did a 1 night backpacking trip this weekend and my buddy had a Whisperlite. Not sure which one, but it can burn several fuels. I was impressed at how quickly it boiled water (2 cups in under 2 minutes at 8,600 ft.) Thinking of picking up one of these or similar type stove. Can anyone out there suggest which model or prefer or even another brand? My usual method of boiling is a simple cat food can alcohol stove.
Hi, donv, As to Whisperlites, say away from the very first version of the Internationale. It had a cloth-covered fuel line, and is worthless for burning kerosene over a long period of time. It's vaporizing loop was WAY too small. However, the regular Whisperlite, which only burns Coleman fuel, is an outstanding stove, as are the later versions of the Internationale, all of which have much larger vaporizer loops. To be safe, buy a brand new one, and don't worry about possibly making a mistake. For boiling water, they are great. Not so much for actual cooking, though, as they do not simmer well, without a simmering plate. Good luck, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc P.S. We've been using the new Whisperlite Universal, which is the best of the Whisplerlite bunch, IMHO. It burns Coleman fuel, kerosene, and also cartridge gas, all with easy to do parts swaps. Great stove, and well worth owning, and well worth it's asking price!!
Thanks Doc Is the only difference between the International and Universal the fact that the Universal can use canisters?
Hey, donv, Nah, there are a few other differences, too. Check out the Cascade Designs/MSR webpage, and you can compare them to see how they line up. Have fun! Take care, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc P.S. For my money, the Universal is way more bang for the buck, but you can see for yourself which one works better for you when you compare the stoves online. Two friends from MSR camped with us at the Oregon Stove Gathering, a few years ago, and they brought all the new MSR stoves to show and tell, and we got to play with them, which was simply outstanding!! Drew and Steve were outstanding additions to that Gathering, and very generously left us a bunch of great MSR/Cascade Designs goodies to give away during our raffle!!!
I have run my International(NOT universal) on Kerosene only once. Even with a good preheat it took a long time to stabilize the flame, all the while producing excessive soot. The shaker jet cleaning needle only works with the gas jet. Now with that said, it runs great on Coleman fuel. I've never run mine on unleaded gas but suspect that it would eat it OK. IMHO the fouling that the other fuels(KERO&pump gas) cause isn't worth the aggravation in this stove. I understand that the newer "Universal" model has more jets and can also burn butane?? That's nice, but more parts means more parts to lose. Remember the K.I.S.S. method... keep it simple AR
The MSR Universal is an interesting redesign of the International. The re-engineered jet and vaporizer tube actually allow a wide range of flame control from the pump valve when running on Coleman gas (I have not tested mine with kerosene). It is amazing how well you can control the flame. You can actually simmer with it - a significant achievement for a Whisperlite!
Interesting about the Universal. I've only read a few articles about it, but nothing about running all the different fuels over a long period of time. I'm sure it can be done, it would just require a bit of diligence to keep the stove clean and also not mind a little soot. I get soot every time I use a kero stove no matter how good the blue flame is! I like the smell! I'm sure having a cleaning cable will increase the life of the stove as well with whatever fuel is used. Even my OmniFuel has a cleaning cable in it, which makes it pretty nice. sam
AR, good points. One of the reasons I really like the Primus Omnifuel is that it uses fewer 'fiddly' bits. The fuel hose end connector attaches directly to either the fuel bottle or gas. canister. No need for a special adapter. The white gas jet handles canister fuel just fine, so no need to pack a replacement jet if you think you might be burning both fuels. Plus, I might be the last person alive who actually likes the sound of a roarer burner
Hi, BWH, Actually, you might be surprised to learn that I like the sound of a roarer stove, too, as to many of our Mates here at CCS!! Especially when the elements turn against you, there is something warm and comforting about that steady, reassuring roar, that makes everything seem safe, sound, and just perfect!! I like silent stoves, too. But, those of us who love the roar are many, which is a good thing! Take care, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc
the one thing i didn't like about the whisperlite was the no simmer capability. Considering the dragonfly now for that reason. I guess the compromise would be a noisy burner and a heavy stove for backpacking. But if the new universal whisperlite has more flame control as BWH says that may be an option.
