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Reviews > Cook and Food Storage Gear > Stoves > Optimus Stella Canister Stove > Test Report by Ray Estrella
Optimus Stell+ Canister Stove
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TESTER INFORMATION
I have been backpacking for over 30 years, all over California, and in many of the western states and Minnesota. I hike year-round, and average 500+ miles (800+ km) per year. I have made a move to lightweight gear, and smaller volume packs. I start early and hike hard so as to enjoy the afternoons exploring. I usually take a freestanding tent and enjoy hot meals at night. If not hiking solo I am usually with my brother-in-law Dave or fiancée Jenn.
INITIAL REPORT
The Product
Manufacturer: Optimus of Sweden Product Description
The Optimus Stella+ (hereafter referred to as Stella or the stove) is an extremely compact high-load capacity canister stove. It is modeled after the company's Crux stove (that I own and have written about). The main component that they share is the burner. Here is a picture of all the components of the stove. It is attached to a Snow Peak fuel canister. The burner swivels on its stem to allow the stove to lay flat. (I joked in my application to test that it should be called the Optimus Prime Stella+ after the ex-leader of the AutoBots of Transformer fame.) A spring-loaded collar slides into the burner section, locking it into position. In the closed position the burner lays alongside the body/manifold of the stove. This results in a very small package. Here is a picture of it folded. Once it locks in the up position the collar exposes three air intake holes in the body of the manifold. Below and to the right is a picture of the burner and manifold with the piezo electrode running up the side. The burner itself is made of blackened steel from what I can tell. (I scratched the underside with an Exacto knife and the scratches were shiny, not brassy.) It is 1.9" (47 mm) in diameter. The fuel flows though a fine stainless steel mesh, and exits, burning, through a series of perforations on the top of the burner. Also exiting through a hole in the burner is the electrode of the piezo electric igniter. Surrounding the burner are three X-shaped leg/pot-supports. They swivel around the burner from a folded or nested position to create a very stable base for the stove itself, a pot that sits on it. They are made of blackened steel also. They have some very deep notches on the top of them to keep pots from sliding too much. Running from the fuel manifold is a braided stainless steel fuel hose covered by a braided nylon sheath. The wire that feeds the piezo electrode runs inside of the sheath also. At the other end is the control valve for the Stella. In the center is the aluminum and brass fitting for a 70/30 mix butane/propane canister that uses the EN417 standard fitting. An O-ring at the outer edge and another in the inside keep the fuel from leaking. At the far end of the controls is the florescent green plastic control valve. It has five big teeth at the outer edge tapering down to a smaller smooth surface at the end. At the other end is the plunger for the piezo igniter. It is covered with green rubber-like material to keep the elements out. Pulling it in causes a spark to be generated from the end of the electrode back at the burner. Contrary to all other igniters I have seen or used this one has two leads coming from the electrode opposite each other. But in dry testing the spark is only coming from one of them. I will comment more about it after testing in the field. The stove comes with a four-language manual that is very informative. It says that the Stella can support pots weighing not more that 8.8 lb (4 kg) and have no greater that 11 in (280 mm) in diameter. I would like to give props to Optimus for saying in the manual that it can be used with "any" 70/30 mix fuel blend with the proper fitting. Over 30+ years of using stoves I have become very jaded from hearing each manufacturer say that it is "only recommended for use with" their branded fuel. I have a lot of fuel here and looked for an Optimus branded canister to take pictures. But I do not have any of theirs. Thank you Optimus for allowing me to use what I have on hand. It also comes with a storage sack that is not like what is shown in the manual or accompanying materials. Rather than being a folding, multi-pocket sack shown, it is a single 8.75 x 8 in (22.2 x 20.3 cm) bag that weighs 0.7 oz (20 g). I like it that way personally. I don't need the extra pockets, or the weight of them. It also comes with a folded aluminum wind screen. The screen is a plus since the canister is away from the burner it will not over-heat like my other canister stoves. This concludes my Initial Report. The following is the results of the first two months of testing. Field Conditions
August 4: overnight in Wasatch National Forest, Ashley National Forest in Utah. The weather was partly cloudy with rain that went from sprinkles to down-pours. The temps hit a high of 72 F, and down to 45 F (22, 7 C). The elevation at camp was 10450' (3185 m). Observations
Before taking the Stella out I did a controlled boil. I timed a boil of one liter (33 fl oz) of 70 F (21 C) water in an Evernew titanium pot at 80' (24 m) above sea level. I turned the valve to the highest setting. It started forming bubbles at 2:00, began boiling at 3:00 and came to a full rolling boil at 3:30. That is faster than the Crux, but I attribute that to the larger surface of the bigger pot which allows a higher flame without losing it past the sides. Field Conditions
I went on a 78 mile (125 km) three-day trip from the Rock Creek Lake area down to Glacier Lodge in the John Muir Wilderness in the Sierra Nevada range of California. The temperatures ranged from freezing to 70 F (21 C), elevations ranged from 7800' to 11800' (2380 to 3600 m) with camps being around 9000' (2740 m) each night. Terrain consisted of dirt and exposed rock at the lower elevations and snow and ice up high. My pack weight at the start of the trip was 23 lb (10.4 kg). Observations
The Stella has continued to be an impressive little stove. It has been protected from rough treatment in my pack by carrying it inside my pot. Read more reviews of Optimus gear Read more gear reviews by Ray Estrella Reviews > Cook and Food Storage Gear > Stoves > Optimus Stella Canister Stove > Test Report by Ray Estrella |