My experience has varied. About twice a year I end up using my alcohol stove to boil water for someone whose jetboil fails. Several of the group have started playing around making cat can stoves, leaving their jetboils at home.

Sure, people think they are the fastest around. The Primus Etaexpress Solo is faster and lighter and more compact (and cheaper) than a Jetboil. But, I don't own one of those either. Because there is more to life than speed.