The Primus PrimeTech Stove Set is a cooking set for 2 to 5 people and thanks to a special heat transfer it is said to be super efficient. Or is that the case? Read the review or watch the video!
- Price: € 199.95
- Weight: 1095.7 grams (870 grams specified)
- Size: 20.2 cm X 13.5 cm
- Power output: 2000 Watt (claimed)
The Primus PrimeTech Stove Set is a complete cooking set for 2 to 5 people. In the set you will find almost everything you need to prepare an outdoor meal. The set consists of a burner, a separate Piezo ignition, 2 pans of 2.3 liters, handle for the pans, 1 lid with colander and an insulated carrying bag. The only thing that isn’t in it is the gas itself.
Dimensions and weights
As mentioned, both pans have a capacity of 2.3 liters. However, the pans differ from each other: one is a regular one, the other a pan with a special heat transfer device underneath to use the gas economically. The regular pan weighs 217.9 grams and the second pan is of course slightly heavier: 293.5 grams. The lid weighs 88.6 grams. Burner with windscreen (one part) weigh 305.8 grams, the Piezo ignition 36.4 grams, the pan handle 66.8 grams, the aluminum ground protector 20.8 grams and finally the insulation / pack bag 65.9 grams. Add everything together and you arrive at 1095.7 grams, which is considerably more than 870 grams that Primus states. The package size of the whole is x20.2 cm X 13.5 cm.
Consumption
In all the years I have tested outdoor burners I kept a file of all consumption figures and the noise that a burner produces. Of course I also tested the Primus PrimeTech Stove Set in the same way. I perform each test three times and then measure the average for a well-balanced picture. How does the Primus PrimeTech Stove Set work?
After three times having brought 1 liter of water at 20 degrees to a boil, I measured an average time of 3 min 34 sec and a gas consumption of 10.1 grams. This measurement was performed with the pan with heat transfer unit. For comparison, I also did it again with the regular pan: 4 min 52 sec and a gas consumption of 13.1 grams. In short, that heat transfer device under one pan does its job. The question remains: ‘How economical is the Primus PrimeTech Stove Set compared to others?’
The Primus PrimeTech Stove Set does well, but is not a frontrunner despite its techniques. In comparison: the much older Primus Etapower EF – after the Jetboil the first large cookware set with heat transference – had a cooking time of 2 min 15 sec and consumed 9 grams of gas; a Jetboil Joule with 2.5 liter pan does it in 3 min and 4 sec but is less economical with a consumption of 14 grams of gas, the Trangia SUL 25 is slightly more economical with 12.5 grams and the cooking time of 3 min 46 sec is almost similar.
Silence miracle
Where the Primus PrimeTech Stove Set excels is in silence. I can’t remember – nor can I find it in the numbers – of ever testing a quieter burner. The Primus PrimeTech Stove Set at full power produces only 59.2 dB maximum. 60 dB is approximately the noise we produce in a normal conversation. The Primus can therefore rightly be called a miracle of silence. However, this silence also has a drawback. More on this later.
Use and Piezo ignition
In everyday use while camping, the Primus PrimeTech Stove Set is very convenient. The burner forms one whole with the windscreen. So it’s a matter of connecting the cartridge, putting the pan on the burner and cooking. At least almost.
The Piezo ignition is a separate part. This is in contrast to many – including Primus – other burners where it is a permanent part of the burner. When lighting, you can go two ways:
- You light the burner with the Piezo without the pan on it. It works, but I have repeatedly had to pull my fingers away very quickly because there is a flash of flame and a lot of gas. Light it lightly… I didn’t succeed.
- The other method works with the pan on the burner and the Piezo through one of the many holes. If you want to get to the burner and the gas, you have to lie down on your stomach to see exactly where you stop the Piezo. This takes practice and here too I have repeatedly heard a big wfoeof from the flames because sometimes it takes a while for the Piezo to find the gas.
It will be clear: give me an integrated Piezo; you can’t lose it in the grass either, because you don’t do much without it.
Pressure valve
As you would expect from a modern Primus, the Primus PrimeTech Stove Set is also equipped with the ‘new’ Primus gas control. This rotary knob is attached to a hose and is also the part on which you screw the gas cartridge. That he is off the burner is so safe. So great.
The gas regulator contains a pressure valve so that the gas is removed from the cartridge very evenly. A big plus is that thanks to this valve the cartridge retains its pressure until the last moment and that you do not have a lot of gas flow as in the past and less and less towards the end. This works much more pleasantly. I am very pleased with the rotary knob itself. It is large and therefore good to use with cold hands or gloves.
