Swedish manufacturer Trangia is usually associated with bulky and quite heavy stormcookers, but they have produced some lighter options. Three Points of the Compass has a glance at the components of their Trangia Mini and Micro stoves.

Trangia was founded by John E. Jonsson in 1925 and began selling household cookware in 1927. The company name Trangia is derived from the small village of Trång in Trångsviken in northern Sweden. This where their head office and factory is still situated. Jonsson removed the circle above the ‘a‘ in the name and added ‘ia‘ for “in aluminium”. This is the primary material they use for their products. Their first camping cook set was the Trangia 24 (c1935) that had no burner or burner support. Most people associate Trangia with their robust and well-made Trangia 25 (from 1951) and Trangia 27 (from late 1950s) cook sets that come with a spirit burner, though they have produced other cook sets over the years that have no burner. Those complete cook kits, with their two-part windshields, are so efficient in poor conditions, that they became known as ‘stormcookers’.

Despite the addition of titanium cookware in 1998, the majority of Trangia cook sets have never been particularly lightweight. From 2006, Trangia changed to a new aluminium alloy called 5005 H24. This was purported to be 50% stronger than their former alloy which allowed for a thinner gauge to be used. This meant a reduction in weight for some of their stoves by as much as 22%. Trangia introduced their lightweight and collapsible Triangle stove in 2010 but there were still those clamouring for even lighter combined stove and cook set options. Trangia answered the call.

The smaller Trangia Mini and Micro cook sets are comprised of various parts that, in true Trangia fashion, are all available to purchase as individual items. This is a practice that a good few other manufacturers could learn from. There are some similarities between their various stove options and it is possible to either save a few quid and buy a complete cook set, or mix and match and pull together just the elements wanted.

Windshield Mini Trangia:

The Windshield Mini Trangia, Art.no, BF600281, probably has to undergo a name change as beside being part of the Mini cook set. This pot support and ‘windshield’ also forms part of the Trangia Micro cook set.

It can also be purchased from Trangia by itself, without a spirit burner, for £5.88. Due to its construction, weight seems to vary just a little, but it should come in at around 49-51g.

This is a carefully shaped piece of aluminium that while it will not fold or collapse, will fit inside many small pots for transit. It can then be removed, placed on the ground and will then hold and support either the Trangia Spirit Burner or their Gel Burner. The burner can also remain inside the windshield when stowed inside a pot.

Four internal tabs have been formed by being punched out from the sides, which does two things, create airflow from below, and holds a burner securely centre. These tabs occasionally get bent down a bit, just ease them back out.

The small pots shown below are each made with a circular indent on their base that rests securely within the uppermost pot rests/tines on the windshield. Dimensions of the windshield are 96mm x 61mm x 1mm so a pot needs to be a wider than 100mm to comfortably and securely rest on the four tines.

This pot stand, what Trangia call a windshield, is not the best at blocking side breezes and another windshield surrounding it goes a long way to improving performance. But that would somewhat negate the point of carrying this as part of a lightweight set up. This is one piece of Trangia kit that could do with a bit of a redesign.

Trangia Spirit Burner B25:

Trangia cook sets are based around the Trangia Spirit Burner B25, art.no. BF602500, and most are available with one of these, or it can be purchased as a stand-alone item for £14.16. The Lid, art.no. BF602505, and Simmer Ring, art.no. BF602506, are each available as replacement parts. There is also a Pre-heater FV21, art.no. BF602101 available for £7.80 for use in colder conditions.

This is a spirit/alcohol burner with a long history, and for a very good reason. It is an excellent piece of gear, if a little heavy when compared to it’s more modern usurpers. The spirit burner is very well made, quite large and primarily made from brass, with an internal cotton wick. It measures 75mm x 42mm. It is robust, made to survive knocks and will last decades. As a consequence, it is no lightweight. Trangia give a weight of 110g for burner, simmer ring and screw on lid.

