The Lightest Canister Stove on the Market Costs Just $16 - Backpacker

The BRS 3000T Photo: Courtesy BRS

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For ultralighters, shaving weight from your pack usually means spending more money. Once your kit is dialed in, it often feels like the only way to trim ounces is to spend hundreds of dollars on marginal gains. We’re talking upgrades like slightly more fill power, titanium tent stakes, and Dyneema stuff sacks.

That’s why I did a double-take at an ultralight canister stove I found on Amazon. Not only is the BRS 3000T the lightest canister stove I’ve come across, but it costs just $16. Brimming with skepticism, I picked up one of these Chinese micro-stoves and put it to the test.

Fresh out of the package, the titanium BRS stove is an impressive little thing. It folds down incredibly small (about 2 inches by 1 inch) and feels sturdy and well-made. The threads that attach the stove to a fuel canister are cleanly machined. The three, two-inch-long support legs lock firmly into place and create a stable base for pots up to 1 liter in size. It’s not very tall (just under 2.5 inches with the legs extended), which helps it from feeling overly tippy. And, shockingly, it’s as light as the brand claims: on my scale, it measured 26 grams, or about 0.9 ounces.

Once lit, it quickly becomes apparent that the stove is essentially a mini flamethrower. It produces a small, focused flame and sounds like a jet engine, unlike some of the leading canister stoves, which have larger burner heads that distribute heat more widely and keep noise levels at a low purr. There are no extras here—no piezo igniter, no pressure regulator, no windscreen, and no replacement parts of any kind. At first glance, it’s hard to imagine how the tiny burner could possibly heat anything efficiently.

My first experiment was boiling one cup of water in a 400 mL titanium pot with four different ultralight stoves: the BRS 3000T, Jetboil MightyMo, Soto Windmaster, and another Amazon find from a brand called AOTU. First, I used each stove at full bore, then repeated my test at a low-to-medium setting. This would function as my fair-weather test: temps of about 65, no wind, and an elevation of 2,700 feet in Boise, Idaho.

The next day, I did some more tests in less ideal conditions—temps were down to about 50 and winds were gusting to about 5 miles per hour. This time I used a 1-liter aluminum pot and added 3 cups of water—enough for most dehydrated meals plus a hot drink. Again, I did a full bore and low-to-medium setting.

As I conducted these boiling tests, I also measured the weight of the fuel canisters before and after each test to track how much fuel each stove consumed. While fuel consumption is measured in grams, it can add up quickly. An efficient stove could end up burning half as much fuel as a gas-guzzler. Over the course of a thru-hike or a summer full of weekend trips, it can make a big difference.

What did I discover? First, every single stove performed well in my first fair-weather test. At full bore, each stove boiled a cup of water in 2-3 minutes, while using about 5 or 6 grams of fuel. In that regard, the BRS performed flawlessly. I was particularly impressed by its ability to sip fuel on a low setting. In one test, I was able to boil one cup of water in 7 minutes while using just 3 grams of fuel. That’s a pretty slow boil, but it’s also hyper-efficient.

But when the wind picked up, the stoves started to show their true colors. Both the BRS and the MightyMo became far less efficient. Both stoves took about 14 minutes to boil 3 cups of water, and burned about 28 grams of fuel (that’s about a quarter of a 4-ounce canister for one meal) Once the flame was dialed back, neither stove managed to achieve a full boil. The AOTU stove performed somewhat better—13 minutes and 25 grams. The Windmaster, meanwhile, pulled times that were nearly unaffected by the wind, boiling in 7 minutes while using 14 grams of fuel.

It’s fair to say that the BRS is an outdated design. About 10 years ago, the BRS stove would be perfectly average—nearly all ultralight canister stoves were in the same boat in windy conditions. But modern stoves like the Soto Windmaster, MSR PocketRocket Deluxe, and Jetboil Stash have changed the game. They have pressure regulators that increase fuel efficiency and shielded burners that work remarkably well in the wind. (Although, as this test has shown, it’s nearly impossible to hit any manufacturer’s claimed boiling times in the real world.) And sure, they don’t weigh under an ounce like the BRS does, but they all clock in around 3 or 4 ounces.

How much does that matter in the real world? That’ll vary from hiker to hiker. If you’re used to other old-school canister stoves, like the original MSR PocketRocket or various generic models on Amazon like the AOTU stove I tested, the BRS will perform about as well. On a trip, it’s usually possible to make a windblock using your pack, a tent vestibule, or natural features that will allow these canister stoves to work adequately. You can also buy an ultralight windscreen designed for the BRS 3000T from Flat Cat Gear.

Still, once you’ve used something like the Windmaster or Stash, it’s hard to go back. They’re quieter, perform better in the wind, and require fewer trips to the gear store to restock on fuel canisters. My verdict? If you’re a fair-weather backpacker who gets out a few times a summer, the BRS is a great choice that will save you weight and money and perform admirably. But if you’re racking up dozens of backcountry meals every year, investing in a better stove is the smart choice.