretty frugal on fuel in most conditions.  I liked it so much that it replaced another stove that I carry in my work truck for emergencies. 

It's been on 50-60 bike camping trips, a few overnight pack trips, and countless day hikes.  It's never once failed to light or do anything but an excellent job.  The flame is very easily controlled, and this is my go-to stove for cooking things that need a lower flame, such as rice.  It'll simmer better than any stove that I've owned, which is a nice plus when I'm cooking something other than a dehydrated meal.

The stove will usually boil a quart of water in 3- 4 minutes, depending on altitude, ambient temperature, and wind.  I've never had it blow out due to wind, and the excellent Snow Peak windscreen does wonders for reducing fuel usage and boil times.

A small canister of fuel will usually last an entire 2-night weekend trip for just boiling water.  I've used this stove on family car camping trips, and a large canister still had a bit of fuel left after 5 days of cooking all kinds of meals in Sequoia National Park. 

This is a tough little piece-o-gear.  It's never shown any signs of wear and tear, despite being used over a hundred times or more.  I've just ordered a rebuild kit in anticipation of the upcoming outdoor season, but I have not noticed any degradation of the stove's performance in the entire time that I've had it.

Other stoves may boil more quickly, some have whiz-bang features, and some are really cool, but if you want a dependable workhorse that does it all for a great price, then this is the one.

Won't go back! Portable and consistent, this stove is a must have for backpackers and campers alike. If you hike deep into the backcountry or stay in the frontcountry, the piezo start won't let you down.

Borrowed this stove when out with three other friends, we used two stoves for the four of us. The four prongs fold into the center and everything, including the burner control/handle, fits into this small plastic container.  It is small enough once in the container to put it into most pots.  I used it in a 1.1L MSR pot along with a small microfiber towel and small spork. Everything packing into one container is truly the best option.

The ignition never gave me one bit of a problem, started on one push every time. As most stoves that use isobutane, it may not be that efficient at colder temps. We cooked about 16 oz. for our Mountain House in about 3 minutes or so, the temperature was about 50.  Wind was very light to moderate, we all sat around our two stoves and wind wasn't an issue. 

The burner control wasn't too touchy or non-responsive. It did very well.  I would light it, get the flame higher, then take it down to hotter blue flame and it did the trick. 

My favorite aspect is the four prongs which held pots very sturdy.  I have used the MSR Pocket Rocket before and with its three prongs I was always nervous if I was on uneven ground or if the pot had a greater amount of water in it.  I didn't want it to become unstable.

Short story: I borrowed this, but now it's on my Christmas list!

Rock solid reliable stove, lights every time, good flame control and very stable pot supports. Not the lightest and subject to the wind, but it is hard to go wrong with the Gigapower for an upright canister stove.

The Snow Peak Gigapower Auto is a tried and true design with lot of recommendations for good reason.  Not the newest, flashiest or lightest but it does just about everything a canister stove should do very well. 

I've used it now a handful of times on Scout camping trips.  Temperatures have not dipped below the mid 40s.  I've used it in conjunction with a Primus ETA Powerpot 1L with very good results, mostly boiling water but I did simmer chili for one meal and it handled it about as well as a small setup like this can in my opinion. I carry a lighter and firestarter but have not needed to resort to those yet — the igniter has fired every time the first time.  Setup is straightforward, repacking takes a bit of practice but once you get the technique it compacts into a small rectangular box that fits easily into the Primus pot along with a 220g canister. 

One thing I particularly like is the 4 pots supports are very stable. I've used several other three leg stoves and without question the 4 legs are confidence inspiring.  I also have a Coleman F1 Exponent Ultralight stove that is not as stable.  The Coleman puts out more BTU's and in my unscientific tests (I have not timed them explicitly) boils water faster - but I like the stability of the Snow Peak. 

I also like that replacement igniters are easily sourced — and that there is a stock wind screen available (although I have not tried it).  The shape of the head on the Gigapower produces more of a "ball" of flame rather than a blow torch — consequently it disperses and simmers better than my other stoves.  I was able to simmer the aforementioned chili with no scorching due to the flame profile and the better than average flame control.  Like most stoves of this type it is not going to be your best choice for a bechamel sauce but most aren't working through the Escoffier canon out in the field either.  There are no flimsy parts and it is built to last.

