UKC

Primus Lite+ Review

© Jack Geldard

The Lite+ from Primus is one of the lightest and smallest stoves of this 'stove system' type on the market, making it a good choice for summer alpinism or for those simply wishing for a crag stove to brew up with throughout the winter months (the ultimate luxury).

  • WEIGHT: 355g
  • BOIL TIME (500ml): 02:45

Primus Lite+  © Jack Geldard
Primus Lite+
© Jack Geldard

The pan/cup part is 500ml in size and will fit one of the smallest size gas canisters in it, along with all parts of the stove itself. This smaller size is great for individuals, or those needing to shave off the grams, but does mean you might have to make several brews if there are two or three people!

It is also extremely well made, with the burner being something of a work of art. The squat shaped burner is very well made, and the whole unit is tough. It also features a neatly recessed piezo ignitor and - for the sake of review completeness - I should probably mention that it interlocks with the upper unit for added security. Infact this locking is very simple, well designed and works really well, and coupled with the low profile burner, makes this stove one of the least top heavy stove systems I have used.

Primus Lite+ at the crag - with coffee press  © Jack Geldard
Primus Lite+ at the crag - with coffee press
© Jack Geldard

The reason for this squat shaped burner is (as far as I understand it) because gas needs to travel a certain distance through the stove before it can be ignited, and most stoves send the gas upwards (making the burner unit taller) but Primus send it out to the side, keeping the burner unit squat in shape. They call this 'Laminar Flow Burner Technology'.

You can see this explained to me by the head man at Primus in this video:

Another plus to the Lite+ is its simple solution to the hanging kit, which consists of the easily modified handle switching to a cradle for the hanging cord supplied. You've got to give Primus credit for such an obvious solution. The same simple ingenuity has been used to answer the question of how to use pots/pans other than the one provided (which is obviously limiting whilst actually cooking) and for this three small screw-in rods have been provided that fit neatly into the burner unit.

These three small rods work fine, but do seem a little bit of a basic solution and are quite easy to lose, and difficult to remove if they are hot! I'd love to see a sleeker system whereby these rods are fixed to the burner unit and just 'pop' up and down as required - get to it Primus!

Adding the little screw-in feet to the Primus Lite+  © Jack Geldard
Adding the little screw-in feet to the Primus Lite+
© Jack Geldard

As an add-on, I also got the coffee press, which is a new lid (with a small hole in the middle for the stem of the press) and a cafetiere style mesh plunger. The coffee press worked really well, but I still think that for really good coffee you would be better just boiling the water in the Lite+ then using something like an Aeropress.

Coffee pot on the Primus Lite+ - using the feet to enable normal pans etc to fit  © Jack Geldard
Coffee pot on the Primus Lite+ - using the feet to enable normal pans etc to fit
© Jack Geldard

Quick Info points about the Primus Lite+:

  • Made in Europe
  • Every stove is fired up before it leaves the factory
  • Very Efficient

Comes with: Hanging Kit, Tripod Base.

Add-ons available: Coffee Press

Summary: Best for fast/light summer alpinism, most additional extras included.

Primus Lite+  © UKC Gear
What Primus Say:

Lite+ sets a new standard for compact all-in-one stoves. The unique locking mechanism (patent pending) makes it very sturdy and thanks to the Laminar Flow Burner Technology (patent pending), the stove has a lower burner than would otherwise be possible, resulting in a more stable, lighter and compact stove. Perfect for the solo trip or a coffee break for two – with the optional coffee press it makes two cups of fresh coffee in a handful of minutes! The stove and all accessories, including a 100-gram gas cartridge, fit into the 500 ml hard anodized aluminium pot.

For 2015 Lite+ comes with a new heat resistant sleeve in durable G-1000 with felt lining. The sleeve also features a webbing handle with the added ability to use the stove hanging. The lid cuts cooking time and keeps all the parts securely in place in your backpack – and can also be used as a mug.

Lite+ includes a foot support for added stability on uneven surfaces and a suspending cord.

MORE INFO: Primus Website




9 Oct, 2015
Yes, very good for alpine bivvies. Lightweight, doesn't take up much space and very quiet, plus a handy auto ignition button (matches etc work as well of course, should the button fail). Obviously heavier and bulkier than a pocket rocket but more efficient. I think MSR have a stove which is even more efficient but I haven't had an opportunity to test them side by side. Would be nice to have a wider cooking pot attachment which would fit a 230ml gas cartridge inside.
10 Oct, 2015
The wire oft the piezo igniter of my Primus ETA Lite melted into a drop after a a few weeks of use and then broke off rendering it useless. Any others with similar problems?
10 Oct, 2015
It's a common complaint, I wonder if there's an easy fix?
11 Oct, 2015
Nope Nope, but the ceramic around it broke making it discharge the current at the wrong place... I think I'll be forgetting about them piezos and just using lighters/matches.
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