Review: The Soto Windmaster – World's Lightest Gas Stove Alongside Piezo Ignition

I've talked most the Soto WindMaster (OD-1RX) upright canister gas inward several of my posts lately.  The WindMaster's claim to fame is that a) it is the world's lightest (67 g/2.3 oz) upright canister gas stove alongside piezoelectric ignition in addition to b) that it has superior current of air treatment capability.

I was genuinely skeptical most this stove at first. As it turns out, it's 1 of my favorite canister gas stoves.  Ever.

UPDATE 27 Nov 2016:  I have got added a signal yesteryear signal consideration of the stove based on my "What Makes a Good Backpacking Stove?" framework inward the appendix

The Soto WindMaster (OD-1RX)

Why was I skeptical?  Well, the shout of the stove sort of tells you lot why I was skeptical.  Soto is making the claim that their stove handles current of air well.  An upright canister stove?  A original of the wind?  Really?

Let me explain. There are 2 full general classes of canister gas backpacking stoves:  upright in addition to remote.

An upright canister stove, left (a Soto Amicus), in addition to a remote canister stove correct (a Snow Peak GeoShield).

An upright canister stove screws straight onto the top of a canister of gas.  The wages hither is weight:  There's no bespeak to have got "legs" to back upward the burner.  The canister itself supports the stove.  Also, at that spot is no bespeak of whatever way to convey the fuel to the stove since the stove is straight attached to the canister.  Upright canister stoves are light, plentiful, affordable, compact, in addition to simple.

Wow, sounds great, right?  So what's the disadvantage?  Well, notice how high the stove in addition to pot are inward the photograph above.  Since the stove mounts on top of the canister, it sits higher up, to a greater extent than exposed to wind.  

Can't you lot occupation a windscreen?  Well, yes, form of, but BE CAREFUL.  If you lot trap likewise much oestrus inward the enclosed infinite around the fuel canister, the canister could overheat.  Heat the canister sufficiently, in addition to it could burst, spewing highly flammable gas all around.  Let's see, flammable gas spraying all around a flame.  Say, that mightiness be, um, bad, couldn't it?  Well, let's exactly tell this could live your "last supper."  Most manufacturers strongly recommend against the occupation of a windscreen alongside an upright canister stove.  There's to a greater extent than to tell here, but rather than hand away on in addition to on, if you're interested inward the patch of report of windscreens, I propose you lot cheque out my spider web log post service on Windscreens.  Another disadvantage to upright canister stoves is that they aren't all that nifty inward mutual frigidness temperatures.  Even alongside the best fuel, you lot likely don't desire to hand away much below 20F/-7C.  There are tricks inward mutual frigidness weather.  If you're interested see: Canister Gas inward Cold Weather.

Now, on the other hand, a remote canister stove has the fuel off to the side.  Fuel is delivered to the burner via a fuel hose or line of some type.  The advantages hither are:  1. The stove sits lower to the ground, so it's to a greater extent than stable in addition to to a greater extent than out of the wind, 2. The stove tin live used alongside a total 360 score windscreen alongside no opportunity of overheating the canister, in addition to 3. Many remote canister stoves tin live run alongside the canister inverted for mutual frigidness weather condition operation.  If you're going to run a stove alongside the canister inverted, do your homework first.  Not all remote canister stoves tin handgrip inverted canisters.  For starters, cheque out my article inward Seattle Backpackers Magazine:  Stoves for Cold Weather II.  

The disadvantages to a remote canister are stove are:  1.  It takes upward to a greater extent than infinite inward your pack, 2. It weighs more, in addition to 3. It typically costs more.  There are also fewer choices alongside remote canister stove than upright canister stoves, but at that spot are some skillful ones out there.  If you're interested inward a remote canister stove,  I propose you lot cheque out the Kovea Spider remote canister stove. 

OK, plenty background.  Here's the point:  The WindMaster is an upright canister stove.  In other words, the WindMaster is the form of stove that does the worst inward wind.  So, yeah, I was a footling skeptical.  An upright canister stove that's skillful inward wind?  Yeah, right.  But so I tested it.  

