This stove is one of the best out there. We used several of these recently on an expedition to Gasherbrum II in Pakistan, and the stove was light weight, fairly compact (you can put other items inside), and high performance. It is easy to use and fast to boil. We used/tested the stove up to about 24,000ft and it got the job done well without being temperamental to cold or to altitude. With a user friendly system and solid base, it boils more water in a quicker time period and sits balanced in snow and unstable ground. This stove is less susceptible to wind and other elements as well, making it extremely reliable and very efficient.

I love this stove, It boils wicked fast. However it is a bit heavy and bulky. But for not being a white gas stove it works great in canister stove conditions.

I don't know what kind of experience the first poster had, but I've had excellent experience with this stove in cold, windy, hi altitude weather. I've used it to melt snow several times this year without any problems. In fact, last week I had this stove in snow at Rocky Mountain National Park at 9000 ft. at 22-degrees F with 30mph winds and still timed the stove boiling a liter at 3 minutes 30 seconds!! This with a half-empty canister! No other canister stove that I've used in the past even comes close to this. For those who want a canister stove that will work in the worst conditions (above 0°F), this is it.

Buy this thing! It boils 2 cups in about 1min and 25sec and 4 cups in 2min and 30-40sec. It is pretty huge, but hey, it's smaller than a Saturn V rocket engine lol. If you nest it with an 8 oz fuel can, don't count on putting much else in there with it. Be careful how you pack it. The folding handle will scar stuff(my platypus) in your pack, if it constantly rubs it. I ended up wraping it in my sham-wow. It is hard to light in wind. Tip: to get it primed(turn red) hold your lighter over it and then move your hand quickly because the excess gas lights first(you can't see it!!). You will see a slight vapor if it lit. Then IMMEDIATELY set the pot on the burner. Once the burner is covered by the pot it will prime on its own.

I love this stove and mostly eat dehydrated food but for the price I was excited about the potential for more pots and pans...I contacted MSR and got this response.

Thanks for contacting Cascade Designs. Unfortunately we dont have any plans at the time for alternative cookware for the Reactor. The earliest you could see new cookware would be 2010.

Jake Crist
Cascade Designs Inc.

Easy to use, impressive power and boil time. Great for when you need hot water fast. I have used this at altitude and in very cold weather with no issues. Others (including jet boil lovers) will be jealous. I wish it had an auto-ignitor however. The pot is big enough for it's intended purpose while the whole unit remains at a manageable weight and size. This this is fool proof.

I saw a larger Reactor pot at Outdoor Retailer. I have no details other than simply catching a glance. I'll try to post a pic here soon.

I already own a few stoves (Windpro and Gigapower) that treat me well, but I was looking for something that would be more efficient and reliable for trips when gourmet cooking wasn't required.

Boy, does this thing live up to its reputation. I won't repeat everything others have said (amazing altitude performance, consistent performance throughout the life of the canister, etc.) because they are all true.

One particular thing that was most impressive, though, is the level of efficiency. With the pot off, it feels hot in a large radius (several feet above and several inches off to the side) - just like any other stove. When the pot is placed on it, though, a ridiculously large amount of the heat is directly up through the pot. When on, you can place your hands very near the sides of the burner/pot and not feel the heat, unlike other stoves where the sides still remain very hot when near them.

The Reactor's design is, simply put, amazingly innovative. If you're considering a purchase, go for it. You won't regret it.

This thing is an oven. MSR's graphs that are provided on their box are certainly accurate as well. At 7500 feet this thing had no problem with melting snow and probably enjoyed the chance to show off. People like to worry about stoves that run off of isobutane/propane because performance decreases with the amount of fuel you use. In the case of the Reactor, it only requires 1.8psi in the can to be burning at full bore. Most cans are filled to 6psi. Jet Boil in comparison requires 3psi. Therefore this product takes an even farther leap in design than Jet Boil in terms of performance/function.

This stove works off of radiant heat and not convective so more of the energy goes to heating the water and less is diffused into the air by convection. It works in really high winds even. No need to use a screen to trap in heat...

This thing rocks.

One trick I want to share with people is that another way to get more out of your canisters is to make a neoprene 'sock' to envelope the bottom and sides of the cannister. After using the fuel and during use, put a hand warmer under the can and then slip on the sock. This helps at altitude and in colder temps.

Only two complaints. This is a combination setup where this stove and the pot are made for eachother. You cannot use another pot with this stove. Secondly, one thing that the Jet Boil has on the Reactor is the locking mechanism to keep the pot attached to the stove. From what I hear, this was intentionally left out by MSR for matters of safety.

