Performance

A stove's performance is measured in how quickly it can cook and if it is cost-efficient in terms of fuel. This little stove has a big heart when it comes to performance, good for boiling water, heating up soup and canned stews, warming up pre-packed emergency rations, and freeze-dried meals. Any type of food which can be boiled is ok for the pot on top of this stove.

You can't heat up huge amounts, try to stay with an amount that is enough for up to two people; boiling large volumes of liquids or heating up big servings of food will quickly burn up the fuel supply.

This stove is designed for campers, mountaineering, hikers, or backpackers who want to make hot drinks or food on the go. When this is used in the context for which it has been designed, it has a very impressive performance. However, it is capable of performing beyond its design concept.

The camping stove comes with a 4flex support system which is designed to support large pot sizes so the user does have the option for preparing large servings for more than two people. You can use a little more fuel but cook larger portions. The four support arms can be adjusted for both large and small pots.

The concave design for the burner head is very innovative; you get better fuel efficiency, the flame is protected from gusts of wind, and cooking time is quicker. No more frustrating relighting a blown-out flame. These features are very good for maintaining a good performing stove. The attention given to designing heat-up efficiency is impressive.

Most users are very happy and impressed by the performance and in particular how well the stove maintains a good heat flame in breezy weather.

Ease of Use

Propane canisters cannot be ordered online; your source for fuel canisters will be any store selling equipment for outdoor activities such as camping, hiking, survival gear, mountaineering, and backpacking equipment. With this thought in mind, it is best to stock up on a number of canisters when you visit an outdoor store. Ease of use won't work well if you don't ensure you have backup fuel canisters.

With the 4flex adjustable support arms, using large cooking pots is safe and stable; a smaller 4-flex system for supporting smaller pots is available. This means you can shift the pot's cooking capability very easily by changing your 4flex support to match your pot size and cooking aims.

For ease of ignition, the SOTO WindMaster stove has a stealth ignition system that requires a designed-in burner post that avoids ignition failure; the stove is designed to be shock-resistant to downplay any potential breaking. The regulator system gives you precise control over heat output so that you can go from a boil down to a consistent simmer very quickly.

With very little practice, ease of use is user-friendly with the Windmaster.

Ability to Burn

The SOTO WindMaster stove features the ability to burn for around 1.5 hours when using an 8-ounce propane canister. This is a good amount of burn-time especially when you factor in that the canister can be removed many times and reconnected for use. The removable gas canister is a nice feature and useful when carrying the stove in a hiking backpack because the cooker can fold down and fit inside a standard size cooking pot. This means the canister can be stashed away in a backpack pocket out of the way. For containment, this model comes with a small carrying sack.

This stove runs quietly while being powerful; performance is very good even when not using a shield in breezy weather. Many users are commenting positively on the stove design feature for the concave burner because this feature has proven to be very good for maintaining a good flame. The simmer control system feature gives micro precision control and certainly enhances performance.

Ignition

The piezo igniter gives instant reliable ignition and user reviews are clear in saying that it sparks and ignites the first time, always. A tri-flex support system is available but can only be used with very small pots; it is more useful to stay with the 4flex support system.

This is not a low-cost product but it's also not as expensive as some of the similar style stoves made by other brand makers.

The SOTO WindMaster stove compares favorably against most other compact stoves and user feedback strongly points at the stove outperforming many other brands with regards to functionality in breezy weather.

The support arms neatly fold down to the sides of the stove which makes it very compact and small enough to fit into a standard cooking pot. This stove is light and very portable while using minimum space. A superb comparison feature is the ignitor system which works first time every time, unlike a number of less well-designed light stoves which can be problematic for ignition.

The strongest comparison in favor of the WindMaster is that this is a stove purpose-designed for light boiling and cooking but it easily handles bigger cooking tasks and this is why it has a 4flex support system. This ability is not always apparent in many rival lightweight camping stoves or if the feature is designed in it, this is reflected in the higher purchase price.

In terms of price, value for money, reliable performance, and innovative design, this little stove is a big performer.

Stoves at this size and offering good reliable performance are in the minimum, this is, without doubt, a high-performing versatile model with a huge following of satisfied users.

For those looking for ease of use blended with efficiency and convenience, investing in the SOTO WindMaster stove is a positive step; the stove is reliable, it is durable and it has impressive flexible performance while giving the user a lot of control.

The price is balanced and often lower than similar models available from other brand makers; this is a very good investment for those looking for a problem-free and reliable stove.