Review – The Kovea Booster+1 Dual Fuel Backpacking Stove.

The Booster+1 from Kovea is a dual fuel backpacking stove designed to operate on either canister gas or white gasoline (e.g. MSR Super Fuel, Coleman Fuel, Crown Camp Fuel, etc.).

The Booster+1 dual fuel stove from Kovea.

Kovea is the best known stove society that you've never heard of.  For several major stove brands, who's genuinely making the stove?  Kovea.  You know their products but non necessarily their name.

Kovea makes either parts or entire stoves for Snow Peak, MSR, Edelrid, in addition to Markill.  I'm sure that at that spot are others.  Now, non every unmarried stove, especially inwards the instance of MSR which does soundless construct many of their ain stoves, but Kovea makes at to the lowest degree some stoves for each of the inwards a higher identify brands.

People have got noticed that this stove is the exact same stove every bit a stove formerly sold past times Markill.  Kovea has been making the stove all along.  When Markill stopped selling the stove, the Markill Phoenix, Kovea started selling the stove nether their ain construct every bit the Booster+1.

Single Jet
One of the genuinely overnice things well-nigh the Booster+1 is that you lot don't have got to alter anything when you lot alter fuels.  You don't have got to swap out the jet; neither practice you lot have got to alter the connector.  Whether you lot purpose liquid fuel or gas fuel, the stove remains the same.

Multi fuel or dual fuel?
Kovea refers to the Booster+1 every bit a "multi" fuel stove, but to my take away heed a stove should operate good with at to the lowest degree 3 fuels inwards monastic tell to larn the "multi fuel" designation.  I lift this because you lot may read reviews elsewhere that the Booster+1 tin run on unleaded automotive gasoline, diesel, kerosene, etc.  I would live real skeptical of such claims.  It tin live run on some of those fuels, but the chances of it genuinely running good are depression (based on experience), in addition to the chances of clogging the stove are high.

Alternative Fuels
If you're inwards an expanse where canister gas in addition to white gasoline are only unavailable, pick out kerosene (1-K grade) if it is available or if you're close an aerodrome Jet A1 or Jet H5N1 volition work.  Leaded aviation gasoline (for propeller driven planes) in addition to unleaded automotive gasoline should live avoided because of the vogue for the additives inwards the fuel to clog the stove.  So also diesel fuel should by in addition to large live avoided, but special diesel fuel #1 ("winter diesel") tin live used inwards a pinch; just live sure it's the special #1 in addition to not the normal diesel fuel #2.

If you lot were interested inwards "alternative" fuels for the Booster+1, I have got investigated the purpose of kerosene here:  The Kovea Booster+1 – Multi Fuel or Just Dual Fuel?   In monastic tell to purpose kerosene, you lot volition demand to know the priming in addition to operational techniques discussed inwards this link.  Again, though, canister gas in addition to white gasoline are the recommended fuels.  While you lot tin purpose kerosene, the Booster+1 volition non run every bit good on kerosene every bit it volition on the fuels for which it was designed.

If they were cheaper in addition to you lot wanted to purpose them, you lot could purpose "panel wipe" (common inwards the UK) or "environmental" gasoline (gasoline without automotive engine additives) without a problem.  "Sweet, light" naphtha should operate also.

Paint thinner, which is somewhere inwards betwixt gasoline in addition to kerosene inwards terms of its properties should also work, but I have got non tried it.  I lift some of these fuels non every bit a recommendation but rather every bit possible options for purpose inwards a pinch when to a greater extent than conventional stove fuels are unavailable.

The Kovea Booster+1 running on kerosene.  You tin construct practice with kerosene inwards a pinch.
See the inwards a higher identify link for tips in addition to appropriate technique.

Boxed Set
The Booster+1 comes inwards a overnice boxed set.  There are 2 versions, 1 with a fuel bottle included, in addition to 1 without.  Make sure you lot know which 1 you lot are getting.  You will need a fuel bottle if you lot programme to purpose white gasoline.  If you lot alone programme to purpose canister gas, so you're all set, in addition to you lot don't demand to purchase a fuel bottle.  Either laid includes a windscreen.

A Kovea Booster+1 boxed set.  This is the version that does not include a fuel bottle.