If you are a gram counter you may prefer some other options - the Snow Peak is heavier than other options (listed at 3.75 oz compared to 2.7 for the F1 for example — or the 1.6 ounce Monatauk Gnat) — but for stability, reliability and durability the Gigapower is an excellent choice.

This is all the stove I need out in the backcountry.

I bought this little stove couple years ago at REI after one of the sales people explained every stove on the shelf. I decided that this one was all I really needed as a solo hiker out in the wilderness.

It has not let me down! Works like a charm. It is durable and lightweight and packs away in a nice small little plastic case. It fits into my GSI Soloist kitchen set as well. I don't need anything else. 

Lightweight, reliable, stable and easy to use. Highly recommend this stove.

I've used this stove a minimum of once a month for just over a year now. It, along with a fuel canister, fit inside my cook kit. It is easy to set up - remove from its case, open the four supports, shut the valve, install fuel canister. The sparker is reliable (even in the rain). Some told me I would regret having a built in sparker but so far, it's a plus.  

The variability of the flame is nice for cooking things besides boiling water. As far as boiling water is concerned, every time I've timed it (~1 liter of water at ~650' above sea level) it's been just over 4 1/2 minutes. This is acceptable to me.

In the store, I tested the stability of the 4 pot supports versus the 3 pot support style. I liked the 4 better as it seems more stable.

Overall, great stove and I would buy again.

Piezo refused to ignite the stove. Manually lit fine. Stable and heated 1/2 liter in a couple minutes. I also used the wind shield. It worked great.

It takes all of 30 seconds to get the stove mounted on the fuels and ready to go.  Just about zero effort as you can get.  

This was brand new.  I had tested the igniter at home and saw a clear spark.  Did not test with fuel, just spark.  The first night and first attempt to ignite the stove, the igniter failed to light it. Three of us tried for 10 minutes before giving up and using a lighter.  Camp was at 11,500'.  I tried the ignited three dozen more times over the next couple days but resorted to using my magnesium sparker (for fun.  I had a lighter and matches).  I tested at home and the piezo was sparking but would not ignite the stove.

Once ignited, the stove worked great.  It was stable and both my titanium cup and 1 liter pot fit well. I was able to easily adjust the flame level to heat my tea water or bring water to boil in a couple minutes for my dehydrated dinner.

I bought the $10 companion windscreen.  It worked quite well in the breezy conditions.  It was never windy. 

I heated up teat and oatmeal water twice and dinner once. I also heated 1 liter for washing up. I used hardly any fuel.  I wasted more trying to get the igniter to work.

As long as the igniter works, this is a great little stove. It packs up ting and stows easily inside my cup. 

So I had finally decided to upgrade from my Wally World stove, the Coleman Peak 1 canister stove. I never really had any issues with the Coleman stove, but it did not compact very well and the plastic shroud surrounding the stove itself was starting to separate.

I decided to purchase the Snow Peak GigaPower stove with Piezo ignitor, not only because of it's small size, excellent reviews, and commendable performance, but also because it was the stove that was found to be most compatible with the GSI Pinnacle Dualist cookset I had also recently purchased.

The Giga came with a protective plastic container, but because mine will be riding in my cookset, it wasn't really necessary for me.

I've found that the stove is very solid once tightened onto the canister and something that I appreciate is it's foldable support arms create a generous surface platform for your pot. This is one reason why I had decided to stay away from stoves like the MSR Pocket Rocket, as I had heard that it doesn't provide enough support for pots.

The Piezo ignitor is a great touch...not absolutely necessary, but a great touch nonetheless. It's so quick to set up the stove, click the ignitor, and get right to cooking. Yes, the possibility exists that the Piezo may fail at some point, but who goes into the field without a lighter or at the very least a container of matches? Whether the Piezo functions or not, you will still have at least a functioning manual stove.

The burner adjustments are fine, and you really can adjust down to a nice even simmer. I've been very pleased with this stove and I'm looking forward to using it for years to come.

I've got the GigaPower windscreen on order with REI and I'm hoping this will further enhance this great little stove's already excellent performance.

Great stove for freezer bag cooking/dehydrated meals. It's light, compact, and durable!

