The Optimus ‘Polaris Optifuel’ is a new multi-fuel stove that can burn all liquid fuel types and butane/propane canisters through a single jet.
Quick Review
Pros
Burns all types of fuel
Don’t ever need to change nozzles/jets
Good build quality
Cons
Expensive
Bit heavier than some
You should buy this stove if…
You anticipate using lots of different fuels or like the idea that you could and/or you want a good quality stove and can afford it.
You shouldn’t buy this stove if…
You just want to use one type of fuel (e.g. white fuel in the cold, unleaded petrol/gas whilst travelling or butane/propane canisters for ease) or price is a factor.
Introduction
Multi-fuel stoves are so-called because they allow you to burn a variety of different fuel types such as petrol, white fuel, diesel and kerosene. Some newer stoves can also use butane/propane canisters.
However, with the exception of the Primus OmniFuel/OmniLite and Trangia X2, most stoves aren’t compatible with all the different types of fuel; they just burn a couple of types.
Similarly, most such stoves require you to manually remove and replace a small brass nozzle (sometimes called a ‘jet’) every time you switch the type of fuel you’re using.
What makes Optimus’s Polaris Optifuel unique amongst the ~28 different multi-fuel stoves on the market is that it both burns all the available fuel types and does so through a single jet. In other words, you can use whatever fuel you like – diesel, gas, petrol, kerosene – and you never need to change the nozzle.
[UPDATE OCTOBER 2015: I’ve since discovered that the Edelrid Hexon Multifuel stove also burns all fuels through a single nozzle. That doesn’t detract from the Polaris in any way but does mean it has some competition. Big thanks to Gabor for point this out to me!]
(Disclosure: Optimus are owned by Katadyn who loaned me the stove to review. Katadyn products are imported to the UK by Lyon Equipment who gave me sponsored kit for my recent cycle around the world).
The Review
First impressions: look and feel
The Polaris looks and feels like a quality piece of kit. It looks good, feels robust and the curved legs provide a reassuringly stable platform for pans. The fuel valve at the base of the stove is the only part that feels a bit flimsy but that’s presumably because they’ve made it huge (a good thing for easy operation) and thus have saved weight by using a thin piece of wire.
Included in the box
- Stove – sleak looking black unit with fold away curved legs.
- Pump – pretty standard, big solid fuel valve.
- Bottle – same as the rest except with a safety lid (you have to push and twist to release).
- Stove tool – it looks like a tiny medieval mace but has the wonderful feature of a magnet inside. If you wave it underneath the stove then it pulls a small needle through the nozzle to clean it. It’s a feature unique to Optimus stoves and allows you to unblock the jet even when cooking. (MSR stoves have a similar self-cleaning system in which you just shake the stove).
- Canister legs – a last feature of the Optifuel is that the end of the fuel hose has two unfolding wire legs. When you’re using butane/propane canisters, this allows you to tip the canister upside down which makes it burn better in cold temperatures. It’s a neat trick that more manufacturers are starting to cotton on to (and is dramatically called ‘four season mode’).
Operation
The Polaris functions like most other multi-fuel stoves. Priming and lighting was straightforward with liquid fuel and it burned cleanly using a gas canister.
Fuels burned
I’ve said that the Optimus Polaris burns “all” fuels. What I really mean is all four types of liquid fuel that such stoves ever burn – specifically white fuel, unleaded petrol/gas, kerosene and diesel – as well as butane/propane canisters. This is not unique but it is rare.
(If you’re not quite sure about all the different types of fuel then I’ve written a Guide to Different Fuel Types).
MSR’s XGK-EX, DragonFly and Whisperlite International can’t take canisters and even the boldly named ‘Universal’ can’t take diesel. The same goes for the tiny Edelrid Hexon.
The only stoves that match the Polaris are the Primus Omnifuel and OmniLite Ti, and a Trangia with the X2 Multifuel Burner kit (which can technically use alcohol/methylated spirits as well). However, these all require changing nozzles when you change fuel types. [UPDATE: the Edelrid Hexon can also burn all fuel types].
