Cooking stove choices?
 

I'm considering buying either the MSR Whisperlite or Dragonfly stoves. I believe the Whisperlite is smaller (a clear plus when travelling); how important would the adjustability of the Dragonfly be? It's been a while since I've used a camping stove, and the opinions of people who've used them would be welcome!

Where are you planning to go, and for how long? How many of you?

Sorry to answer a question with a question

To repeat what's been posted on countless threads on here.. Unless you're riding up Everest, you really can't go wrong with the reliable, versatile and simple to use, Coleman Dual fuel stoves !!

Is there a better biking companion ????

Depends where you are going and what you want to heat up. Hexamine tommy cookers and Swedish army Triagias can be had on e-bay for 20-quid. To make the odd cuppa on bank holidays when the shops don't open until late they are just as effective as an MSR unless five minutes really is that important to you. If you want to cook a stew every night some of the Coleman an Optimus stoves have pan holders etc. that make them more stable. I have a collection:

Hexamine stand: Pointless, carry kitchen foil in a crusader cup.
Swedish Triangia: Hot drinks/soup anywhere.
Kelly kettle: more use on a stove, but the ability to burn anything is useful.
MSR Dragonfly: Powerful, but not easy to use, not that stable and after 5 years and three lots of foil reflectors still pretty kaput.
Korean Army Optimus: Old, tough, small. Can be left alonne to boil.
Optimus: Big, bulky, heavy and stable, can be left alone for hours while the pressure cooker does it's thing.
Disposable BBQ's: Feed the family once.
Bucket BBQ: Feed the family time and time again.

I ride anything from a full on winter camping trip where the aim is roast some large dead animal while we all get drunk (carry the BBQ plus ), through to solo small road trips where the stove would only be used if things went wrong. You take the tool to do the job.

I wouldn't rush out to buy an MSR just because they have lots of glossy expedition pictures.

Andy

The MSR whisperlite is a good stove. It worked perfectly well for the duration of our trip in SA and is plenty powerful. Any flame control is very limited. The Coleman mentioned by T' Ted is said to be very good and consideraböly cheaper than the MSR. As I understand it the MSR can burn a greater variety of fuels but I doubt you'd ever need them! The only advantage I would say the MSR has, being dismantlable, can therefore be packed into nooks and cranies, if needed.
Is that worth the extra cost, though?

If you are considering the Dragonfly, you may as well also consider the Primus Omnifuel which also has flame control but also burns propane/butane fuel from canisters which the Dragonfly will not. Both expensive though so, unless adjustable flame and the possibility of cooking with any combustible is necessary, is it really needed?

Finally, if you are only travelling within Europe, I'd say just buy something a little like the MSR Pocket Rocket. It is tiny and lighting a canister stove is a breeze: why bother with all the fuel bottles and pre-heating?

I've just done what I often loath of others...:
Nothing like asking about 2 stoves and having 3 more offered, eh? :innocent: doh

If you want just to boil water for tea/coffe then any stove will do.
If you want to actually cook, then it must be controllable enough to simmer, most stoves wont.
I am in the position now where my expensive omnifuel is really just an unnecessary backup for my £10 gaz stove as it simply can't simmer.

If you flash fry (stir fry) then it would work for you, perhaps that is why so many of the modern stoves are made in China?

My wife and I purchased a Dragonfly last year, and even though we have only used it a few times, we were pleased with it. Haven't had it long enough or used it enough to notice if there were any flaws. It has an adjustable flame, runs on several types of fuel, and packs up pretty small.

(It does sound like a jet engine though.)

I’m with Ted on this one I have had one of these for years and so have a few of my mates and they have all been great
They are not the smallest cooker in the world but they are reliable and if you have fuel in the bike you will always have fuel for your cooker
You can’t go wrong

I love my Coleman Apex stove with the detached bottle. It's been a trusty piece of gear on my Backpacking and Motorcycle Camping trips for close to 17 years now. I'm going to have to soak some money into it for this year and may even have to bite the bullet and get a new stove because it's looking like parts are getting hard to get for it.

What I also like about my Coleman exponent Multi-Fuel stove, it fits nicely into the Coleman PEAK1 cooking pot and lid. Doesn't get much more compact and multi purpose than this combo.

http://trex63.smugmug.com/Motorcycle...78_BvEwQ-L.jpg

Thanks for the help! I'm quite happy to receive other suggestions from more experienced riders! I particularly like the multi fuel approach, and will have a look at some of the ones suggested above - thanks! :thumbup1:

Trangia for me
 

I bought a meths trangia then realised meths was not as long lasting or as readily available as I thought. (I ran out in the middle of nowhere) I bought the multi fuel conversion, hellishly expensive but as long as there is petrol in my tank I have fuel and the whole lot packs down and fits inside its own windshield complete with pans and kettle. The whole lot including pressurised petrol bottle fits inside a British army mark 5 gas mask bag which hangs off my crash bars. I loved the coleman but it did not seem to be as compact for me although when fellow campers have used this it has been brilliant.

I would have gone for the Coleman as it is a lot cheaper, has had rave reviews but with pots and pans and maybe a kettle it just seems a whole lot bulkier. Each to his own.

Hi i use a coleman multifuel it fits nicely inside a billy can with a lid which doubles as a frying pan so makes a nice compact unit.

Jetboil
 

To throw a spanner in the works dominated by lesser brands IMHO, why don't you have a look at jetboil.

Downside is that it is expensive and only takes screw on type propane/butane bottles. But it is compact, hard-wearing, and boils a litre of water in less than 2mins. And very very economical on fuel. One bottle of 460ml butane fuel lasts us (cooking 2meals per day for 2 people) about 3 weeks!!

We travelled with the same jetboil for two years now and the only thing that went wrong was the mesh burnt out and we asked jetboil about a replacement part and they sent us one for free where we were at the time.

Good old fashioned customer service.:thumbup1:

All good points, thanks!

I particularly like mulit-fuel burners (I like the idea of being able to use petrol) and the controllability of the flame seems useful too. I intend to actually cook, as opposed to just making tea! I will be using it in Europe, but am venturing further a field in the future . . . .:scooter::palm:

Continued thanks for the help . . . .