I have a tiny stove, so I take mine apart and it fits into my pot. I wouldn't leave a canister stove assembled-too much of a chance the valve might get knocked around and come open or something on the stove might get bent or broken. Besides, it only takes about 30 seconds to put them together, one of the big advantages of a canister stove. Mine actually takes up less space when disassembled-I can fit both my stove and a small canister into my Primus Litetech pot.