In seven years of service it has never let me down! Piezo is a bit fragile, but still working. When the piezo isn't working the mini Bic is deployed and it lights easily! In below zero conditions, I put the canister inside my jacket to stay warm. The burner isn't very adjustable, but I normally cook home made freezer bag meals. Using a home made windscreen it is efficient with fuel. Some type of windscreen is a must w/ this stove. 

The pot supports are a bit slippery and if not level you may have issues. Since boils times are quick I monitor it closely. The stove comes with a plastic case that has protected the stove well. I now use a portion of a handkerchief to wrap it up and keep it in whichever mug or pot I take. 

It irritates me having to open valve slightly to fold it up and remember to close it before you screw on the canister. You'd think it would be an easy fix. 

I typically us this stove for weekend trips and one or two longer trips per year. It's used about 25-35 nights per year in temperature ranges from 20-100 degrees fahrenheit. 

I just bought one for my son to use on Boy Scout trips. There are cheaper Chinese made stoves, but this one has never let me down. I'll easily pay for reliability and durability!

I bought the titanium version of this stove 1 month ago and have issues with using it in temperatures below zero.

At sea level (at home) I can boil a litre of water in under 6 minutes which is on par with the Jetboil. but obviously significantly lighter weight.

But in the Australian mountains 2000m at temperatures roughly -2C. the stove really did perform poorly. All reviews on this product have been great that is why I bought the stove but I wanted to put it out there for other people thinking of buying the stove that don't if you want to use it for any sort of alpine use. The size of the flame more than halved in-size and boil time more than doubled. And a lot of gas was used. Yes I was using the Snowpeak canister.

I also bought the titanium cookset and they are super light and boil water well. But if you try and cook in titanium it is very hard as the titanium doesn't really heat up. So you end up getting heat transfer directly from the flames into the food. But not to the surrounding areas of the pot. It's hard to explain but basically you cannot cook a steak for example as it will cook directly where the flames are but no heat will spread to the outer edges so that the edges of the steak are raw.

My advise for alpine cooking is to go for a white gas stove for alpine cooking.

Lightweight, dependable, easy to light, and stable.

I bought the this stove because of its weight and positive reviews. I have used it a few times this winter and you need to double the time required to boil water. The other night, the temperature was 16 degrees F with a wind gusting up to 20 miles. I never did get the stove to bring 16 oz of water to a boil. I was not timing it, but I finally gave up. The water was hot but it did not boil.  

So, I decided to test it tonight in the garage (no wind). The temperature is 28 degrees and both the stove and fuel were exposed to that temperature (left in the Jeep overnight). The water I put in the 600 Snow Peak mug was 40 degrees F. It took the stove 9 minutes to bring 20 oz to a boil. At 3 minutes the water reached a temperature of 110 degree F; at 6 minutes it was 170 degree F and then at approximately 9 minutes it reached boiling temperature.  

I still plan to use this stove on solo hikes, but just watch the fuel. So you should get 5 boils out of a 100 g canister and 9 out of a 220 g canister.  If I am hiking with others, I will bring the Jetboil.

Great, reliable stove for a very reasonable price!

This is a great stove that I have had for a year now and used constantly. It is very light and easy to pack and the set up is as simple as unfolding it and screwing it into the fuel canister. The ignition is a simple auto click that has worked very well for me so far.

The flame control is excellent for fast boiling to low simmering and various other cooking settings. Boils water within a few minutes when in sheltered conditions. The wind does effect this stove so I would greatly recommend getting some kind of windscreen for it. If you are just boiling water for dinner like I do then the a single fuel can can last anywhere from a week to two weeks. So far as long as the ground is level the stove has had great stability.

The only thing that went wrong for me with this stove was that it froze up and wouldn't work on a winter camping trip, although the temp was around -10 degrees at the time. That was the only downside I have had with this stove and apart from that am very happy with it. 

Great little stove. Boils and simmers well. Small, compact, light. Easy to use. The piezo ignite feature is awesome! This isn't a stove you're going to cook complex meals on. Boiling water and simple one-pot meals are ideal. If you want to go more gourmet you'll want a bigger (and heavier) stove. But it's supposed to be a lightweight backpacking stove, and it fits that niche to a tee.

Like just about every stove in this design category it doesn't do good in wind. I made my own windscreen and will be purchasing the SnowPeak windscreen made especially for this model in the future. (SnowPeak if you're listening, why not just include a windscreen with the stove in the first place? I'd pay the extra $6 or $8 the windscreen costs to have it included. Plus then I'd given you 5 stars.)

