Jetboil Minimo vs Flash: Complete List of Key Differences [Guide 2023]

We compared Jetboil Minimo vs Flash and the main difference between them is their design intent. The Jetboil Minimo is suitable for both boiling water and cooking. On the other hand, the Jetboil Flash is for boiling water only.

If you need short answer for which one is better Jetboil Minimo or Flash, here is the table we have prepared to help you understand the comparison of Jetboil Minimo vs Flash:

 Jetboil Minimo vs Flash Side-by-Side Compared: Key Differences

Both Minimo and Flash are integrated stove system which comes with a fuel stabilizer, cooking pot and stove. They may seem very similar to each other, but there are couple of reasons that you may want to hear out before choosing one over other.

Basically, we compared Jetboil Minimo and Flash on the basis of following criteria:

• Size & Weight & Portability
• Boiling Time
• Fuel efficiency
• Simmering
• Useful Features & Ease of Use

Size & Weight & Portability

The shape of the cooking pot is not the same for Minimo and Flash. So that the Flash has a tall and narrow cooking pot, whereas Minimo has a broad and short. However, both Minimo and Flash has a capacity of boiling 1-liter of water at a time.

When it comes to the packed dimensions, the Minimo could be packed as 5.0×5.5 inches, whereas the Flash is 4.1×7.1 inches. The package volume of both is almost the same. You just need some vertical space for the Flash, but the Minimo will require wider space considering the width of its boiling pot.

Both Minimo and Flash are considerably lightweight, and has been used by many people for years. Without fuel stabilizer and JetPower, the Minimo weighs 14.6 oz and the Flash is 13.1 oz.

How to Pack Minimo and Flash

It is really easy to pack both into a small unit. You can check out following video to see how to pack Jetboil Minimo and Flash:

Since these backpacking stoves have integrated system, in terms of portability you can fit all their items inside their cooking pot and move on.

Boiling Time: Jetboil Minimo vs Flash

If you are asking what makes Jetboil Flash better than Jetboil Minimo, that is the boiling time. Based on the tests, Jetboil Flash can boil a half-liter of water in 100 seconds in average. This works great if you need hot water as soon as possible in such as cold environments. In contrast, the boiling time of a half-liter water is 135 seconds for Jetboil Minimo.

Indeed, 75 seconds difference may not be a big deal for you, if you have enough time and if you are not in a cold environment. However, if you are a 4-season hiker, then we strongly recommend considering Jetboil Flash over Jetboil Minimo. Because of the cold, wind or snow, you will need a cup of hot water as soon as possible.

If you are asking how the Flash boils water faster than the Minimo, it is totally related to the amount of Power that they can supply. The Jetboil Flash has a power output of 9000 BTU/hr or 7 MJ/hr, whereas the Jetboil Minimo can provide 6000 BTU/hr or 6MJ/hr power. This is way the Flash is faster in boiling, but it also consumes the gas supply faster.

Fuel Efficiency

Considering the Fuel Efficiency of these two, the Flash is less fuel efficient in comparison to the Minimo. As we said previously in “Boiling Time” section, the power output of Flash is more than the one that the Minimo can provide. Therefore, the fuel runs out faster on the Flash.

Let’s get to the numbers, with the 100 gr JetPower fuel Jetboil Minimo can boil 12-liters of water. In contrast, with the same amount of fuel, you can boil 10-liters of water via Jetboil Flash. This could be a big deal, if you are planning long distance hikes where packing and carrying any extra fuel could be overwhelming.

Both Jetboil Minimo and Flash uses isobutane-propane gas mixture canister. Jetboil provides 100 gr, 230 gr or 450 gr options of JetPower, but you need to get them separately. You can either purchase them on Amazon through the following links or take a look at the standards “AS2278” and “EN417” to understand which type of canister would be safe to use:

Simmering

When it comes to simmering the Minimo is way better than the Flash since it has a fuel regulator on it. This is also the main reason why you can both boil water and cook with the Minimo, but the Flash can boil water only.

In addition, the fuel regulator makes the Minimo more fuel efficient since you can adjust the fuel intensity based on how much your need.

Features & Ease of Use

Heat Indicator

The Jetboil Flash has thermochromatic color-change indicator which is very useful. This feature changes its color when the water reaches its boiling temperature. But, Jetboil Minimo doesn’t have a heat indicator and you need to check the pot few times to understand, if water is boiled or not.

Handles

The handles are different as well. The handle of Jetboil Flash is built on the neoprene jacket of the pot. This fabric handle is not rigid by the way. On the other hand, the handle of Jetboil Minimo is metal and very sturdy. The good news is this metal handle is foldable over the cooking pot, so there is no extra space is required when it is packed.

Push-Button Ignitor

Both the Minimo and the Flash has push-button ignitor on them. This feature is very handy, but we still recommend bringing a separate lighter or match with you due to reliability issue. Frankly, we didn’t have any problem with that and also Jetboil says it is “reliable”, but there are some reports saying push-button ignitor of them failed in the field.

Regulator & Flame Control

The fuel regulator is one of the major differences between Jetboil Minimo and Flash. The Flash does not have the fuel regulator and therefore there is no way of controlling the flame. On the other hand, the fuel regulator of the Minimo gives a great simmer control.

Coffee Press

If you are planning to get either the Minimo or the Flash, you should definitely get a coffee press. This feature is sold separately. The following models, we provided below are the compatible models:

Bottom-line for Jetboil Minimo vs Flash Comparison

Generally speaking, the Jetboil Minimo does better than the Flash in many situations. However, the decision of whether you go with the Minimo or the Flash is totally up to you. To sum up, you can take a quick look at the key differences between them in below and decide which criteria one is more important to you while picking a backpacking stove:

• The Minimo can both cook and boil water, but the Flash is for boiling water only.
• The Minimo has a fuel regulator, which helps to control the flame and simmering. This is why you can also cook with the Minimo. This feature also helps to maximize fuel efficiency, since you will adjust the fuel intensity based on your needs. Unfortunately, the Flash lacks fuel regulator.
• The handle of the Jetboil Flash is made of fabric and therefore it is not rigid. On the other hand, Jetboil Minimo has a sturdy metal handle.
• The Flash boils water 75 seconds faster than the Minimo.
• The Flash is capable of boiling 10-liters of water with 100 gr JetPower. However, the Minimo can boil 12-liters of water with the same amount of fuel.
• The Flash has heat indicator on it. This feature is very handy, and let you know when the water is boiled. In contrast, you need to check the pot a few times with the Minimo to see if the water is boiled or not.
• The Flash is 0.7 oz lighter than the Minimo.
• The Flash has a tall and narrow cooking pot, whereas Minimo has a broad and short.

You may find following video helpful about Jetboil Minimo:

There is also a video for Jetboil Flash:

If you are a solo backpacker, hiker or camper, you may need a lightweight backpacking stove. The Jetboil Zip may meet your needs the best in this case. You can check out our detailed comparison for Jetboil Zip vs Flash to get to know more about Jetboil Zip.

Our References:

• User Manual for Jetboil Minimo (PDF)
• User Manual for Jetboil Flash PDF