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Eureka SPRK+ Butane Review

This lightweight single burner butane stove is reasonably priced, portable, and easy to use
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Eureka SPRK+ Butane Review
Credit: Mary Witlacil
Price:  $70 List
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Manufacturer:   Eureka
By Mary Witlacil ⋅ Review Editor  ⋅  Nov 10, 2022
48
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#12 of 13
  • Boil Time - 25% 2.0
  • Fuel Efficiency - 25% 1.0
  • Simmering Ability - 20% 8.0
  • Ease of Use - 15% 7.0
  • Portability - 15% 9.0

Our Verdict

Whether you're new to car camping or a seasoned dirtbag looking for an inexpensive single burner stove, the Eureka SPRK+ might be a good option for you. While this stove lacks the power and wind protection of other models, it is easy to set up and easy to use. It also requires very little space in your car camping kit. Other stoves boil water faster with or without the presence of wind, but this stove does boast an impressive simmering ability. If you are looking to save a little money and a little space, read on to determine if this is the stove for you.
REASONS TO BUY
Lightweight and compact
Easy to use and set up
Inexpensive
REASONS TO AVOID
Minimal wind protection
Slow boil time
Editor's Note: We updated this review on November 10, 2022, to reflect new fuel efficiency, boil time, and ease of use metrics.

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eureka sprk+ butane
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Bottom Line A very portable, easy to use, single burner butane stoveA high-performing stove that boils fast, resists wind, simmers well, and is easy to cleanA decent entry-level stove featuring a piezo igniter and a compact design, but with slow boiling and moderate wind resistanceThis budget-friendly, lightweight tabletop stove has a traditional match ignition and is suitable for simple meals but lacks simmering finesseAn absolute bargain, this versatile little stove cooks any single-pan or pot meal you task it with
Rating Categories Eureka SPRK+ Butane Camp Chef Everest 2X Coleman Cascade Cla... Coleman Triton Gas One GS-3000
Boil Time (25%)
2.0
9.0
4.0
6.0
3.0
Fuel Efficiency (25%)
1
5.0
7.0
5.0
2.0
Simmering Ability (20%)
8.0
9.0
8.0
6.0
7.0
Ease of Use (15%)
7.0
8.0
7.0
4.0
7.0
Portability (15%)
9.0
6.0
8.0
8.5
9.0
Specs Eureka SPRK+ Butane Camp Chef Everest 2X Coleman Cascade Cla... Coleman Triton Gas One GS-3000
Total BTUs 11,500 40,000 20,000 22,000 9,000
Number of Burners 1 2 2 2 1
Cooking Surface Dimensions 9.5" x 9.5" 21" x 9.5" 20" x 12" 17" x 9" 8.25" x 8.25"
Piezo Ignitor Rotary Yes Yes Match Flame Yes
Measured Weight 4.94 lbs w/case, 3.49 lbs stove alone 13.97 lbs 9.71 lbs 8.01 lbs 4.1 lbs
Average Boil Time (1 liter of water, wind & no wind) 9 min 13 sec 3 min 21 sec 6 min 39 sec 5 min 37 sec 8 min 45 sec
Boil Time (1 liter of water, wind from a box fan) 13 min 10 sec 3 min 25 sec 7 min 56 sec 5 min 23 sec 13 min
Boil Time (1 liter of water, no wind) 4 min 36 sec 3 min 17 sec 5 min 23 sec 5 min 37 sec 4 min 30 sec
Cooktop Material Stainless steel Nickel-coated steel Aluminized steel Crome plated grate Enamel Coated Steel
Packed Size 15.3" x 13" x 3.6" 27" x 15.5" x 8.25" 21" x 13" x 3.5" 20.75" x 11.75" x 4.5" 14" x 12" x 3.5"
Burner/Flame Diameter 3' 4.75" 3.25" 3.25" 2.875"
Distance Between Burners (center to center) N/A 12.25" 11" 7.5" N/A
Windscreen Yes Yes Yes Yes No
BTU per Burner 11,500 20,000 10,000 11,000 9,000
Type of Model Tabletop Tabletop Tabletop Tabletop Tabletop
Fuel Type Butane Propane Propane Propane Butane
Model Number 2572201 MS2HP 2157477 2157352 GS-3000

Our Analysis and Test Results

The Eureka SPRK+ is a lightweight, single-burner butane stove that is easy to set up and easy to use. With a removable drip pan, it is also easy to maintain. It boasts a trim profile that takes up very little space in your kitchen kit and is a great single burner option if you're on a budget.

Performance Comparison


eureka sprk+ butane - the eureka sprk+ is a compact and lightweight single-burner butane...
The Eureka SPRK+ is a compact and lightweight single-burner butane stove that is portable and easy to use - what's not to love?
Credit: Jared Ross

Boil Time


To test the power and efficiency of our stoves, we boil one liter of water in our garage “lab” at 5,000 feet in elevation in Fort Collins, CO. In our windy and windless water boiling tests, the SPRK+ took an average of 9 minutes 13 seconds to bring 1 liter of 58°F water to a rolling boil. This was the second-slowest average in our review. In the windy test, where we use a box fan on low to generate 2-4 mph of wind, it took 13 minutes and 10 seconds to boil 1 liter of water. In our wind test, it took 4 minutes 36 seconds to boil one liter of water. This stove had a more impressive performance than some of our high-octane stoves with more BTUs, ranking it in the middle of the pack for the wind-less test. Despite the lower performance in this metric, the SPRK+ produces enough power to boil water or prepare one-pot meals — especially if you aren't trying to win any speed cooking contests. At 11,500 BTUs, this stove doesn't have the highest power output, but it does get the job done and will do it without burning your pots and pans.