Ease of use – nozzles, simmering and priming
The Polaris can simmer and only requires one nozzle (i.e. doesn’t need changing for different fuel types). It does, however, need priming.
Other stoves that simmer include:
- Primus Omnifuel/OmniLite
- MSR DragonFly
- Trangia X2 Multi Fuel
- Optimus Nova and Nova+
Other stoves with only one nozzle:
- MSR WhisperLite
- Kovea’s Booster Dual Max, Booster+1 and Hydra
- Edelrid’s Hexon Multifuel
- Soto’s Muka
- Optimus Nova and Nova+
The only other stoves that can both simmer and don’t reqire nozzle changes are made by Optimus: the Nova and Nova Plus.
The one area where the Polaris can be beaten for ease is priming. The Muka stove from Soto has a clever built-in priming system to save you faffing around pre-heating the stove. I’ll be reviewing the Muka next week.
Weight
At 475g (17oz), the Polaris is on the heavier side for a liquid fuel stove though by no means the heaviest:
- Edelrid Hexon MultiFuel – 220g (8oz)
- Kovea Hyrda – 310g (11oz)
- Soto Muka – 333g (12oz)
- Primus Omnilite – 340g (12oz)
- Primus Omnifuel – 441g (16oz)
- MSR Whisperlite International – 441g (16oz)
- Optimus Polaris Optifuel – 475g (17oz)
- MSR XGK Expdition – 489g (17oz)
- MSR Dragonfly – 510g (18oz)
- MSR Whisperlite Universal – 549g (19oz)
Price
The Polaris is an expensive stove. It’s not helped by the fact that it’s new to the market which means there’s not much competition and it’s only being sold at or close to RRP. As such, it is currently more expensive than any other multi fuel stove.
- Coleman Sportster II – £58 / $71
- MSR WhisperLite International – £76 / $100
- Kovea Booster+1 – £96 / $153
- MSR Dragonfly – £111 / $140
- Primus Omnifuel – £133 / $145
- MSR XGK EX – £140 / $160
- Primus OmniLite Ti – £157 / $179
- Optimus Polaris Optifuel – £170 / $180 (though currently on ebay from £135)
Conclusion
For anyone considering buying a multi-fuel stove, the Polaris Optifuel is an all round good stove which will be great if you anticipate using more than one type of fuel or like the idea that you could.
If you’re on a budget or really just looking to burn liquid rather than gas, there are smaller, cheaper and lighter stoves available (take a look at my review to see all your options).
On most measures as a camping stove, the Optimus Polaris is decent – not remarkably better or worse than many others. But its ability to burn all types of fuel through a single jet is novel, unprecedented and excellent.
Changing the nozzles has always been a bit of a pain – reading the tiny print on them, trying to remember which is which, and losing them in the tent/grass/dirt – and could now be a thing of the past.
Optimus have surely thrown down the gauntlett to all other stove manufacturers: why are you still changing jets?
The only comparable innovation in the world of liquid fuel stoves is the Soto Muka’s ability to self-prime. In the meantime, you can see the stats on all 28 different liquid fuel stoves on the market in my Comparison of Multi-Fuel Stoves. Or, if you’d rather stick with gas canisters, see my Comparison of Gas Stoves article instead.
Cheapest place to buy one
It’s new so not well stocked online. However, they’re available new on eBay from £135. Keep an eye on AllOutdoor.co.uk too as they’re already stocking Polaris parts and usually the cheapest. In the USA, they’re available on Amazon from $160.
31 Comments
bazaro
Thank’s for this good review.
I’m quite happy with my Optimus Nova (with CEJN) and will wait a lighter Optimus Polaris TI version…
Tim Moss
Thanks Bazaro. A titanium Optimus Polaris… do you know something I don’t??
bazaro
I just hope something lighter…
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Stanley Law
oh nice, it’s got all the same features as my brunton vapor af.
