Primus Kinjia Stove Review (Swedish Design For Outdoors)

We have been using the Primus Kinjia camping stove for a few months now while traveling around Norway in our campervan. We use it as an outdoor stove on our camping trip and have had an excellent experience with it so far.

It has replaced our easy-to-use Brunner which had fuel bottles that were just too difficult to find on the road. That stove also did not have two burners, something that annoyed us a lot when cooking more complex meals or tea & coffee (we don’t both drink the same!).

So, right off the bat I really love this cooker, but of course, it has some downsides. Let’s dive in and learn more about it.

Design

The Primus Kinjia stove is designed in Sweden, and they have been doing outdoor gear since 1892. So, you know they have experience and can design useful, robust, simple, and effective outdoor gear.

The stove looks solid and stylish, especially when compared to the likes of a Campingaz stove, which everyone seems to have. This is one of the main reasons I bought it.

Everything is well thought out including the locking mechanism, the recessed burners with a drip tray underneath, the and easy-to-clean parts. It still looks brand new now and Anna loves that she can clean it in minutes.

Primus Kinjia stainless steel parts (Drip tray and pot holder)

All the parts are simple like the gas knobs and handle. The only minor things that annoy me are

• the storage of the connector and hose. It works well but could be easier to get in and out of the holder,
• there is no piezoelectric starter so you need a lighter or matches
• the cover is a windshield but only in one direction. If the wind swirls or comes from the side, you need something extra to help block it.
• it does not come with a convenient bag to store it in. We don’t need one, however, many people will need one and you have to purchase Primus Kinjia carry bag separately.

Durability

As I mentioned above, this Primus stove is made from solid metal and wood and Primus has not skimped on anything. The cover is a sleep diecast Aluminum in black, and there is a stainless steel body underneath that will last for a lifetime.

The inner parts are top-notch like the stainless steel drip tray and pot supports. They are all removable too, which is great for maintenance.

The wooden handle also locks the lid in place to keep everything snug for transport and ensure nothing comes loose. That means this slim profile stove is easy to store and move around.

Performance

Cooking with the Primus Kinjia

This is a two-burner Primus stove, however, you can use each one independently. This is great if you just want to boil some water for pasta or tea, and don’t need to waste gas on both burners.

Speaking of burner control, the knobs are super-fine control, so you can really keep sauces slowly simmering on a very low flame, or crank things to full throttle if you want to prep your coffee asap when you get up.

We actually prefer to use this stove over the one in our campervan. So, we use it as much as possible. The fine control of the burners is amazing, not only because you can get things done exactly what you want when you cook, but it also saves loads of gas.

Sure, these burners are very fast to bring things to the boil with their 10,200BTU (3000W) power. But you don’t have to use all that if you don’t need to. This is great if you want to save money during these high gas prices, or just ensure you don’t run out.

Fuel efficiency

Speaking of burners, I find that my mid-sized gas canister lasts me a very long time. Many many meals, sometimes with two burners, along with coffee (with separate heated milk) and tea too.

I can’t give you exact numbers, but if you don’t go full throttle all the time, this could easily last you a weekend away camping or even longer. The fuel efficiency is ultimately up to you.

Ease Of Use

I will keep this section short because this stove is so easy to use. Lighting the burners is simple and controlling the flames is child’s play.

The only thing I find a little annoying is opening and closing the lid. The handle has to be in the exact right position to open and lock. At least from my experience. It is great for safety and carrying without any problems, but it is a small thing you have to get used to.

Primus Kinjia stove connector stored underneath

Screwing the gas canister on is also a little fiddly, but that is a standard problem with a fixed burner. Why? Because you have to rotate the gas canister onto the connector instead of vice-versa (which is a lot simpler, and something you do with very small backpacking stoves). Again, just something you quickly get used to and learn to live with.

Oh, it also fits both the standard screw-type canister and the Campingaz click system. Very handy for when you can find one, but not the other while on the road.

For the rest. Cleaning is also a breeze as you can remove the innards, which are what tend to get dirty when you cook (the drip tray and pot stand). Then, once they are washed, they simply fall back into place in the stove body.

Who Is The Primus Kinjia Stove For?

If you plan to cook outdoors while car camping, traveling in a van or even in your backyard and need a flexible, clean and simple two burner stove – this is for you.

The Kinjia stove is certainly not the cheapest on the market, but if you want something that will last you for years to come.

If you want something cheap and cheerful, then there are better options from Campingaz but they will likely not last the distance or look as cool!