If you buy a few Trangia sets you can quickly accumulate a few of these burners. The weight of mine average out to 68g for the burner alone, 23.5g for the simmer ring and 21.2g for the screw-on cap. A total of 112.7g (113g) for the compete assembly. So, just 3g more than the book weight. I have a closer look at the Trangia Spirit Burner in another post. These burners normally come with a 7g bright yellow plastic bag. This (or a lighter bag) should be retained to keep the burner, and possibly toxic fuel, isolated from the inside of a cooking/drinking vessel.

There are various alternative commercial spirit burners available that could bring down the weight of a Trangia cook kit. I have used the equally as well made Evernew Titanium Alcohol Stove, but that has a very different burn characteristic. Or you can even make your own burner. Some alternatives are cheap, some are lighter, few are more efficient and most are not. if in doubt, stick with the genuine and reasonably priced Trangia burner. It cannot be used by itself and requires a pot support, at the very least a trivet mounted over the burner.

• Gear talk: Evernew Titanium Alcohol Stove

I am most familiar with using alcohol with Trangia cook sets, normally methylated spirit, this is a form of denatured alcohol that has a purple dye added. I have also occasionally fitted my Edelrid Hexon multi-fuel burner in a 25 or 27 set. Other types of fuel are used by many fans of the Trangia cook sets- gas, liquid-fuels such as white gas or Aspen-4. None of these alternative fuels can or should be used with the brass spirit burner. Most recently, ethanol based fuels have become a preferred fuel for many, that can come in various forms including gel. Gel form should not be used in the spirit burners.

To answer the call from many users attracted by solid fuel tablets and gel as a preferred fuel, Trangia produced a gel burner that can, like the spirit burner, nest inside any stove they make.

Trangia Gel Burner B24:

The two-part 18g Trangia Gel Burner B24, art.no. 602400, is comprised of a very thin and soft aluminium cup, with equally as thin lid, that is used with gel or solid fuel. The 80mm diameter and turned upper rim makes it compatible with all of the Trangia stoves. It is only this that makes it a viable option as a burner. There is almost nothing else to this burner and while a cheaper option would not be hard to find, sourcing one to correctly fit a Trangia stoves is another matter. It would require a little experimentation and possible adaptation.

If you cannot be bothered with sourcing your own gel burner elsewhere, the Trangia option is perfectly functional, for what it is. Trangia sell it for a not-unreasonable £5.76. You can even buy the cup (art.no. BF602401) and lid (art.no. BF602402) as separate items, £3.36 for each.

The lid simply clips on, it doesn’t screw on, so the burner cannot be used to store gel inside in transit. It can be used with either gel or solid fuel blocks. These are not the speediest of fuels to use, no more than alcohol is. But that is not the purpose of these fuels. If you want speed combined with light weight, use a gas stove.

Even though I am frequently in no great rush, I am still not the greatest of fans of gel as a fuel type. It is almost impossible to control the flame once lit. It is slow and even with the volume that the cup will allow, pretty inefficient and in breezier conditions will often run out before a boil is attained. It also leaves a burnt residue in the burner cup. Trangia state that it will take seven minutes for a litre of water to come to a boil with gel, however that will depend on altitude, temperature and decent protection from wind, also, whether a lid is used on the pan. I have tried gel on trail a few times and always remain disappointed. It may be best to regard the gel burner as an emergency standby and just carry it with a solid fuel block or two inside. Use the lid with the cup, not only does it stop the thin base unit become dented and misshapen but it also works as a snuffer.

Trangia recommend Fire Dragon gel, but there are other makes available. Fire Dragon also produce sealed solid fuel blocks, in packs of 6 or 12. Despite my not being a frequent user of this type of fuel, I do often pack along one or two of their 7g Fire Dragon Fuel Pots in my ditty bag as an emergency backup in case I run out of fuel or have stove problems, just to ensure I get that all important pint of tea on trail!