Flame adjust is a bit sensitive, but it takes about 2 seconds to figure it out and get used to it. Plus if you flame out the piezo reignites it in a snap.

The four pot supports are very stable. I like this over some other lightweights with only 3 and smaller pot supports. Lightweight don't mean a thing if your meal is all over the ground because the pot fell off.

Overall this is a very good stove for what it's designed for and the price.

The Buffalope

Good stove with all the virtues and failings of canister stoves.

This little stove weighs about 3 1/2 ounces and fits into my cook kit so it doesn't take up to much space. I've never had to use any lighting method other the auto lighter which has always worked on the first try.  

It boils a liter of water in four or five minutes, more if it is windy. When it isn't windy the flame can easily be turned down to a bare glow to simmer but a gust of wind will put it out. Setup is very easy, just screw a canister and go.

Like all canister stoves, cold weather is not its friend. The fuel mix butane/propane doesn't work below 34ºF (1ºC). The isobutane/propane mix is good to 14ºF (-10ºC) but the canister cools as the gas is used, so if temperatures are close it can drop below the vapor point.

I only gave this four stars because while it does everything I want it doesn't blow me away.

Lacks finesse, but boils water like a champ.

Setup: If you have enough mechanical sympathy to change a lightbulb, you can screw this on to a canister of fuel without a problem.

Ignition: Turn on, push a button, wait for deliciousness.

Flame Control: This is where it falls down. It seems to like to go full throttle. Not ideal for eggs or anything that you need some finesse to cook with. However, my culinary aptitude ends at boiling water, so it works for me.

Cooking: See Above.

Boil Time: I used it in windy conditions with the wind screen (Optional extra that is soooooo worth it) and it took about 5-6 minutes for 2 cups.

Wind: I bought a package that included a windscreen and I am glad I did

Fuel Efficiency: I cooked 2 nights on a single can, and there's plenty left over.

Stability: I used the Snow Peak 700ML Titanium cup and it didn't seem tippy, even at boil.

Packability: Very small stove, especially for one with auto ignite.

Conditions: 2 nights in windy conditions.

Compact but strong and stable. Auto-ignitor is fragile, however.

This is a compact, but powerful design. Sets up quickly just by screwing on to a gas canister. I chose this model over the Jetboil partly because of its four arms, which allow it to stay very stable in the field. Combined with a gas canister stand, this thing is rock solid.

As far as I'm concerned, its sole weakness has been the ignitor, which worked well at first but then broke quite easily just from removing the stove from its case. I could probably replace the ignitor, but it's easier to carry a small bic lighter with me.

I have used this stove both with and without the GigaPower Windscreen, which is reasonably effective. Overall, I heartily recommend this for any backpacker looking for an efficient and compact burner.

This is a great little stove: solid quality, 4 cooking dish rests (as opposed to 3 on the MSR compacts), folds up nicely into a small container; comes with a nice sturdy container, and has auto-ignite (as opposed to the lightweight, compact MSR).

This stove puts out a very nice flame and, with the bigger stand, I can cook with a larger bowl, meaning more surface area to heat quicker. Check out some of the Snow Peak titanium bowl kits. There is one with 2 bowls and a small frying pan. With this kit, and this stove you can boil water so fast, I think it's faster than jetboil. It blew me away the first time I boiled water. And with this larger bowl, you can get the large 8oz fuel cans and fit them in nicely.

The only beef with the stove is that it's tough to adjust low flame. The cock/valve has some springiness at low-end that wants to turn off when down that low. But it's manageable. I would have given 5 stars if it wasn't for that slight issue.

I agree with Stewart; this stove rocks. I've never used a stove so small, compact and powerful before. I've always used propane stoves.

This little stove powers up on the first light. It can't get better than that!!! I've cooked for four people and only used half a canister of fuel. I bring four canisters of fuel with me when I go for two weeks at a time. It's a little bulky in my Palisade, but I only use two canisters.

The overall design of the snow peak allows me to stow it in the front pocket of my pack along with my Bibler easton poles and gerber axe that's lashed on the outside pocket of my pack.

I have used it in the winter in the high desert where it's cold and windy--no problem whatsoever!!! It's a great little powerful stove it puts the heat in no time flat (that's when I'm boiling water for my Mountain House freeze-dried food--not a bad product!).

