Liquid fuel stoves use white gas, which is kept in a fuel bottle that can be refilled and connected to the burner by a hose. It’s possible for these stoves to keep working well in the cold because you can pressurize the fuel within the bottle. This type of stove works best all year and for cooking with a lot of people.
Optimus Svea 123
Many people agree that the Seva 123 is one of the most reliable stoves ever made, and they’re right. They don’t break, and most of them are still around in some form, whether they’re broken down or brand new in the box. The fact that the Svea is still on the market after more than 50 years shows how well-made it is and how loyal its customers are. Since mine is an older Optimus type and doesn’t have the aluminum cup, I can’t say how well it works. I still like to bring this stove on day walks to cook ramen noodles or Meso soup. The older hikers will also compliment you on it.
MSR XGK-EX
This lightweight liquid fuel backpacking stove is great for quickly cooking and boiling water. The stove is actually pretty low, but can be used to cook eggs and pancakes. After connecting the fuel line and threading the pump into the bottle, it is ready to light. Even though it doesn’t have a lighter built in, it never has any trouble lighting it with a match. You can slightly change the heat, but this stove won’t simmer. The main purpose of this stove is to boil water, you can use it to cook pancakes, eggs, and bacon. Using white gas, it took about 9 minutes for 2.5 liters of water to boil in real life. This is pretty close to the times quoted.
MSR DragonFly
This MSR Draonfly model has been around for a long time. It’s tried-and-true adventure stove. It can use fuels including, white gas, jet fuel, diesel, kerosene, and gasoline. It will work at any temperature and any height. This stove works perfectly in temperatures below -30° C. It boils a liter of water in less than 4 minutes and melts snow very well. There is a big pot stand on the stove that makes it easy to use big pots and pans.
MSR WhisperLite Universal
Finally, a stove that can burn both liquid fuels and cylinder gas. MSR calls it a hybrid. It not only burns these fuels well, but it also simmers! By changing a few parts with the included tool, the stove can be set up to burn the different fuels in just a few minutes. It’s a great choice for people who want a stove that can be used all year, in different conditions, with different types of fuel. It gives groups of people more options by letting them use more than one fuel type. It also helps people who are traveling abroad and may not be able to easily get certain fuels or whose availability may not be clear. It can burn White Gas – Tank gas without lead – Kerosene Canister gas—(standing or lying down).
Primus OmniFuel
The only thing that makes this stove less than perfect is that it has a roarer burner, which means that the jet of fuel hits a metal curved cover on the way up and spreads out onto the pan’s surface. It’s pretty much perfect other than that. The pump shaft is made of metal, not plastic. Many people I know have broken MSR pumps and sometimes had to buy a whole new pump unit. A few times I’ve stood on this stove, the legs have just bent back into place.
Coleman 533
Coleman is one of the great options available. It can be used a lot when camping to make coffee and easy meals. It’s simple to light the stove. When the stove is full, the tank needs to be pumped often until the fuel is gone so that there is more room for air. The control for the flame doesn’t work extremely well. It’s tough to find the “sweet spot” for low heat. If you don’t keep an eye on it, the flame will turn yellow and the stove will shut off. Because it doesn’t take up much space over the burner, a full big coffee pot can be unstable. However, if you watch out, it heats water quickly, and coffee is ready in no time.
MSR WhisperLite
When folded up and held in the hand, it appears bigger. It looks like it’s about 20 years old? Is that too much of an emphasis? There is only a local Seattle phone number on the yellowed directions, which are for an old address. Aluminum bottles with no name or branding on them, and a yellowish plastic pump. Its hose become rigid and crack over time, and the other rubber and leather parts start to break down.
Things to Consider When Choosing a Liquid Stove
Fuel efficiency: For a certain amount of fuel, how much water or food can you boil?
Controlling the Flame: Can the flame be changed? How well did it work?
Boil Time: How long does it take for water to boil in a safe place?
Ignition: How easy is it to prime or light? Does any of the built-in igniters always work well?
Setting up: How simple is it to set up and fill the stove? Does it have a liquid fuel backpacking stove maintenance kit?
Wind: Does the stove stay lit when it’s windy? What effect does wind have on cooking time?
Cooking: How well does the stove let you boil, cook, fry, bake, etc.?
Stability: Does it feel safe and stable with a pot or like it could “noodle-dumper”?
Easy to pack: How well does the stove store and pack away?
Comfort: Do the parts and features work the way you want them to? Often enough?
Liquid fuel backpacking stove with preheat function are the mainstays of wilderness cooking. These are the stoves that professional guides construct and use for a variety of activities, such as winter ski touring, mountaineering, long-term distant excursions, and extended outdoor education programs.
The above mentioned are all-time great stoves in this category. They burn steadily and efficiently, and many of them can now burn other fuels besides the common white gas without requiring disassembly.