Trangia Saucepan, 800ml:

The aluminium Trangia Saucepan, art.no. BF600283, has a capacity of 800ml brim full, is uncoated and has an indent in its base that enables it to sit within the uppermost points of Trangia’s Mini and Micro Windshield. This prevents it from sliding off sideways and depositing a meal on the ground. 800ml is an unrealistic quantity but it will hold enough for cooking for one or two people. If just used for water it is fine but I find the downward turned lip traps food underneath it that can be difficult to properly clean out.

It is a simple pan with no graduations or even a handle. To safely use this pan you require one of the pot grip handles that Trangia make, or a third party gripper. The soft aluminium easily gets scratched and torn up a little from these.

Trangia Mini Frypan:

The Mini Frypan, Art. no. BF600286, has a 150mm diameter and firmly clips on to the 800ml Trangia Saucepan for transit. Due to an indent on its base, it can nestle into the Trangia Mini Windshield or be used as a lid for the 800ml saucepan. The frypan used to be shallower and Trangia increased it’s depth (and resultant capacity) from 24mm to 29mm in December 2021. Mine pre-dates that change and is the shallower pan. It weighs 75g. Mine has a 350ml capacity, brim full.

This is a decently made non-stick aluminium pan with a workable inner dimension of 141mm. I am not a great one for frying food on trail as oil can be a pain to clear up, and the non-stick surface greatly reduces the need for oil.

Handle, Mini Trangia:

This 115mm long Handle, Mini Trangia, art.no, BF600282, will work with either the 800ml pan or non-stick frypan. It can be purchased by itself for £3.96. The lower turned-up edge slips under the turned upper lip of the pan, and finger and thumb close the handle, gripping and holding the pan. Made from thin steel, it is simple and probably as light as Trangia could make it, weighing 20g..

I am not a fan of this handle. I find with a full pot I have to grip it tightly too near the pot itself and often find this ‘uncomfortable’ from the heat escaping up the side from the burner. It is fine for the wider frypan however, that also normally has less weight in it, probably because mine is the earlier version with a smaller capacity. However it also easily scratches the non-stick covering of the frypan. While it also scratches a surface, the handle incorporated in the larger Trangia 25 and 27 cook sets is a far better pot gripper but will not pack down inside the set like the Mini handle will. I also have a little MSR pot grabber that works just fine with the Trangia pots and will pack down inside. This is shown below.

In 2023 Trangia introduced two new lightweight cook sets. Each included the lightest and smallest pots, with attached handles, that Trangia have released. There is also an alternative and even lighter pot, without lid or handle. These are the T-Cup, and Trangia Pot Micro.

Trangia T-Cup:

Trangia released two versions of the T-Cup in 2023 alongside an even lighter version. One T-Cup has a red handle and knob on the lid and is included in the Trangia Micro Original cook set, the other has black handle and knob on the lid, and comes with the Trangia Micro Light cook set. Other than the colour of the plastic, the T-Cups are otherwise identical.

These are reasonably priced pots and could be seriously considered by anyone pulling together a lightweight cook kit for backpacking. Each version of the T-Cup can be purchased from Trangia for £12.24, or without a lid for £9.96. The small pot is exactly sized so that the Windshield Mini Trangia, supplied with both Trangia Micro and Mini cook sets, will stow inside.

Each of my aluminium T-Cups, art. no’s, BF501053 (red) and BF501050 (black), with handle but without lid, weighs 83g, with lid this comes in at 112g, just a gram over the advertised weight. It measures 112mm × 67mm, or 84mm with lid in place.

The T-Cup has 100ml graduations marked on the inside, however these are almost invisible. A 500ml fill is just 4mm from the brim and placing a lid on displaces some of this. The lid doesn’t firmly snap into position, simply resting comfortable in/on the pot. There is a small pressure release steam hole in the top of the lid. The T-Cup lid also fits the large 25 Trangia Kettle (Art.no. 200324), and is available from Trangia as an replacement or accessory (Art.no. BF203243) for £3.60.