What more can I say about this stove innovation? Except that it "KICKS ASS!!!"

This stove rocks! Super compact and lightweight. I weighed the stove, stove storage box, and a 80min. canister for a total of 1 lb. 1 oz. I picked it up for a pack that I just returned from.

My experience is that it cooks faster than advertised. With the igniter this stove is super fast from start to boil. I did not time it but it boiled 4 cups of water in my titanium very quickly. We were at 6000 ft in the Trinity Alps and it was warm so maybe that was a factor. It did get just a bit breezy and was blowing the flame a bit but not out. I may look into the wind guard. I actually picked up two of them as there was to be three in our party, at least two of us could cook at once.

Everyone was very impressed with the stove and its performance! They were not familiar with this stove and could not get over just how compact and lightweight it really is!!

Out of my four stoves this one's my go-to stove.

Sets up fast and is fairly stable. The only thing I forget sometimes is to shut off the fuel valve when setting it up so as not to waste gas.

I have the igniter on mine and it lights fast. I have used it at 8,700' in 28 degree temps and it works ok, just be prepared to use more fuel. A winter mix would work best.

I carry heavy duty foil to use as a wind screen which works well on windy days. Fits in my titanium cook pot set with two spare fuel canisters..

Had it for five seasons and it's still going strong...

Small, light, powerful — perfect for backpaking.

This cartridge stove is easy to set up and light. The stove itself folds very small and comes with a plastic box that easily fits in my pocket. I was afraid it would not be stable with a pot of water on it, but for backpacking pots (not too large), it is surprisingly stable.

No problem running full out or setting it to simmer. Not as fast to boil water as my old liquid fuel stoves, it is still pretty quick. I have not used this in a strong wind, so I cannot comment, but I am thinking of getting (making) a windscreen just to make it more efficient. It made my transition from liquid fuels to cartridges much easier.

Bought this stove last year for when I just need something for just me. I love my MSR Dragonfly but this stove is perfect for solo backpacking. Add the wind screen and that's all it needs.

The best thing I like is this stove has great flame control, it can simmer foods or just boil water for Mountain House meals. You can make any food you want to pack in. Plus it all fits in my cook set along with a fuel canister.

So far it only takes a couple clicks to light. If the auto ignition fails, I have been able to light the stove with a strike or two from my fire steel. Have used the stove at temps of 15 degree F. with no problems.

Great little stove for 1 or 2 people, quick, easy to use and for extended stay you just need to bring another fuel canister.

I agree completely with the review. I've had this stove for many years, and it's absolutely the best for ultralight backpacking. It's the most compact stove out there, heats water fast on moderate fuel consumption, and is dead reliable. Like any canister stove, at temperatures below freezing, it starts to lose some oomph.

I've never had to clean, rebuild, or otherwise fuss with this stove, and the igniter has always worked. On top of that, the price has come down significantly since I bought mine.

An excellent product.

Love this little thing. I would highly recommend it to anyone.

I love this stove. It packs a punch for its micro size. The stove simmers extremely well and boils up water quickly. Ignition is a one click and you're lit with the piezo igniter.

Overall, I am extremely happy I bought this little baby.

I've had this stove for years -- I previously had (and still use for winter travel) an MSR Whisperlite that is big, heavy, and is either "full blast" or "off." The SnowPeak is light and tiny, and it simmers wonderfully.

I have two gripes with the stove:

1. It doesn't do too well in wind, but most stoves I'm familiar with don't. I finally broke down and bought the windscreen, which helps tremendously in windy conditions.

2. The fundamental problem that this uses non-reusable, non-refillable canisters -- those disadvantages are obvious (the canisters aren't cheap, you either wind up with a half-burned canister or carrying a full and a partly-empty canister, etc.)

I used to use an MSR Whisperlite and it was great and then I was fortunate to find this bad a$$ little mother! It is amazing how this little guy works so flawlessly and is so light, functional, and is a decent price to boot.

I will most likely never buy another different kind of stove for as long as I live. This is a truly essential piece of gear that I never go camping, hiking or hunting without and it is so dang light that I never notice or mind the weight even if I don't need to use it.

