JetBoil MiniMo Review
Compare prices at 3 resellers Pros: Light, fairly fuel efficient, piezoelectric lighter, can simmer
Cons: Not windproof
Manufacturer: JetBoil
Our Verdict
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JetBoil MiniMo | |||||
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| Awards |  |  |  | | |
| Price | Check Price at REI Compare at 3 sellers | Check Price at REI Compare at 2 sellers | Check Price at Backcountry Compare at 2 sellers | $16.95 at Amazon | $140 List |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Pros | Light, fairly fuel efficient, piezoelectric lighter, can simmer | Lightweight, works in the wind, great piezo lighter, very stable for small canister stove | Works in the wind, great for simmering, best of the best | Tiny, light, cheap | Versatile, stable, simmers easily with canister |
| Cons | Not windproof | Not the most fuel efficient, pot supports pack up separately from stove | Unreliable piezo igniter | Small burner head, poor wind performance | Heavy, takes time to switch fuel types, more expensive than other Whisperlites |
| Bottom Line | A great system for backpackers and alpine climbers relying on dehydrated, simple meals | Our favorite small canister stove, providing the best performance for most backpackers | This simmering champ can also perform in the wind | A shockingly small and lightweight inexpensive model | The versatile, reliable stove adds canister capability to a traditional feature set |
| Rating Categories | JetBoil MiniMo | Soto Windmaster | MSR PocketRocket De... | BRS-3000T | MSR Whisperlite Uni... |
| Fuel Efficiency (25%) | |||||
| Weight (25%) | |||||
| Simmering Ability (20%) | |||||
| Ease Of Use (20%) | |||||
| Boil Time (10%) | |||||
| Specs | JetBoil MiniMo | Soto Windmaster | MSR PocketRocket De... | BRS-3000T | MSR Whisperlite Uni... |
| Category | Integrated Canister | Small Canister | Small Canister | Small Canister | Multifuel (liquid) |
| Trail Weight | 12.2 oz | 3.0 oz | 3.0 oz | 0.9 oz | 11.6 oz |
| Wind Boil Time (1 L, 2-4mph) | 5:09 min:sec | 7:24 min:sec | 7:20 min:sec | 15 min | 7:02 min:sec |
| Boil Time (1 liter) | 4:09 min:sec | 4:42 min:sec | 3:39 min:sec | 4:43 min:sec | 6:44 min:sec |
| Packed Weight | 15.2 oz | 3.5 oz | 3.5 oz | 1 oz | 17.5 oz |
| Dimensions (inches) | 5 x 6 in | 4.7 x 3.9 x 3.6 in | 3.3 x 2.2 x 1.8 in | 1.97 x 1.2 x 1.3 in | 6 x 6 x 4.7 in |
| Fuel Type | Isobutane | Isobutane | Isobutane | Isobutane | Isobutane, white gas, kerosene, gasoline |
| Additional items included | 1L pot, canister stand, plastic cup, stuff sack for burner | Stuff sack, pot support | Stuff sack | Stuff sack | Windscreen, heat reflector, canister stand, small-parts kit, stuff sack |
| Piezo Igniter | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Our Analysis and Test Results
The wider pot design and better temperature control on the MiniMo make it a great choice for someone who wants all the convenience of the previous Jetboil models with greater cooking and simmering potential, a lighter weight, and better fuel efficiency.
Performance Comparison
Fuel Efficiency
Our no-wind testing found that the MiniMo used 0.3 ounces of fuel to boil 1 liter of water. This is slightly above average in a category that's all about fuel efficiency. The pot's flux ring disburses heat nicely, and the insulated pot keeps things hot. Jetboil claims that with its redesigned regulator diaphragm and valve, this stove performs better in the cold. We have used the MiniMo in the snow a lot, and while we did not perform our quantitative tests in a cold environment, we found its cold-weather performance satisfactory.
Lighting up all of our stoves in front of the fan shook up the standings a bit. When the MiniMo boiled water in 2 - 4 mph wind, it used 0.6 ounces of fuel.
