Kovea Spider Stove, Small, Silver

My two cents - if it helps anyone. I've used white, solid, and canister fuels for years and with a number of stove burners and cook kits and they all have pro's and con's. In most cases, however, I use canister systems for convenience, which makes my gripes about them more significant. They are top heavy and tipsy with a full pot - even with a tripod - windscreens / thermal shields are not recommend for safety reasons, canisters lose pressure as they run low - especially in cold weather, and because they work on pressure I always had some liquid leftover but not enough to cook with. So enter the Spider. It sits low, safely allows for thermal shields, allows the canister to sit away from the flame and, of course, allows for liquid fuel burn - and this is the big point. Above all other features having the ability to invert the canister when fuel vapor is to low to cook with (temp. and or fuel level) allows me to use it in colder conditions then normal and get maximum use from my can. The only caveat is that you should allow a few minutes of urn to heat the metal fuel feed before inverting to prevent / minimize flare-ups. But once you adjust flow it works perfect. Its construction feels and works like any other I've used, folds down into my GSI soloist kit with lighter, canister, soap & cleaning sponge with no problems. Burner has good heat distribution (not a blowtorch) and doesn't create a hotspot. Valve is smooth with excellent flame/simmer control. Add the LP adapter and use a Coleman tank! In short this is an awesome stove that is now my go-to when using canister fuel. Who cares if instructions are Korean. Don't use a piezo igniter - they all suck! If you need help using then YouTube to the rescue. No system is perfect - a fact - but If you need a good versatile stove, this is it.

This is definitely a 4.5 star product and here is why: This is a fantastic ultralight and compact stove. As a collector and user of outdoor stoves, I take great pride in having unique gear. Kovea is by no means a random korean stove brand, but actually the contractor for the manufacture and design of many major american outdoor brands stoves and canisters (Snow Peak/MSR cough cough, maybe more). While MSR stoves reign king, This stove is compared best to the MSR pocket and micro rocket stoves, not necessarily the more high end MSR models. When it comes to this comparison, the Spider wins by a landslide. Fuel adjustment and build quality of the MSRs and Kovea stoves are identical, but the Spider leverages the copper tube loop used in high end and expensive whisperlite/dragonfly/xgk msr stoves. This allows for cold weather performance and turbo heating if necessary (careful this is not as fuel efficient). It's is also very comparable in weight and fits neatly in my MSR titan kettle. Additionally, because it is a remote feed you can put a windscreen around your burner and use it in inclement weather! Try that with a top-mount canister stove like the Micro and Pocket rockets... Boom goes the campsite! The only reason I docked a point, is that the fuel regulator has no stand, which means that when a canister is inserted, it awkwardly balances or sits slanted. I would prefer fold out legs like the optimus vega, or a plastic stand like the whisperlite universal. This isn't necessary but would still make for a better product. I highly recommend this product if you want to have something unique, high value, and effective. Disclaimer: I have backpacked and hiked all over the world, testing products in the worst conditions. I've guided trips and test my gear thoroughly!

Overall this is a great stove. It's very small and light when packed but very stable when unfolded. This worked great on our group backpacking trip for large pots when we were at Philmont. Unfortunately the Piezo lighter is junk. But it's still a good price without the crappy lighter. Just make sure you carry an alternate way to light it. A small BIC lighter works great.

I can’t imagine a stove could be lighter or simpler and still have a large pot base and remote/inverted canister. Wind resistance is typical for a small stove, which is to say, not very good. The included piezo igniter doesn’t work very well. Who cares. You get a lot of functionality for a small weight penalty. Excellent stove.

Ugh. So I have lots of camp stoves, vintage and modern and was looking forward to adding this lightweight gem to my collection. I have a Whisperlite universal but it's heavy overkill for canister gas. I ordered a new Spider off an auction site and it was sturdy and seemed nice, but the generator or something was out of spec and it pulsed abnormally and emitted fireballs. I returned it for a refund. I liked the form of the stove and figured it was a fluke, so I ordered one off Amazon. The leg mechanism was missing some springs or something and were wobbly - not usable. I did a hassle free exchange with Amazon. The replacement arrived with the exact same problem - missing springs in the leg folding mechanism! Too wobbly to use. I fired it up and it was in spec, but seriously, 0 for 3?? Returned again, hassle free. Replaced with an Optimus Vega which costs more, same weight, and comes with much better accessories. Wind screen and built in canister inverter for cold weather. Much sturdier. The Vega is gorgeous, low and stable, superior in every way and worth the extra money, even if you're willing to play quality control roulette with Kovea.