Elektra Cook System

The Optimus Elektra Cook System Black Edition is a gas canister stove and cook set in one: the folding Crux Lite burner, a 0.95 L hard-anodised non-stick saucepan, a 0.49 L fry pan that sits on top as the lid, a clip-on windshield, a fold-out canister stand and a transport bag. It weighs 464 g and nests into a 124 mm by 149 mm bundle.

Who it's for

Solo walkers and pairs who want hot food fast without assembling a kitchen from parts. Everything is matched out of the box: the pot suits the burner, the windshield suits the canister, and the lot packs into the pot. It is the kit for a weekend on the Great North Walk, a night at a Lamington hut site, or the car-free end of a paddling trip, where dinner is noodles and a brew and breakfast is porridge and coffee.

Boil time and fuel use

The Crux Lite puts out 3000 W and brings 1 L of water to the boil in about 3 minutes, or 0.8 L in about 2.4 minutes, depending on the weather and altitude. It burns 155 g of gas an hour at full output, so a 230 g canister runs it flat out for up to 90 minutes. Turn it down to a simmer and the same canister stretches much further.

Fuel type and cold weather

The Elektra runs on screw-thread gas canisters filled with a butane, isobutane and propane mix, to the EN417 standard; Optimus canisters are the ones to use. The stove is certified by the Australian Gas Association (AGA 7459 G, to AS 2658), so it meets the local standard for camp stoves.

Canister gas slows down as it gets cold. On a frosty morning in the high country, keep the canister in your sleeping bag or jacket overnight so it starts warm, and if the flame fades, it is either running low or too cold. Cook outdoors only, never in a tent, vestibule or vehicle.

Stability and packed size

The canister stand clips under the gas canister and spreads its footprint, so a full pot sits steady on uneven ground or a rock slab. The Crux Lite burner folds its pot supports away, the fry pan goes on the saucepan as a lid, and the packed set travels in its bag at 124 mm across and 149 mm tall. The saucepan carries measuring marks and a pouring lip, so you can measure water for a dehydrated meal and pour it without a mess.

Wind performance

The hard-anodised aluminium windshield clips around the canister's valve neck and wraps the burner, shielding the flame from gusts so more heat goes into the pot and less gas blows away. Clip it on before you light the stove, and turn it to face the wind.

Looking after it

Let the stove cool, unscrew the canister and pack them apart: never carry or store the stove with a canister attached. Use a soft sponge and wooden or nylon utensils on the non-stick pots so the coating lasts.