What's inwards the Box?
Inside the box is a overnice zippered nylon case.  Inside the instance is the stove.  One tin also identify the supplied maintenance tool within the case, but at that spot is non room for the pump.  However, I don't larn likewise excited well-nigh this.  Just continue the heart inwards the bottle.  The fuel bottle volition protect the threads in addition to underside of the pump, in addition to the heart volition take away upward far less space.  When the bottle is empty, don't screw downward the heart tightly so that you lot don't wearable out the gasket.

The zippered nylon instance of the Kovea Booster+1 has room for the stove, maintenance tool, in addition to the spares kit.
There isn't plenty room for the pump, but who cares?  Just continue the heart on the fuel bottle.

Speaking of the pump, I regard the Kovea heart every bit a high character fuel pump.  The fuel heart has some overnice features similar a knob that is turned so that 1 tin screw on the connector.  See my review of the Kovea Hydra for details of this characteristic in addition to farther commentary on the pump.  Since the Booster+1's pump is the same heart every bit the Kovea Hydra, I volition non repeat all of my before review here.

The high character Kovea fuel pump.

As I mentioned, the Booster+1 comes with a spares kit which includes things similar "O" rings, a spare jet, lubricant, in addition to a spare heart cup.

The spares kit of the Booster+1

It's a overnice picayune kit, in addition to along with the maintenance tool, should live able to handgrip routine maintenance every bit good every bit problem shooting inwards the field.

The maintenance tool for the Kovea Booster+1.
Note the wire "pricker" for cleaning the jet at the goal of the tool.

The maintenance tool is a picayune on the heavy side inwards my opinion, but it for sure volition larn the chore done.  It would live overnice to run across a few grams shaved off – so long every bit it didn't diminish the effectiveness of the tool.

The Kovea Booster+1 duel fuel backpacking stove (in folded configuration).

The Stove Review
The stove itself tin alone live described every bit beefy.  I hateful this affair is strong.  This mightiness live a swell stove for scouts in addition to for, say, college outdoor clubs in addition to the similar where gear tends to take away a beating.  Also, a issue of expedition type users have got reported real skillful results with the stove.  This is a real robust, heavy duty, reliable stove that is real plain maintainable.  There is a cable threaded through the generator that tin live pulled out in addition to re-inserted similar a pipage cleaner should the generator paste upward due to pitiable character fuels of the type flora inwards remote places.

The legs are real strong steel.  The pot supports have got a real broad bridge in addition to volition arrange heavy pots for large groups or for snowfall melting.  There is picayune I would worry well-nigh failing on this stove; it is strong.  However, there's ever a merchandise off on such things.  Yes, the stove is extremely strong, but it is thus consequently also fairly heavy, weighing inwards at 310 g/11 oz for the stove, 116 g/4 oz for the pump, in addition to 43 g/1.5 oz for the tool.  You don't absolutely have got to ship the tool, in addition to many people volition just throw the stove inwards their pot (and move out the instance at home), so let's tell the minimum weight is 426 g/15 oz for just the stove in addition to pump.  Of course of didactics you'll demand a bottle, but the size in addition to construct you lot ship volition vary, so I'm non going to endeavour to guess the weight here.

The fuel work of the Booster+1 sticks out, rigidly, at a fleck of an strange angle.

There is 1 affair hither that I abide by slightly irritating.  It's minor, but the fuel work sticks out at a sort of funny angle, and, since the fuel work hither is rigid, the stove winds upward taking to a greater extent than infinite than it genuinely needs to.  It's a fairly large stove.  I don't remember it volition live able to check into a pot of less than well-nigh 1 liter inwards size.

However, that's non to tell that at that spot aren't some smart features here.  For example, there's a curvature inwards the fuel work such that 1 tin construct clean the jet without disassembling anything, er, well, you lot practice have got to popular off the flame spreader, but that's non precisely disassembling a stove.  I hateful putting on in addition to off the flame spreader is well-nigh every bit hard every bit opening in addition to closing a bottle of water.

There's a nicely designed curvature inwards the fuel work so that 1 tin access the jet easily.

The Booster+1 attaches to both it's fuel heart in addition to to a canister of gas past times agency of a criterion 7/16ths UNEF threaded connector.

