MSR PocketRocket Deluxe review
By Tom Calder
The step up from the PocketRocket 2: the same fast, reliable boil with a piezo igniter and a pressure regulator that copes better with a part-empty or cold canister. Like any gas burner it is for outdoor or fully ventilated use only, never inside a tent, home or garage, because of the carbon monoxide risk.
- Best for
- A featherweight, dependable burner with instant piezo ignition for boiling water and simple cooking in a grab bag or camping kit.
- Skip it if
- You need to cook indoors or in an enclosed space
as of 2 Nov 2026, 13:07 GMT · Details
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.co.uk at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.We earn a commission if you buy through the retailer links on this page. It doesn't change our verdict. How we make money →
Researched, not used. We haven't used this product. This review is built from the maker's specifications, owner reports and our own sizing.
What we like
- Piezo igniter means no separate lighter or matches to carry, on top of the same fast 3.3-minute litre boil (MSR's figure)
- Pressure regulator keeps performance steadier as the canister empties or in cold weather, where basic burners fade
- Still light and packs small, with MSR's usual robust build
Worth knowing
- Pricier than the plain PocketRocket 2, for a stove most households use only occasionally
- Modest pot supports mean a wide family-size pan still wants a sturdier, wider-based stove
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Our review
The PocketRocket Deluxe is MSR's tiny screw-on gas burner with a built-in pressure regulator and a push-button piezo igniter. In a household kit it is the fast way to boil water for drinks and dried meals during a power cut, outdoors. MSR's warning is plain: it can produce carbon monoxide, and indoor use can kill.
What it is
The stove screws onto the top of a gas cartridge. MSR's instructions say to use only an 80% isobutane, 20% propane cartridge made and marked to EN 417, the European standard these screw-valve gas cartridges are built to. The parts list includes a pressure regulator, which keeps the flame steadier as a cartridge empties or gets cold, and a piezo starter, with a manual-lighting method if the spark fails. OutdoorGearLab weighed it at 93.6g with its stuff sack; folded, GearJunkie measured it at about 8 by 5cm.
Performance
In OutdoorGearLab's testing it boiled half a litre in 3 minutes 24 seconds at about 2,400m altitude and ranked second of 16 backpacking stoves, with good fuel efficiency. Its criticisms were an igniter that was not the most reliable and some sensitivity to wind. GearJunkie described a claimed boil time of 3 minutes 18 seconds for a litre, which it did not verify. In practice, even a small cartridge goes a long way on hot drinks and rehydrated meals, and the regulator helps on a cold British morning. Keep a spare cartridge and a lighter in the bag, since the piezo can fail.
Safety rules from the manual
MSR's instructions are explicit: for outdoor use only; the stove can produce carbon monoxide, which has no smell, and using it in an enclosed space can kill you; never use it in a camper, tent, vestibule, car or home. The NHS lists camping stoves used indoors as a cause of carbon monoxide poisoning and says not to use one indoors or inside a tent. MSR also says never to use cookware wider than 20.3cm, never to fit a windscreen, and not to use cartridges over 227g or taller than 10cm without its canister stand. In a power cut, cook outside, at a table or on the ground, away from doors and windows; our guide to cooking without power covers it.
How it compares
On our camping stove comparison the plain PocketRocket 2 is the same idea without the regulator or igniter. The Jetboil Flash integrates the pot for faster, more wind-proof boiling but costs more and only boils. For frying or a family pan, the Campingaz Camping Chef double burner has a wider, steadier base, and a Kelly Kettle burns twigs rather than gas. The Deluxe's case is that it packs smallest of the gas options. None of them is for indoor use.
Our verdict
Buy it if you want a compact, dependable gas burner for boiling water outdoors during a long power cut, and for camping the rest of the year. Skip it if you need to cook for a family with large pans or have nowhere safe outdoors to use it. MSR's three-year limited warranty covers defects for the original buyer. Store spare cartridges as their label directs.
A researched review, built from the maker's specs, manual and UK listings; facts checked 2 Nov 2026. Sources: MSR: PocketRocket Deluxe instructions (PDF, hosted by OpticsPlanet); MSR (Cascade Designs): limited warranty; OutdoorGearLab: MSR PocketRocket Deluxe review; GearJunkie: MSR PocketRocket Deluxe review; NHS: carbon monoxide poisoning.
Who shouldn't buy this
You need to cook indoors or in an enclosed space — never use it inside a tent, home or garage due to carbon monoxide — or you want a genuinely wide, stable base for large pans, where a two-burner stove suits better.
Key specs
| Type | Upright canister-top stove, piezo igniter |
| Fuel | Screw-thread gas canister (EN417) |
| Boil time | 3.3 min |
This is a Researched review: we haven't used this product. We check every specification against at least two independent sources, re-check the UK price on a schedule where we can track it automatically, and say plainly who it isn't for. Commissions never change a rating.
If this isn’t the one
Best for A family or small group wanting one outdoor kit that boils a larger kettle and cooks a hot meal on sticks, with no gas or batteries to buy.
in stock when checked
Best for A household or small group that wants one wood-fired set to boil water, cook and serve from, with no gas, batteries or fuel to buy.
in stock when checked
Best for A near-indestructible backup cooker for power cuts and camping, using cheap, widely-available meths.
as of 2 Nov 2026, 13:07 GMT · Details
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.co.uk at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.Questions
Can I use the MSR PocketRocket Deluxe indoors in a power cut?
No. MSR says it is for outdoor use only because it can produce carbon monoxide, and using it in an enclosed space such as a tent, car or home can kill you. The NHS gives the same advice.
What gas does the PocketRocket Deluxe use?
MSR specifies an 80% isobutane, 20% propane cartridge made and marked to EN 417, the screw-thread type. Cartridges over 227g or taller than 10cm need MSR's canister stand.
How heavy is the MSR PocketRocket Deluxe?
OutdoorGearLab weighed it at 93.6g with its stuff sack. It folds to roughly 8 by 5cm.
What warranty does MSR give?
A three-year limited warranty against defects in materials and workmanship for the original purchaser, with repair or replacement as the remedy. Normal wear and misuse are excluded.
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