Please select a human face at this video:

The examine inward the video wasn't the entirely examine I ran.  I ran dozens of tests over a long menses of time.   My conclusion:  Soto genuinely has succeeded inward making a to a greater extent than windproof upright canister stove.

In every test, the Soto WindMaster (left) boiled faster than the Microregulator which is basically the same stove but without the current of air resistant burner head.

Well, um, if this stove is so great, why isn't it the issue 1 best seller?  Well, several reasons:

1. It's form of tall (see photograph below).  It's non bad, but it is a footling on the tall side.  I can't lay it on it's side inward the bottom of my 550 ml mug-type pot.
2. The pot back upward is form of, uh, well, "different". I'll explicate more, below.
3. It's expensive.  It's most $75 MSRP.  (Note Campsaver* has them on sale correct at nowadays for $52.47 which is a deal).

If you lot tin handgrip the size in addition to the pot support, I'll explicate why I recall the WindMaster mightiness live worth the toll (especially if you lot tin larn it on sale).

By the way, Soto has come upward out alongside a new, to a greater extent than affordable stove, the Amicus.  The Amicus has the same fashion burner caput equally the WindMaster.  Is the Amicus equally skillful inward current of air equally the WindMaster?  I don't know yet, but maintain an oculus on my blog.  I innovation to post service a review of the novel Amicus some fourth dimension inward the side yesteryear side 4 to vi weeks.

*Disclosure:  I have got no human relationship alongside Campsaver, fiscal or otherwise.  I don't recall I've ever purchased anything from them.  Someone tipped me off to this sale; I hand the tip on to you.  As I say, I have got non done trouble organisation alongside them.  This link inward no way constitutes an endorsement.  Caveat emptor.

The Soto Microregulator, left, in addition to the Soto WindMaster, right.  The WindMaster is somewhat taller than average.

OK, so what's this most the pot support?  Well, it's detachable.  This is a characteristic that you're either going to beloved or you're going to hate.  It plant for me, but a lot of people plainly didn't similar it or weren't willing to attempt it.  There are genuinely 2 pot supports available for the WindMaster.  I'll hash out the basic 1 that comes alongside the stove kickoff in addition to so the optional, larger "4Flex" pot back upward later.

The basic pot back upward is genuinely pretty good.  It provides plenty of back upward in addition to is pretty grippy.  It supports small-scale diameter pots well, including something equally small-scale equally a touchstone Sierra cup.  And it's non difficult to select on in addition to off.  All it takes is a footling practice.  I tin fifty-fifty do it wearing fleece mittens.

The pot back upward attaches easily alongside exactly a fleck of practise – fifty-fifty inward midweight fleece mittens

So that footling metallic fleck inward my left hand, above, is the pot support.  It's form of a apartment color.  If you lot drib it, it's difficult to find.  My solution is to occupation a Sea to Summit mini carabiner (9 grams) to immediately clip the pot back upward to the valve handgrip the instant I withdraw the back upward from the stove.

A Sea to Summit mini carabiner

In the photograph below, you lot tin consider the carabiner hanging off the valve handle. The carabiner hanging at that spot takes a fleck of getting used to when you lot plough the valve handle, but it's no large deal.

A Soto WindMaster inward use.
Note carabiner hanging on the valve handle.

OK, so I've talked most the relative current of air proofness of the WindMaster.  How does it work?  Well, for one, the burner caput is recessed which tends to guide the flames upward toward the pot and limits the amount that current of air tin blow the flames off course.  Second, the lower part of the burner caput is angled such that current of air naturally flows down, around, in addition to away from the burner head.

The Soto WindMaster, left, has a recessed burner head.  Note that you lot tin barely consider the flame.
Most stoves have got an opened upward burner head, such equally the stove on the right.
Note how the flame on the stove on the correct is beingness blown over to the left yesteryear the wind.  Goodbye, heat.

