MSR
MSR Reactor 2.5L Stove System
- Weight: 3/10 How much it adds to your pack.
- Fuel use: 9/10 How much fuel it burns to boil a litre in calm air: less fuel to carry.
- Boil speed (calm air): 9/10 How fast the maker says it boils 1 litre in calm air.
Small groups of 2 to 3 who need to boil a lot of water or melt snow
- Fuel
- Gas
- Weight
- 620 g
- Pot size
- 2.5 L
- Boil 1 L, calm air
- 3:00
- Fuel per litre
- 10.32 g
Packed size 18.5 cm long and 14 cm across Compare with a 2-litre bottle
Shorter than a 2-litre bottle and a bit wider than one. Drawn to scale.
Where to buy
Rock+Run £284 In stock. Free delivery. Free delivery from £100. Struck-through price £335.
View at shop: Rock+RunUltralight Outdoor Gear £284.99 In stock. Free delivery.
View at shop: Ultralight Outdoor GearPrices checked 8 Nov 2026 on each shop's own page; shops can change them. We earn no commission on these links; shops are listed by price. More
Our ratings (out of 10)
1 to 10, compared with the whole market. Each says what it's based on. How we score
Weight
From maker's figures 3/10How much it adds to your pack. 3: Below average. Fine for some trips, not others.
620 g packaged (MSR's Tech Specs list 0.62 kg; its other figure, 595 g, is in the same band), in the 450-649 g band. Ultralight Outdoor Gear's listing says 594 g.
Fuel use
From maker's figures 9/10How much fuel it burns to boil a litre in calm air: less fuel to carry. 9: Among the best you can buy for this.
MSR says 22 litres per 227 g canister, which is 10.3 g per litre, under the 11 g line.
Boil speed (calm air)
From maker's figures 9/10How fast the maker says it boils 1 litre in calm air. 9: Among the best you can buy for this.
MSR says 3 minutes for 1 litre with IsoPro fuel (180 s), under the 210 s line. We found no independent timing of the 2.5 litre system.
What reviewers say (out of 10)
Ratings marked * are from reviews and are not part of the trip score. They are reviewers' scores, not our own measurements. How we score
Wind performance*
Estimate: only 2 reviews about wind performance (fewer than the 3 we need, so never above 8) 8/10How well it keeps boiling in a breeze.
2 reviews on wind performance, e.g. "Le système de paravent donne une excellente résistance au vent".
Simmer control*
Estimate: only 2 reviews about simmer control (fewer than the 3 we need, so never above 8) 4/10How low the flame turns down without going out, for real cooking.
2 reviews on simmer control, e.g. "Although the stove does not simmer well.".
In short
Good for
- Small groups of 2 to 3 who need to boil a lot of water or melt snow
- Winter camps and expeditions where water comes from snow
- Group trips where one stove cooks for several freeze-dried meals at once
Strengths
- 2.5 litre pot holds enough for five freeze-dried meals at once (MSR)
- MSR quotes 3 minutes for 1 litre and 22 litres per 227 g canister
- Same enclosed radiant burner and regulator as the smaller Reactors, which MSR sells as windproof
- Burner, canister and pack towel nest inside the pot, packed 18.5 x 14 cm
- Lid locks on with the handle; strainer holes for pouring
Weaknesses
- 620 g packaged: the heaviest of the three Reactor sizes
- We found no hands-on review of this size, so wind and ease are estimates, not reviewed scores
- MSR gives no temperature rating, so we do not mark it winter-ready
Sources
We haven't tested this ourselves. Every score comes from these specs, tests and reviews.
ShowHide sources (3)
- MSR (Cascade Designs): Reactor Stove Systems page (Tech Specs)
- MSR / Cascade Designs store: customer reviews on the Reactor Stove Systems page (176 reviews, 153 verified buyers, 4.57 of 5; the maker's own shop, read from its public Yotpo review feed; pooled across the 1.0, 1.7 and 2.5 L systems; only 17 of the 176 carry a size tag and 1 of those is the 2.5 L)
- I-Trekkings (Nicolas05, a mountain guide): Test réchaud MSR Reactor Stove System 2.5L (French; used on guided outings and a 4-day trek in the Massif des Monges)