The problem is that small pots will heat enough water for a hot beverage but will not have enough space for boiling a hiker sized meal. Your answer will depend on your personal preference but that is better than my sample of one.
Ready to eat food, with the exception of nuts, is often bulkier than dehydrated stuff, so no cook meals with a hot beverage is one path, but that is the same menu as stoveless with the bonus of hot coffee and tea.
Is freezer bag cooking the alternative? Some go stoveless during the summer when FBC works best. For winter FBC, a pot shaped cozy will stay warmer longer than an envelope shaped one. For those that don't FBC, do you constantly choose different pots for different trips?
Is a medium size (.9 liter) pot acceptable since it uses about the same fuel and kitchen gear can be stored in it? The .6 L pot always wins the weighing contest. What is the weight trade off of carrying a beverage cup and heating extra water in a larger, heavier pot once, instead of two burns in a lighter, smaller pot and no cup?
Is anyone cooking a smaller portion of hot food, then adding higher calorie uncooked items? After a few days, I want my supper to have different ingredients than the nuts in my breakfast,lunch, and snacks.
Most of my trips are 4 nights out, the gap between the storms, not a weekend trip where supper could be a big sandwich and a cup of tea.
