REASONS TO BUY
Lightweight!
Small
Sturdy pot supports
REASONS TO AVOID
No piezo
Small pot supports
Snow Peak LiteMax Review
This tiny ultralight stove sacrifices features to save weight
Credit: Snow Peak
RELATED: Best Backpacking Stoves of 2024
Our Verdict
The Snow Peak LiteMax Titanium is an impressively light and compact small canister stove. That being said, it's light on features as well as weight. It doesn't have a piezoelectric igniter, something that's becoming standard on many styles of stoves. The pot supports, though sturdy, are small, and it offers very little wind resistance. This stove is suited for spartan solo backpackers on short trips with a favorable weather forecast.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Snow Peak LiteMax | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  Best Ultralight Backpacking Stove |  Best Overall Backpacking Stove |  High Value and Ultralight | Best on a Tight Budget | |
| Price | $49.95 at REI Compare at 3 sellers | $84.95 at REI Compare at 3 sellers | $69.95 at REI Compare at 2 sellers | $50 List $49.95 at Amazon | $17.00 List $16.95 at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | This stove is light on weight and features | A crowd favorite for simmering that works well in a breeze and is also easy to use | This lightweight stove is easy to use and will boil water when it's breezy | This canister stove is lightweight, compact, fuel efficient, and performs well in wind | A mini stove with a mini price |
| Rating Categories | Snow Peak LiteMax | MSR PocketRocket De... | Soto Windmaster | Soto Amicus | BRS-3000T |
| Fuel Efficiency (25%) | |||||
| Weight (25%) | |||||
| Simmering Ability (20%) | |||||
| Ease of Use (15%) | |||||
| Boil Time (15%) | |||||
| Specs | Snow Peak LiteMax | MSR PocketRocket De... | Soto Windmaster | Soto Amicus | BRS-3000T |
| Category | Small Canister | Small Canister | Small Canister | Small Canister | Small Canister |
| Essential Weight (stove or stove + integrated pot only) | 1.9 oz | 3.0 oz | 3.0 oz | 2.79 oz | 0.9 oz |
| Trail Weight (stove, fuel, pot) | 13.63 oz | 15.13 oz | 15.63 oz | 14.92 oz | 12.63 oz |
| Wind Boil Time (1 liter, 2-4mph) | >15 min | 5:27 min:sec | 5:46 min:sec | 6:30 min:sec | 14:45 min:sec |
| Boil Time (1 liter) | 5:06 min:sec | 3:14 min:sec | 4 min:sec | 3:52 min: sec | 5:13 min:sec |
| Packed Weight (stove + all accessories) | 2.1 oz | 3.5 oz | 3.5 oz | 3.5 oz | 1 oz |
| Dimensions | 3" x 2.7" x 1.3" | 3.3" x 2.2" x 1.8" | 4.7" x 3.9" x 3.6" | 3.9" × 0.7" × 6.5" | 2" x 1.2" x 1.3" |
| Fuel Type | Isobutane | Isobutane | Isobutane | Isobutane | Isobutane |
| Additional Included Items | Stuff sack | Stuff sack | Stuff sack, pot support | Stuff sack | Stuff sack |
| Piezo Igniter? | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
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Our Analysis and Test Results
If you're the kind of backcountry traveler who values low weight over all else, stop reading right now, the LightMax Titanium is the stove for you. If weight is pretty important, but you'd like to have some of the features that modern backpackers have come to expect, read on to learn what you give up to save weight with this model.
Performance Comparison
This stove is above average at simmering, but not the best.
Credit: Ian McEleney
Fuel Efficiency
When kept away from the wind, the LiteMax used 0.7 ounces of fuel to bring one liter of water to boil. In our 2 - 4 mph fan test, that efficiency evaporated. In that test, this stove burned through 1.2 ounces of fuel over 15 minutes and failed to bring the water to boil. It was able to generate bubbles on the bottom of the pot and bring the water temperature into the 170's F. You should only use this stove when shelter from the wind is available.
The LiteMax wasn't a top performer in the wind. If your plan calls for an open bivy find a sheltered spot or consider a different stove.
Credit: Ian McEleney
Weight
Small canister stoves have been dropping in weight, approaching the weight of alcohol or solid fuel stoves. The LiteMax Titanium continues this trend, tipping the scale at just 1.9 ounces, or 53 grams. Yes, you read that correctly. In the outdoor gear market, many companies play fast and loose with terms like “ultralight” and “superlight.” When it comes to this stove, those labels are accurate.
The LiteMax weighing in.
Credit: Ian McEleney
With folding pot supports and wire handle, this stove folds down to an almost two-dimensional shape when it's time to pack up camp. The included velvety storage sack adds 0.2 ounces.
Simmering Ability
The LiteMax offers good valve control; it's sensitive enough at the low end that the stove can run at an almost-but-not-quite-out level. However, this does little to make up for the narrow burner head, which focuses the heat in the middle of the pot regardless of how low the stove is running. Not a problem with smaller cookware, but our testers found that this stove was not well suited to pots much larger than 1 liter, or any but the smallest of frying pans.
The LiteMax in compact form with its mini stuff sack.
Credit: Ian McEleney
Ease Of Use
This model is pretty average when it comes to ease of use. The control valve wire is easy to find and use when your pot is about to boil over. The pot supports are not wobbly at all. The LiteMax does sacrifices a couple of features that are becoming common in backpacking stoves to save weight though. These are a piezoelectric ignitor and wider pot supports. Backpackers looking for a stove with more creature comforts should be prepared to carry a few more ounces.
The LiteMax has 3 average sized pot supports, select your cookware accordingly.
Credit: Ian McEleney
Boil Time
Like most of the small canister stoves we've tested over the years, the LiteMax puts in a decent performance in calm conditions but withers in the wind. We boiled a liter of water in 5 minutes and 06 seconds with no wind. Once lit in front of a fan, however, we weren't able to achieve a full boil in 15 minutes.
A wire control like this one has become a standard feature on all types of backpacking stoves.
Credit: Ian McEleney
Value
The LiteMax is only a little cheaper than our top-performing (though slightly heavier) small canister stoves. We think it's an average value.
The LiteMax fits comfortably in this 1-liter pot.
Credit: Ian McEleney
Conclusion
The 2-ounce weight and small size of this stove are impressive. Our testers had a hard time imagining how a small canister stove could be much lighter or smaller. While we're glad that the backpacking stove market has a place for models like this, we think many backpackers will be happier with a model that has more features.
—Ian McEleney
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