10 Quick Tips About Cheap Multi Fuel Stoves advice here Stoves

Summary: These simple, lightweight stoves can burn wood, hexamine, white fuel, and gas canisters using only one nozzle. They are popular in colder weather, but they can be noisy and do not have the ability to control the simmer.

Some multi-fuel stoves are hybrids, capable of burning multiple kinds of liquid fuel. The MSR WhisperLite Universal, for instance, takes both white and isobutane canisters of fuel.

Optimus Nova

The Optimus Nova is a multi-fuel stove that can be used with various liquid fuels. It comes with a quick-priming stove and an aluminum pump that self-purges, and a precise simmer control. Its low center of gravity and wide spread legs make it a stable and solid stove. This makes it a great stove for group backpacking base camps, kayaking, and arctic camping.

The Optimus Nova is different from other liquid fuel stoves that are plagued by fuel that is not burned remaining in the fuel line or nozzle. This can be resolved by flipping over the bottle. This removes intake hoses from the fuel and forces them to take in air, which stifles flames and depressurizes the bottle.

This is an ingenious solution to an old problem, and it works. The Nova can be used with a range of regular fuel bottles that are sealed using an o-ring, such as MSR bottles. It also comes with a fully featured stove bag that has separate pockets for spare parts, tools and lubricant, as well as the fuel pump.

This is an excellent all-round stove for backpacking use in the UK especially for long-distance trips in which a variety of fuels is necessary. The price is very reasonable compared to other stoves in the canister category with similar capabilities. The Optimus Nova is also easy to maintain and enjoyable to use.

Kovea Hydra

The Kovea Hydra multi fuel stove was first introduced in 2010 and has been a favorite choice for many backpackers ever since. A few UK backpackers seem to give the stove a lot of attention, possibly having fallen behind with more popular brands or whatever the most recent lightweight offering out of China or Korea is, but it doesn't mean the Hydra doesn't still have its merits.

It's a small and light stove, burning all liquid fuels, including white gas and propane butane through only one nozzle. It has a fairly typical stove design with a burner bell bolted to the body, which is then anchored by three fold out support legs. A pump sits on the top of the fuel hose and the generator loop runs around the inlet, and the flame spreader is situated above that. The burner is a slow-moving flame type. This means it is less affected by wind.

It is a nice feature that it can be utilized with a canister of isobutane or propane, making it a multi-functional small cooker. It's easy to simmer on propane or isobutane and burns all fuel types at a decent level but is slower than some other stoves that use white gas.

The instructions for the Hydra are written in English however they were not written by native speakers of the language. The instructions caution against the use of certain kinds of lighter fluid that if used in a manner that is not what was intended, could lead to an accident that could result in Kovea in a lot of legal hot water. That said that, any 7/16ths UNEF threaded gas canister made by a trusted brand is likely to work perfectly.

Primus OmniLite Ti

The Primus Omnilite Ti is a great option for those looking for an all-fuel stove that can cook with a variety of fuels. It can be powered by gasoline, petrol/gasoline, diesel, kerosene and aviation fuel. It has separate controls for each fuel type and also adjust the flame size. This stove comes with a fuel pipe that is flat on the floor and is connected to the tank easily.

While the Primus Omnilite is a fantastic stove, it will require maintenance to ensure that it functions properly. It could be dangerous as it explodes when priming. This is a problem that occurs with all stoves with liquid fuel which use a second spindle throttle at the stove's side to evaporate fuel instead of a generator coil.

Another issue is the fact that it requires different jets for each type of fuel. If you are cooking using kerosene, then the jet hole will be smaller than if you were using gas. This is a minor issue however it's important to mention.

MSR Whisper Lite

The MSR Whisper Lite is one of the tiniest, lightest and most affordable multi fuel stoves. It is also very easy to repair in the field. It is able to be used with liquid gas or canister fuel and includes attachments for both. The new model is lighter by 10% compared to its predecessor and the burner mechanism has been redesigned to improve the distribution of heat. This is a great choice for backpackers with a limited budget or beginners.

The whistler Lite requires a bit of time to prepare to prime and boil water, but it's an efficient stove that will not let you down. The flame is strong and can boil a liter of water within two minutes. The only issue is that it does not simmer like other stoves.

MSR developed the Dragonfly to be a better burner. It's designed in the same way as the whistler, however it is more compact and offers better performance. It's not as cheap as the Whistler Lite. The Soto Amicus stove and cookset is a fantastic alternative that provides a similar configuration for a fraction of the cost. You can also purchase a Whisperlite International or Universal for isobutane containers as well. Both versions have the same basic design but the Universal version is also compatible with canister fuel.

Coleman Sportster II


It's a simple and basic Coleman stove that can do the job. It's sturdy and compact, and it's self-contained with the tank on the bottom and burner up at the top. This makes it easy to use and a good option for backpackers, beginners who want to cut weight, and for those of us who keep a few spares in the van.

This stove is designed to burn Coleman's proprietary fuel (naptha which is also referred to as "white gas") but can be used with unleaded gas as well. This option will save you money as gasoline tanks can last as long as the regular Coleman liquid fuel cylinder.

It requires some practice to get a good blue flame on a liquid fuel stove. You'll need to pressurize the stove and prime them correctly before you can start. If you do it wrong the fuel could spill out, splash beyond the burner, or even splash out. To get the hang of this try it out in the open before embarking on your excursion.

This stove sacrifices some performance or odor reduction when using non-coleman fuels, but that's a trade off for the extra versatility it offers. Just be sure you're buying unleaded gasoline, and not one augmented with methanol or ethanol (alcohol). This is because these types of fuel can cause the unit to be sputtering, leaky, and may even explode!

ATG Jiko

The ATG Jiko Multi Fuel Stove from South Africa is an ultralight multifuel engineered for harsh environments like Africa. It's a compact and robust stove that burns gels, solid fuel tabs, and alcohol through a single nozzle. It's a light and minimalist design that costs less than most other multifuel stoves and also offers low costs of ownership, and fuel is less expensive per liter than gas canisters.

Other multifuel stoves feature a separate nozzle for each fuel type. This makes them a little difficult to change in bad weather or with gloves and can add to their overall weight. The newest models of multifuel stoves have come up with a way to use the same nozzle for multiple fuels which is much simpler. These stoves can be referred to as hybrids or multifuel compressed fuel stoves. They can also be referred to under other names like white gas, isobutane kerosene and unleaded gasoline/car fuel.

A multifuel stove kit can be purchased to convert your Trangia burners into multi fuel cookers. They are typically available at camping stores that specialize in camping and can be purchased internationally. These are great for Trangia enthusiasts. They can burn all liquid fuels except diesel and with the appropriate accessories, they can also simmer.