Flame control
I am less pleased with the operation of the rotary knob. For gas to flow I have to turn the knob 2.5 times. I think that’s too much. How many times have I wondered if I’ve played enough. From simmering mode to maximum power also requires another 2.5 revolutions.
Yes, the flame is very easy to regulate. But… when I want to eat, I usually want hot water quickly. Or get the bite ready quickly. You should go from simmer to maximum within 1 revolution. And let the gas flow… a quarter to a half revolution at most. 5 revolutions in total… it is very irritating in the long run. And… I already wrote that the burner is very quiet. You can only adjust the flame by ear if it is very quiet. If the wind blows, this is hardly possible. In short: a little ‘noise’ makes sense; just like an electric car that you can’t hear coming from behind.
Quality
Of great importance with outdoor burners is that they are of good quality so they don’t let you down outside. Well, that’s a must with the Primus PrimeTech Stove Set. The burner is robust and the fact that it is a large whole without separate parts that have to be put together is an advantage. The pan supports on the burner have two positions: low and high. Low is fine for the included pans and the high position is fine if you want to use a frying pan or wok with the burner. Even with the largest (and cheapest) Ikea wok, the burner is very stable.
The materials from which the pans are made are also robust. On the inside the graduation is reasonably legible and accurate. I do, however, recommend that you wrap the burner with a cloth when storing the items in the sheath before storing it in the pan; scratches in the non-stick coating are otherwise quickly made. Primus should of course have taken care of this himself.
I didn’t need the new peg to grip the pans with. The squeezer has a blocking position so that it stays on the pans. However, after two months of use, there is already quite a bit of play and holding a pan no longer feels so secure. Another point: why would you let it sit on the pan? This way the gripper becomes very hot from the burner and can hardly be grasped.
The lid on the other hand… is on the top and flexible silicone grip that does not get hot, even if water has been boiling in the pan for a while. Draining pasta and rice is easy thanks to the ‘colander’ in the lid. And of course the lid has a recess for the pan handle.
Spare parts
Primus has a reputation to uphold when it comes to spare parts. They exist for most burners. With the Primus PrimeTech Stove Set it is a bit sketchy. The pans, lid, Piezo and pan handle can be purchased separately, but the burner is apparently so robust that there are no parts for sale. I have no reason whatsoever to doubt this.
Verdict
The Primus PrimeTech Stove Set is a good, complete and robust cooking set for 2 to 5 people. Burner, pans and lid are of excellent quality. The stuff bag that doubles as an insulation bag does its job well. The stove is fast, economical and also the quietest one I’ve ever tested.
I find the pot gripper a bit too insecure to hold pans. I find the flame control in five revolutions cumbersome, but it can be regulated very precisely and so you can prepare simmering steaks very well on the Primus PrimeTech Stove Set. Lighting the gas with a separate Piezo is not nearly as easy as with a fixed Piezo. Also be careful not to lose the loose one. Finally the price. The Primus PrimeTech Stove Set costs € 199.95/$ 189,95 and I think that is a lot of money for a cookset with some drawbacks. Unfortunately I can’t get further than a rating of 7.2 out of 10 points.
Information
International: www.primus.eu
US: www.primus.com
Old versus new
I can’t resist making a comparison with my trusted old Primus EtaPower Multifuel. Assembling the latter’s burner is a bit of a hassle. The Primus PrimeTech Stove Set is really much better and more user-friendly in that regard. Also the operation of the gas regulator is more pleasant than the old one: fast, precise and without turning too much.
The Primus PrimeTech Stove Set is a minor disaster for me in that regard. A lot of turning before the gas starts to flow. After that, controlling the flame is also a matter of turning a lot. If you want a quick hot bite, this is not the way in my opinion. And while I’m at it, I immediately make the comparison with the pans. The old ones were bulletproof. You can step on it and the non-stick inner layer was solid. The new ones can be deformed by hand and the non-stick coating was soon covered with scratches. And the old pans are also lighter.
A big plus of the new one is its silence. You can barely hear the flame burning, which is good if you don’t want to scare the birds away. However… because the flame is barely visible, the controller requires a lot of turning… you actually need that sound to control the Primus PrimeTech Stove Set. Am I an old whiner who clings to the old and is not open to new developments? Maybe, but sometimes new just isn’t better.