Boiled my water before I was prepared for it! This thing is sweet. I have used it in the cold on the snow, in the summer and up to 6,000ft with no real noticeable difference in burn time. First time I used this during the middle of the day, I couldn't tell if it was lit or not. It was, and it was scorchin' hot. I will be buying the larger pot soon, but boil time for two separate pots is not too drastic. I have not had any complaints from tent buddies about having to wait another three minutes for their hot water. When used in the winter, my tea was ready in no time. When melting snow remember to put water in the pot as well! This stove made my friends with WhisperLite's drop their jaw(though for larger groups I leave my Reactor at home and opt to carry a fuel bottle as the majority of them have WhisperLites).

Half a liter of water to a full boil in less than a minute. Maybe slightly more than a minute depending on your altitude. Your gas will last you forever. I pack an 8 ounce canister and typically can last roughly 3-4 weeks eating 2 mountain houses a day...sometimes more.

Solid, efficient, a lil heavy. Good stove.

If you need a hanging stove, try out the Jetboil Hanging Kit for this. It is supposed to work very well, even better than for the jetboil. I have'nt tried but im gonna. Check out this site for info/pictures: http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/xdpy/forum_thread/3779.html

LOVE THIS STOVE!!!!!! I think it is the best stove on the market it boils one liter of water in just under 3 minutes. also the MSR logo in the middle of the stove when it is lit is a nice addition. the only bad thing weighs 22 ounces.

This stove rocks. There are several things that make this stove better then any other stove on the market. First, the stove is pressure regulated. That takes the fuel can from 65 psi and regulates to about 13 psi. This allows the stove to burn at the same performance all the way through the can. No throwing away cans that are still a half to a third full because you stove stops performing well. Second, the stove is wind proof. With most canister stove if you were in 32 degrees and had a 20 mph wind the stove would never boil. With this stove you will get 3 min boil times everytime. The pot sits about half a cm from the burner, so there is almost no heat loss from this stove. If you are looking for a great winter stove this is the one to look at.

This stove isn't the lightest thing but only to those of you counting grams... I would recommend this stove to anybody. It is very fuel efficient and is worth every penny. You really do get what you pay for. It boils water faster than any stove. The pot holds up very well to heavy use and abuse. The lid is made of the same material as a Nalgene bottle and you know how well those hold up to about anything. It is kind of a blast furnace but I have cooked gourmet meals with it no problem!

Outstanding, boils very fast and efficient. Have used at altitude without complaint. Only complaint, have returned one for another already as the pot holder can pop out of its hold and impossible to get back in. As such, treat a little more gingerly than I would prefer. Fast, light and reliable - has replaced my jet-boil as I never hung it anyway.

I had heard many good things about this stove, but was really hesitant to buy it. I mean, all the hype around it, it couldn't possibly perform that well, could it? The short answer is a resounding YES!
For melting snow and boiling water, this stove cannot be beat. That is where is really shines.

Tired of dirty pots?
Tired of dirty dishes?
Tired of cooking with a regular stove in the rain/snow with the wind howling?
Tired of lugging around a plate, a bowl and your meal?
Want to carry less?
Like the idea of freeze dried meal but turned off by the lack of taste?

If you answered YES to any of the above, then you my friend need to stop dorking around, get a MSR Reactor and start cooking FBC meals. (Freezer bag cooking).

TO REMOVE STICKERS:
Use paint or laquer thinner to remove the sticker's glue, it's about the only thing that works.

This stove is only designed to boil water and that's what it does perfectly. It is almost too fast at melting water because once you add an inch or so of water and start the stove up, you have to get snow in the pot ASAP because the water boils instantly.

In high winds the stove is amazing as well. I was making tea at 2 am before we started up Mt Baker and even in the darkness, high wind and pelting rain, you could only see the slight glow of the heat in the pot vents and the steam rising from the top. Needless to say we waited till 6 to start and making the tea was pointless, it performed perfectly.

Got my reactor recently and used it last weekend in Shenandoah. This thing is an absolute ROCKET. As promised I had a liter of water ready for dinner in about 3 minutes (I didn't bother to time it, but it was fast) and was soon enjoying(?) my unseasoned chicken, corn, and rice. Water for coffee in the morning came quickly as well - so no complaints here. Turn on the stove and it lights easily with a lighter or match. It just takes a few seconds to heat up before it's ready to rock. I've read complaints about it not having an auto ignition feature, but I've never had much luck with those systems. Just make sure you have a windproof lighter/sparker/etc. if you're spending time at exposed sites. I'll add something about cold weather performance once winter rolls around.

The Reactor packs nicely into the pot along with a lighter and fuel canister (but the 8 oz isopro makes for a tight fit if you insist on keeping the cap on it). The whole system fits nicely into a pack as long as you've got enough room for a 1.5 L pot.

