Firelite Tech Support: MSR whisperlite universal

There are some really nice expedition class stoves out there on the market right now. One of the really nice features that's come out in the last couple of years is the "hybrid" stove, a stove that can burn not only liquid fuels like gasoline and kerosene but also nice, clean, no-priming-needed canister gas. Perhaps the two best known stoves in this category are the Primus Omnifuel and the MSR Whisperlite Universal. I thought I'd do a brief comparison of the two.

For more information on the individual stoves themselves, please see the following reviews:

The Primus Omnifuel
The Whisperlite Universal

First, travel mode. Both come with nice stuff sacks. Both stuff sacks have a nice zipper pouch so you don't lose any small parts.

The MSR Whisperlite Universal (left) and the Primus Omnifuel (right)

Note that the Whisperlite Universal makes a little bigger package than the Omnifuel. This is because a) the Whisperlite Universal is the bulkier of the two and b) you get more items included with the Whisperlite Universal.

Here are the major components that come with the Whisperlite Universal:

The major components that come with a Whisperlite Universal.

Back row (L to R): Heat reflector, inverted canister stand, and windscreen.
Front row (L to R): burner, fuel pump

The major components are listed in the caption above. Of course you also get a stuff sack, a liquid fuel adapter, and a little parts baggie with spare jets, a wrench/tool, and lubricant.

By contrast, the Omnifuel:

The components that come with an Omnifuel

Basically, you just get the burner and the fuel pump (and of course the stuff sack with the wrench/tool, spare jets, and lubricant). You (typically) don't get a heat reflector, windscreen, or inverted canister stand. Note: There are a lot of package deals out there with the Omnifuel; shop around. Some packages even include a fuel bottle. The Whisperlite Universal is typically sold separately from a fuel bottle.

The MSRP of the Whisperlite Universal is $140. The MSRP of the Omnifuel is $160. However, always look for deals. I've seen all sorts of special packages and deals out there on the Omnifuel. Be sure to shop around.

Value for the Dollar

Generally though, I'd say the Whisperlite wins on a value for the dollar basis. There's just more included with a Whisperlite. A windscreen is really important. It's included with the Whisperlite Universal. You've got to buy it separately with the Omnifuel. I've read that there's a "built in windscreen" with the Omnifuel. I don't buy that. You need an external windscreen for anything more than a breeze.

Also, that little canister stand that comes with the Whisperlite Universal is actually pretty handy.

The inverted canister stand of a Whisperlite Universal

Convenience in cold weather operation

What does the canister stand buy you? Convenience in cold weather operation with canister gas. Yes, you could just switch to liquid fuel for cold weather operation, but there are advantages to gas like improved simmering, greater mechanical reliability, and the elimination of priming. With the stand, you can easily invert a canister for improved cold weather operation. Generally, inverting the canister means you can operate your stove in weather that is 20F/10C colder than you could if the canister were right side up.

The really nice inverted canister stand of the Whisperlite Universal

Notice the Omnifuel's connector just to the left of the Whisperlite Universal's canister stand. Not only does the Omnifuel not come with a stand, but the control knob makes it hard to keep a canister inverted. Sure, you can DIY something, but the nice, professional stand that MSR gives you is really pretty nice.

Convenience in switching between gas and liquid fuels

In terms of switching between gas and liquid fuels, the Omnfuel wins, hands down. On the Whisperlite Universal, you have to change adapters on the end of the fuel line, and you have to change the jet. On the Omnifuel, there's no adapter to change; you just change the jet. Whether gas or liquid, the end of the fuel line stays the same with the Omnifuel.

Overall Build Quality

The Primus Omnifuel is a thing of beauty. It's precision engineering at it's best. It's almost more work of art than stove. It's hard to sum up the difference in a photo or two, but let's take a quick look at the respective pumps.

Top: The MSR standard pump. Bottom: The Primus Ergopump.

