Primus Essential Trail Piezo review
By Tom Calder
A straightforward canister-top burner from a long-established stove maker, with a broader flame spread than most budget stoves and a genuine 3.5-minute litre boil. Like every gas stove here 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 cheap, capable screw-thread gas stove for a household's first or spare power-cut cooker.
- Skip it if
- You're feeding more than one or two people, where a two-burner stove copes better, or you need to…
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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
- Boils a litre in 3.5 minutes with a wider, steadier flame than many similarly priced stoves
- Up and running on a canister in under a minute, with a simple fold-flat design
- Inexpensive for a stove from an established Swedish brand
Worth knowing
- Primus lists no piezo igniter for this stove, so keep a lighter or matches with it
- Basic pot supports suit a small pan better than a full family-size one
Out of stock when we checked: our alternatives
Closest in size first, then by our score. None of them was showing out of stock when we last checked.
Best for A featherweight, dependable burner with instant piezo ignition for boiling water and simple cooking in a grab bag or camping kit.
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.
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ⓘ As an Amazon Associate, PreparedBritain earns from qualifying purchases. We may earn a commission when you buy, or a fee when you request a quote, through our links. When two products are close, commission can decide which one we pick. A clearly better product always wins. Amazon prices come from Amazon's own product data and show the date and time they were retrieved. Prices at other retailers are checked by us, less often. Prices and stock can change at any time, so always check the retailer's price before you buy.
Our review
Primus's Essential Trail is a basic stainless steel burner that screws onto a gas cartridge and folds small. Primus quotes a litre boiled in three and a half minutes from a 2,500W burner, which is quick for a stove this simple. It suits a first outdoor cooker for power cuts, as long as you remember it needs a lighter.
What it is
Primus lists the stove at 112g, 108 by 108 by 90mm, with a 2,500W output and a boil time of 3 minutes 30 seconds for about a litre, for one or two people. The gas cartridge is not included. The burner screws onto a threaded valve cartridge; Primus also sells a Duo version that fits both threaded and non-threaded valves. The pot supports are fixed rather than folding arms, which keeps it simple and stable with a small pan; a large family saucepan will overhang and wobble, so pair it with a small, light pot.
About the 'piezo' in the name
Primus's own product page lists no built-in igniter. Some UK shops sell a version described as coming with a piezo igniter, and the brand has sold a separate igniter, but the stove itself lights with a match or lighter. Keep a lighter and a box of matches in a sealed bag with the stove and do not rely on any spark igniter in cold or damp weather.
What CleverHiker and Outdoor Gear Lab found
CleverHiker measured about three and a half minutes per litre with no wind, in line with Primus, and found boil times roughly doubled in a breeze. Outdoor Gear Lab's lab test, run at altitude, recorded about five and a half minutes in still air and over ten in a light fan-driven wind, praised its simmer control and rated it average overall. The lesson for a British back garden is to use a windshield around the pan, not around the cartridge, and to allow more gas than the brochure suggests.
Safety: outdoors only
Any gas stove produces carbon monoxide. The NHS warns against using camping stoves indoors or inside a tent, and that includes garages, porches and conservatories. Cook outside on a stable, level, non-flammable surface, away from anything that can catch, and change cartridges away from flames. Store spare cartridges somewhere cool, not in a hot car, and check the screw thread and the rubber seal on the stove for damage or grit before each use; a cartridge that hisses when fitted should be removed outside and not used. Our cooking without power guide covers the set-up.
How it compares
On the camping stoves page the MSR PocketRocket 2 is the nearest rival with a similar boil time and a long reputation; the PocketRocket Deluxe adds a built-in igniter and a regulator for steadier output in the cold. The Jetboil Flash boils faster as an integrated pot system but only suits water for drinks and pouches. For real family meals in a long outage, the Campingaz two-burner is the better tool, and the Kelly Kettle or BioLite avoid buying gas at all.
Our verdict
A light, quick and low-cost way to boil water and heat a small pan outdoors when the power is off. Skip it if you need to feed a family proper meals for days, where a two-burner stove makes more sense, or if you have no safe outdoor space to cook.
A researched review, built from the maker's specs, manual and UK listings; facts checked 2 Nov 2026. Sources: Primus: Essential Trail Stove; Outdoor Gear Lab: Primus Essential Trail review; CleverHiker: Primus Essential Trail review; NHS: carbon monoxide poisoning.
Who shouldn't buy this
You're feeding more than one or two people, where a two-burner stove copes better, or you need to cook indoors: like every gas stove it is for outdoor use only.
Key specs
| Type | Canister-top stove (Primus lists no piezo version) |
| Fuel | Screw-thread gas canister (EN417) |
| Boil time | 3.5 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.
Questions
Does the Primus Essential Trail Stove have a piezo igniter?
Primus's product page lists no built-in igniter, so plan to light it with a match or lighter. Some retailers sell it bundled with a separate igniter; check the listing.
What gas does the Primus Essential Trail use?
A screw-thread gas cartridge, the common isobutane-propane type sold in outdoor shops. The cartridge is sold separately.
Can I use the Primus Essential Trail indoors in a power cut?
No. Gas stoves give off carbon monoxide, and the NHS advises never using camping stoves indoors or in a tent. Use it outside on a stable surface.
How fast does it boil water?
Primus says about 3 minutes 30 seconds for a litre. CleverHiker and Outdoor Gear Lab found it slower in wind or at altitude, so use a windshield around the pan.
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