Eureka SPRK+ Butane Review
Cons: Minimal wind protection, slow boil time
Manufacturer: Eureka
Our Verdict
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 This Product
Eureka SPRK+ Butane | |||||
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| Awards |  |  | | ||
| Price | $54.95 at REI | $154.99 at Backcountry Compare at 2 sellers | $124.95 at REI | Check Price at Amazon | $54.79 at Amazon Compare at 2 sellers |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Pros | Lightweight, compact, easy to use, easy to set up, highly portable, inexpensive | Large cook surface, powerful, burly, impressive wind resistance, built to last | Efficient, durable, compact, has auto-ignition | Great simmering, inexpensive, lightweight, auto-ignition | Affordable, fuel adaptor threads on easier than other stoves, windscreens are adjustable, compact dimensions |
| Cons | Minimal wind protection, slow boil time | Heavy, bulky, spendy | Cooks hot, ignitor is sometimes finicky | Boils water slowly, can be hard to find butane canisters, no wind screen, you burn through lots of fuel cans (lots of waste) | No auto-ignition, lower BTUs, small burners prone to hot spots |
| Bottom Line | This lightweight single burner butane stove is decently inexpensive and easy to use | A durable, wind-resistant stove that features powerful output but also impressive simmering abilities and easy maintenance | A sleek and well-functioning stove that boils quickly, is easy to care for, and won't break the bank | Versatile and low cost, this single-burner stove cooks well, cleans up easily, and weighs the least of all the models we tested | This is a simple and straightforward two-burner that provides everything you need for basic meals at a very nice price |
| Rating Categories | Eureka SPRK+ Butane | Camp Chef Everest 2X | GSI Outdoors Selkir... | Gas One GS-3000 | Coleman Classic |
| Time To Boil (20%) | |||||
| Wind Resistance (20%) | |||||
| Simmering Ability (20%) | |||||
| Ease Of Set Up (15%) | |||||
| Ease Of Care (15%) | |||||
| Portability (10%) | |||||
| Specs | Eureka SPRK+ Butane | Camp Chef Everest 2X | GSI Outdoors Selkir... | Gas One GS-3000 | Coleman Classic |
| Weight (pounds) | 4.94 lbs w/case, 3.49 lbs stove alone | 13.97 lbs | 9.8 lbs | 4.1 lbs | 9.8 lbs |
| Total BTU per burner (from manufacturer) | 11,500 | 20,000 | 20,000 | 9,000 | 10,.000 |
| Boil Time (1 quart of water, wind from a box fan) | 14.5 min | 3.5 min | 5.5 min | 13 min | 6.25 min |
| Boil Time (1 quart of water, no wind) | 5 min | 3 min | 4 min | 4.5 min | 4.75 min |
| Cooktop material | Stainless steel | Nickel-coated steel | Nickel-chrome steel | Enamel Coated Steel | Aluminized steel |
| Packed Size (inches) | 15.3 x 13 x 3.6 | 27 x 15.5 x 8.25 | 21.4" x 12.9" x 3.8" | 14" x 12" x 3.5" | 21" x 13" x 3.5" |
| Cooking surface dimensions (inches) | 9.5" x 9.5" | 21" x 9.5" | 17.5" x 9.5" | 8.25" x 8.25" | 18.75" x 10.5" |
| Burner/flame diameter | 3' | 4.75" | 3" | 2.875" | 3.5" |
| Distance between burners (center to center) | N/A | 12.25" | 11" | N/A | 7.75" |
| Windscreen? | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Piezo Ignitor? | Rotary | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Number of burners | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Type of Model | Tabletop | Tabletop | Tabletop, foldable | Tabletop | Tabletop |
| Fuel Type | Butane | Propane | Propane | Butane | Propane |
| Mfr. Model Number | 2572201 | MS2HP | 56012 | GS-3000 | 2000020943NP |
Our Analysis and Test Results
The Eureka SPRK+ is a lightweight, single-burner butane stove that is easy to set up and easy to use. With a removable drip pan, it is also easy to maintain. It boasts a trim profile that takes up very little space in your kitchen kit and is a great single burner option if you're on a budget.
Performance Comparison
Time to Boil
In our water boiling test, the SPRK+ took 5 minutes to boil a quart of water in a wind-free environment, making it the slowest performer in our test suite. Despite the lower performance in this metric, the SPRK+ produces enough power to boil water or prepare one-pot or pan meals adequately. At 11,500 BTUs, this stove doesn't have the highest power output, but it does get the job done and will do it without burning your pots and pans.
Wind Resistance
To test wind resistance, our reviewers place a box fan 24" away from the stove, then time how long it takes to boil a quart of room temperature water. In this test, the SPRK+ took 14.5 minutes to boil water, making it the second slowest among our review fleet.
Part of the reason for the low performance in this category is that the SPRK+ has low-profile wind protection. This doesn't have to be a deal-breaker, as you could make an inexpensive windscreen out of a disposable aluminum baking dish or even an aluminum to-go container. With a little more wind protection, this stove is sure to meet your car camping culinary needs.
Simmering Ability
Given the low power output of the SPRK+ and its dedicated simmer function, this stove simmers like a champion. The only concern when simmering is that you have to get the heat low enough that the flame can be inconsistent or even flicker out in the presence of wind.
Ease of Set Up
This is one of the metrics where the SPRK+ truly shines. Like other butane stoves, it is incredibly easy to get this stove ready to start cooking. After you take the stove out of its plastic carrying case, open the fuel compartment, properly align and seat the butane, lock it in place, and you're ready to fire it up! If the stove is off-level, you can adjust it by rotating the feet on the bottom of the stove.
Ease of Care
Ease of care is another metric where the SPRK+ performs quite well. To clean it, just remove the drip pan, which is integrated with the pot stabilizers. This makes scrubbing your cook surface super easy but also means you can more easily clean the burner and clean underneath the drip pan.
Portability
With its low weight and slim profile, the SPRK+ is highly portable. It comes with a plastic carrying case with an easy-to-use handle. With the carrying case, the SPRK+ weighs 4.94 lbs, while the stove alone weighs 3.49 lbs. Beyond the ease of carrying the stove, it is also very compact (15.3" x 13" x 3.6"), commanding little space in your camp kitchen kit.
Value
Given the low price and quality construction of the SPRK+, we think this stove is a great value. Even though it isn't our top performer in boil time or wind resistance, it packs enough power to deliver a tasty meal quickly enough to satisfy a couple of hungry campers. If you're looking for a two-burner stove or for a stove with higher power output, you'll usually have to pay nearly double the price as you do for this one. It is easy to set up, easy to clean, lightweight, and very portable. All of this at a reasonable price is hard to beat.
Conclusion
The Eureka SPRK+ is a reasonably priced single-burner butane stove that is easy to clean, easy to set up, and highly portable. If you're looking for an inexpensive but durable car camping option for cooking one-pot meals, this might just be the perfect model for you.
— Mary Witlacil