Now, the plastic MSR pump is a perfectly serviceable pump, but there's just no comparison to the engineering marvel that is the Primus Ergopump. The smooth, precise stroke of the Primus pump is such a pleasure. The MSR pump feels a bit tinny by comparison. Don't get me wrong. I think they're both good stoves, but if you like precise Swiss watch-like engineering, the Omnifuel is for you.

Simmering

The Omnifuel has a valve at the burner, and is the better simmerer, particularly on liquid fuel. With the Omnifuel, it's easy to simmer, and anybody, even the rankest newbie, can do it. However, the Whisperlites are the best non-valve-at-the-burner simmering stoves that MSR makes and are a huge improvement over previous generations of the Whisperlite. Simmering with the Whisperlite Universal takes a few tricks, like leaving a lot of air space in the fuel bottle and only pumping up the bottle with about 1/4 the normal amount of pump strokes. With a bit of practice, the Whisperlite Universal really can simmer, but it's not as easy nor as automatic as with the Omnifuel. The Whisperlite Universal does have a large burner head which distributes the flame well which reduces the chances of hot spotting.

Compactness

The Omnifuel has a real advantage here. The Whisperlite Universal has a larger burner head in the first place, and for whatever reason MSR decided to go with a really stiff fuel line, a fuel line that's a real pain in the neck to pack up.

The Primus Omnifuel is far more compact than the Whisperlite Universal

Note how in the below photo that the hose on the Whisperlite Universal sticks up in the air, supporting not only its own weight but also the weight of the canister adapter at its tip. Now that is a stiff hose.

The Whisperlite Universal has a very stiff fuel hose, so stiff that it will stick into the air, unsupported

By contrast, the Omnifuel's hose wraps easily around the body of the stove. NICE.

The flexible hose of the Omnifuel is easily wrapped around the stove and tucked into the folded pot supports.

Noise

The Omnifuel is just plain loud. It's not the loudest I've ever heard, but it's definitely not going to enhance the peace of the wilderness.

The Omnifuel with a roarer burner (left) and the Whisperlite with a ported (or baffled) burner (right)

The Omnifuel has a "roarer" type burner, and roar it does. Now, the good thing about a roarer burner is that it's easy to clean and handles wind well. But it is loud. The Whisperlite, as one might surmise from its name, is far quieter.

There is however a solution to the noise problem of the Omnifuel: You can get an after market silent cap. The best cap I've seen is the OmniDawg silent cap from Bluewater Stove Restoration. It's a wonderfully quiet solution that also reduces the carbon monoxide emissions of the stove, but it's typically pricey.

An OmniDawg silent cap shown between a Primus Omnifuel (left) and an MSR Whisperlite Universal (right).

See my Omnifuel review for more information including videos on the OmniDawg silent cap. OmniDawg silent caps are only sold through "BernieDawg's Store" on eBay.

Disclosure: I am not affiliated with Bluewater stove restoration or "BernieDawg's Store." I am merely a satisfied customer. I cannot help you obtain a silent cap. Please use eBay if you would like a silent cap for your stove.

Pot Stability

I'd say the Whisperlite Universal has the edge on pot stability. I tested the Whisperlite Universal with an enormous (in backpacking terms) one gallon (3.8L) tea kettle. Steady as a rock. The pot supports on the Whisperlite Universal have a radius of approximately 94mm. That's a pretty good sized pot support! That's larger than the previous generation of Whisperlites which already had great pot stability. With pot supports like that, you can use large pots for snow melting, an essential expedition task.

Now, that's not to say that the Omnifuel has poor pot stability -- far from it, but the Whisperlite Universal has the edge here. The Omnifuel has pot supports with a radius of approximately 84mm.

Pot Compatibility

On pot compatibility, the roles are a bit reversed, at least with smaller pots. The Whisperlite Universal with it's big burner head has trouble with smaller pots. There is a gap of approximately 42mm from the center of the Whisperlite Universal's burner to the inner end of the pot supports. In other words, your pot has to be wider than 84mm in order to be used on a Whisperlite Universal. Obviously, the Whisperlite Universal wasn't meant for small, solo style mug type pots. Unless you've got something like an MSR Espresso Star, which spans pot supports so that you can use a small pot or espresso maker, stick with a bigger pot.

