Primus ETA Spider Full Detailed Review
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The Primus Eta Spider has a few small faults within its otherwise remarkable feature set. While helpful, the windshield is readily replaceable in the field. Basic lightweight aluminum screens from many other major stove manufacturers. The zipped bag, may also be used to insulate your food after cooking. A significant amount of packed weight. The Eta Spider’s flame may remain constant just above burner height for prolonged simmering or roar to life when you need hot beverages fast. The stove is very durable, and the raised, rubberized lid-grab remains the most useful of any stove brand.
Efficiency
Compact
Noise
Aluminum
0.36 Kg
Ceramic
The Eta Spider was fueled by a 100 gramme canister of Primus Power Gas for long enough to boil 20 two-cup pots.
In calm, warm circumstances, the Eta Spider took 2:53 to boil two cups of tap water. The final four boils slowed significantly as the gas drained, impacting the average throughout the canister’s lifetime. Expect two cups to boil in little over two minutes for the first 10-15 pans.
When packed in its travel case, the Primus Eta Spider weighs 2 lbs. 1 oz. This includes the system’s portable Piezo igniter and the BPA-free plastic bowl.
When exposed to persistent, moderate wind, the Primus Eta Spider works well, averaging 3:38 over five boils of tap water.
The Primus Eta Spider is an outstanding cooking stove. I was able to keep the spaghetti boiling just at the lip of the pot for well over 10 minutes thanks to its simmer control. Its wide stance also allows for the use of bigger pots and pans. This burner is designed to do more than just pour hot water into a bag.
Very well-made stove that is sturdy, reliable, robust, super-quiet, and efficient. Primus designed it to operate with canister (LP) gas, but with an optional multi-fuel kit, it will also burn white gas, kerosene, paraffin, and unleaded gasoline. I am not sure, but I would not be shocked if it also used jet-A gasoline.
In chilly conditions, the canister may be inverted during cooking.
The only drawback I have to mention is that the supplied, hand-held Peizo igniter does not function. This is the “T”-shaped tool in the bottom left corner of the previous picture, with a black plastic top and a chrome down tube.
As I have read in many evaluations of this and other Primus stoves, this seems to be a frequent problem. But it is not a huge issue. Every click produces a visible spark, but the spark is so high up in the tube that it does not ignite the fuel vapour. This is, in reality, a small quibble.
The stove looks fantastic! The accompanying pot has a “colander” cover, and there is a design element on the bottom of the pot that transmits heat from the flame to the contents of the pot in a very efficient and even manner The pot features a tough nonstick surface that looks and feels like Teflon. Perhaps it is Teflon? In any case, it works!
Even at full blast, the stove burns extremely quietly, and it can be adjusted down to a simmer while using either LP (canister gas) or liquid white gas from the red fuel bottle.
I appreciate how the burner rests directly on the ground, either within the base of the windshield with a magnet to attach each foot, or stand-alone with no windscreen. The Primus ETA Spider stove NEVER sits on TOP of a canister, which is, in my view, a terrible design to save a few insignificant ounces of weight at the cost of having a highly unstable, top-heavy stove that may easily topple over. I do not like that arrangement, even with the add-on canister “feet” connected to the base of a canister. For what it is worth, this is just my view.
The ETA Spider is sent from Primus ready to take canister (LP) gas via the supplied braided metal line and operates flawlessly straight out of the box. For cold weather camping, I purchased the optional multi-fuel kit on Amazon for $80, which contains a small.035 Liter fuel bottle, three different fuel jets, and a maintenance kit.
Installing the liquid fuel components and lighting the stove with white gas took approximately 15 minutes (and three glasses of wine). It would take approximately 1 minute to return to the canister and swap out the jet. The Swedish have created a really efficient design :).
A great design element is that the canister may be flipped when cooking in cold weather to improve its usefulness as the temperatures drop.
The accompanying travel case also functions as a heat-resistant, insulated “pot cozy” keeping my meal warm after it has been removed from the burner.
Another important factor that influenced my decision to purchase the Primus over the very popular MSR stoves is that, to save a few meaningless ounces of weight, MSR made the (very unwise) decision to supply its liquid fuel bottles with a PLASTIC pump handle, whereas the Primus pump handles are made of steel (read: heavier, yet more rugged and durable).
Many reviewers have reported that the plastic pump handle on their MSR stoves has failed (broken). However, this is not meant to be a criticism of MSR. They DO make extremely good quality tents, stoves, and other equipment, but based on the numerous reports I have read, the plastic pump is unquestionably a weak link in their stoves.
Bottom line: the Primus ETA Spider is a very efficient, dependable, well-made, and flexible stove. While it is a little heavier and thicker than some other stoves, I believe it will be more robust and survive longer in the long run than many competitors’ stoves.
As always, I will happily “man up” gain some strength, and carry a little more weight in order to enjoy the luxury of better, more lasting, and dependable equipment once I get at my campground.
If you are looking for something in less price and and with all the functionality then you must go for Kovea Spider. Affordable and good for low usability.
The Primus Eta Spider simmers as well as the Jetboil MiniMo and uses the same amount of fuel, but it weighs a pound more when packed as bought. If weight is not a major issue, you can not go wrong with it.
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Hello, im noob 🙂