I always carried the Al cup/pot for the Svea, but actually never cooked in it or heaven forbid drank from it. I tended to follow Colin's use and use it for a cup "table" or as a repository for the little bits of stuff around the stove, teabags, seasoning bag, spoon etc. Just another part of this stoves mantra. My Svea was never used in snow. After I moved to Oregon and started climbing I bought my first MSR. The little Svea got pushed aside for most of these years. I carry a thin (3 layer) plywood piece that was the top of a preserved apricot box as stove base for snow. I blackend my ensolite sleeping pad with the MSR a few times before I started using the plywood.

I too always wondered if the Svea would decide to vent the tank through the cap and flamethrow me to death, but nothing ever happened. The tank volume and distance of the MSR design and its amazing heat output really made me love these stoves for most trips but especially snow trips. Nothing better than a hot cup of cocoa or soup in short order after climbing all day. The MSR stoves preheating was always an adventure in their first designs. Huge surges of flame as the fuel tube coil heated up...impressive.

I too feel great affection for the Svea...maybe because it was the first stove, but probably because it was so finely crafted in brass and required some degree of friendship with it before it sang its tune of petrol roar. (hows that for sappy?).

I can say my recent use of the Kelly has sparked similar feelings for it.