The Booster+1 uses a criterion threaded connective to attach to a) its fuel heart or b) criterion threaded canisters.

The Booster+1 is compatible thus with criterion threaded brands of canisters, for example, MSR, Jetboil, Coleman, Primus, Optimus, Brunton, Snow Peak, etc.

The connective of a Booster+1 attached to an MSR construct canister

Cold Weather Canister Gas Operation
Note that inwards the photograph above, I am running the stove with the canister upside down.  Not all stoves tin handgrip this sort of operation, but those stoves that tin operate this way gain a roughly twenty Fahrenheit score (10 Celsius degrees) wages over stoves inwards mutual frigidness weather.  See my article Gas Stoves inwards Cold Weather – Regulator Valves in addition to Inverted Canisters for farther data on mutual frigidness conditions in addition to canister gas.

Fuel work in addition to rotating coupler
The fuel work is overnice in addition to flexible, in addition to it's long plenty that you lot tin stand upward the bottle upward every bit you lot pump, letting gravity assist you lot with your work.  I abide by this to live a huge plus.

In add-on the coupler fully rotates.  There's a large wages here:  One tin plough the fuel bottle upside downward such that the fuel intake is 180 degrees contrary it's normal direction.  In other words, instead of dipping downward into the fuel, the fuel intake is inwards the air infinite within the bottle.  What's the large deal?  Well, at that spot are 2 advantages to this:

1. Purging the fuel line.  If you lot plough the fuel bottle over spell the valve is soundless open, air volition start coming downward the fuel hose instead of fuel.  This cleans out the fuel work so that you lot won't have got fuel drying within the hose leaving potentially clogging deposits behind.
2. Clean hands.  If you lot allow all the air out past times turning the fuel bottle upside down, so there's no pressure level bursting out when you lot unscrew the heart from the bottle.  With some stoves, the alone way to free the pressure level is to unscrew the heart while soundless pressurized which inevitably agency that your hands are going to larn sprayed with fuel every bit the pressure level is released.

The fuel work is overnice in addition to flexible which allows 1 to stand upward the bottle upright spell pumping.
Note that I purpose alcohol for priming which burns much cleaner than white gasoline in addition to is less prone to fireballing.
The fuel bottle inwards the photograph is a Sigg construct bottle. The Booster+1 is compatible with criterion Sigg type threads.

At the base of operations of each leg, at that spot is a overnice non-slip prophylactic pad.  I flora the Booster+1 to live extremely stable.  Extremely.

The Booster+1 is good idea out with overnice features similar this non-slip prophylactic pad on the goal of each leg.

The Booster+1 vs. the Hydra
Here is a photograph of the Kovea Booster+1 amongst some other stove I of late reviewed, the Kovea Hydra.

The Kovea Booster+1, left, in addition to the Kovea Hydra, right.

Whereas the Kovea Hydra is a study inwards compactness, the Kovea Booster+1 is not.  Indeed, if 1 were to compare the 2 stoves, 1 mightiness line them every bit opposites.

Stove	Bulk	Strength	Noise	Maintenance	Wind Resistance
Booster+1	Bulky	Very strong	Loud	Easy	High
Hydra	Compact	Adequate with care	Unusually quiet	A fleck trickier	Low*

*It is of import to purpose a properly sized windscreen with the Kovea Hydra.  See my review of the Hydra.

The Booster+1 is built similar a tank in addition to volition take away a lot of abuse.  With the Hydra, 1 has to live a fleck to a greater extent than gentle.  The Booster+1 is a much larger, beefier, in addition to to a greater extent than powerful stove (see below chart), but it's a fleck loud.  The Hydra is in all likelihood the quietest liquid fueled stove that I have got ever used.

Stove	Weight	BTU/hr - Upright Canister	BTU/hr - White Gasoline	BTU/hr - Inverted Canister*
Booster+1	310 g	7000	9600	10,500
Hydra	308 g	6100	7400	8500

*Estimated.

Here's a photograph of a 2.6 L pot on the Booster+1.  Note that the pot supports extend beyond the edges of the pot fifty-fifty though this is a fairly large pot.  The Booster+1 tin take away some pretty large pots.