The handle on the T-Cup is made of thick wire with an insulating plastic covering. The handle folds out for use but doesn’t lock into place. The pot can swivel and tip away from the handle when pouring. I simply place the tip of my thumb against the rim of the pot when tipping it, which makes for a more secure pour. When packing away, the lid swivels up and over the lid, snapping around the knob The plastic handle covering of the T-Cup will melt if it gets too close to a flame, and it is easy for a breeze to lick flames up the side of the pot when used. Almost needless to say, Trangia also sell replacement handles for £3.96 each, in either red or black. Despite these somewhat minor quibbles, this is a good pot. It is lightweight, even with its lid, a decent size for one, but pushing it for two, folds up quite well and is well proportioned- not too tall in relation to it’s width. As a final plus, it is very well-priced.

The base of the pot has an indent around it’s circumference sized just right to rest inside the uppermost tips of the Windshield Mini Trangia. This indent also enables the T-Cup to rest on and within the three top support tabs on the Trangia Triangle. Trangia produce a Pan Stand, art no. BF612527, that enables the T-Cup to also be used with the larger 25 and 27 cook sets.

These two versions of T-Cup are supplied with Trangia’s Micro cook sets but there is an even lighter option from Trangia that can replace these if you can put up with it’s shortcomings. This is the Trangia Pot Micro.

Trangia Pot Micro:

The Trangia Pot Micro, art. no. 600500, is a version of the T-Cup that lacks both a lid and handle. This reduces the weight and makes for a simpler option. It is the simplest and lightest pot that Trangia produce and has to be purchased as a standalone item from Trangia for £7.44 to enable a user to reduce the weight of a Micro cook set just a little. Advertised as weighing 60g, mine comes in at 58.4g.

Like the T-Cup, the 500ml pot has barely legible markings on the side and in common with it’s better equipped siblings, has the turned upper rim and the indents in the base that fit the pot stand and windshield. As mentioned, this pot has no lid (use a piece of foil) and no handle. So it could be lifted on/off the stove with a pair of non-synthetic gloves or a cotton bandana (synthetic will melt in proximity to the flame). If you do use a handle, it becomes much easier to manipulate. The 20g Mini Trangia handle fits it well but there are better, if heavier, options.

While the decently made 48g Trangia Handle TH25 supplied with larger cook sets can be used, I think the Pot Micro is much better paired with a MSR Lite Lifter. This 29g handle has an insulated handle and grips well. It is normally too small to confidently use with larger pots, but is just right for these half litre Trangia pots. However this removes the lighter weight advantage of buying a pot without a fitted handle. As a reminder, a T-Cup, with handle and no lid, comes in at 83g. A Pot Micro with MSR Lite Lifter handle totals 87g.

Trangia Mini / Trangia 28-T:

The Trangia Mini cook set, Art.no 100285, is comprised of the Windshield Mini Trangia, Spirit Burner, 800ml aluminium saucepan, non-stick frypan and a handle, that fits either pan. Packed dimensions are 150mm x 67mm. It weighs 353g, sans the burner’s yellow plastic bag. The set was originally known as the 28, but by 1994, there was the option of upgrading to non-stick frypan with the 28-T cookset.

The Trangia Mini, now also known as the Trangia 28-T, was introduced in 1985 and first produced for the KIMM (Karrimor International Mountain Marathon), now called the Original Mountain Marathon (OMM). The cook set has barely changed in that time, other than the introduction of new frypan and a change in it’s depth. I am not sure why Trangia decided to increase the size of the frypan as I find the earlier smaller and lighter pan perfectly sufficient for what is supposed to be a basic lightweight kit. With its two pans it is possible to brew up hot drinks and cook simple meals for one or two people.

Trangia Micro Original:

The Trangia Original Micro, art. no. 100500, was introduced in September 2023. and includes the Windshield Mini Trangia, Spirit Burner and T-Cup. It is small, simple and most suited to just one person.

