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Coleman Peak 1 Review

This inexpensive, heavy, and bulky stove takes a while to boil, but simmers reasonably well
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Coleman Peak 1 Review
Credit: Coleman
Price:  $30 List
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Manufacturer:   Coleman
By Mary Witlacil and Ian McEleney  ⋅  May 9, 2022
43
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#17 of 20
  • Fuel Efficiency - 25% 3.0
  • Weight - 25% 5.0
  • Simmering Ability - 20% 7.0
  • Ease of Use - 15% 5.0
  • Boil Time - 15% 1.0

Our Verdict

The Coleman Peak 1 is an inexpensive but bulky canister stove that does what it's supposed to — make water and food hot. However, it isn't very good at it. Simmering is what it does best. This is primarily because the resistance in the valve is perfect, making it easier to cook tricky stirring-intensive meals. But the plastic fuel control knob is more difficult to use than the long wires on other stoves, and this one lacks a piezoelectric igniter. The Peak 1 is also not very fuel-efficient, it's one of the heaviest small canister stoves, and it's the slowest to boil even without wind.
REASONS TO BUY
Simmers well
Easy to set up
Inexpensive
REASONS TO AVOID
Slow
Heavy
Fuel inefficient

Compare to Similar Products

 
coleman peak 1
This Product
Coleman Peak 1
Awards  Editors' Choice Award
Best Overall Backpacking Stove
Best Buy Award
High Value and Ultralight
 Best Buy Award
Best on a Tight Budget
Price $30 List
$22.97 at Amazon
$69.95 at REI
Compare at 2 sellers
$49.95 at REI
Compare at 2 sellers
$30 List
$29.95 at Amazon
$17.00 List
$16.95 at Amazon
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Star Rating
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Bottom Line Inexpensive and decent at simmering, not so great at everything elseThis lightweight stove is easy to use and will boil water when it's breezyThis canister stove is lightweight, compact, fuel efficient, and performs well in windA bulky small canister stove that's good at simmering but doesn't have a piezoelectric startA mini stove with a mini price
Rating Categories Coleman Peak 1 Soto Windmaster Soto Amicus Primus Essential Trail BRS-3000T
Fuel Efficiency (25%)
3.0
8.0
7.0
7.0
2.0
Weight (25%)
5.0
7.0
8.0
6.0
10.0
Simmering Ability (20%)
7.0
8.0
7.0
7.0
7.0
Ease of Use (15%)
5.0
8.0
8.0
6.0
5.0
Boil Time (15%)
1
7.0
7.0
4.0
2.0
Specs Coleman Peak 1 Soto Windmaster Soto Amicus Primus Essential Trail BRS-3000T
Category Small Canister Small Canister Small Canister Small Canister Small Canister
Essential Weight (stove or stove + integrated pot only) 6.5 oz 3.0 oz 2.79 oz 4.5 oz 0.9 oz
Trail Weight (stove, fuel, pot) 18.63 oz 15.63 oz 14.92 oz 16.63 oz 12.63 oz
Wind Boil Time (1 liter, 2-4mph) >15 min 5:46 min:sec 6:30 min:sec 10:10 min 14:45 min:sec
Boil Time (1 liter) 7:08 min:sec 4 min:sec 3:52 min: sec 5:30 min:sec 5:13 min:sec
Packed Weight (stove + all accessories) 6.5 oz 3.5 oz 3.5 oz 4.5 oz 1 oz
Dimensions 5.1" x 5.5" x 4.3" 4.7" x 3.9" x 3.6" 3.9" × 0.7" × 6.5" 4.3" x 2.4" 2" x 1.2" x 1.3"
Fuel Type Isobutane Isobutane Isobutane Isobutane Isobutane
Additional Included Items None Stuff sack, pot support Stuff sack None Stuff sack
Piezo Igniter? No Yes Yes No No

Our Analysis and Test Results

Coleman has been making outdoor gear forever, and many hikers have owned something by this brand at some point. The Peak 1 stove is classic Coleman: a “good enough” product at an affordable price. If you are looking to save money and prefer something more durable than the least expensive model in our review, then this slow burner might be a reasonable option for you.

