I have a weakness for stoves and own a lot of them! Canister stoves like the Pocket Rocket are really hard to beat for convenience and if you are not back packing in cold weather are probably the way to go. Look for a model that is regulated for more even use as the pressure in the canister drops and with a built in wind screen.(Best I have tested are the MSR Pocket Rocket Deluxe and the SOTO Windmaster..flip a coin) The fuel is a blend of butane (0C transition temp) isobutane (-12C Transition Temp) and Propane (-40 Transition temp) for a pocket rocket type system when the temp drops below 0C ( 32F) you lose some heating power as the butane becomes liquid.
A little colder and you lose the isobutane too. I have a Optimus Vega which is a bit heavier but allows the user to flip the Canister once going and has a pre-heating coil that gasifies the liquid fuel and allows trouble free operation down to at least -20C (-2 F) and maybe lower but I haven't tested.
When it gets really cold (below 0F) a liquid fuel stove is the way to go. The MSR Firefly has great simmering ability and probably meets your desire to do more than boil water best. The Whisper-lite and Whisper-lite Intl.... are lighter if you just wanted to boil water and the XGK is a beast. I love MSR as they have a great warranty, but Optimus/Primus is in there as well. I still use an old Optimus 111(I have a fleet of them) in cold weather and after 35 years they are still going!
Last edited by North61; 01/27/21.