Tim Moss
Yes, as I understand it, Optimus took over manufacture of the old Brunton stoves.
I don’t think the Brunton Vapor AF is available any more but it did indeed burn all fuels through a single nozzle (albeit with a twist of the burner).
Gustav Henriksson
How would you compare the Polaris with your hitherto favorite Omnilite Ti when it comes to ease of use, reliability, and efficiency? What about noise?
Tim Moss
Hi Gustav, they’re pretty similar in operation so equal marks for ease of use, although the Polaris wins if you’re ever switching fuel. I’ve used dozens of Omnifuels over the years and found them pretty reliable, albeit requiring cleaning when using petrol. I’ve not really used the Polaris long enough to comment on reliability other than Optimus having a good reputation.
As for noise, that wasn’t something I thought to compare although now wish that I had. Have you seen the quietening caps like the Polar Dawg 2? http://amzn.to/1MvT7gm
Gustav Henriksson
Hi Tim,
Thanks for the quick feedback! Yeah, I saw the Dawgs, and Primus offer one for the Ti. There also seem to be some Korean made mufflers through Amazon and eBay.
The Polaris is attractive also because it wraps so neatly into a tiny bun. Less risk for legs being bent in the hold-all. Would you say they stand equally stably with a pot on?
Regards from Stockholm,
Gus
Tim Moss
Hello in Stockholm!
I thought the Polaris felt very sturdy all-round and the legs certainly felt stable, yes, even with a pot on.
I know it can be really hard to decide but from my perspective, they’re both excellent stoves and, at the end of the day, they’re very similar so whichever one you choose, I’m sure they’ll give you many years of good use.
Andy
Hi Tim,
I just wanted to leave a big thank you! I was looking for a new stove for quite a while and I realy appreciated your summery and all the commends. Im looking forward for my new Polaris :)
Keep on going and have a good one mate.
Cheers,
Andy
Tim Moss
Thanks Andy. That’s really good to hear. I hope the Polaris serves you well!
robert dowling
great stuff,been wondering as to how i would manage a solo 3 month walk around the Bolivian salt flat desert ref cooking.i feel this is my best choice,
many thanks Tim..
rob Ireland
Tim Moss
Thanks Robert and good luck with the walk. They sold butane/propane gas canisters in La Paz when I was there 10 years ago so you might get away with just those.
robert dowling
great to know.many thanks
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irduif
Hello, thanks for the review.
Do you carry around all of the weight all of the time, even if on one trip you only use gaz canisters? or can you leave parts at home ?
(if so, what weight will it be for a gaz only setup?)
thanks
Tim Moss
Hi Irduif, if you are just using gas canisters then you can leave behind the fuel pump and fuel bottle. I’ve not weighed it myself but from reported values, I think the stove unit without pump should weigh around 370g, saving you about 100g. Hope that helps.
Lory Mecx Allei
Tim Moss, So after time, what is your personal choice between “Optimus Polaris” and “Primus Omnifuel 2”?
Tim Moss
If you’re likely to be using more than one type of fuel then Polaris definitely wins for functionality.
I’ve used Omnifuels/OmniLites for years though and know them to be reliable. There’s no reason to doubt the Polaris – it seemed really good when I tested it – but I only had a brief trial for this review, no long term testing.
Lory Mecx Allei
Thanks for the quick reply.
adventurist
Great review! Tim, do u know is it possible install Polaris burner on Trangia? There is adapter for Nova and Nova+ but I haven’t seen any for Polaris. Thank you.
Tim Moss
Good question. Just emailed Lyon Equipment (UK distributors for Optimus) to check.
Tim Moss
Hello again. I contacted Lyon Equipment and they’ve said that the Trangia converter is not compatible with the Polaris and there isn’t an alternative adaptor I’m afraid.