It's not the most versatile stove and it's not for gourmet cooking. It is what it is... an 18 oz. stove system for people who like to get up and go without burning through too much fuel. If you want to play gourmet chef in the backcounrty go with the Dragonfly. The pot is a little small for more than 2 or 3 people, but a larger pot is coming soon.

I've brought this stove out on mountaineering trips with temps ranging from -10 up. Where as most canister stoves crap out in cold temps, this one still performs well. It's quick. It's easy. And it only boils water. Seriously, this stove isn't designed for gourmet backpacking- don't try to get all Wolf Gang, it's a climbing stove. It melts snow and boils water. That's it.

An add on that would be nice, a hanging system.
alittle less CO2, this stove puts out quite a bit. I think 3x the normal amount so be careful.

Love this little wonder of a stove. Used it backpacking in 35 degree foggy windy wet weather. It worked like a champ. First time out of the box, it lit up quickly with no "fire ball". Used with a full pot of ice cold water and it was boiling before I had time to get the coffee out of the backpack. For hikers like me that don't like to fuss with putting stoves together with ice cold hand and just want hot water now, this little beauty is for you. The large pot holds your stove, a canister, your lighter and a few other misc items. Take everything out, screw the fuel canister on the stove, light, and presto- boiling hot water. The stove sips fuel with the quick boil times, you will use less fuel than other canister stoves, less fuel to carry in the backpack, which compensates for the heavier weight of the stove compared to the jet boil. The pot sits very nicely on the stove, with no instability on uneven ground. Easy to use and pour hot water from, thanks to the nifty handle, lid keeper. The clear see-through lid is a nice addition as well. Nicely designed stove. Small draw backs are the over-all weight is a bit heavy, has no simmer capabilities, and the diameter of the pot is a bit small for dipping your bowl or cup in to sterilize. For 2 people on the trail, this is all you will need for your cooking needs.

Boils water faster than you can blink. Amazing quality and performance. The heat transfer to the pot will blow your mind and wind can't touch this system. A little pricey but its the best out there.

This thing boils water and melts snow in a hurry. It's amazing how fast it works.On the down side, it doesn't simmer well. So I gave it 4 stars only because for me it seems to have limited functionality. It's a lot of money to spend for a water boiler.I've tried to warm soup, or simmer a serving of delicious quinoa, but it's very difficult to avoid burning what's on the bottom. It's just too gosh darn hot!

H2O boils far faster than the time it takes to rehydrate your freeze-dried food. Stove packs easily, inside the pot, along with MSR's 8oz IsoPro. Minor issue... I'm interested in finding a stuff sack as there seems to be a few rough metal edges on the pot that may catch and possibly damage something in your pack. Otherwise, Highly recommended and I'm very pleased with it's performance in the wind!!!

OK. I have a complaint. Got this this week and took it out on the porch to boil a test pot of water. This did not boil in 3 minutes as everybody says. It took a full 3 minutes 23 seconds before it boiled :) Oh, and I left the lid off.

Honestly, this is an awesome stove. It will be perfect for me as I am not a "camp chef" and just want some hot ramen, soup or dehydrated food at the end of the day.

It is so fast that I have the feeling that if I have any extra fuel after my trip and duct tape it to the back of my car, I might get an extra 20 mpg on the way home.

Bullet-proof and simple. Just what I like in camp gear.

I'd been waiting for this to hit shelves for about 8 months.. finally got one when they broke this past September. It is everything I hoped it would be: fast and light. Okay, it's not a featherweight, but.. for what it does, I'm content with weight. I used to wait 10 minutes for a cup and a half of water to boil with the SnowPeak Giga-Power .. and my two buddies would wait even longer with their wal-mart specials.. but now I'm boiling a liter of water in 3 minutes, and so we're all eating in 10-15, rather 25-45. Can't wait to try this puppy at altitude next fall on Long's Peak.

light small and works fantastic.. it boils water insanely fast.

I swear mine boils faster than 3 min.

This was the fastest boil time I've ever seen. The build and design is flawless. The weight is standard for something like this where reliability and performance are must haves. I would take this above any 14K environment and feel safe.

I recently bought this stove to replace my 20 year old whisperlite. I love it. The size initially seems large until you realize that your entire kitchen minus the food fits into the included pot. It boils very fast and the design of the pot maximizes the fuel use efficiency. It is very light and packable. I have not yet used it in extreme conditions (I have only used it at sea level in the summer on an ocean kayaking trip) but I look forward to taking it to some harsher conditions.
It is a little pricey but MSR has made an astounding product in this stove.

if you are heating water this is the stove, not for the gourmet camper, but that's not what it's designed for, wind is no longer a factor, boiled water in the open at 12,000+ in less than 4 mins, for a whole Liter!!!!!!!!!!

