Customer Reviews

Flash Personal Cooking System, Violet

5 star:		(37)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The jetboil system is a must. I have been using the jetboil for four season now and it is perfect for those who just need to boil water and rehydrate freeze dried food. The system all stores in the boiling cup and snaps together and ready for use in about 10-15 seconds. It has a built in starter so in theory you don't even need matches. The older system had a very fragile auto-starter that was prone to cracking and so in the middle of a trip you might suddenly need matches. They have since improved the auto-starter and I have found the new filaments quite reliable. The newer color change indicator is also a nice feature. It isn't necessary, as you can usually tell when the water is coming to a boil from the steam and gentle sound of the water rolling to a boil, but the color changer is a nice touch that means you can just sit back and wait for the color orange to appear on the indicator and "presto" your water is ready for coffee, freeze dried meals, oatmeal, etc...

I don't do any complex cooking when backpacking, and for those who want to do more than just boil water, the jetboil will do it, but other stoves probably are lighter and do it better. But if you want a system for boiling water and freeze dried food prep there is no more simple, reliable, and quick system. Clean up is incredibly simple as well and it all fits together in the cooking cup for easy packing (the butane cartridge also fits within the cup. The jetboil can be used fairly well without the tripod stabilizer, but it is another nice small feature that adds to the overall functionality of this product (after all, who wants to have their hot water spill over just as you are getting ready for lunch)

For high altitude Butane cartridges are not usually as reliable, but I have used the jetboil at 11,000 feet with good results.

Let me start with this - before taking this out on a trip, I was concerned about the alleged two cup capacity that was described both in the manual, on the cup itself, and on review sites. I didn't get a chance to test out the Jetboil before I left for a three day trip, so I had to find out for myself on the trail: The Jetboil will boil four cups of water to the point of a rolling boil without any danger of overflow. Bottom line. I don't know why they put a two cup limit on it, I'm sure it has something to do with liability or whatever, but they're totally lying about the two cups.

I loved having this Jetboil. I've only used it for one trip into the Ouachita Mountains so far, but it made the trip so much nicer than usual, with an easy hot meal whenever we felt like it. We had four people in our group, and were able to quickly make coffee and oatmeal in the morning, then Mountain House meals for lunches and dinners, as well as hot chocolate at night by the fire. Loved the Jetboil, and can't wait to use it more in the future. My only complaint, and reason for 4 stars instead of 5, is that the lighting mechanism stopped working after the first pot of water boiled, but hopefully that's just an issue with my particular Jetboil and can be remedied with a return/exchange at REI.

I have used the Jetboil flash on many kyaking trips and hiking excursions! I have used it in all types of weather conditions and it has always performed perfect! I personally use it to heat water for my Mountain House Meals which by the way are the best tasting dehydrated foods for camping or any situatuation.
The jetboil is very affordable to maintain and it will serve enough hot water for many people in your party or several outdoor adventures! This thing is just amazing and easy to use, even my 10 year old operates it with ease! I have tried many other brands of PCS on the market and none compare or as easy to use and pack! Dont waste your money on anything else! You wont be sorry!
Amazon had the best prices I could find for the Jetboil Flash!

I bought the Jetboil Flash about a month ago and so far I love it. It's incredibly simple to operate, and you'll have boiling water in the same time it takes most people to get their other stoves set up. I have mainly used this so far for boiling water for Mountain House dehydrated meals, but I've also tried putting soup directly in it and it worked great, you just have to make sure that you stir it often, so as not to burn whatever is on the bottom. It's not the lightest cooking system out there, but it definitely is the easiest and I will be carrying mine whenever I have the extra room and weight to spare.

I am very satisfied with this product; but I need to make a note about cold weather use.

The instructions that come with the product state: "WARNING! Warm fuel vapor can condense in a very cold burner, spraying fuel. This can cause unsafe flaring. Exercise caution in cold weather. You can be seriously burned"

Here is what happened to me as I was camping in Colorado at 5,000 feet and tried to fire up my Jet Boil at about 20 degrees Farenheit. I assembled the parts and added water to the cup to make some coffee. I opened the gas valve and pushed the ignitor several times. Finally there was fire... on the liquid that was oozing down the side of the burner and set the plastic parts afire destroying the unit.

