After years of running an MSR Simmerlite, I decided to buy an Esbit stove. Not only is it ultra light but the fuel tablets are only 0.5 ounces. You can bring a lot of tablets before you start feeling their weight! Plus they won't spill in your pack like liquid fuel can.
I admit I was a little sceptical at first but since the stove and tablets are realtively cheap, I figured I could always buy it and toss it if I didn't like it. I cooked a meal for my family with it and I was pleasantly surprised at the results. The only drawback I can see at this point is that once you've gotten your water to boil, the flame is too hot to cook your food without burning it so I had to hold the pot higher until the meal was ready. I guess that means I'll need to figure out a better way of rising the pot off the flame. I also noticed a smell coming from the tablet as it was burning but that didn't bother me.
What are your experiences with the Esbit stove? Any other drawbacks I'm not seeing yet?