This thing might be cool in fair weather, but it's not a mountaineers tool.
THE CONS: The hype about the pressure regulator making the fuel run more efficiently is total bull. If the canister is sitting in snow, the stove quickly weakens to a whimpy simmer which make snow melt times pathetic. When they say not to use it in a tent, they aren't kidding either, mine belches a 24 inch fireball every time I light it. Don't set the the pot down in the snow or the integrated heat exchanger will be packed with snow. Don't boil over either, the exchanger funnels water (or in my case hot coco) down into the heating element. No auto igniter on these puppies, which might be nice when you don't have a lighter handy. Finally, the actual stove assembly can't be set in the snow either. Getting snow in the element or in the IsoPro fitting makes the stove inoperable. Oh, and Iso is expensive!
THE PROS: In warm weather, the stove rages! Mine boils a quart of water in under a minute. The pot is nice and big too. I can fit two Tasty-Bites in mine at a hard boil. The little pac-towl is handy, and the rubber knob on the lid can handle a fair bit of pack crushing.
Overall the Reactor is useful for fair weather camping, but when the snow flies, leave it at home.

Fantastic design! Performs like a champ at moderate altitude (9-10,000 ft) & cold conditions (20-30deg F) & strong winds (20-30mph). Very neat and clean design which is hassle free and frustration free to operate and packup- even with your gloves on. Yeah, it has no simmer, but for backpacking food- who cares? We keep around a Whisperlite and skillet for car camping when our cooking gets more ambitious.

I loved the concept of the Jetboil but it tended to lack performance after 1/2 of the canister was gone, and the small burner tended to burn whatever was inside to a quarter sized char spot in the center of the cup.

I got a Reactor in late 2007 (before the pot redesign) and have not looked back. It is heavier but much more useful. The capacity is perfect for almost anything I've tried to make in it. I do tend towards simplicity, i.e. things that cook in boiling water which is exactly what this was designed for. At first I missed the auto igniter from the Jetboil but the rather lo tech Mini-Bic lighter fits well inside the packed stove. The anodized interior coating is much more nonstick than the Jetboil and the burner surface is about as large as the pot itself. However you need to be diligent with the stirring as this stove doesn't seem to have a simmer setting.

I am very impressed with the performance in the wind. I have never had it blow out while cooking and if you're interested the stove (w/o pot) stayed lit when held out a car window until about 28 MPH.

The stove packs best with the MSR canister, I have used the similar sized Snow Peak and Coleman canisters and they are a bit shorter and therefore let the contents rattle a bit. Then again you could always fill that gap with by folding the supplied packtowel square.

The controls are easily operated even with gloves on, but then again it's not like you can regulate the temp much. Realistic temps range from really hot to really hot +1 (Nigel would say it's one hotter). The small vent hole in the lid can work as a really slow pasta drainer and the rubber handle stays nice and cool.

Occasionally the stove will take a while to fully light (once the bottom surface gets orange) and I have yet to figure out what causes this but it is of little concern. The logo on the stove surface is a neat little touch.

Used this for 4 day Emmons, stayed at Emmons flats. Melted/boiled a lot of snow. Worked perfect. No temperature issues but it didn't get below 29 F while we used it. Used every last lick of gas in the canisters. We set it on a pad to keep the canister from welding itself to the snow. For 3 persons, melted/boiled snow for cooking/drinking for 3 days and used exactly 1 small and one large canister with a couple drips to spare. At the end we were just melting and not boiling. Should have brought an extra canister with us. I'd say a small can will supply 3 persons for one day and nothing more if you are melting snow. If you are having temperature issues make sure you are using isobutane and not just butane.

I bought the small jetboil and this, used them both at home before leaving - the jetboil is not even in the MSR's league. Don't buy a jetboil unless you just wanna make coffee. You can feed people with the MSR Reactor.

Nice Stove Works fast.

Bads: will not accept any pot but the reactor one

Boils 16 oz. water in 150 seconds at 25 deg. in michigan. my first stove, looked at jet boil but fuel containes for jet boil limited. and hard to find can use other but doesnt pack in itself so opted for the reactor. glad I did. what a stove.

This stove slays any other. You can boil 1 litre of water in less than 2 minutes. Unless at high altitudes obviously. I had my potatoes so quickly after hiking, it was a lifesaver. So light minus the fuel, but well worth it. The MSR symbol shows up when lit it, which is a nice touch. You will not be disappointed if you have this.

I bought an MSR Reactor and it's working very nicely. I don't really know if the advertised boiling times are accurate or not, but it is effective in fighting crime. I'm using it as a compact handheld blow torch: part of my superhero kit. I've almost tweaked it so that I can throw fire-balls, a la Super Mario Brothers.

Mine doesn't have that! Is the description wrong, or was the product updated 4 months after it hit shelves??