My limited experience with the stoves on that list led to the vote going to Omnifuel. Overall it is probably my favorite and most versatile stove that I have used.
Evening, All, As discus stoves have such a long and honored history in Stovedom, I remind one and all that, back in 1913, a SVEA fixed leg stove, with SVEA 801 burner, was the first recorded stove up the South Peak of Denali (Mt. McKinley). I can post photos of this stove in another thread, if there is interest. I have one of these stoves, with the 801 burner, but it is missing it's special "Baby Butt" burner, sad to say..... The museum in Fairbanks date the SVEA that went up in 1913, from 1910. Best Stove Ever? It very well could be!!! Take care, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc
Well sure, discus stoves. But how about the Primus taken on Andree's 1897 expedition? I can't find a notation of what model it was, though it was modified to allow it to be lit while hanging 8 meters below the basket of the (hydrogen) balloon and, in addition, had a mirror to allow the crew to verify that it was, in fact, lit. After being retrieved from 30 years in the ice at Andree's final camp, the stove was brought back to Stockholm, where it was immediately refilled with kerosene and successfully lit, boiling a liter of water in 6 minutes. Now that's a great stove. Maybe not the best, but a contender. ....Arch
There all good to me, so can not realy decide, but the Primus offering has to be great stoves. A big but, there all good in some way ! Cheers Rob
Now 2017 I'd say the Optimus Polaris - burns all the liquid fuels (except alcohol) without any jet-/restrictor- or other fiddling. A year or two ago I would have voted for the 111 variants, or the KAP Arctic... Cheers, /Odd
The No. 1 gets my vote, and the Radius No. 3 also: for reliability, ease of firing up and for its whisper-quietness ..Peter
I won't say it is the most exciting or the most fun, but out of my small collection of about 25 stoves I nearly always grab either a Trangia 25 or 27 when I go into the bush.
I voted "other" and XGK EX. My most frequently used stove, and the one I have the most multiples of, is the ubiquitous(in the USA anyway) Coleman suitcase. I have fewer stoves than most members here but I do have plenty of options, and a Coleman suitcase comes out the most frequently. Bulletproof, reliable, durable, burns the cheapest most widely available fuel. Very "kitchen stove like" once it's warmed up. Will simmer a delicate sauce or bring three gallons of cold creek water to a boil. Make coffee and pancakes at the same time. After the USA and NK reduce the world to glowing smoking rubble, the cockroaches will cook on the leftover Coleman suitcases. I also voted the XGK EX even though I don't own one, as that's the stove I wish I'd bought instead of my Optimus Nova.
I think if I were to post a similar poll again, I'd include way more stove options and maybe split it into different generic families, such as Primus No 1 and all the flying saucer styles, the Coleman 533, 422 and similar types including as the Chinese BRS and APG 'copies', the Optimus 111, 8R, Ender's and Korean copies, the various 'remote' aluminium fuel tank models like the Optimus, Primus, MSR and others like this, and Other, for the more esoteric stoves like the Borde 'Bomb', the Optimus No 9, and any other esoteric stoves.
I must admit to finding the question difficult as the poll is for the "Best Stove of All Time" but Colin's post asks about our "Most Popular Stove". Best stove of all time would have to be one that did it's job (i.e. boil water or cook food) reliably and in no matter what the weather. In that respect I would say the classic Trangia and the MSR (even though I don't own one I hear it is a great stove for boiling water (and possibly for burning food)). Regarding my most popular; I love the 111 (and my old school mountaineering club links with it) but I nearly always pick out my Optimus No.5 if I want to make a quick cup of tea while I'm in the garden; so I guess that makes it my most popular. Incidentally my least popular (wait for the howls of protest) is my 123R! Even though it has performed faultlessly for me in snow holes in the Cairngorms, I just don't particularly like it, hence it is the last to be chosen.
I have a Svea 123 and the 123R. I am in agreement that is is one of the least used in my collection. In spite of its total reliability, I find it a PITA to use in the field. I don't like the mostly useless windscreen and I find the stove unacceptably tippy. In that style stove I will grab my 8R for its ease of use and stability. It also needs a windscreen though, as do most of my stoves. For home use the Primus 5 is my favorite. Where are the Coleman 502 fans? This stove has to be near the top for many of us.
I wouldn't even think to use a 123 in camp by its ownself, but with the Sigg set have used it far more than any other stove backpacking. In fact, I've never even lit a Svea 123 without the Sigg set. I have a couple NIB that I've had for years, a lemon one and a flannel shirt one. We brought the combo along for backup this past Friday afternoon on a one-nighter up the Skokomish river, but used the Optimus 00 and the Sigg pots.
I agree with Ed, it is just so much better with the Sigg kit, but the 123/123R is not a PITA without the Sigg kit. Set on the ground properly with the pot stands turned out it is quite stable. I have only knocked pots overa few times, I do not recall it ever just falling over on its own. Ken in NC
The well designed, more collectible 123 is by far the best looking and it performs well however I can join criticism of 123 but only compared to an 8R & 99. Ease of use, refilling and stability 8R get's the edge imo. 123 on it's own (w/o cookset) competed with the likes of Primus 71 & Opti 80 from early/mid 50s through the 70s. Add the SIGG cook set it dominated that market share for good reason. The 123 on it's own (w/o cook set) compared to the well-established 71 & 80, apples to apples, the 123 became a favorite. It earned a #1 spot for many uses: brew-ups, day hikers, campers, hikers/climbers etc. [[Slight drift but it may, in ample ways, have an edge over a 96 as well?]] I can't explain why I prefer utility of an 8R over 99, but I do. Myself in hindsight, I could skip the 99 (sorry 99 fans). thx omc
@Marc, you're right on the Coleman suitcase stoves, when I was down in Missouri, a guy had a stack of them, $15, your choice, both 2 and 3 burner stoves! I'll swear they breed like rabbits! @BradB, if I had to have just one stove, the 502 would be up at the top of the list! Darn things are all but trouble free, run for decades with no maintenance, flame control that's unbelievable, and can go for hours on a fill of fuel! Add that to being as rugged as a Browning M2, there's just NO STOPPING a 502!!! Murph
My favorite is Primus 210. Small and portable enough for putting it into the back pack. Sturdy enough to be used with bigger pots in a kitchen. It is also easy to maintain it. There are stoves that is smaller and more light weigth for having in the back pack, and there are stoves that are more suited for the kitchen, but 210 does it all.
