Our Primus Lite Plus Stove Review explores a lightweight and compact all in one cooking system suited to many users and situations. Please do read on to find out more.
Introduction
With very good reason, all in one stove systems have become very popular in recent years. Lightweight, compact, fuel efficient and high performance. They offer a great option for so many situations.
As a specialist Swedish stove and cookware manufacturer, Primus introduced their Lite version of the all in one a number of years ago. I reviewed one soon after it came to market and it was certainly a great system. Since then Primus have tweaked the original design and so I was keen to see what changes have been made. The upshot is that, although subtle, I think the changes have made a great stove significantly better. Please do read my Primus Lite Plus Stove Review to find out more.
Primus
Primus need little introduction. Since 1892 they have been making specialist cooking systems suited to every type of outdoor activist. Their stoves have been used on ground breaking expeditions through to family adventures in all corners of the globe. Primus have products to suit every requirement.
Features
The Lite Plus is certainly feature rich. The system centres around the 500ml hard anodised pot with an integrated pouring spout. The pot is topped by a plastic lid which doubles as a cup and also incorporates a strainer.
The pot is wrapped in a removable velcro fastening cork lined sleeve. The sleeve includes a handle which can also wrap over the lid to hold the system together. It can also be used to hang the stove and Primus include a cord to allow this.
At the bottom of the pot there is an integrated heat exchanger. This also includes the triangular joint connection that allows attachment of the burner unit. Which leads nicely to the burner. This features a Piezo igniter and connection for standard screw thread gas canisters. The burner also has a screw type flame adjuster.
Primus also provide a stabiliser to attach to the bottom of a gas canister. Finally, incase you want to cook in another type of pan, Primus provide pins that can be screwed to the top of the burner. Oh, and one more thing. Primus also supply a small lightweight towel. I’m not especially sure of the exact use for this, but think it is probably to either wrap the stove for packing or to pad the items inside the stove. It may also have just been supplied as a towel. Whatever the reason, it does make a great camping towel!
In Use
Sometimes you use a product and it is immediately obvious extensive field testing has been done. I say this because field testing is often the most efficient way to reveal things that need altering. I can genuinely say that there is nothing about the system that could be improved. Why? So, for this Primus Lite Plus Stove Review, let’s explore the features and components.
Firstly, like all Primus products, it is clear this system is made to the highest standards. The quality of all the elements gives the confidence that this will serve you well for many years. I always relish unboxing a Primus item and this was no exception.
Once you start to explore the individual elements you will soon see what I mean about clever design. At 500ml, the anodised pot is compact and ideal for a solo user. That said, this stove boils water so quickly it wouldn’t take long to boil another pot full for a partner.
As previously mentioned, the pot also features a plastic lid. This is a brilliant design and by far the best of it’s type I’ve seen. The lid has a step that allows it to be easily grabbed and removed without the risk of burning your fingers. It also incorporates a series of holes along one side. This allows steam to escape when boiling water but can also serve as a strainer. This would be ideal if you were cooking, for example, pasta. You do need to be careful to grip the lid in the right place to avoid escaping steam burning your fingers. However, I am only mentioning this for awareness as it is actually simple to avoid this problem.
If you turn the lid over it can also be used as a cup and the strainer can now be used as a handle. The cup is quite small volume, but this is still a brilliant idea and another great addition.
The cork sleeve incorporates a strap handle and makes lifting the pot simple. This is also the case if you want to leave the burner and gas canister attached (assuming you have turned it off!). Attaching the gas canister to the burner unit and the burner unit to the pot is a breeze. This is helped by the triangular joint connection which allows quick and very secure burner to pot attachment.
One hazard of tall stove systems can be, if using it with small gas canisters, the tendency for it to too over. One way to avoid that is to use a stabiliser base and again Primus have included a lightweight plastic version. This allows for the use of tiny 100 gram canisters and larger 250 and 500 gram options. However, for me this type of stove excels for use with the smaller 100 gram canisters that can be stored inside the pot.
Once you are ready to use the stove that is also very simple. All you need to do is turn the control valve and add a spark with a click of the Piezo igniter. Fine tuning the flame via the control valve is also simple.
In terms of fuel efficiency, stoves with a heat exchanger perform extremely well. Heat exchangers have a series of fins that transfer heat to your cooking pot very efficiently. They also ensure all the flame is channelled to the pot base rather than escaping out of the sides. The enclosed burner unit also allows them to cope well in windy conditions. The extra structure might add a bit more weight, but there is so much to gain from choosing a system with an exchanger.
While talking about thermal efficiency, well done to Primus for lining the pot cosy with cork. Cork is a very efficient insulator. I don’t have figures on how much it stops heat escaping from the pot, but it will certainly help. It also means you can hold the pan without getting burnt fingers.
There are other details that I also really like about the Primus Lite Plus. Things that don’t seem too significant, but are actually really useful. One of these is the fabric handle that runs down the side of the cork lined pot cosy. This makes a secure way to hold the pot but also offers other benefits.
It can be unclipped at the bottom and reclipped over the top of the pot lid. This is great as it ensures the lid and pot contents can’t fall out in transit. It works really well. It also allows for the stove to be used in hanging mode and Primus provide a cord and hook to allow this. Hanging a stove is only suited to certain contexts, but it’s good that this function is possible.
There is one final feature that I really like. One drawback of stove systems of this type is that you must use the pot supplied. This is because it needs to attach to the stove. But what if you wanted to use a different pot? Primus have thought of that. The Lite Plus is supplied with 3 metal pins that can be screwed into the burner unit. These become pot supports that comfortably hold a different pan. They also come in a small holder that can be attached (or detached if not needed) to the handle strap. Primus even supply a spare incase a pin goes astray.
Summary
I have been a long term user of Primus products and, as my Primus Lite Plus Stove Review reveals, I consider this another winner. The changes made from the original system are significant and beautifully crafted. This system will suit a wide range of users and is a great option for many types of adventure. I fully commend Primus for producing another great addition to their range. Full details on the Lite Plus are available on the Primus website here.
We have reviewed of Primus products. Our Micron Trail stove review is here and our review of their Firestick Ti stove is here. Also, if your adventures are more car based our Tupike Stove review may be of interest here. Finally, for expedition use or for winter or remote adventures our Omnilite Ti stove review is here.