Everything folds away inside the pot and the handle snaps shut over the lids knob, but doesn’t lock it completely down.

This a very compact kit and at 275g (sans yellow plastic bag) is a good deal lighter than the Trangia Mini. Though it only has one pot compared to that kit’s two vessels. The let down is the ‘windshield’ that isn’t. If using the Micro then another windshield needs to be taken to get the best out of it.

“Trangia Micro Original is our smallest and most compact stove, the ultimate solution for preparing a quick lunch”

Trangia

While Trangia proudly state that the Trangia Micro Original is their smallest and most compact stove, it is not their lightest, as the Trangia Triangle probably takes that title (reviewed in another post). Trangia also released the Trangia Micro Light at the same time as the Original. This is an almost identical cook set, but comes with a gel burner instead of the brass spirit burner found in the Original.

• Gear talk: the Trangia Triangle, a review

Trangia Micro Light:

Component parts of the Trangia Micro Light, art.no. 100530, are the Windshield Mini, Gel Burner and T-Cup. Despite it being amongst the lightest of Trangia options at just 182g, this is my least favourite of their lighter cook sets. The T-Cup is fine, but as with the Original, it requires an additional windscreen. Even more so with this cook set as it uses a type of fuel and burner that are particularly susceptible to side breezes. It may suit many other users, but not me.

Some thoughts:

The Trangia Mini remains a handy compact kit that combines both a pot and fry pan, with a sub-par burner support and robust and effective burner. It has stood the test of time and remains a favourite with many due to the opportunity to cook proper meals with it rather than just boil water. This flexibility goes some way to accepting the poor performance of the included windshield. The newer Trangia Original Micro and Trangia Micro Light have their failings. While they both use the same poor pot support as the Mini, they are less suited to ‘proper’ cooking and all they offer in addition is a lighter weight as they each have just the one pot. One pot is plenty for most lightweight backpackers, but if settling for a lone pot, then a light and efficient windshield and pot support will likely be wanted too, and that simply isn’t the case here.

Combining the T-Cup, or even the basic Trangia Pot Micro, with the Trangia Triangle and Spirit Burner will make the most efficient and lightest option out of the various components looked at here. If really wanting to knock off a few extra grams, then retain the Triangle and T-Cup and consider swapping out the Trangia Spirit Burner for something like the Titanium Alcohol Stove from Evernew or, if you must, a gel/solid fuel burner. All of these components can be purchased as individual items.

Trangia 624-23:

The 624-23 (art BF162423) was another lightweight option from Trangia. It is now discontinued. It could work with either the Trangia spirit burner or their gas burner, 742527.

First released by Trangia in 1963 as a burner/pot support, and burner, with a sealing lid and a flip over simmer ring as ‘Open Spirit Stove’ set no. 100230. A saucepan, frypan and removable handle were added in 1987 to make set no. 162423. The whole set weighed 600g and measured 185mm x 100mm. The included burner support by itself (art.no. BF600231) measures 152mm × 82 mm and weighs 175g. This support provides no protection from side breezes and despite it’s long life in their product line, is possibly the least effective support for the spirit burner that Trangia have ever produced, for camping. I have never owned one of these cook sets but they do occasionally turn up on the second hand market. I cannot see any advantage in possessing one for backpacking as it was intended more for use as an emergency indoors set where there would be no wind at all. It is one for the collectors only.

Three Points of the Compass occasionally takes a glance at items of gear. Some fairly new, many are older. If it works, sometimes the older pieces of gear remain the best. These reviews get added to occasionally as I get round to it. Links can be found here. Also, links below to some stove related musings.

• Stoves that may suit the lightweight camper and backpacker
• Gear talk: fitting the Edelrid Hexon stove to the Trangia Stormcooker
• Gear talk: The Edelrid Hexon multi-fuel stove

Prices, where included above, were correct as of November 2023.