With almost twenty years of review’s journalism behind me, I’ve tested several campgrounds’ worth of kit. It’s a total privilege—and at times, an absolute chore—but when curious campers and hikers ask me for recommendations, the Jetboil cooking system is almost always top of my list. I got my first Jetboil Flash around 2006, and while I’ve tested the stove competition rigorously, no camping trip is complete without one. And no single piece of kit can make coffee faster, or with as little fuss.
Jetboil’s efficient camping stoves can boil water in no time flat.
And yes, I am fully braced for the hate coming my way from certain outdoor factions. There are lighter, smaller and more tech-y options, especially when compared to the Jetboil Flash; some can do better at higher altitude, or with melting snow, but Jetboil’s ability to heat water fast makes it perfect for my needs.
What are those needs? I’m not thru-hiking The Great Trail, or summiting Mount Annapurna, but I am camping lots, whether that’s on a rare but cherished solo adventure, bikepacking and hiking weekends, or most likely, blissfully comfortable car camping weekends with family and friends.
What Makes A Jetboil Great?
After all, isn’t it just a portable camping stove designed to boil water? Invented by Dwight Aspinwall and Perry Dowst back in 2001 (and first launched to the industry in 2003) the original Jetboil was a revelation. Firstly, it was a single solution system, with all the components stored neatly inside the pan, easily slotting together when needed. It came with an insulating sleeve that worked, and prevented you from scalding your hands, but most importantly, it boiled water exceptionally fast. Turn over the container, and you’ll see the “Fluxring” circling the bottom. This is the secret to Jetboil’s speed and efficiency, as it, combined with a powerful burner, concentrates heat on the largest possible surface area. It’s essentially a concertina version of a large bottomed pot, that boils water faster due to the extra surface area.
The Jetboil Fluxring focuses heat like no other stove
It’s ingenious, and works spectacularly. Combined with a powerful 9,000 BTU/h burner, the Jetboil Flash can boil 16 ounces of water in as little as 100 seconds. Get distracted and it will bubble over before you know it, but that’s our fault, not the stove’s, especially as the ingenious thermochromic plastic strips on the thermal casing literally tell you when the water’s about to boil.
What this means in my camping/hiking/festival world is hot water, for coffee (or tea), is ready fast. I’ve lost count of the number of times Jetboil has come to my caffeinated rescue. On hikes during the coldest months of the year I’ve been able to make a restorative brew in little over three minutes. And the multiple mornings-after-the-night-before at music festivals have been eased by the complete lack of effort needed to make something to ease the pain. And as for the idea of waiting in line for coffee…well, I’d rather stay in bed.
Chris Haslam
Jetboil Stash Stove
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Yes, the click, click, roar of the automatic Piezo ignition and blow-torch level burner has been known to wake a few people up, but nobody complains when they’re handed a cup of coffee a few minutes later.
What Can Be Cooked In A Jetboil?
To some, the ability to make a hot drink marginally faster than normal is hardly justification for the Jetboil’s high price, but for me, that’s missing the point. I adore my alcohol-burning Trangia, and believe it (with the help of my wife) makes the finest camping risotto, but when it comes to boiling water, I can have made and drunk my Jetboil coffee before the Trangia hits its boiling point.
Admittedly, none of the compact Jetboil stoves are great for doing much more than boiling water, but they are superb for those adventures when your diet is little more than dehydrated camping meals, instant noodles and coffee. It’s quick to set up, fast to use and easy to stash away again.
That said, I have cooked eggs, soup, hot dogs, porridge and many tins of baked beans in my Jetboil stoves, and while clean-up is something of a disaster with virtually all non-water related recipes, the incremental adjustment from the the burner means you can carefully adjust the heat from barely a simmer to a full-on boil. For proper cooking, I’m currently using the Primus Kinjia two burner stove, which is impressively powerful, but I’ll still use a JetBoil to prime water for pasta.
Are There Other Jetboil Models?
Backpacking stove systems like the Jetboil Flash and the smaller Jetboil Zip—where the pan and burner slot together securely—are understandably popular with big wall climbers (something I can only dream of) as they can hang the cooker safely, and still use it effectively. You can also pour it with the burner still attached and the whole unit just feels solid. I’d be lying if I said I’d never knocked one over, but at least when I did, there was, A: an insulated sleeve to make picking it up safer and, B: no roaring burner flailing about in the wind.
My latest acquisition however, the $150 Jetboil Stash, blurs the line between all-in-one and traditional camp stove. It doesn’t clip together like the Flash, and lacks instant Piezo ignition, but it does benefit from the same powerful burner and heat exchange pan base, and everything (including the gas canister) fits neatly inside the 28-ounce pan. Fuel efficiency, as with all Jetboil models, is superb, and I’ve yet to need more than a single 100g canister for an entire summer of use. It also weighs just 7.1 ounces and fits in my daypack or handlebar bag with ease. At a shade over 13 ounces, the larger Jetboil Flash is a bit of a chunk, but if capacity (34 ounces) matters, the extra weight can be tolerated.
The Jetboil Stash is a bit smaller for those looking to save a few ounces.
What’s Not So Great About The Jetboil?
I’d not be doing my job properly if I didn’t highlight a few things Jetboil could do better. Firstly, I’ve lost count of the times the pouring lid has annoyed me. It’s just not good enough, and takes the most precise technique to not spill. For a while I was also addicted to the brilliantly convenient Jetboil Coffee Press but after a couple of summers I have come to realize that brewing coffee in it, rather than making a pour over, taints the flavor of every subsequent boil, and it’s a pain to clean. If all you want Jetboil for is coffee, then you’re in for a treat, but the stove is certainly more versatile than just brewing your morning java.
Other slight annoyances include the fact I can no longer get replacement burner parts for my original Jetboil Flash. The first generation was very different to the one today, and the gauze top would burn out after a few years, but I could replace it easily for about $11. The solution will be to buy a replacement burner unit for $50, but it’s not ideal. Jetboil does stock a wide selection of replacement parts, and, after rats found my camping box, I was relieved to discover a new Flash lid only costs $5.
Should You Buy A Jetboil?
Minor grumbles aside, if you’re looking for a dependable stove that will deliver hot water in next to no time, Jetboil’s roster of compact stoves can’t be beat. I’ve used the MSR Windburner range and have been impressed by the speed and versatility, but not the added cost. A Jetboil isn’t cheap, and you can spend just $50 and be set up for camping adventures, but after 18 years, and only a few minor cast changes in that time, it remains a solid investment, even if you only ever use it for coffee.
