Most reliable multi fuel stove

[Garrett McLarty]

Just thought I would share my experience using a couple of different multi fuel stoves with fuel of questionable quality.

I have spent significant time traveling outside the US, mostly in South Asia over the last 3 years. Previous to that, my experience with multi fuel/liquid fuel stoves was 98% burning white gas, with a few random times using auto gas or kerosene.

Maybe if I was using auto gas in a place with better regulation (such as the US or Europe) I would have a different story to tell.

Over the past 3 years, I have spent a lot of time with the Optimus Nova (non+ version), the MSR Whisperlite International (new version), MSR Whisperlite Universal in liquid mode, and Primus Omnilite Ti. I have used the MSR XGK but only a few times as I don't like it unless I need max power for snow melting and even then have preferred the other stoves.

Due to fuel availability, the only viable option for a stove is one that can burn at least auto fuel/petrol or kerosene. As much as it would be nice to save weight and use a canister stove or alcohol stove, often, neither is available.

Whisperlite:
I like to use the Whisperlite for the its quiet burn and large pot support/burner head. However, it has proven to be need a lot of cleaning. Burning petrol, it becomes clogged just below where the pre-heat tube first comes into contact with the flame. Very quickly this leads to such slow fuel flow that you cannot cook. Cleaning is relatively straight forward, but not easy. Once the build up is noticeably affecting the flame, it may be so tightly jammed that that only way to removed the cleaning cable is with a pair of pliers while holding the tube over another heat source to expand it.

The maintenance tool that comes with the stove does not give enough bite on the cable. I was very surprised by this having had no trouble after years of use in the States. I have also been surprised how fast this happens. This seems to affect both Whisperlite models similarly, though the Universal model I have has a tighter bend in the pre-heat tube and thus clogs faster and tighter.

Optimus Nova:
I like the design of the Optimus Nova but have found it is much more finicky with bad fuel. Cleaning is also not quiet as easy of the Primus because it seems easier to un-screw the brass heat cup on the Primus vs removing the flame spreader on the Optimus. Also, the pump seems to be more reliable on the Primus. I have used both and hadn't noticed until seeing group members priming, but the Optimus seemed more difficult to prime compared to the Primus. I didn't expect this as they are very similar in design.

Primus Omnilite Ti:
The Primus has had several welcome surprises which have made it my favorite multifuel stove, though still not perfect. It seems to use the least amount of fuel to prime, while also being easy to light. It simmers better than the Whisperlite and even the similar designed Nova. I have found it to need the least cleaning, in fact not showing any sign of clogs when the Whisperlite has cased to work due to deposits in the fuel line pre-heat tube. The threaded heat cup has been a bonus for cleaning the jet when food spills.

However, the light weight Ti pot stand is noticeably less stable than the Nova or Whisperlite. And though it is the lightest stove, the valve connection to the pump could be much lighter.

Modifications I would like to see:
Omnilite with a different valve on the bottle side of fuel line (similar to the flat style on the Edelrid Hexon).

Whisperlite with some weight loss (ti option or more cutouts in the legs-though this would make it less stable), and a pump with the standard lindal valve (this would mean that for saving weight, one could pair the Omnilite with an MSR pump). It would also be nice to lose the pre-heat tube where I have found clogging and add an adjustment valve/pre-heat tube combo at the burner such as the Dragonfly/Nova/Omnilite.

Conclusion:
I like the low noise of the whisper, the burner adjustment valve of the Nova/Omnilite, and the option to have a plastic pump for weight savings. Unfortunately, I don't know of a stove which combines these factors so for now, my favorite and most reliable stove is the Primus Omnilite.

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