I am looking at getting a stove for under £30. I like the look of the Coleman F1 lite but is it possible to adjust the flame on it to allow simmering, or is it at full power all the time? Is there any other stove people recommend, such as the MSR pocket rocket, and can the flame be controlled on this.
Thanks for your insights
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 If you can spare a extra tenner I'd strongly recommend the thermotech stove (GoGas / Karrimor). Unlike many gas stoves, it works in very cold temperatures, is controllable, and more stable since it sits separate from the canister.
A few weeks ago I was trying to boil water when it was about -2C, and failing miserably with a normal gas stove. The thermotech stove has no such problems!
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 Hello
I have an FI Lite which I find really good and the flame is fully adjustable so you can simmer. I have used it down to about -5 successfully but I tend to use it more as a summer stove for which it is absolutely ideal. Hope this helps.
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Thanks for your replies
Unfortunatly I can't go over about 30 quid because its being bought for me as a present so I have no say in the price. Currently i've got it down to the Coleman F1 lite, the Coleman alpine or the MSR pocket rocket. It seems the MSR stove is more controllable but the pan supports do seem flimsy. But if the F1 lite is controllable then I am leaning towards that because it looks like it has a better burner that spreads the flame better.
Any other insights would be most appreciated.
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 I would also go for a Thermotech Stove (or the Pro if poss as has a small removalable windshield, and can often be purchased for the same price).
As Cara said, it works very well in the cold as it has a preheater built into the fuel pipe.
Very stable, and can burn the gas in liquid form (turn the gas canister upside down) for maximum powere - even when the gas is nearly empty.
£25 for Thermotech or Thermotech Pro from
www.active8.com.
Be aware though this is not as light as an F1, but that the price for a stable stove that works at low temps.
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Thanks
I can't seem to get the active8 website to work, it keeps coming up with an internet solutions site. Is the address right? Everywhere else has the thermotech stove at £40.
As a mentioned prviously its going to be a present so at £40 its out of range, hence why I was looking at the other stoves.
Can anyone help?
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 try www.rekri8.co,uk
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Apologies
www.aktive8.com
www.rekri8.co.uk gives manufacturers details
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 cara or rob,
what fuels can it use?
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Just gas, Dave. Nothing fancy, BUT it preheats the gas and so works when cold. And with cold cylinders. And it folds up pretty small too, and you can burn the gas as liquid if it's v cold.
I'm not really a gear guru, but Julie covets my little thermotech, so it can't be that bad!
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 Sounds like the OLD Coleman Alpine stove, which was superb in winter.
I've still got one (its been leant to a mate at the mo) and if heading out in REALLY cold conditions will still take it in preference to my other stoves (in the UK).
I'm personally not keen on the pocket rocket. Pan supports are very flimsy and the flame spread is tiny - so its prone to burning food to the bottom of the pan in one spot rather than heating the bottom more evenly.
Just my two penny worth.
Si
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Thanks for your replies, especially RobM, for finding the site with the cheap thermotech.
Most helpful.
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 Make a windbreak from old steel beercans. Cheap and light and saves £10. And comes with free beer...
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Free beer? Where?
TELL ME!!
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Steel beer cans? Aren't they a bit heavy? Are aluminium beer cans ok?
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Sod that Dave, where do we get free beer?
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I've been recently playing with making a lightweight Pepsi burner support to make an ultra-lightweight stove. Unfortunately, I found that aluminium cans for this application weren't suitable, as they don't appreciate the heat; buckling and annealing to become very soft. If the windbreak is kept away from the flame, aluminium would do.
Steel is about twice the weight, but I recall my three-can (500ml) windbreak for my Sigg weighs less than 100g. The burner support will come in at around 50g. It disassembles to a 'flat pack' form. Well, a curved pack, anyway...
This all started when I got fed up with the Sigg misbehaving in wind, so cobbled a windbreak from cans in the bin, with my trusty '52 pattern penknife. And then made a neater version when I got home.
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oh, if anyone's interested in playing, email me and I'll send instructions...
it's still a 'work in progress', but it successfully boiled a 700ml pan of water the other night...
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okay, here are the measured weights...
3-can steel windbreak 54g
Steel Pepsi burner 29g
3-can steel pan support 30g
3-can aluminium pan support 15g
Aluminium Pepsi burner (different design) 10g
As it happens, I also have an official Sigg windbreak that they sent me when my Fire Jet packed up and it was replaced - I mentioned the wind problem, along with an English translation of the instructions and suggestions for improvement of the lighting instructions and carburation. It's made of thick aluminium foil, and weighs 71g, more than my steel homemade job. And it isn't as good...
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 The F1 Lite is superb. I've had no problem delicately simmering with mine. It's also waaaay more powerful than the Pocket Rocket so no contest!
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