Lightweight Two-Burner Stove Sweet Spot: Optimus Gemini II 2.0 Review

Sitting on the tailgate of my truck, I fire up the new Optimus Gemini II dual-burner camp stove in order to make some coffee and oatmeal to start the day. With a scenic backdrop of snowcapped mountains piercing a pale blue sky, I twist the knobs on the slim silver stove to get the heat settings just right. Moments later, I’ve got oatmeal simmering in one pot while my coffee water boils in a mug next to it.

The new Optimus stove, which fits perfectly into my truck-camping regimen, is considered compact. The stove has two burners, making it a more robust option for camp cooking. I tested it throughout a week on the road and trail this spring.

I used it across Colorado, including Southern Colorado, on a camping trip, cooking on it in my truck. I also tested it on the trail in Northern Colorado, but I left it at home for a bigger trekking trip in Nepal. It was too heavy for a longer journey like that.

I’ve used the Jetboil Stash, which I tend to take backpacking, and it works, but it limits cooking options and requires me to make coffee, and then boil more water for food. I’ve also used larger cooking kits, such as the Camp Chef Everest 2X, which is great and offers an abundance of cooking options, but it takes up a lot of space and is heavier.

The new Optimus Gemini II hits a sweet spot here: it has enough cooking power to do more than just boil water, yet it’s lightweight and small enough to slip into the glove compartment or a backpack.

In short: The new Optimus Gemini II ($200) is a compact dual-burner stove for outdoor cooking. It hits a select niche between lightweight backpacking gear and heavy-duty camp stoves. The dual 4,600W burners (17,000 BTU/h total with independent controls) offer real kitchen cooking options in the backcountry, weighing just under 30 ounces. The stove also stows away in a slim carry bag for easy packing and transportation.

Optimus Gemini II Review

Optimus Gemini II: On the Four-Wheel Road

My first reaction when I opened the new slender Optimus Genimi II was that I really liked its minimalist look. The stove appears simple and straightforward. Fold out the four legs, attach a fuel canister, light the two burners, and you are good to go.

In reality, I found it a bit more complicated to use. There are no indicators on the stove aside from two dials with the plus and minus signs for the burner. The stove was simple to set up, and it even comes with a stand to snap your fuel canister into, so it stays steady on uneven ground.

There’s no starter on the stove, so I used a lighter to get the two burners going. While trying to adjust each burner, I somehow kept shutting one off and restarting the other. This may be user error from not having my first coffee, but it took a little effort to get both burners going and adjusted correctly.

Once lit, I placed the pots and pans on the respective burners, and they balanced easily enough. I was cooking on my truck’s tailgate, so it was fairly level. If using this on uneven ground, the thin design could be a bit more challenging, especially if using various-sized pots and pans.

The stove boiled water quickly, and I soon enjoyed coffee and oatmeal at the same time, which is a nice benefit of the two-burner system.

I was able to pack the cooking system up in a matter of minutes and slip it into the back of my truck without wasting space.

On the Trail

In testing, the stove performed as well as other camp stoves I’ve tested. It takes a little practice to dial in the burners, and you will want to make sure the pots and pans are balanced on the thin stove. Uneven ground is a problem with larger pots here.

The stove fits in my pack seamlessly. It is thin and can slide easily into a pocket or body, but it will take up more space than a Jetboil or a Pocket Rocket.

It wasn’t too windy when I tested it, but even with the wind guard, it is susceptible to wind. The claim of a 4-minute boil time is accurate; I got my liter boiling in under 4 minutes. It does burn through fuel more quickly with the two burners, but the fine-tuned ability to adjust the flames helps manage that.

Keep in mind that the entire stove, including the legs, gets very hot while cooking, so make sure to let it cool completely before touching it and packing it up.

Overall, the stove boiled water quickly and efficiently, but if this is all you are using it for, it is likely overkill. I would say this stove is better suited to cooking on the trail than to just making coffee or freeze-dried meals.

Optimus Gemini II: Under the Hood

When you start to break down what this new stove is capable of, it is pretty impressive for its small size and weight.

The Gemini II can burn continuously for more than 160 minutes at full power using just a single burner. That is using a 450g gas canister. The burners produce 4,600 W (17,000 BTU/h), with a boil time of approximately 4 minutes per liter of water.

“With the Gemini II, we set out to bring true cooking control into a compact, field-ready format,” said Carmen Heiter, Head of Product Development at Katadyn. “It enables users to prepare proper meals anywhere, without compromising on performance or reliability.”

Katadyn, which owns the Optimus brand, launched the new Optimus Gemini II in April, dubbing it a compact dual-burner performance cooker engineered for real cooking for the mission. Katadyn has built its reputation as a Swiss equipment brand that is engineered for reliability when it matters most on expedition-level missions.

The Gemini II definitely aligns with that mission. It is intended to expand cooking options when outdoors. The stove folds flat when not in use and can be packed in the included soft carry bag. The compact stove can fit anywhere from a backpack to a dry bag in a canoe. The stove weighs just 28.9 ounces, which is heavy for long backpacking trips but light for an overland adventure or a base-camp expedition.

Equipped with 4,600W burners, it sets itself apart from many camp cook stoves with independent flame control. The Gemini II allows simmering, boiling, or cooking multiple pots or pans simultaneously. The stove has a built-in pressure control valve that ensures consistent fuel/flame output in changing weather and wind conditions. And there’s also an integrated wind shield, which helps block the wind a bit.

Optimus Gemini II: Who’s It For?

The Optimus Gemini II is built for people who really enjoy cooking in the backcountry and want a dual-burner stove that lets them dial in the heat.

It’s a niche product because it’s not ideal for backpacking trips due to its size and weight; however, if you are car camping, it is easier to throw in than a larger, heavier stove, such as a Coleman, that offers even more cooking options.

The Optimus Gemini II hit a sweet spot for minimalist campers who don’t want a full grill in camp, yet aren’t so concerned with weight that they want to get by with a Jetboil or MSR Pocket Rocket for cooking.

If you want to fire up a burner to boil water for dinner and a mug for tea or coffee at the same time, and be able to really dial the heat coming out of the burner, then the Gemini II is the stove for you.

For backpackers in a big group who can share gear and save weight, yet may be cooking dinner for a larger team, this stove is a great fit that will save time and energy. If you are just boiling water, there are better stove options. If you are making meals, cooking fresh-caught trout from a stream, or love a good breakfast skillet, then the Gemini II is a great option.

There are some drawbacks to using the Optimus Genimi II, aside from the size and weight, which matter for ultralight backpackers or trekkers going on more than just a weekend hike. The cooking base is narrow and requires some balance with pots and pans. It is still susceptible to wind despite the built-in windscreen. And it is a bit complicated to use with the dual burners — it’s not the most intuitive system and takes a little work to figure out.

So while it’s not the best option for ultralight thruhikers and it’s too little of a stove for big kitchen car campers, this stove hits a Goldilocks zone for short multi-person backpacking trips, overlanding, and base camp expeditions.

The Optimus Gemini II is available for $232.