Part of the reason for the low performance in this category is that the SPRK+ has very little built-in wind protection. This doesn't have to be a deal-breaker, as you could make an inexpensive windscreen out of a disposable aluminum baking dish or even an aluminum to-go container — just make sure that your windscreen allows for airflow to prevent your canister from overheating. With a little more wind protection, this stove is sure to meet your car camping culinary needs.

eureka sprk+ butane - in a field of high octane propane stoves, the sprk+ was one of the...
In a field of high octane propane stoves, the SPRK+ was one of the lower performers, but it still produces enough heat to boil water or cook a single pot meal.
Credit: Mary Witlacil

Fuel Efficiency


To evaluate fuel efficiency, we use a fresh fuel canister for each stove. We weigh the canister before and after our wind test, then before and after the windless test. The SPRK+ used 8% of the fuel canister per boil test, or an average of 1.25 ounces. These results position it dead last in terms of average fuel efficiency. In the windy test, it burned through 1.61 ounces or 13.87% of the fuel in a butane fuel canister. In the test without wind, it used 0.6 ounces or 5.17% of the fuel. In the wind-less test, it had a fairly average performance, but in the windy test, it was at the bottom of the pack.

eureka sprk+ butane - the sprk+ provides minimal wind protection, but on low wind evenings...
The SPRK+ provides minimal wind protection, but on low wind evenings the burner works just fine.
Credit: Mary Witlacil

Simmering Ability


Given the low power output of the SPRK+ and its dedicated simmer function, this stove simmers like a champion. The only concern when simmering is that you have to get the heat low enough that the flame can be inconsistent or even flicker out in the presence of wind.

eureka sprk+ butane - the eureka sprk+ is able to simmer quite well, and could even...
The Eureka SPRK+ is able to simmer quite well, and could even maintain a low enough heat to make a perfect egg scramble.
Credit: Jared Ross

Ease of Use


This is one of the metrics where the SPRK+ truly shines. Like other butane stoves, it is incredibly easy to get this stove ready to start cooking. After you take the stove out of its plastic carrying case, open the fuel compartment, properly align and seat the butane, lock it in place, and you're ready to fire it up! If the stove is off-level, you can adjust it by rotating the feet on the bottom of the stove.

eureka sprk+ butane - getting the sprk+ ready for cooking is quite simple, all you have to...
Getting the SPRK+ ready for cooking is quite simple, all you have to do is align the arrow on your butane canister with the aluminum tab, and flick the fuel lock on the front of the stove.
Credit: Mary Witlacil

To clean it, just remove the drip pan that is integrated with the pot stabilizers. This makes scrubbing your cook surface super easy and means you can more easily clean the burner and clean underneath the drip pan.

eureka sprk+ butane - with a simple wipe with a scrubby, it is easy to keep the sprk+...
With a simple wipe with a scrubby, it is easy to keep the SPRK+ clean. You can also lift up the drip pan to clean underneath as well.
Credit: Jared Ross

Portability


With its low weight and slim profile, the SPRK+ is highly portable. It comes with a plastic carrying case with an easy-to-use handle. Over time, we have found that the plastic carrying case is not the most durable, so you will want to be careful with how you pack this in your rig or kitchen bin. With the carrying case, the SPRK+ weighs 4.94 pounds, while the stove alone weighs 3.49 pounds. Beyond the ease of carrying the stove, it is also very compact (15.3" x 13" x 3.6"), commanding little space in your camp kitchen kit.

eureka sprk+ butane - the sprk+ is among the lightest and most portable stoves in our...
The SPRK+ is among the lightest and most portable stoves in our review, and it even comes with a handy plastic carrying case.
Credit: Mary Witlacil

Should You Buy the Eureka SPRK+ Butane?


Given the low price and quality construction of the SPRK+, we think this stove is an ok value. Even though it is an average performer in our boil and fuel efficiency tests, it packs enough power to deliver a tasty meal quickly enough to satisfy a couple of hungry campers. If you're looking for a two-burner stove or for a stove with a higher power output, you'll usually have to pay nearly double the price as you do for this one. It is easy to set up, easy to clean, lightweight, and very portable. Getting all of this at a reasonable price is hard to beat.

What Other Camping Stoves Should You Consider?


If you came here for a single-burner butane stove, but now you're second-guessing your choice, check out the Gas One GS-3000. It is half the price, has better boil times, and is slightly more fuel efficient. If you are looking for a comparably priced stove and aren't fixated on a butane model, you would do well to consider the Coleman Cascade Classic, it boasts two burners, and while it has slow boil times, it is much more fuel efficient.

eureka sprk+ butane - the sprk+ is among the lightest and most compact stoves in our review.
The SPRK+ is among the lightest and most compact stoves in our review.
Credit: Jared Ross

Mary Witlacil