Best Optimus Camp Stove: Reviews by OutdoorEquipment.com
Find the best Optimus camp stoves with reviews by OutdoorEquipment.com experts! We’ve reviewed the Optimus Crux, Nova, Svea & other Optimus camping stoves!
An Optimus camp stove may never be mistaken for the best product of its type in the industry, but for a mid-level manufacturer, this company certainly churns out some worthwhile cookers.
Unlike a lot of other manufacturers of similar products–MSR stoves and Coleman camp stoves, being just two examples–Optimus puts just about their entire focus on crafting camp cooking devices. Those companies like MSR and Coleman create a lot of other outdoor gear, splitting their focus among various categories. And while this may work for them–they’ve got the size, the numbers, and the household familiarity to make it a success–a smaller company like Optimus has only the quality of their wares to fall back on and so putting all of their attention on one product line might be the only way to stay in the black.
And even though we think Optimus is far from the best manufacturer of camp stoves in the world, that focus they’ve narrowed in on camp stoves has proven to be a good choice, because their models are definitely above par.
Who knows? Give them another few years of growth under the watchful eye of the Katadyn Group–Optimus’ recently adoptive parents–and they may just be a contender for top spot. It’s certainly worth your while to keep your eye on this company, or even give one of their products a spin.
The Bestselling Optimus Camp Stoves: Reviews & Ratings
One of the great advantages of an Optimus camp stove is in its value. These products aren’t going to cost you and arm and a leg–in fact, they won’t even cost you one or the other–but they’ll still give you heck of a performance in a variety of climates, altitudes, and styles.
Unlike the big name competitors against whom Optimus is constantly competing–and never quite breaking even with–there are only a handful of stove models in the catalogue. But within that handful–which currently amounts to eight–there are stoves that are made for portability, volume, durability, all-weather performance, and versatility.
In short, even though there are so few to choose from, there’s an Optimus camp stove for everyone here.
To give you a better idea of what Optimus has to offer in the model department, here’s a peek at three of the bestselling camp stoves in their lineup:
- Optimus Crux Lite Cooking System
- Optimus Nova Stove
- Optimus Svea Climber Outdoor Stove
While these aren’t necessarily the only three good Optimus stoves, they are definitely among the best of the lot, and certainly worth your time to investigate further.
Optimus Crux Lite Cooking System Review
Everything you need to cook a hearty meal in the backwoods can be found in the Crux Lite Cooking System. Included in this set are a stove, fry pan, pot, and even a handy storage bag to keep everything together and portable.
And speaking of lightweight, the whole system only comes in at 9.4 ounces, or just over half a pound. So how much does the stove weigh all by itself? A measly 2.7 ounces!
For how lightweight they are, the fry pan and pot are some heavy duty products. They are both made from anodized aluminum, and feature scratch-resistant and non-stick surfaces.
On the downside, the Crux Lite Cooking System is hard to control when it comes to precise temperatures. You may find yourself struggling to get the flame exact enough to cook your meals perfectly even.
Advantages of the Crux Lite system include:
- Great fold-up design for high portability
- Heats up in a heart beat
- Fantastic fuel efficiency
Learn more about the Optimus Crux Lite Stove
Optimus Nova Stove Review
For a few dollars more, you can lay your hands on the Optimus Nova stove, and feel comfortable taking your wares absolutely anywhere, no matter how extreme the climate may get. This is a tough and super durable stove that will stand up to Mother Nature’s wrath.
One of the several great things about this model is its versatility in the fuel department. While many camp stoves require a single fuel source–like propane–to operate, the Nova can use any number of different liquids, including: white gas, diesel, kerosene, jet fuel, or Optimus’ own arctic fuel.
Among the drawbacks for this stove is the bulk. In order to create a camp stove that can survive extreme temperatures and altitude, the folks at Optimus had to add on some extra weight and size to the device.
At 15 ounces, this may not make a huge difference to many people. But for you ultralight backpackers it is a deal breaker.
Advantages of the Nova stove include:
- Works well in all kinds of weather
- Versatile multi-fuel capacity
- Compact construction makes it great for backpacking
Learn more about the Optimus Nova Stove
Optimus Svea Climber Outdoor Stove Review
This stove may be as simple as they come. The lid also serves as the cooking pot, there aren’t any loose parts to keep track of, and the handle itself doubles as a maintenance tool.
This is a tough-as-they-come model that can withstand a great deal of wear and tear without showing a single wound. You can use this little guy anywhere you want, and you don’t have to worry about doing it any harm.
But though getting hot in a hurry is a big plus for the Svea, it can be a bit difficult to operate the controls once it gets going because they might singe your fingers. This is recommended for the hearty hiker, but not for the faint of heart.
Advantages of the Svea Climber stove include:
- Incredibly simple and user-friendly construction
- Reliable performance year in, year out
- Very nearly indestructible in its design
Learn more about the Optimus Svea Stove
Optimus Camp Stove: Summary
These aren’t the best outdoor stoves in the world, but they’re far from the worst. Optimus has been crafting camp cookers for an incredibly long time and they’ve learned a thing or two about how to make inexpensive stoves that are still fairly powerful.
If you’re on a budget, then this is the way to go.
The Optimus camp stove first saw the light of day more than a century ago. It was in Stockholm, Sweden in 1899 when the company was formed, and it has been continuing to create great camp cooking products since then.
In 2007, Optimus was absorbed by the Katadyn Group–an industry leader in the water purification department.
As far as the brand is concerned, the next hundred years will be very similar to the first hundred, in that the products they develop will be geared towards making life easier for outdoorsmen and -women–they have to brave the weather and endure the wilds, but campers should never have to struggle with dinner.
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