I genuinely form of enjoyed watching exactly how good the Soto WindMaster's burner caput worked.  In examine after test, I could consider an opened upward burner's flame beingness blown to 1 side or some other whereas the WindMaster's flame was silent centered on the pot.

Now, how current of air proof is the WindMaster?  Is it equally windproof equally tell the high tech MSR Windburner? Um, no.  No way.  The Windburner is a freaking miracle of windproofness.  If you lot hold off to live inward seriously windswept areas in addition to genuinely bespeak exactly absolutely stone steady performance inward wind, so larn the MSR Windburner non the Soto WindMaster.

However, the Windburner* is larger, heavier, in addition to to a greater extent than expensive than the WindMaster.  If you lot do your homework in addition to notice that an upright canister stove is correct for you, the WindMaster volition offering far meliorate performance inward current of air than other similar stoves.  How do you lot "do your homework?"  Well, you lot mightiness cheque out my post, What Makes a Good Backpacking Stove?

*The Windburner is on sale at REI for $99 correct at nowadays which is a pretty skillful toll considering that MSRP is $130.
Disclosure:  I have no remuneration from REI for mentioning them here.  I exactly hap to know that they have got the Windburner on sale correct now.  I am however an REI customer, in addition to I do occasionally create purchases from them.

Soto WindMaster, left, alongside a recessed burner head.  Soto Microregulator, right, alongside an opened upward burner head.
Note how the Microregulator's flame is blown off to the left whereas the WindMaster's is not.

Much ado has been made most stoves alongside regulator valves beingness able to genuinely ready lately.  I form of laugh.  Yes, Jetboil made a large bargain most how you lot tin genuinely command the flame on their relatively novel MiniMo regulator valved stove.  Why do I laugh?  Because Soto has been doing it all along. Soto is genuinely ahead of other stove companies inward terms of technology, so I express joy when other companies create a large bargain most something that Soto has been doing for several years.  Soto would never have got expose stoves alongside crappy burner command similar that on the kickoff generation regulator valved Jetboils.

Noodle dish prepared on a Soto WindMaster.
You tin genuinely ready alongside the Soto WindMaster, to include fine simmering.

Now, some other thing most the WindMaster:  The "Stealth" ignition.  Soto's Stealth ignition (found on several Soto stoves) is the best inward the industry.  Period.  Nobody's ignition is equally sophisticated in addition to reliable equally Soto's.  Many companies sort of bolt this large kludgy ignition thing to the side of their stoves in addition to so have got a wire running upward the side of the burner column.  The ignition organisation so ends alongside an exposed wire straight inward the flame.  This wire frequently warps inward the oestrus or snags on things – in addition to fails.  Soto has a much to a greater extent than elegant command in addition to runs their wire upward through the inside of the burner column.  Then, at the top of the burner column, instead of a footling wire sticking out exactly waiting to live snagged, they pose a much to a greater extent than stable strip of metallic that doesn't jut out the way wire ignitions do.  Notice also, inward the photograph below, that the ignition signal is inward the center of the burner.  This has 2 advantages:  1) It's a heck of a lot less probable to snag on something when located inward centre of a burner than an ignition on the rim of a burner in addition to 2) there's a sort of "island" inward the centre of the burner caput that the ignition signal sits in.  The ignition signal is less exposed to oestrus in addition to is less probable to hand away warped or otherwise damaged.

The ignition signal of Soto's Stealth ignition is the strip of silverish colored metallic (not a wire) inward the centre of the burner head.

Now, notice something else inward the photo, above.  Look at the pot supports.  Those are non that footling pot back upward nosotros saw before.  This is the optional "4Flex" pot back upward that tin live purchased to supplement the pot back upward that comes alongside the stove.  The 4Flex offers a broad surface for larger pots.

A 2.6 liter pot on a a Soto WindMaster equipped alongside the optional 4Flex pot support.  Really stable.
In fact, the supports are non the worry here; the small-scale size of the canister is.
Canister "feet" tin help but are non absolutely required.

 I flora the 4Flex to live a genuinely prissy choice alongside large pots (as inward grouping cooking or snowfall melting).