An MSR Espresso Star on a Whisperlite Universal

Weight

Here's where I think the Whisperlite Universal really shines, particularly on liquid fuel. Let's take a look at the numbers.

Canister Gas

Primus Omnifuel 427g/15.06oz

Whisperlite Universal 315g/11.11oz

Liquid Fuel

Primus Omnifuel 530g/18.70oz

Whisperlite Universal 369g/13.02oz

Basically, on canister gas, the Whisperlite Universal is about 112g/4oz lighter than the Omnifuel, and on liquid fuel, the Whisperlite Universal is about 161g/5.7oz lighter than the Omnifuel. Yes, the Omnifuel has a beautiful metal pump, but you pay for it in the weight department. Whether on canister gas or on liquid fuel, you save at least a quarter pound with the Whisperlite, and your weight savigs go up to almost 3/8th of a pound when using liquid fuel.

Note: For the purposes of comparison, I did not include the windscreen, heat reflector, or canister stand since those only come with one of the stoves. I wanted an "apples to apples" comparison. Included are the stuff sacks, one jet, spare parts and tools, stove, and pump (for liquid fuel only obviously). On the Whisperlite Universal, the appropriate adapter on the end of the fuel hose was included.

Concluding Remarks

So, which is the better stove overall? You tell me. :)

Seriously, it's up to you. Take a look at the various categories I've laid out above. It's up to you to decide which mix of price, weight, and features matter to you. Some people won't get an Omnifuel just because it's loud. Others won't go with the Whisperlite Universal simply because it has a plastic pump. I can't decide for you which categories matter to you and in what way, but I hope that by laying out some facts, figures, and thoughts, this post will help you get a better understanding of which stove might better suit your needs.

Special thanks to Martin C. who helped me recover this post after it was obliterated in a Blogger error.

As always, I thank you for joining me on another Adventure in Stoving,

Technical Appendix -- Detail Weights

Whisperlite Universal Weights

	Item	Grams	Include?	Grams	Ounces	Pounds
1	Stove	232	Y	232	8.18	0.51
2	Pump	65	Y	65	2.29	0.14
3	Windscreen	60	N	0	0.00	0.00
4	Manual	57	N	0	0.00	0.00
5	Stuff Sack	35	Y	35	1.23	0.08
6	Canister Adapter	31	N	0	0.00	0.00
7	Liquid Fuel Adapter	22	Y	22	0.78	0.05
8	Reflector	17	N	0	0.00	0.00
9	Canister Stand	14	N	0	0.00	0.00
10	Spare Parts Kit	12	Y	12	0.42	0.03
11	Canister Gas Jet	5	N	0	0.00	0.00
12	Kerosene Jet	3	Y	3	0.11	0.01
13	Gasoline Jet	3	N	0	0.00	0.00
	TOTAL			369	13.02	0.81

	Upright Gas			315	11.11	0.69
	Inverted Gas			329	11.61	0.73
	Liquid Fuel			369	13.02	0.81

Primus Omnifuel Weights

	Item	Grams	Include?	Grams	Ounces	Pounds
1	Stove	348	Y	348	12.28	0.77
2	Pump	103	Y	103	3.63	0.23
3	Tool	42	Y	42	1.48	0.09
4	Stuff Sack	30	Y	30	1.06	0.07
5	Lubricant	5	Y	5	0.18	0.01
6	Canister Gas Jet	2	N	0	0.00	0.00
7	Kerosene Jet	2	N	0	0.00	0.00
8	Gasoline Jet	2	Y	2	0.07	0.00
	TOTAL			530	18.70	1.17

	Upright Gas			427	15.06	0.94
	Inverted Gas			427	15.06	0.94
	Liquid Fuel			530	18.70	1.17

As previously announced and reported here on Adventures in Stoving, MSR is coming out with a new version of their Whisperlite stove, the Whisperlite Universal.

