Great news! Next time my hiking buddy's white gas blowtorch clogs, he can use my backup canister and we can keep two stoves melting snow.
I used to be the one with stove problems eating last and cursing. I don't claim to be an expert, but I'll share my experiences with a few different stoves to generate discussion:
I spent more time tinkering with my retired Whisperlite than any other piece of gear ever. When I first bought the blowtorch, the Bluet stove was about the only canister option and fuel seemed expensive. I replaced my jet when the shaker jet came out, used fresh gas, primed it with alcohol, rebuilt the pump, yet I still couldn't be sure if it would work every time. I also remember getting white gas on my hands, my pack, and some on the ground. Liquid fuel might be the best option for Everest or for serious snow campers, but I grew tired of it for my backpacking purposes. The last time it flared up I decided it was time to retire it.
For typical long weekend solo or duo trips, I love my titanium tab-fuel mini-stove & SnowPeak lidded 0.7 pot/cup setup for reliability, compactness, and most of all - ultra low weight (5-6 oz incl fuel). SteveC describes an interesting way to warm up a Mt House meal very efficiently with his tab fuel stove on another GearHead thread. I prefer to boil 2+ cups of water with one Espit tab and keep my pot clean. One tab in the morning for oatmeal and coffee. One tab in the evening for a 2-person Mtn House meal. I don't carry fuel tabs in my pot, but I'm just being extra cautious.
For snow camping, long excursions, or family trips, I go to my MSR pocket rocket with 1L Evernew titanium pot (2L MSR Titan pot for family use). A custom cut mouse pad provides adequate insulation on snow. I confess I don't camp in subzero weather or multiple nights on snow where white gas might work better. Wind issues are a problem with these lightweight canister stoves and building an adequate shelter is difficult. Windscreens are dangerous if they enclose the canister causing overheating and potential for explosion. Here's a link to a simple design for a windscreen that keeps the canister out of the heated space.
http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/00041.html