Performance Comparison


coleman peak 1 - the peak 1 on a quick desert overnight.
The Peak 1 on a quick desert overnight.
Credit: Ian McEleney

Fuel Efficiency


The Peak 1 is near the bottom of the pack when it comes to fuel efficiency. It burned 0.46 ounces of fuel to boil 1 liter of water in the absence of wind. In front of our box fan generating 2-4 mph of wind, it burned 1.46 ounces of fuel and could not boil water within 15 minutes (which is our cut-off point to conserve fuel). At this point, most of the small canister stoves in our review can boil water within 15 minutes in our wind test.

coleman peak 1 - we experienced a few flare-ups when using the peak 1 with a brand...
We experienced a few flare-ups when using the Peak 1 with a brand new fuel canister. The flames aren't coming out of the perforations in the burner head. We think this has a negative impact on fuel efficiency.
Credit: Ian McEleney

Weight


The Peak 1 weighs 6.5 ounces. We weigh small canister stoves without any accessories, and that was easy with this stove because it doesn't come with any, not even a stuff sack! It is one of the heaviest small canister stoves in our test.

coleman peak 1 - the peak 1's bulky shape took up a lot of space in our 1-liter pot.
The Peak 1's bulky shape took up a lot of space in our 1-liter pot.
Credit: Ian McEleney

Simmering Ability


We were pleasantly surprised by the above-average simmering ability of the Peak 1. The burner head is on the wider end of average. While this adds some weight, it also helps distribute the flame, and thus heat, around the bottom of the pot more evenly.

We really like the resistance of the valve control knob. This let us have an easier time dialing in the precise amount of flame for a meal. Additionally, there is no “rebound” built into the valve — when you take your hand off of it, the flame stays exactly where it was. We were able to turn the stove down quite low before it went out.

coleman peak 1 - the control knob has just the right amount of tension, which makes...
The control knob has just the right amount of tension, which makes simmering easy.
Credit: Ian McEleney

Ease Of Use


Small canister stoves are fairly easy to use by design. Beyond this, several factors help us differentiate among models, and the Peak 1 had some strengths and weaknesses in this category. The red plastic parts under the burner head make attaching and detaching the canister a breeze, even with cold hands or when the rest of the unit is still hot. The pot supports aren't particularly wide, but they are fairly sturdy. Given that there are only three somewhat narrow pot supports, we found this stove to be among the least stable for supporting our 1.7-quart kettle during the boil and fuel efficiency tests. That said, as long as you use a 1-2 liter pot on the short end of the spectrum, it should be stable enough.

While we like the operation of the valve (see the simmering section), and the plastic knob is easy to grab, it is hidden under the pot, which makes it challenging to locate without removing the pot. Other models feature a wire fuel valve, which is much easier to use. A little metal flap offers the fingers some protection from the flames, but this won't help if the stove is boiling over and you have to turn it off. This stove also lacks a piezoelectric igniter. On a positive note, the Peak 1 doesn't come with any small parts or accessories, which is ideal, as this means there's nothing to lose or forget at home.

coleman peak 1 - the red plastic base of this stove made attaching and detaching the...
The red plastic base of this stove made attaching and detaching the fuel easy, even when the burner was hot.
Credit: Ian McEleney

Boil Time


The Peak 1 had the slowest boil time for a canister stove. It took 7 minutes and 8 seconds to boil a liter of water in our windless lab. When we subjected the stove to a constant 2-4mph wind from a box fan, it could not boil one liter of water in under 15 minutes.

coleman peak 1 - the peak 1 in our wind test. the fan is out of frame to the left.
The Peak 1 in our wind test. The fan is out of frame to the left.
Credit: Ian McEleney

Value


We don't think this stove is a great value. You can pay less for a stove that performs better in most categories, and you can pay only a bit more for a model that is better all around. If you want to save money and are looking for a burly model that simmers well, this is a decent option, but for a little bit more cash, you can get an excellent stove that performs well in every metric.

Conclusion


The Coleman Peak 1 makes water hot. Beyond this, its performance is uninspiring. While simmering is what it does best, it didn't knock our socks off at that either. It's fairly easy to use, but it's quite heavy and bulky (for a small canister stove), very fuel inefficient, and slow to boil.

coleman peak 1 - fixing a late breakfast with the peak 1.
Fixing a late breakfast with the Peak 1.
Credit: Ian McEleney

Mary Witlacil and Ian McEleney