I learned later that the "four season fuel" wasn't four seasons in Colorado.

I bought a replacement and now keep the fuel in the bottom of my sleeping bag when it is cold outside.

Again, the Jet Boil is an elegant and useful device; but special care must be taken in cold climates.

Hope this helps,

~B

70.00 to 100.00 (+/-) bucks is more than normal to spend on a smallish camp stove I thought, but if you're looking for something that will add more time = fun to your outings the JETBOIL is for you. When in the woods, time equals fun. If you can get the chores done quickly, you can get back to fishing, hunting, watching wildlife etc. The JETBOIL gives you that precious time. I was a bit skeptical at first thinking that there were only so many ways a person can deliver fire to the underside of a cup/cooking container but I was educated quickly the first time I fired up the JETBOIL. This little puppy gets water to boil faster than ANYTHING I'VE EVER USED!

The size of the JETBOIL is just about perfect. I can put it in the water container pocket on the outside of my pack where it sets real nice. Since all the accessories pack into the cup, there is no "hunting" for accessories in the twilight hours, everything is right at your fingertips. I purchased the pizo igniter model and am now a convert to the ease of push button lighting. Just put the parts together, push a button and "flame on" as our comic book heros say.

On a cautionary note: My son discovered the hard way that the fuel is so pure and the burner so efficient that the flame is hard to see at low burn rates. It's important to listen for the "flame rush" not STICK YOUR FINGER IN THE BURNER! What can I say, he takes after his mothers side of the family...

I don't know if I am a good husband/dishwasher or if the JETBOIL is easy to clean but I can say that the container came clean in about 3 swipes of a dishrag. It almost cleans itself in fact.

Lets see, that's about it. If you are looking for an efficient, easy packing, well priced, self-contained unit to boil water/cook food in a HURRY, buy yourself a JETBOIL. You'll be very glad you did...

Now, go have some fun in the woods!

I have used this multiple times, and it works perfectly as advertised! Boils water in an instant and is light, compact, and easy to pack! Would highly recommend this system! I boiled water for a Mountain House dinner, and had coffee ready in less than 5 minutes the other morning! Only reason I don't give it five stars is because it can be a bit difficult to ignite and seems a bit fragile in that department, otherwise very sturdy, and if anything does break with the lighting apparatus I can always use the weatherproof matches I carry with!

I absolutely love my Jetboil, it really does boil water fast! However, don't let your fuel get cold. I was out on a weekend backpacking trip where the temperature dropped to somewhere in the 30's, and I could not light my jetboil. The spark still worked, but I was told that the fuel separates and doesn't burn properly when it gets cold, so if you have any way to keep your fuel warm, please do so. The problem is not with the Jetboil, the problem is with the fuel. I would highly recommend this stove. I only use it for boiling water, I don't cook anything in the canister, they sell other accessories like a skillet for cooking meals. I feel the canister it comes with is more suitable for just boiling massive amounts of water fast.

When we first received our JetBoil, my youngest son wanted to try it out, straight from the package. Without having to read the instructions and without help from me, he set up the stove and lit it. My son is just your average kid. The unit is THAT intuitive to use.

Not that I WANT my children to set up and use a camp stove unsupervised, but they COULD with this product. Each has his/her own system in their pack and, if separated from the group, use it with no problem.

On trips the stove has worked perfectly and been a durable part of our gear. We go back-country and have been in some rough terrain and nasty weather. The stove has not failed us yet and has made our packs lighter and cooking/clean up easier. Quick boil/cook conserves fuel for the long haul. Quick change of cups (companion cup or cup from a different stove) means we limit fuel usage and we still all get to eat together.

Great product!

I am in the Marine Corps infantry and I am hard on my stuff....needless to say. I carried, and used, my Jetboil everywhere. It kept working all through the deployment, even when a brick roof fell on it!

Buy this. Buy it now.