Bottom Line
There’s a lot to love about the Jetboil Genesis Basecamp System, but truthfully, we wanted to love this stove so much more than we did. It has a smart packing system and is very easy to use. It boils water quickly with low fuel use. However, we were disappointed in its ability to simmer and cook evenly.
This stove comes with a pot, pan, and carrying case. These components nest to pack down to 10.3 in x 7.2 in. It fits well in crowded cars and stores well at home. Its intuitive design is stable, easy to use, and features a built-in ignition.
When put to the test, we found that this stove didn’t simmer as well as others in our gear guide nor did it produce an even cook. It did, however, cook very quickly and with a lot of power. With the right monitoring, this might not be an issue for you. For how pricey this stove is, we expected a perfect cook with minimal effort.
How We Tested
We took the JetBoil out for a few different tests. First, we cooked bacon on the stove to test its ability to cook evenly. Then we tested its ability to simmer by cooking rice on it. Finally, we timed how long it took this stove to boil one liter of water and how much fuel boiling that liter took. For these tests, we observed how easy it was to transport the stove and set it up.
Quick Specs
Jetboil Genesis Basecamp System
Best Self-Contained System
CleverHiker Rating: 4.6/5.0
Price: $400 (includes cookware)
Weight: 9.1 lb.
Boil Time: 7:21
Fuel Efficiency: 0.7 oz.
Number of Burners: 2
Fuel Type: Propane
BTUs (per burner): 10,000
Pros
- Packable
- Includes pot/pan
- Auto-ingnitor
- Intuitive design
- Quick boil time
- Excellent accessories
Cons
- Very expensive
- Common complaints of faulty regulators
- No wind guard
- Not the best for simmering
- Can cook unevenly
Power
JetBoil is known for its fast-boiling camp stoves. The Genesis delivered on boiling but disappointed us in the rest of its cooking abilities. Don’t get us wrong—it was able to boil one liter of water in under 8 minutes, but it ranked 3rd compared to the other 9 stoves in our camp stove gear guide.
We tested this stove’s boiling ability against the other favorite stoves by testing it in the same controlled environment and using the same pot. We ensured that each pot was filled to the same level with room-temperature water. We kept each stove on medium heat to boil. The JetBoil stove produced a rolling boil in 7 minutes and 21 seconds.
Efficiency
Along with boil time, we wanted to understand how fuel-efficient the stove is. We found that this stove ranked 3rd out of our 9 favorite camp stoves of the year in terms of fuel use.
Before we completed the boil test above, we weighed the propane canister and recorded the weight. As soon as the water boiled, we turned the stove off and measured the propane canister again. We found that this canister weighed 0.7 oz less after the boil test.
Cooking Ability
We were disappointed with this stove’s cooking ability. It didn’t cook evenly or simmer as well as other stoves on our list of favorites. One positive thing, though, is its powerful, quick cooking ability.
The first test we did with this stove was cooking bacon. We used the JetBoil pan and put a couple of pieces of bacon across the pan. We set the stove to medium-high heat and walked away to fuss with something else in camp. When we came back and flipped the bacon, it was nearing black in the middle and still undercooked on the ends.
Our second test was setting a pot of rice on low for 25 minutes. We conducted this test simultaneously with another stove, using the same rice mix, water, and oil measurements, under identical conditions. At the end of the 25 minutes, we noticed that there was still water in the pot, and the rice was more al dente than fluffy.
The stove has a lot of power but doesn’t effectively disperse the heat.
Portability
This system has one of the smartest packability features, which makes it easy to condense and carry to camp. The secret to this stove’s genius is its nesting system. The stove nests inside the pot, with the lid resting on the stove and the pan stacked on top. Everything fits neatly into the carrying case. Within the case, there are velcro pockets for the fuel attachment and any other small things you’d like to keep with the stove.
All-in-all, this stove weighs 9.1 pounds which is on the lighter side of our favorite double-burner camp stoves. No complaints here!
Ease of Use
This stove rates highly for its ease of use. While the nobs and ignition look a little different on this stove than others, it doesn’t deter from its intuitive design.
The first time we took this stove out camping, we couldn’t tell which side was up or down. Each side of the stove has a handle to carry. But once turning the stove around a few times and getting acquainted with it properly, we had no more problems. Simple, rubber straps hold the stove together and easily pop off to open the stove.
When cooking, the JetBoil pot and pan fit well on the burners and feel stable and secure. We didn’t have to worry about them falling off even when our camp table was sloped. Since the pots fill the space of each burner, we found that there wasn’t much room to spill food and dirty the stove. There was practically no clean-up needed, but if there was, the stove would be easy to wipe down before packing up again.
Should You Buy the Jetboil Genesis System?
This system is smart and attractive. It is a good buy for someone who values speed over quality. If you often set up camp after the end of long, challenging days of outdoor adventure and just need a simple, fast meal – the JetBoil Genesis system will serve you well. It is a powerful stove that boils water quickly and saves on fuel.
This stove is not for someone who seeks more finesse while camp cooking. If you take extreme pride in cooking camp meals with raw ingredients, this might not be the stove for you. Though the uneven cooking and poor simmering ability won’t cause inedible food, they won’t make the perfect meal you may have in mind.
What Other Camp Stoves Should You Consider?
We evaluated nine camp stoves and found these below to compare to particular features of the JetBoil. Keep browsing by visiting our full camping stove gear guide.
Coleman Cascade 3-in-1 Camp Stove Review: This one also has the ability for a flat top grill, but gives you a slatted grill, and a burner, making this a more versatile stove for those wanting to pull out all the camp cooking stops.
Snow Peak Home & Camp Review: If you are attracted to the packability of the JetBoil, be sure to check out the Snow Peak. It folds completely into itself and is no bigger than a water bottle when all is said and done. This is a powerful stove with great cooking abilities.
Gas ONE GS-3400P Review: If ease of use is what you’re after, the Gas ONE GS-3400P is perhaps the best option. It has an intuitive design, can be used with propane or butane, and packs into a nice little carrying case.