The WindMaster's optional 4Flex pot back upward offers fantabulous stability for larger pots.

I've gone from skeptic to convert.  I genuinely similar the lineament in addition to flexibility of the WindMaster – equally good equally it's powerfulness to handgrip wind.  If I hand away out solo or alongside 1 other person, I tin select the basic pot support.  I don't have got to select upward a lot of room inward my kit alongside an unnecessarily large pot support.  On the other hand, on trips alongside a larger grouping or larger pots – or pans equally inward fish frying, pancakes, etc. – I select the 4Flex, in addition to so I don't have got to worry most my pot beingness "tippy."  With the 4Flex, fifty-fifty fairly large pots are real stable.  The 1 thing you lot mightiness worry most alongside large pots is non the pot supports at all but rather the canister.  A large pot alongside a small-scale canister at the base of operations could live a footling tippy on uneven ground.  Several companies offering canister "feet" that 1 could purchase if 1 were concerned.  I didn't notice them necessary,

H5N1 finally note:  On local hikes, I mightiness do stove testing, but on my "big" hikes where it's a genuinely a special hike, I don't do stove testing.  I select stoves that I similar in addition to trust.  The finally twain of photos were from my hike on the John Muir Trail this yesteryear summer.  In other words, this isn't a stove that I examine in addition to so stick on a shelf never to live seen or heard from again.  No, this is a stove I genuinely use.  I have got dozens in addition to dozens of stoves sent to me for costless from companies that would similar me to do a review.  I tin pretty much occupation whatever stove I like.  If a stove makes it on a trip where I'm non testing, you lot know it's a skillful stove.

The Soto WindMaster

What's Good About It?

• World's lightest canister gas stove alongside piezoelectric ignition  (67 g/2.3 oz).
• Superior current of air handling
• Reliable, sophisticated piezoelectric ignition
• Good pot stability on both large in addition to small-scale pots alongside multiple pot back upward options

What's Not So Good About It?

• A footling on the tall side.
• More expensive than many comparable stoves
• The smaller pot back upward is tardily to lose – unless you lot occupation a mini carabiner in addition to always clip the back upward to the valve handgrip when you lot select the pot back upward off.

The Soto WindMaster:  Highly Recommended.

I give cheers you lot for joining me on some other Adventure In Stoving.

HJ

Disclosures:  I received the WindMaster stove costless of accuse from a tertiary political party (not Soto inward other words) for the occupation of this review.  I purchased the 4Flex back upward alongside my ain money.   I am non compensated for my reviews except for the trivial amount of coin I have from the ads on my spider web log (about $1.00 USD per hateful solar daytime at finally check).  The income from my spider web log pays for fuel in addition to occasional parts in addition to accessories, but I inward no way derive my living from my blog.  My spider web log is basically a hobby which leaves me costless to review stoves whatever dang way I please.  


Appendix – "What Makes a Good Backpacking Stove?"

An evaluation of the Soto Windmaster based on my 14 point "What Makes a Good Backpacking Stove?" framework.