Geoff Cattrall
Hi Tim… Thanks for the reviews. My intended use is for vol-bivouac paragliding (haven’t seen it mentioned on your website yet!) So weight of course is important but also pack size (limited space in a paragliding harness.) How would you compare the Polaris Optifuel vs Primus Omni Lite TI when it comes to size? Also… Many bad experiences with unleaded fuel and my MSR Whisperlite and ridiculously frequent cleaning requirement. Plus horking that wire in and out of the fuel line in cold temps on the MSR with that silly tool gives me many bad memories. How do the Primus and Polaris compare in this regard?
Tim Moss
Hey Geoff,
I just had to Google ‘vol-bivouacing’ (which, for anyone else reading, means going paragliding with enough kit to camp out overnight). Sounds ace.
Polaris vs OmniLite Ti: on size, the OmniLite wins. Although there’s not a massive range in the size of the mainstream multi-fuel stoves, the Primus OmniLite is one of the smallest whilst the Optimus Polaris is one of the largest.
Cleaning: I think all of the stoves are going to get clogged up with unclean fuel so, wherever possible, I’d use clean white fuel. The Omnifuel and OmniLite are no different and I’ve spent many hours cleaning them over the years. In their defense, they are very easy to take apart, diagnose and sort out.
I haven’t tested the Polaris Optifuel for long enough to comment though. Given that it uses only one nozzle for all fuel sizes though, I could imagine it being slightly more prone to blockages. But that’s just speculation, not based on experience.
I don’t know anything about vol-bivouacing so this might be in appropriate but have you considered the all-in-one Jetboil-style stoves? They’re small and pack away neatly for easy stowing: http://thenextchallenge.org/camping-gas-canister-stoves/#allinone
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Iming Muslimin
I’ve proven that Primus Omnilite can also burn all fuels, even the alcohol ones. Just drill the jet/nozzle hole to 0.8~1 mm, and all set.
I think the only advantage of Optifuel than Omnifuel/Omnilite, is only the magnetic shaker needle for cleaning the jet/nozzle. Not a very critical feature, but a very convenient one.
Because Optifuel uses only 1 jet/nozzle for all types of fuel, it is less fuel consumption efficient than Omnilite/Omnifuel.
My rank for the best multi-fuel stoves is still:
(1) MSR Dragonfly, because of its capability to control the flame very precisely, able to burn alcohol with some jet/nozzle modification. Has an integrated shaker needle for jet cleaning. To allow it burn gas canister, modify it with LPG hose + Lindal-to-LPG adapter + 2 hose clamp rings to secure the hose in each connector’s end.. With this mod, it also can use the Optifuel/Primus pump. An additional feature, it requires an adapter to fit in Trangia 25/27 Windshield securely. Sturdy stove body. No lacquered inside the fuel bottle.
(2) Omnifuel, because it can fit in Trangia 25/27 windshield without an adapter. It can also burn alcohol with a modified jet/nozzle hole to 0.8~1 mm size. It can also burn all liquid fuel without changing the jet/nozzle with note of less fuel consumption efficiency. No integrated jet/nozzle cleaner. Has lacquered inside the fuel bottle.
(3) All the same way with the Omnifuel. With an exception, it requires an adapter to fit in Trangia 25/27 Windshield.
(4) With only 1 jet/nozzle option, it is not less favorable to modify the jet/nozzle hole to 0.8~1 mm size, but still possible. It has an integrated magnetic jet/nozzle cleaner needle, but not too important for me. Requires an adapter to fit in Trangia 25/27 Windshield. Less efficient of fuel consumption, because it burns all fuel through the same jet/nozzle size. No lacquered inside the fuel bottle.
Tim Moss
Hi Iming,
Thanks for the comment. You are clearly in a league above me when it comes to stoves – very impressed!
I’m not sure I’m quite up to drilling my own nozzle holes but no doubt others will be.
That’s really interesting that the stoves that use a single nozzle for all fuel types are less efficient as a result. I had always wondered.
Thanks again for sharing all of that.
Tim.