Portable camp stove history begins with Primus. The Swedish company was formed by the inventor of the pressurized kerosene stove, Frans Wilhelm Lindqvist, in the late 1800s. By one account, Lindqvist was inspired by the handheld blowtorch then in use to heat glowing plugs for igniting oil burning engines. It was a fairly simple modification to direct the flame upwards and transform the blowtorch into a portable stove. Other accounts emphasize that Lindqvist’s invention entailed a new kind of burner design, in which burning of vaporized kerosene produced a hot flame with little smoke or soot.

Lindqvist and partner J.V. Svensson began industrial production of their stove—named the Primus stove—in Stockholm in 1892. International marketing soon followed, and within 20 years hundreds of thousands of Primus stoves were being manufactured in Sweden and sold around the world annually. Roald Amundsen carried a Primus stove on his journey to the South Pole in 1911, and Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay used one on their first ascent of Mt. Everest in 1953.

The company soon acquired imitators, each offering slightly different versions of the same basic design. Even more confusing, the term “primus stove” was often used to refer to portable camping stoves in general, regardless of manufacturer. The basic Primus design was continued with little change up to the 1950s, when the company began switching away from kerosene to propane-fueled stoves. In 1962 longtime rival Optimus acquired rights to the Primus brand for kerosene and white gas stoves, which it held until the 1990s. Then in 1966 a merger of sorts occurred between Primus and Sievert, another longtime competitor since the early days of the portable camp stove. Sievert also had acquired the Svea brand in the 1920s…yes, it all gets very confusing!

Many early model Primus camp stoves are still in use, and vintage Primus stoves and other early portable stoves are collected and traded by stove enthusiasts. For anyone interested in Primus stove history–and the history of portable camping stoves in general–a great resource is Spiritburner. Give them a visit!

Choosing a backpacking stove isn’t complicated, but there are a few important factors to consider. Let’s assume you’re among the 95 percent of backpackers who don’t want some homemade contraption powered by a candle flame, or a multi-burner monster stove to lug into the backcountry. You want something compact, lightweight, fuel-efficient and reliable. OK, that’s easy: almost all the backpacking stoves produced by the major brands fit that description. But you do have one major decision to make at the outset:

Canister or Liquid Fuel?

Canister Stoves
Canister stoves are powered by butane, propane or isobutane contained inside sealed canisters. You don’t have to worry about filling up fuel bottles, which is convenient. But you do have to stock up on fuel canisters and carry the empties out with you.

In terms of actual use, canister stoves have some clear advantages. They’re easy to light, with no priming required and no liquid gas splashed across your hands or your campsite. On most models the heat output adjusts easily, which means canister stoves are great for cooking if you want to attempt anything more subtle than bringing water to a boil. Some canister fuel stoves like the Jetboil Backcountry Gourmet and Jetboil Personal Cooking System come with stove, cooking gear and utensils integrated into a single compact package.

Why might you NOT want a canister stove? Some people don’t like being dependent on finding sealed fuel canisters that will work with their particular stove model. This may be an issue for people who plan to travel a lot, buying fuel as needed along the way. Increasingly however many of the newer stoves are compatible with a variety of sealed canister fuel types available worldwide.

Most canister models are a little heavier than most liquid fuel stoves, though again there are exceptions. (The ultra-light and compact MSR Pocket Rocket is a great example.) You do have to dispose of the canisters–they don’t recycle. Also be aware that canister stoves that burn butane or propane perform poorly (or not at all) in below-freezing conditions. For colder weather choose an isobutane model like the MSR Reactor or Primus EtaPower Easy Fuel (EF).

Over the past decade canister stoves have become increasingly popular in the U.S. for their ease of use. Although they do have some significant negatives, none may apply or be too important for the average weekend backpacker.

Liquid Fuel Stoves
The alternative to canister is liquid fuel. A basic distinction here is between stoves that burn white gas pretty much exclusively versus stoves that can burn a variety of liquid fuel types. White gas-burning stoves have been the traditional choice of backpackers (at least in the U.S.) for decades. The fuel is widely available, burns hots, and performs well in very cold conditions.

Multi-fuel stoves tend to be more expensive but provide the major advantage of running on practically anything. The MSR DragonFly for example can burn white gas, regular automotive gas, diesel, aviation fuel and other solvents. Other stoves like the Coleman Exponent are categorized as “dual fuel”, burning white gas and unleaded gas only.

The ability to burn multiple fuel types is particularly important for international travelers, since white gas is simply not available in many places. Multi-fuel expedition stoves like the Optimus Nova and MSR XGK EX are designed to perform well on any fuel in practically any conditions.

In shopping for a liquid fuel stove make sure you know which type is which, as the differences between white gas and multi-fuel stoves are not always obvious. (However MS or AF at the end of a stove’s name means it’s a multi-fuel stove.) The MSR WhisperLite Shaker Jet is a white gas stove, while the MSR WhisperLite Internationale is multi-fuel.

Recently some great new stoves have come on the market which bridge the canister-liquid fuel divide. The Primus EtaPower MF (not the EF) can run on isobutane canisters AND a variety of liquid fuels. The Coleman Exponent Fyrestorm Ti can run on butane/propane canisters or switch to liquid fuel in colder conditions. The Brunton Vapor AF is another butane/liquid fuel-burning hybrid.

1. Jetboil Personal Cooking System. The award-winning Jetboil PCS integrated backpacking stove brings stove and pot together in a single, nicely designed package. No assembly or priming is required, and no matches thanks to the built-in igniter. The Anodized aluminum cooking cup holds 1 liter of water, and the wind-protected, adjustible burner heats it up fast. Not the stove for any gourmet wilderness cooking, but a great choice for light – ultralight backpacking. Total system weight is 15.25 oz.: stove weighs 6 oz. and cooking cup with lid weighs 9.25 oz. For or greater capacity, check the 1.5 liter Jetboil Group Cooking System.

2. MSR Whisperlite. The longtime liquid fuel stove of choice for gazillions of backpackers worldwide. The Whisperlite Internationale (14 ounces) burns a range of liquid fuel types, including unleaded gasoline in a pinch. It’s cousin the Whisperlite ShakerJet (13.1 ounces) is a white gas purist. The self-cleaning “shaker jet” feature unclogs the needle as you hike. Compact and powerful, the Whisperlite Backpacking Stove is a classic with all the bugs worked out.

3. MSR Pocket Rocket. The Pocket Rocket is just as small and powerful as it’s name implies, and is unbeatable in the under $50 price range. A great choice for travel, as long as you take along fuel canisters. For basic backpacking it’s hard to turn down a three ounce stove that requires no pumping or priming and can boil a liter of water in four minutes. 3.3 ounces.

4. Optimus Nova. The venerable Optimus Nova multifuel stove is a thing of beauty. This one does it all. Burns pretty much anything and delivers both power and flame control, even in difficult weather conditions. Owners love the Nova for its combination of versatility and durability. 15.1 ounces.

5. MSR Dragonfly. What makes the Dragonfly so good? Great overall design, stability, and superior temperature control thanks to its unique double control valve system. It burns almost any liquid fuel, which makes it a popular choice for international travel. Is it better than the Whisperlite? We’re not here to settle that debate. But if you want to not just boil water but COOK, look no further. 15.7 ounces.