A 2.6 liter pot on the Kovea Booster+1.
Note how the pot supports soundless have got to a greater extent than length out beyond the edges of the pot.
One tin position some pretty large cookware on a Booster+1.

Flame Control

• Flame command when using an upright canister of gas is excellent.  A real depression simmer tin live easily maintained.  
• Flame command when using an inverted canister of gas is real skillful but a fleck trickier.  A reasonably skillful simmer tin live maintained.  
• Flame command on white gasoline is skillful but non great.  If 1 gets the stove skillful in addition to hot (as would commonly laissez passer on when bringing H2O to a boil), 1 tin larn a pretty skillful simmer.  However, eventually the stove cools down, in addition to the flame starts to sputter.  The simmering lasts for a pretty skillful amount of fourth dimension though in addition to is by in addition to large improve than a lot of comparable stoves that alone have got an at-the-bottle valve.
• Flame command on kerosene is poor.  One cannot larn a decent simmer, in addition to 1 cannot plough upward the stove real high.  Only on moderate settings was the flame stable

Standard Fuel Bottles
The skillful intelligence well-nigh the fuel bottle, is that Kovea uses "standard" fuel bottle threads.  That is, Kovea uses the same threads every bit Sigg, MSR, Primus, Optimus, Snow Peak, etc. purpose inwards their fuel bottles.  So, if you lot already have got 1 of those brands, you should be able to purpose the fuel bottle you lot already have.  HOWEVER, banking corporation check to run across if everything works before you caput out on the trail.  One fourth dimension I had a Primus bottle whose threads were the same size every bit all of my other fuel bottles, but my MSR heart couldn't live screwed into that particular bottle.  The threads on that particular bottle started likewise far downward the cervix of the bottle, in addition to the threaded part of my MSR heart couldn't quite attach to them.

Also, construct sure the fuel bottle you lot intend to purpose is long plenty to arrange the Kovea pump.  As I say, claw everything upward at abode in addition to attempt it before you lot caput out on the trail.

A Kovea fuel bottle, left. An MSR fuel bottle, right.
The Kovea fuel bottle is an first-class fuel bottle, but Kovea liquid fueled stoves tin purpose whatever criterion threaded fuel bottle.

Snow Melting
In terms of power, the stove has plenty.  I flora it to live a skillful snowfall melter on liquid fuel.  The Booster+1 is rated at 9600 BTU/hr on white gasoline which is well-nigh the same every bit an MSR Whisperlite Universal.  The output on canister gas with the canister correct side upward (i.e. vapor feed) is considerably less, 7400 BTU/hr.  However, if you lot invert the canister (i.e. liquid feed), BTU output volition become upward in addition to volition typically live higher than on white gasoline.  Kovea does non provide figures for inverted canister operation, but assuming that the Booster+1 follows along the lines of other similar stoves, the rating should live well-nigh 10,500 BTU/hr.

Melting snowfall on a Kovea Booster+1.

Uh, but of course of didactics inwards snow, you'll desire to purpose some sort of base of operations lest your stove sink into the snow – in addition to your dinner into the same.

The Booster+1 needs to live used with some sort of pad or platform when inwards snowfall (just well-nigh all stoves do).

Beware of Imitations!
I've seen stoves that expect similar to a existent Booster+1, stoves that fifty-fifty come upward inwards a box with the same colouring cloth system in addition to tell "Booster+1" on the side.

An outrageous simulated Booster+1 every bit seen on Amazon.com
Just expect at the legs.  This is NOT a existent Booster+1

Beware of inexpensive clones.  Such clones are non upward to mainstream manufacturing in addition to security standards in addition to have got been banned past times several countries.  Clones tin live real dangerous.  Recall that stove fuels are highly flammable in addition to that at that spot is ever the jeopardy of an explosion.  Saving a few dollars is non worth it when you're risking a trip to the burn downward ward of a hospital – or worse.