This is an awesome stove! Being a foody, my stove is very important to me. I recently bought this stove for a four day wilderness canoeing trip. I brought it to accompany my Brunton Optimus stove as I would be cooking some pretty gourmet dishes. It blew my Optimus out of the water. I felt like I had more control over the temp. I had no hotspots that burned my food when using this stove, unlike the Optimus. Its relative size makes it my stove of choice. Next time I hit the woods, I'm bringing my Snow Peak.

This thing rocks!

PROS: Great control, easy lighting (get the piezo igniter -- why bother with matches?), reliable, very compact, comes with a plastic case, light, stable/grippy cooking surface (fold-out wires have a serated surface to help dig into pot bottoms).

CONS: Only thing I can think of is that it may be a bit susceptible to wind. There is an optional Snow Peak windscreen, but bringing it sort of negates the compactness of the product.

CONCLUSION: This is one of the best products I have ever purchased.

Good small stove.

This is a good stove for backpacking because it is so small and light weight. It basically has two settings though: Fireball and About Right.

If you're backpacking though, I recommend an alcohol stove -- and if you're car camping, go ahead and bring a bigger stove that offers more finesse.
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Overall, good canister stove.

I like the four arm supports. It seems more stable than the PocketRocket I used to have. For warmer weather this is the stove I use. For colder weather I use my MSR DragonFly. The flame control is as good as other stoves in the canister stove category. 

If I lost this stove I would buy it again.

This stove is fast and super light. It's worth the extra money for the auto. I've only used this stove for boiling water because it's the only requirement for all the food I use on backpacking trips. When I'm in the woods I don't care about a 5 star gourmet meal, just something to fill me up and keep me going.

Most stoves have 3 cooking rests. Why have 3 when you can have 4? It makes the Snow Peak a more reliable, more stable stove.

Go get one!

I bought this incredibly lightweight stove June 2007 and have loved it for backpacking trips. So easy to start and has a powerful, yet very adjustable flame and stable stove top.

This weekend we opted to take the stove snow camping, even though a white gas stove is usually recommended. At 35 degrees and 7,800' elevation it worked perfectly every time. We did however use a higher isobutane four season mix fuel (Jetboil, Jetpower) and took care not to let it sit in the snow.

After years of frustration with various stove arrangements, I purchased the Snow Peak GigaPower Auto stove--and I'm in love with it.

It's light, stable, efficient, hot, and lights easily every time. My only quibble would be that the adjustment at very low output is kinda difficult, but certainly no worse than any other backpacking stove.

This is easily the best stove in my outdoor cooking armamentarium, which includes an old Coleman 442, a newer Brunton omni-fuel stove, and an MSR Pocket Rocket.

I have used this stove on six hikes, one with 5 people using the stove, 1 can of fuel lasted 2 days, we used mostly freeze dried food. In the wind the wind screen is worth the price and weight. It speeds up boiling times greatly. I have used in the cold down to about 10 deg f and it worked good but a little slow.

This is the best stove I've owned, hands down.

It's super light. It boils in mere minutes. It's stable, even with heavy loads. It uses very little fuel. It has optional accessories including, but not limited to, an ultra light-weight wind cover.

Get this stove, you won't regret it. And for you Gram Weenies out there, there's even a Titanium model.

I completely agree with the other reviewer's critiques. I would just add that, for low heat cooking or simmering, I had a difficult time adjusting the burner down enough to keep things from boiling or burning. I am considering a trivet or something to raise the pot a little. Anyone with similar experience...advice?

I got a starter kit along with the trek mug from REI and boy is this stove lighter and more compact compared to my Whisperlite 600. Lights instantly and requires no priming to start.

Great little stove, takes up hardly any space inside your pack. Thumbs up all the way.

All I can say is WOW. What a great little stove. We have two. One for my son and one for me. Never had problem one. Works great for simmering actual food, and if you just boil water for your food, it does that quickly. Highly recommended.

GREAT stove. VERY light. I prefer it over some of the other canister stoves at the same price and weight. It has 4 stands for better stability, and heat control is somewhat better (think somewhere between a white gas stove and typical canisters).

Very good stove. Very efficient w/ fuel. GET THE AUTO IGNITION, it is nice. And make sure you bring a wind shield. You really couldn't ask for more, it is very small and light and barely uses fuel. Nice product.

It does its job like it should be. Piezo igniter always works.

It's light and compact. I built my own windscreen for it. 

A reliable product.