Pomoly Stoves Compared: Ti Mini 0.6 vs Dagger vs Dweller Max 3
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I've run three Pomoly stoves through Ontario winters: the Ti Mini 0.6, the Dagger and the Dweller Max 3. The question I get most is which one to buy. The honest answer is that they do three different jobs, and the right one depends on how you get to camp and how big your tent is.
Here's the short version:
Hiking in, or want a small backup stove: the Pomoly Ti Mini 0.6. It's about 6 lbs with the pipe and bag.
Car, sled or boat camping in a small to medium tent, and you want to cook: the Pomoly Dagger.
Basecamp in a medium to large tent through deep cold: the Pomoly Dweller Max 3.
Pomoly Ti Mini 0.6 vs Dagger vs Dweller Max 3 at a Glance
Pomoly Ti Mini 0.6
Material: thin titanium, with a roll-up titanium pipe
Weight: about 6 lbs with the pipe and bag
Burn time: about 45 minutes with softwood, closer to an hour with hardwood
Heat: I've seen upwards of 30°C in the tent
My rating: 4/5
Pomoly Dagger
Material: stainless steel, with three glass side panels
Pipe: sections nest inside each other and fit inside the stove
Firebox: 15.8 litres, according to Pomoly
Weight: 22.3 lbs with the pipe, according to Pomoly (18.7 lbs for the stove alone)
Burn time: stayed warm for at least two hours after a full load, and longer on just coals
Coldest test: minus 30 in the Barracuda 2, and it brought the tent up to temperature without a struggle
My rating: 4/5
Pomoly Dweller Max 3
Material: 304 stainless steel, with three glass windows
Weight: 33.4 lbs
Firebox: 25.3 litres, room for one or two large logs
Burn time: still had coals after three hours on the coldest nights, with good firewood
Coldest test: down to -25°C, with an average 40°C difference between outside and inside the tent
My rating: 5/5
Heat and Burn Time
This is the biggest difference between the three, and it comes down to the metal.
The Ti Mini is thin titanium, so it heats up fast and burns hot. When it's going, it's ripping hot. The trade-off is that a load of wood lasts only 45 minutes to an hour, and the firebox can't take big overnight logs. You'll be refuelling a lot.
The Dagger and the Dweller are thick stainless steel. They take longer to heat up, but once they're hot they hold it in a way titanium can't. The Dagger stayed warm for at least two hours after a full load. The Dweller's bigger firebox goes further: on the coldest nights, with good firewood, I still had coals after three hours.
If you want to load the stove before bed and not be up again an hour later, firebox size matters more than anything. Most of the wood I burned in the Dweller was about 11 inches long and 3 to 4 inches across. The Dagger's long, rectangular firebox takes full-length pieces too, but at 15.8 litres it holds less than the Dweller's 25.3.
Weight and Packing
Only one of these is a hiking stove. The Ti Mini breaks down and packs into its bag, and the whole kit comes in at about 6 lbs. The roll-up pipe is light, but it dents easily and the edges are sharp, so wear gloves when you set it up.
The Dagger doesn't break down the same way. Its pipe sections nest inside each other and slide into the stove body, and everything goes into a case that unzips all the way. It's tidy, but at 22.3 lbs with the pipe, it's a stove for the car, the sled or the boat.
The Dweller Max 3 is 33.4 lbs. The pipes store inside it and everything goes into one bag, so it travels well, but you're not carrying it far.
Cooking on Them
All three will boil water. Past that, they're different.
The Ti Mini heats up so fast that it's great for boiling water and small meals. The Dagger surprised me: I cooked burgers in a stainless steel pan on it with no issues, and the thick top keeps the heat even instead of spiking and dropping. It's still too small to cook for a group.
The Dweller has a 3mm steel top with a removable plate. I mostly used it for coffee water and the occasional bacon, and the even heat works well with cast iron.
Living With Them
Each one has a quirk you should know about before you buy.
Ti Mini 0.6: it can warp if you run it ripping hot all the time. A bit of warping doesn't affect how it works.
Dagger: there's no removable ash tray, so clearing ash means disconnecting the stove and carrying the whole thing outside. The door handle also gets very hot. I've burned myself on it, so I use the included tool or heat-proof gloves every time.
Dweller Max 3: creosote builds up on the side glass, and the ash tray needs emptying at least once a day. I've burned a few holes in a tent floor by letting it overflow.
Which Tent Each Stove Ran In
A stove has to fit the tent. Too big and it sits too close to the walls. Too small and it can't heat the space.
Ti Mini 0.6: the Pomoly Circle 6 and the Firehiking Fireden. In a small tent like the Fireden, it was the right call.
Dagger: the Pomoly Barracuda 2, including at minus 30.
Dweller Max 3: the Circle 6 for most of a winter. It kept the tent close to 30°C inside on cold nights.
Which Pomoly Stove Should You Buy?
Buy the Ti Mini 0.6 if weight matters: hiking in, or a small stove tucked away in case you need heat. Bring a good sleeping bag, because it won't keep a big tent warm all night.
Buy the Dagger if you drive, sled or paddle to camp, your tent is small to medium, and you want to cook properly on your stove.
Buy the Dweller Max 3 if you're setting up a basecamp in a medium to large tent and want the longest burns between reloads. It's become my favourite basecamp stove.
At this time of year, the Dagger is the one I reach for most.
Pomoly Ti Mini 0.6: best for hiking and as a backup stove. My rating: 4/5
Pomoly Dagger: best for car, sled or boat trips in small to medium tents. My rating: 4/5
Pomoly Dweller Max 3: best for basecamp in medium to large tents. My rating: 5/5
Pair any of them with: heat-proof gloves. All three get hot enough to burn you.
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