1. Suitability – Is this stove suitable for what I desire to do?
• Cooking  – The Windmaster tin pretty much back upward whatever type of cooking from high heat, rapid boiling in addition to snowfall melting to irksome simmering.  The fine command of the flame is real good.
• Conditions – Like all upright canister stoves, the WindMaster would non live my kickoff selection for temperatures nether twenty Fahrenheit/-7 Celsius.  The WindMaster may live used at all elevations although the piezoelectric ignition volition live less reliable inward a higher identify 10,000 feet/3000 meters inward elevation.  No affair what elevation 1 uses a stove alongside a built inward ignition, always carry a instant root of ignition (non-piezo lighter, matches, firesteel, etc.).  The WindMaster volition handgrip windy conditions meliorate than most upright canister stoves but would non live a skillful selection for extremely windy conditions.
• Capacity  – The Windmaster tin easily back upward pots from most 250 ml (depending on proportions) to most 2000 ml alongside the basic pot support, but over 1500 ml, you'd have got to live a fleck cautious most using a small-scale canister.  With the larger 4Flex pot supports, 1500 ml to 3500 ml, likely larger, pots tin live accommodated, but 1 mightiness desire to occupation canister "feet" to create the whole assembly to a greater extent than stable.
2. Reliability/Robustness – Can it “take a licking in addition to maintain on ticking?”
   I flora the stove to live quite solid.  Some have got complained that the basic pot back upward is "flimsy."  I did non notice it so, in addition to flora it to live quite enterprise in 1 lawsuit properly emplaced on the burner head.  As alongside all canister stoves, 1 must maintain the threaded expanse clean, in addition to 1 should avoid spilling nutrient on the burner head.  Do non laid the stove downwardly inward the dirt if you lot tin avoid it.  One should also maintain the canister threads create clean lest abrasives (dirt, grit, etc.) larn into the threads of your stove.  Always occupation the cap on the canister when non inward use.  Avoid Coleman create canisters which don't have got a cap – or relieve a cap from some other create in addition to occupation it if you lot purchase a Coleman canister.  Why Coleman doesn't supply a cap on their canisters is beyond me.  Dumb idea, Coleman.
3. Weight  –  The WindMaster weighs 67 g/2.3 oz which is inward line alongside other major stove brands (MSR, Snow Peak, Optimus, Primus, etc.).  There are titanium stoves coming out of China, some yesteryear Fire Maple which is genuinely a decent brand, that are lighter, but you lot volition sacrifice pot stability in addition to the powerfulness to handgrip wind.  Some volition notice this merchandise off acceptable; others volition desire to comport the extra ounce to larn meliorate pot stability in addition to windproofness.  It is a choice; the selection is yours.
4. Price – Do I have got mortgage my habitation to afford this thing? 
   At MSRP $75, the WindMaster is inward the upper arrive at of upright canister stoves.  The WindMaster offers high lineament structure in addition to engineering, skillful pot stability, an fantabulous ignition, in addition to superior current of air performance.  Some volition consider it worth the price; others volition not.  Always human face for sales. Never live inward a hurry to purchase gear.
5. Stability – Pot stability is good inward a higher identify average for upright canister stoves.  The detailed engineering of the pot supports makes them to a greater extent than grippy than most.
6. Efficiency (i.e. fuel economy) – The WindMaster has meliorate fuel economic scheme than most upright canister stoves, peculiarly inward wind.  The WindMaster volition non have got equally skillful fuel economic scheme equally an integrated canister stove similar a Jetboil – unless 1 uses a oestrus exchanger pot inward which instance the fuel economic scheme of a WindMaster may competition that of a Jetboil.  
7. Windproofness –  The WindMaster is of a pattern that gives it meliorate performance inward current of air than other upright canister stoves.  This is 1 of the principal features of the stove (hence the name).  One should not use a total 360 score windscreen alongside the WindMaster or whatever upright canister stove.  Overheating the canister could effect inward an explosion.  See my post service on Windscreens for ideas in addition to precautions related to windscreens alongside upright canister stoves.
8. Compactness – The WindMaster is reasonably compact for its class, but it is taller than most upright canister stoves.  There are many upright canister stoves that are significantly to a greater extent than packable.
9. Ease of use – Generally, the WindMaster is a pretty tardily to occupation stove, but it does have got the detachable pot support.  I flora that I could pose on the pot back upward alongside 1 hand, fifty-fifty inward midweight mittens, in addition to I didn't recall it was a large deal, but some people just absolutely loathe the detachable pot support.  You must create provision to not lose the post service support.  I clip mine to the valve handgrip when non inward use.