Weight
The MiniMo sports a trail weight of 12.2 ounces. This includes just the lid, pot, and burner, and leaves out the cup and canister stabilizer that come with the stove. Our testers almost never use these two accessories.
It is one of the lighter integrated canister stoves in our test. All of the small canister stoves are lighter but remember, the weight of the MiniMo includes a pot. Our scores in this metric reflect this fact.
We like that we could fit an 8-ounce fuel canister in the wider pot of the MiniMo, though the burner won't fit in there at the same time. You can also fit a 4-ounce canister along with the burner in the pot sideways.
Simmering Ability
Integrated canister stoves were not initially developed for cooking; they were engineered to make water boil as fast as possible. While the MiniMo will never simmer as well as the gourmet machines that are small canister stoves, it does better than most integrated canister stoves, making it a bit more versatile than other integrated canister models.
The burner unit on the MiniMo seems to help with its ability to simmer, as does the wider FluxRing heat exchanger. Whatever it is that's improving the simmering, we approve.
Ease Of Use
This is another metric where the MiniMo does well. Like all Jetboil stoves, the pot and burner mate securely. This means that you can pick up the whole assembly easily with one hand, even while it's lit. You can even pour from the pot with the burner still attached. And there's no fear of the hot burner falling off while doing either of these things.
We think the wider, squatter shape on the pot of the MiniMo, as well as the more distributed flux ring, help make this stove easier to cook with. We would not try to cook anything more complicated than pasta or dehydrated beans, but that will never happen with integrated canister stoves. If you're serious about gourmet meals, try a small canister stove. The new pot shape of the MiniMo also allows for easier stirring and eating out of this stove. An extra-long titanium spoon is no longer needed to eat your dinner directly out of the pot.
The color-changing boil indicator used to be a common feature on the JetBoil stoves, and we would love it if they brought it back. Thankfully, the MiniMo has a long control valve wire because we experienced it boiling over when we weren't paying attention and were able to shut it off without scalding our hands. Jetboil has also improved the handle and added sturdy plastic coated wire handles instead of the flimsy neoprene handle of the past.
Jetboil pot lids generally fit well over time instead of losing their shape like some other models. The lid on the MiniMo fits securely and stays put when pouring, but we found that it actually gets in the way of a precise pour. We wish Jetboil would come out with a lid that enhanced pouring precision instead of decreasing it.
The MiniMo is slightly more stable than the taller integrated canister stoves. We think the shorter pot makes it less wobbly when attached to a canister. It also comes with a canister support stand for stability, but our testers rarely bring it in the field.
Early Jetboil stoves were notorious for having the piezoelectric igniters die after a short time. We made a point of using the piezo lighters on all of our stoves repeatedly, each has been tested well over 100 times, and they seem to be better than the older igniters. While this feature does add weight, it's always attached to the stove and is a lot more convenient than a lighter. None of our testers are leaving their lighter (or lighters) at home when traveling with the MiniMo, but we all appreciate the convenience and wish more stoves came equipped with piezoelectric lighters that work over the long haul.
Boil Time
We tested the MiniMo in our laboratory (ahem, garage) and found that it boils water FAST. In the no-wind test, it boiled 1 liter of water in 4 minutes and 6 seconds.
Of course, our 2 - 4 mph wind test changed things up a bit, but less than we expected. All stoves, including the integrated canister stoves, suffered slower boil times in the wind. Wind added 1 minute and 10 seconds to the boil time.
Value
We think the MiniMo is a good value. It has more to offer than some of the less expensive integrated canister models and performs better overall than some of the more expensive ones.
Conclusion
Jetboil has made cooking simple meals easier with the MiniMo and created an easier vessel to eat out of with more reliable handles. The burner is respectably fuel-efficient. The reliable piezo igniter and reassuring pot-to-burner mating make the stove easier to use than most other integrated canister stoves. These reasons, combined with the overall low weight of the system, win this stove a coveted spot in our review.
— Ian McEleney & Jessica Haist