An MSR Whisperlite Universal running on canister gas in liquid feed mode

I've written a review of the new Whisperlite Universal, and that review is now available at Seattle Backpackers Magazine. This blog post will answer questions that may not have been addressed in the review and also serve as a place to display additional photos not used in the review.

Update, 19 January 2012: The MSR Whisperlite Universal has been awarded the Backpacking Magazine Editor's Choice award.

QUESTION: Can the gas adapter from the Whisperlite Universal be used on a Simmerlite?
ANSWER: The end of the Whisperlite Universal's fuel line is threaded, and it is onto these threads that the gas and liquid fuel adapters attach. The end of the Simmerlite's fuel line is smooth. So, no, unfortunately, the gas adapter from the Whisperlite Universal can not be used on a Simmerlite.

The end of a Whisperlite Universal fuel line

QUESTION: What tools are needed to assemble/disassemble the Whisperlite Universal?
ANSWER: Generally, the only tool you will need is the wrench/tool that comes with the stove. However, a safety pin or needle can be really handy for replacing "O" rings. For heavier duty maintenance, you may need additional tools. For example, the burner head now requires a hex tool (Allen wrench) for disassembly. However, this type of maintenance is almost never needed in the field, and you should be fine when out on the trail with just the MSR wrench/tool.

The wrench/tool that comes with the Whisperlite Universal

QUESTION: What is the retail price of the Whisperlite Universal?
ANSWER: MSRP is $139.95.
Update 11 Nov 2011: MEC, the Canadian Outdoors retailer, has the MSR Whisperlite Universal listed for $131.00 (CAD -- about $128 USD). Let's hope that MSR has relented a little bit on the price. $140 is a bit much for a Whisperlite, even a wonderfully improved Whisperlite like the Whisperlite Universal

DETAILED PHOTOS NOT USED IN THE REVIEW:

The UC jet is seen here in the mixing chamber. Note how the height of the jet restricts the air supply to the mixing chamber.


The legs have "stops" that precisely control the positioning of the legs/pot supports. Gone are the notches that each leg slipped in to.

A photo of the underside of the MSR Whisperlite Universal's burner. A spring clip holds the legs in place.

The canister adapter of the MSR Whisperlite Universal, opposite side. Note the pictograph of a canister gas jet and the letters UC which correspond to the letters on the actual jet.

The baffles of the Whisperlite Universal's burner. There are fewer baffles than earlier versions.

MSR Whisperlite Universal (top) with liquid fuel adapter on the end of the fuel line. MSR Whisperlite "Classic" (bottom).

MSR Whisperlite "Classic" (left), MSR Whisperlite Universal (right).

The MSR Whisperlite Universal rigged for canister gas

Flame shot, running on white gasoline (Coleman fuel). Note how hot it gets under the generator (pre heat loop). This apparent heat entrapment allows the stove to simmer far better than current Whisperlite stoves.

Flame shot, running on white gasoline -- MAXIMUM POWER.

Running on canister gas in liquid feed mode -- MAXIMUM POWER. That is a really big flame for a Whisperlite.

Running on canister gas in liquid feed mode -- MAXIMUM POWER.

Running on kerosene

Soot build up after running on kerosene

MSR Whisperlite Universal (left) and MSR Windpro (right).

The fuel line of the Whisperlite Universal is fairly stiff. Here, you can see that the fuel line never touches the table top. The line is stiff enough to support its own weight without drooping.

A Whisperlite Classic snapped into a Trillium base.

The legs of a Whisperlite Universal do not fit onto the tabs of a Trillium base

The Whisperlite Universal canNOT plug into older versions of the standard pump. The aluminum block is too wide. Note how the red plastic of the pump has been chipped by the aluminum block.

The aluminum block of the Whisperlite Internationale fits right in to an older MSR standard pump.

The aluminum blocks of the Whisperlite Universal (bottom) and the Whisperlite Internationale (top). Note that the aluminum block is asymmetric on the Internationale. This asymmetry allows the block to fit into older versions of the standard MSR pump.