Snow Peak  GigaPower Auto Stove

This stove really does it all. Tons of heat output, extremely compact size, and very well built. The pot supports fold out to be quite large, capable of supporting everything from one mug to a full size pot you might use on your range at home. Great heat control, too, I am able to get a consistent simmer easily. No problems lighting with the piezo igniter. I can't imagine doing better for all purpose use, the stove excels at everything from making a mug of tea at the summit to cooking for groups on extended trips. The only flaw with the stove is its poor wind resistance. You can get a Snow Peak wind shield, which mostly solves the problem and helps keep the heat on your pot even in zero wind, but it is quite large. It will fit conveniently under a 220g fuel canister, which is great, but if you're trying to pack small you pretty much can't take the wind shield. Without it more than a mild wind will significantly increase your boil times. The price you pay here is not so bad, honestly, but if you are likely to be out in nastier conditions definitely get the shield. Without it, the stove packs extremely small - for quick trips I just put it in my Snow Peak 600 mug with a fuel canister, which gives the capability of many "compact" all-in-one water boiling stoves in a much shorter package. All that said, if you don't need a general purpose stove and just need to boil water, e.g. you're never going to put a pan on this thing and try and make anything more complicated than pasta, you may want to look elsewhere. Highly wind resistant stoves like the MSR Reactor are much faster in inclement weather and more compact than bringing this stove and a cookware set. If you're a comfort hiker like myself who likes to keep efficient but isn't going out if it's below 30 or likely to be rainy and windy, you would be hard pressed to do better than the Snow Peak GigaPower.

I've had to return and exchange this stove 4 times. The bottom line is that nothing else is even close to this stove in terms of compactness (especially with the pot/lid/spork/gas combo). The BAD news is that the Piezo is unreliable. Stove 1) Piezo stopped working. Tried it on two more trips, failed both. Thank goodness for my backup lighter. Stove 2) Replacement stove. Works great in the store and at home. Not in the field. Not at sea level. Not at altitude. Lighter to the rescue once again. Stove 3) Replacement stove. I actually returned stove 2 and was ready to switch brands when I realized that nothing comes close to the weight and compactness of this little guy. REI rep asked if it wasn't sparking and said it was an easy fix. Just bend the tip of the Piezo in closer and it lights! Voila! It works! I walk out with Stove 2 back in hand (now modified to Stove 3). Go on a trip, it doesn't light, I try bending the Piezo as suggested. The ceramic cracks. Back to REI. Stove 4) This is my fourth and final shot at this little stove. If the Piezo wants to spark and/or light the flame, that's great. If not, I simply use my lighter or matches and it works great. I love everything about the stove EXCEPT the Piezo. If anything, I'd suggest downgrading, save yourself some cash and an ounce or two and go for the version with no Piezo since you can't really use it anyway. :)