Fore Winds by Iwatani Luxe Camp Stove

This stove is great, i’ve owned multiple butane fuel stoves and this one is definitely the highest quality i’ve used so far. in other stoves, i’ve found the butane fuel is not fully burned when simmering which leaves an oily black soot on the bottom but not the case with this stove, the burner quality is very high and handles simmer very well. it also outputs lots of heat on the high end. the built in fuel case works great. only things i don’t like: 1. the feet for the lid come out, wish they were bolted in 2. would be nice to have a plastic case for the entire unit for storage because it’s a stove and can get messy/oily when cooking a lot.

I tested this Iwatani-brand butane canister camping stove using a Coleman-branded butane canister I had on hand. Functionally, it works well. It is made of all metal (steel, not aluminum), and heavy. (6.2 lbs per spec, whereas some competitions are as light as ~3 lbs). Even though the seller calls it a "luxe" model, actually I don't see much in terms of useful features over the competitions - including Iwatani's own other models. For example, unlike many competitions, this camping stove is not butane/propane dual fuel compatible. So you do not have the option to use it with the economical 1 lb propane tank available everywhere. Unlike many, this unit does not come with a plastic storage/carrying case; apparently it is meant to be stored "as is", stood vertically when not in use. But I found it to be unstable and awkward in this position; I wish it came with a protective plastic storage case. The top lid doubles as a windbreaker, but it offers no protections from side winds. Overall, it's a nice camping stove especially if you are not particularly worried about running out of a compatible butane canister fuel cans and you don't care about the option of using a 1 lb propane tank. But overall I expected more, from the Iwatani brand name and especially for the higher price. So I am rating it 3 stars. PROs: - 12000 BTU heat (higher output than some competitions offering only ~8,000 BTU) - All metal construction appears durable. - Lights up reliably and flame adjustment works well. - Well known Iwatani brand; made in Japan. CONs: - Works only with the butane fuel canisters. (Some competitions offer a dual fuel option - working with both butane and propane) - The windbreaker (propped-up metal lid) protects only one side; vulnerable to side winds. - Heavy (6.2 lbs per spec on the back of product box. 7.4 lbs per Amazon listing) - No plastic storage/carrying case. (The stove can stand vertically when not in use, but it is unstable and awkward in this position. It seems to be more of a cost-saving measure for the manufacture, not really benefiting the user.) Manufacturer: Iwatani Corporation of America Model Name: "FORE WINDS Luxe Camp Stove" Model Number: FW-LS01-BK

This is a compact unit, but very heavily built. I own several Iwatani style stoves for household, travel and camping. None have ever given me any issues. Fore Winds, the parent company of Iwatani and Primus, has great parts/warrenty/sevice for your stoves. I’d definitely recommend them to anyone.

I got this stove because I got the Four Winds Grill Plate that I thought would work on the stove that I already had. It didn't, but I liked the idea of the grill plate. I ordered the Fore Winds Stove to be able to use the grill plate. I have used the stove enough to know what I like and dislike. PROS: 12,000 BTU output. Most other brands are between 8,000 and 10,000 BTUs Back wind screen Very easy fuel canister connection Good overall quality CONS: Unless you get it on sale, it is expensive No side wind screen, sometimes you have to set the stove at a weird angle to use it Maybe a con: It must be level to work with the available accessories for it OVERALL: I like the stove. I had a folding wind screen that I used. I highly recommend getting one. Should be about 10 inches high and fold out to 20 inches. You could make your own, but I already had one. I did not get the optional case because I have a create that I carry all my cooking utensils. With the higher BTU output I thought I would use more gas, but it is about the same as my 8,000 BTU stove. Doing regular cooking averaging a medium flame, I get about 1.5 hours of cook time from a gas canister. On high flame, for example heating water, I get a little over 1 hour from a gas canister. I have used three different brands of gas. I cannot see any difference in performance. The canister price has ranged from $2.50 to $5.50. I now buy the cheapest I can find. I would buy the stove again if I needed another primarily because of the higher BTU output.

The best in class. I'm impressed by how you can "fine-tune" the flame to a minimum setting. The construction allows even a small ladle to be placed on top. Very well made.

I looked long and hard for a single burner that didn’t need to go in a case. I love this, and would give it a 5 if a) the fuel holder closed more securely and b) the flame was stronger. At full strength, it takes a while to boil a pot of water.

Made In Japan. High quality finished. Heavy duty steel case for better protection. Love safety feature. Get a very good seal 35% off even better. Never and ever buying any non brand name stove which was made in China for safety reason. Remember what you pay what you get. But safety first

After reviewing available products I decided to pay the extra dollars and hopefully receive a product worthy of the spend. The main stove case is heavier than most offered. The canister housing lid is lighter than I would like to see but all in all the overall quality appears better than most and the fit and finish was above average. I believe the stove will serve the purpose for several years.