March 22, 2006

Primus Grasshopper Stove


If you told me that this handy little stove was no longer on the market I wouldn't have believed you. But it seems that sometime in the past 30+ years it has been taken off the market. Long enough ago that eBay is not selling any (as of now anyhow) and images.google.com didn't have any images. Which makes it tough to link to an image so you can show someone what you are talking about.

It uses the long skinny 14.1 ounce Bernzomatic TX9 disposable propane fuel cylinder that is still used for the little hand held torch. The two legs fold down against the tank for a stowable package no bigger in diameter than the bare tank and half again longer.

Add the four cup percolator and you can have tea or coffee just about anywhere in a matter of a few minutes.

------------------ addendum----------------
Comment recieved in e-mail:
Return-path: jpbrad27@hotmail.com
Delivery-date: Mon, 18 Dec 2006 14:53:03 -0600
.....

I got one of these little sweeties. I used to carry it hiking and
backpacking. In 89 we had a house fire, and the stove was the first thing I
rescued from the ashes. It never worked quite right after that. A
gentleman from the primus.se site said they discontinued them in the 70's.
I'm hunting down a LPG appliance expert to fix my stove. You'd think that
they'd release the design to some Chinese manufacturer. Well maybe not as
i'd buy 5 or so just to have one handy during outages. It's unhandy to have
to drag out a 3 burner stove just to heat water for
coffee-tea-ramen-oatmeal-canned soup....

Plus back in the day, I used to make things right on the table using that
stove.....

BTW the 16oz propane tank will work just as well. It's an elegant design.

Posted by Paladin at March 22, 2006 07:59 PM
Comments

Well, I found Primus' website:

http://www.primus.se/EN/

However, the grasshopper stove isn't there, even on their "discontinued" section. It looks like "spider" stoves are the new thing now. There is, however, an enthusiast's site here:

http://www.spiritburner.com/

There's a forum and trading post, but you have to register to read them. It's a damn shame they don't make it anymore, simplicity needs to come back into style again.

Posted by: Helena at March 23, 2006 01:25 PM

The stoves they sell all use Primus(tm) fuel canisters -- which means they get profits from the continued use of the stoves. My stove uses the generic 14.1 oz propane cylinder that is sold in near any hardware store. Primus has not made a penny off my stove since it was sold.

Posted by: Paladin at March 24, 2006 08:21 AM