Tech Talk: Bushbuck Jet Cookers

We designed our jet cookers around a simple job: boil water as fast as possible, out in the field. The Spitfire is our biggest cooker, with a 1.4 litre pot, while the Tomahawk is the smaller option at 900 millilitres. Both run on the same heat exchange system and fit the same gas canisters, so the difference is really about how much water you need to boil and how much bulk you're happy carrying.

Our cookers are lightweight, and a fast boil time means less gas burned per brew or per meal, so the less fuel you need to carry, making them a great hiking gas stove on trail. They are not a full camp kitchen, so for three or four people you might need to stagger multiple boils or bring a second pot. For boiling water fast, rehydrating meals, making a hot drink, or cooking noodles and pasta for one or two people while keeping your pack light, that’s where Bushbuck Jet Cookers shine.

The reason Bushbuck Jet Cookers boil water so much faster than a standard gas cooker comes down to the heat exchanger welded to the base of the pot. It's a ring of folded aluminium fins that dramatically increases the surface area exposed to the flame.

Normally, a lot of a flame's heat escapes out around the sides of a pot without ever doing any work. The heat exchanger captures that escaping heat, pulls it in, and funnels it straight up into the base of the pot. Because aluminium conducts heat so effectively, that captured warmth spreads through the pot quickly, which is why 500 millilitres of water can be at a rolling boil in around two and a half minutes.

• Universal Canister Fit: The Spitfire and Tomahawk Jet Cooker burner is designed to accept standard butane/propane gas canisters, including the common 100g and 230g sizes. A 100g canister gives you roughly 70 minutes of burn time.

• Tripod Stabiliser: The canister sits in a three-legged stabiliser base to avoid spills in any terrain. It has two seating positions to suit either canister size, so it clicks in securely either way.

• Standard Gas, Not Enriched Mixes: We recommend using standard gas canisters rather than enriched high-altitude mixes. Those richer mixes burn hotter, which is useful at altitude, but at normal, low-altitude camping conditions they produce a flame large enough to scorch the neoprene sleeve.

• Cold-Weather Tip: Gas flow slows down as the canister gets colder, which can make it harder to keep a flame going on a frosty morning. A handy trick is to keep your gas canister in your sleeping bag overnight so it stays warm and flows properly when you need it.

Getting going is simple: turn the valve on, and ignite with the built-in piezo igniter, which eliminates the need for matches or a lighter. Once lit, the burner can boil water in as little as two and a half minutes, or it can hold a low simmer if you need it.

Attaching the pot to the burner is straightforward too. Notches on the base of the pot line up with protrusions on the valve assembly, and once seated, a quarter turn tightens everything into place and keeps the pot stable while it boils. That connection is doing double duty: it's what holds the pot securely on the burner, and it's also what keeps the gas seal tight. If a pot ever feels like it's wobbling on the burner, simply check the connection.

A quick safety note: the pot mount and heat exchanger get hot during and after boiling, so give it a minute to cool before handling.

• Anodised Aluminium Body: The main pot is made from anodised aluminium, chosen for how efficiently it conducts and spreads heat. 

• Stainless Steel Detailing: The shinier components you'll spot on the cooker are stainless steel, used where extra durability is required.

• Neoprene Sleeve: Because aluminium heats up fast, we include a neoprene sleeve, sometimes called a "cosy," that insulates your hands from the heat and helps the pot retain warmth in cold conditions.

• Multi-Function Lid: The lid includes both a strainer and a pour spout, so you can drain pasta water or pour carefully without lifting the lid off entirely.

• BPA-Free and Dishwasher Safe: All food-contact plastic components are BPA-free, and the pot is dishwasher safe.

The Bushbuck Tempest Fry Pan extends the system beyond boiling. It's built with two differently sized rings on its base, so it sits securely on either the Spitfire or Tomahawk burner without locking into place, which means you can toss and flip food properly, just like a normal fry pan.

It's available with a Teflon non-stick coating. As with any non-stick pan, cooking on low-to-moderate heat matters: Teflon starts to break down above roughly 250°C, and once that happens, the non-stick surface is compromised. Keep the heat low and it'll last for years.

Note: The Tempest Fry Pan is sold separately from our cookers.

For coffee drinkers, the Bushbuck Tomahawk Cooker Coffee Plunger threads into the underside of the lid, turning your pot into a French press. It's currently only available for the Tomahawk, not the Spitfire, and it needs to be assembled separately from the gas canister setup, but it packs down flat and doesn't add much bulk to your kit.

Note: The Bushbuck Tomahawk Cooker Coffee Plunger is sold separately to the cooker.

• Rinse and dry it out after use rather than packing it away wet. Left damp for long stretches, pots can pick up mould or an unpleasant smell.

• Use low heat with the Tempest Fry Pan to protect the non-stick coating long-term.

• Store gear inside the pot. The pot and lid seal well enough to double as a compact storage container for your burner and stabiliser, and it comes with a mesh carry bag too.

• Fill sensibly, not to the brim. The Spitfire's pot holds 1.4 litres total, but there's a fill line marked inside at a lower, safer level for boiling, and overfilling risks a boil-over and a scalded hand.

What's the difference between the Spitfire and the Tomahawk? The Spitfire is our larger cooker with a 1.4 litre pot, while the Tomahawk holds 900 millilitres. Both use the same heat exchange system, burner type, and gas canisters, so the choice comes down to how much water you typically need to boil versus how compact you want your kit.

Can I use any gas canister with these cookers? Yes, standard butane/propane canisters in 100g or 230g sizes fit the stabiliser base. We recommend sticking to standard gas rather than high-altitude enriched mixes, as those produce a much larger flame that can scorch the neoprene sleeve at normal camping altitudes.

Is the pot non-stick? No, the Spitfire and Tomahawk pots are anodised aluminium, not non-stick. If you want a non-stick surface for frying, the Tempest Fry Pan is available with a Teflon coating.

Why does the water boil so much faster than on a normal pot? The heat exchanger fins welded to the base of the pot capture heat that would otherwise escape around the sides of a normal pot, funnelling it directly into the pot base. That extra captured heat is what cuts boil times down so dramatically.

My gas canister won't stay lit in cold weather, what's going on? Cold temperatures slow gas flow out of the canister, making it harder to sustain a flame. Keeping your canister warm, for example in your sleeping bag overnight, helps keep gas flowing properly the next morning.

What’s the best gas cooker for camping? Look for cookers with a fast boil time and a lightweight, packable design. The Spitfire and Tomahawk Jet Cookers feature a heat exchange system to cut down boil time, a burner that runs off standard gas canisters you can pick up at most outdoor stores, and all the components pack together for storage and carrying.

Are Bushbuck Jet Cookers suitable for hiking and hunting? Yes, our cookers are purpose-built hiking gas stoves for day hikes or multi-day trips. They’re lightweight, self-contained, and a fast boil time means less gas burned per brew or per meal, so you’ll need to carry less fuel overall.