Expert Review: Jetboil MiniMo Stove
This review is my honest opinion of the stove, which I purchased with my own money in June of 2022.
All photos courtesy of Octavio Rivas
About this Review: This review is my honest opinion of the stove, which I purchased with my own money in June of 2022.
My take
The Jetboil MiniMo Stove is an amazing stove that is both great for boiling and has simmer control — a backpacker will be able to make coffee or tea and even cook a steak. It is an amazing addition for any backpacker looking to upgrade their cookware.
About the gear
- Model: 2022 Jetboil MiniMo Stove
- Average Boil Time: 2–3 minutes
- Fuel Type: Isobutane-propane
About me
- Experience: 16 years of camping/backpacking and founder of Tahoe Adventurers, a non-profit that takes people outdoors
Test conditions
- When I bought it: June 2022
- Days tested: 22 days
- Where I’ve used it: Desolation Wilderness in California, Mt. Rose in Nevada, Palisades Tahoe in California, and Great Basin National Park
- Seasons I’ve used it in: Summer and fall
- Weather conditions I’ve used it in: Cold, windy, hot, and wet
- Used for: Car camping and backpacking
- What I’ve primarily cooked in it: Gourmet camp meals, boiling for tea and coffee, and freeze-dried food
How it performs
What I was looking for
I was looking for a fast-boiling stove that can simmer, so I can cook different meals when out camping or waiting early morning at the KT lift line at Palisades-Tahoe. I was also looking for a stove that has a regulator, so it’s able to cook in any conditions that I might face.
Why I chose this gear
I was looking for a new stove to add to my existing collection of stoves like my MSR Pocket Rocket and MSR WindBurner. I chose this Jetboil because it offered me multiple options for my cooking needs as well. I knew I was getting the best quality from Jetboil. I can also buy more accessories like a bigger 1.5 and 5L pot, a coffee press, a skillet, and a frying pan from Jetboil to go along with this stove.
I also considered Flash Stove from Jetboil for its fast boil time to make my meals in no time. However, it doesn’t have a regulator.
What I love about it
- Durability: It is an incredibly durable stove that hasn’t shown signs of wear yet. Make sure to always use plastic cooking utensils to avoid damaging the pot.
- Time to Boil: The time to boil is roughly two minutes depending on conditions. However, the FluxRing from Jetboil helps immensely to retain heat and protect it from the wind.
- Fuel Efficiency: The FluxRing helps heat the cooking pot at an even and fast rate, aiding in fuel efficiency.
- Heat Control: It is incredibly easy to control the heat by turning the simmer control to full power or off.
- Stability: The stove comes with stability support for both the pot and the fuel canister. It can also support a plate for a skillet if I am looking into cooking a gourmet meal.
- Wind Resistance: The FluxRing acts as a wind guard to help retain heat from turning off.
- Portability: It has metal handles that can help pick it up, and it uses a low spoon angle pot, which helps when eating out of it.
- Packability: It easily fits in a backpack, as I can put most of the pieces inside the pot, except for the fuel.
- Ease of Use: This intuitive model requires little time to learn all the functions. Twist the stove to fuel, unveil the simmer control, press the igniter, and then insert the pot on top.
- Features: It will have a push-button igniter, a bottom cover that can be a measuring cup and bowl, a fuel stabilizer, a pot support, and a skillet.
- Backpacking: It’s an amazing addition for backpacking because it is portable, it can be used to boil water in around two minutes, and it can cook food as well.
- Car Camping: The Jetboil MiniMo is 6000 BTU. This makes it an excellent addition to keep in the car if I ever need to make a quick meal on the go, and it will cook everything evenly.
Issues I’ve encountered
- Packability: The only issue I’ve encountered is that this specific model can't fit a 200g fuel canister inside. If that were possible, it would be the perfect stove.
Favorite moment with this stove
My favorite moment was cooking my first meal with it during a backpacking trip up to Mt. Rose for a sunset hike. The night before, we were all making dinner and everyone had freeze-dried food, while I had an instant potato package and a filet mignon. Needless to say, I had all eyes on me, and everyone wanted the MiniMo Stove and its skillet.
Value for the money vs. other options
I believe this MiniMo is a great system and is well worth the price with all the items it comes with and the security of mind that it won’t fail someone who is backpacking.
An alternative to the MiniMo I would consider is the MightyMo from Jetboil, which is its little brother. One would have to purchase the pot separately, and it won’t come with the FluxRing. Another option is the WindBurner from MSR, which is very similar in terms of boiling and cooking. However, it will have a smaller pot at 0.5L compared to MiniMo at 1L.
Final verdict
The Jetboil MiniMo is an incredible stove that I highly recommend to everyone, including the members of Tahoe Adventurers, my non-profit of outdoor enthusiasts that I lead. It’s a stove that can bring water to its boiling point in around two minutes and cook an amazing meal.