10. Ease of maintenance/field repair –  Like most upright canister gas stoves, tools in addition to spares are non included alongside the stove.  Note that inward 4 years of using the stove, I encountered no instances where I needed to perform maintenance or repairs on the stove.  Spares in addition to tools are to a greater extent than typically included alongside liquid fuel or multi fuel stoves.
11. Speed – Please refer to the video inward the main torso of the review.  Basically, I flora the stove to live fast.  Boil times volition vary alongside conditions, but the WindMaster is far less affected yesteryear current of air (the principal enemy of skillful boil times) than other upright canister stoves.  No, I won't quote an exact time.  Such quotes are fairly irrelevant since at that spot are no standards for examine conditions.  The H2O temperature, air temperature, fuel used, valve setting, elevation inward a higher identify ocean level, in addition to type of pot volition all drive the boil fourth dimension to change.  I flora boil times to live inward line alongside other major stove brands in addition to faster inward wind.
12. Noise – Average. About the same equally most ported gas stoves, i.e. fairly quiet.  Not equally placidity equally an alcohol stove but no where close equally loud equally a liquid fueled stove alongside a "roarer" type burner (e.g. Primus Omnifuel, MSR XGK or DragonFly, Optimus Nova, etc.)
13. Fuel considerations (availability/versatility/morality) 
• Availability.   The WindMaster uses touchstone threaded canisters.  One tin occupation whatever reputable create of canister gas.  See Can I Use Any Brand of Gas Canister?  Standard threaded canisters are widely available inward the United States, Canada, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, in addition to Japan.  Availability may live express elsewhere.  In some areas, peculiarly inward France, non-threaded canisters are the norm.  In the Middle East in addition to Eastern Europe, entirely puncture type canisters (no valve) may live available.  No affair where you lot are planning to go, cheque the availability of fuel.
• Versatility.  Generally, entirely threaded canisters may live used, but at that spot are adapters that volition allow 1 to occupation non-threaded valved canisters, puncture type canisters, 100% propane canisters, in addition to 100% butane bayonet-connector type canisters.  Always cheque availability of adapters earlier embarking on a trip.  If possible, obtain in addition to examine adapters inward advance.  Some adapters from China are of extremely misfortunate (i.e. dangerous) quality.  Liquid fuels such equally alcohol, gasoline, or kerosene may non live used.
• Morality/Ethics.  Canister gas is to a greater extent than frequently than non considered to live meliorate for the environs than forest fires. Use of forest fires a) often lead to an expanse beingness stripped of forest in addition to b) have got significantly higher sack danger.  However, on the other hand, patch canisters tin live re-cycled, most of the canisters current of air upward inward the nation fill.  Even recycling of canisters takes unloosen energy in addition to other resources in addition to is non equally depression impact, environmentally, equally a liquid fueled stove or alcohol stove.  Some people have got gone dorsum to liquid fueled stoves (gasoline or kerosene) or alcohol stoves to cut down their environmental impact. 
14. Safety/Legality.  
• General.  Standard threaded canisters are to a greater extent than frequently than non considered safe; however, do non allow the temperature of the canister to transcend 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit).  Leaving a canister inward the dorsum window of a motorcar on a hot hateful solar daytime is not a skillful idea.
  
  The valve on a canister tin stick inward the opened upward spot when you lot disconnect the stove.  NEVER disconnect the stove close a candle or other opened upward flame or hot surface.  Disaster may effect if the valve sticks open.  If the valve does stick inward the opened upward position, only supervene upon the burner on the canister in addition to attempt again.  If the valve on the canister continues to stick, exit the burner on the stove in addition to command the gas alongside the valve on the burner.
• Fire security in addition to regulations.  In terms of sack safety, canisters are fairly safe, but help must live taken non to allow the canister to tip over patch the stove is inward use.  If the liquid fuel within the canister hits the flame, a fireball several feet inward diameter may erupt.  This may drive an injury, a fire, or worse.  Canister stoves are to a greater extent than frequently than non allowed during most sack bans inward the western US whereas alcohol in addition to forest stoves are to a greater extent than frequently than non not allowed.  Regulations may vary elsewhere.  A California Campfire Permit is required inward California for stoves of all types.   There are also total sack bans that are sometimes invoked.  Always cheque alongside the local nation administration agency where you lot intend to hike.
  Canister stoves do non require priming in addition to are costless from the dangers of priming.

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