Check your root carefully in addition to examine photos closely.  My recommendation is that you lot purchase from an authorized dealer so that you lot a) know that you're getting the existent affair in addition to b) have got a warranty.  Stoves bought on e-Bay, fifty-fifty if authentic, practice non have got a warranty.  Only stoves bought from an authorized dealer have got a warranty.  I know that Campsaver.com carries the Booster+1, in addition to I believe that Mass Drop occasionally offers the Booster+1 inwards it's "drops" (group buys), but banking corporation check around.  I'm sure at that spot are other legitimate outlets for the stove.  If you lot run across it on e-Bay or Alibaba, it's non an authorized outlet, in addition to you lot may non fifty-fifty live getting the existent thing.

Cost
MSRP is $170 USD, but store around.  A careful shopper demand non pay total price.  As I mentioned earlier, Mass Drop organizes grouping buys where an private (such every bit yourself) tin construct it with a grouping in addition to thereby larn a grouping discount from the manufacturer.  Similarly, many on-line retailers volition sell for less than MSRP.  Camp Saver had the Booster+1 for $30 off every bit of 21 Feb 2017.  Word to the wise:  Shop around.

Summary
The Kovea Booster+1
What's skillful well-nigh it

• Field maintainable
• Solid, beefy, built similar a tank
• No jet alter when changing fuels
• Rotating coupler allows 1 to purge the fuel work AND keeps hands clean

What's non so skillful well-nigh it

• Heavy
• A fleck on the bulky side
• Loud, but non exceptionally so.  Normal for this type of design.

Recommendations for improvement

• Work with a native speaker of English linguistic communication in addition to re-write the instructions.  The electrical flow instructions are inwards pitiable English linguistic communication in addition to are hard to understand.
• Lighten the stove past times at to the lowest degree 50 grams (about 2 ounces) in addition to preferably 75 grams.  The Hexon is inwards this weight class, so I know that Kovea tin practice it.
• Bring the fuel work inwards closer to the torso so that the stove is to a greater extent than compact
• Change the ruby cap on the fuel connective threads such that it has a lanyard attaching it to the pump
• Make the stove fully kerosene compatible by:
• Supplying a smaller aperture jet for those who genuinely demand to purpose kerosene.  Yes, non having to alter jets is wonderful, but inwards some areas kerosene is all that is going to live available, in addition to it wouldn't take away much to provide a smaller aperture jet.  People who demand to purpose kerosene are just going to have got to take away the demand for a jet change
• Increase thermal feedback to the generator for improved vaporization for kerosene.  The electrical flow flat of thermal absorption from the flame is inadequate for kerosene.  A brass sleeve around in addition to bonded to the generator mightiness live all that is needed.

The Kovea Booster+1:  Highly recommended


I promise that the preceding text in addition to photos volition give you lot a skillful feel of the stove.  By all agency experience gratis to inquire questions in addition to construct comments inwards the comments section, below.

I give thank you lot you for joining me,

HJ

Manufacturer in addition to Technical Data
Date Available:  Currently available.
Manufacturer:  Kovea
Manufacturer's Website:  http://kovea.com
MSRP:  $170
Weight (measured):  310 g/10.9 oz
Materials:  Primarily steel
Colors available:  See photos.
Requirements:   Either a) H5N1 criterion threaded canister of gas, sold separately, or b) a fuel bottle of white gasoline with compatible threads.  (and a pot of course, sold separately)
Warranty Information:  Contact Kovea through their website (see above).

Disclosures

1. The stove used inwards this review was provided at no cost to me past times Kovea.  I have no remuneration from Kovea for my review other than I typically larn to continue the stoves I review.  After the start hundred stoves or so (I'm in all likelihood upward to a distich hundred now), yet some other stove isn't much of a large bargain in addition to has no bearing on how I write my reviews.
2. I have no remuneration from whatever seller (Mass Drop, Camp Saver, or whatever other) of this stove.  Indeed, I have got no fiscal relationships with whatever retailers of stoves.  I yet have got purchased items every bit a regular fellow member of the buying world from many retailers, just similar anyone else.  I lift the sellers that are herein named only because I'm trying to tip you lot off on a skillful deal.  I don't larn whatever boot backs or anything, so it's non similar I genuinely aid where you lot purchase your stove.  However, I'd experience bad if people went off in addition to paid a high dollar amount only because I listed said high dollar amount every bit the MSRP.  Do NOT experience obligated to pay the MSRP listed inwards this review.  Don't live a dunce!  Shop around!

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