Why kelly kettles?

[bivouac]

The Correct way to use the kettle is here: How to use the Kelly Kettle

Thanks for the information, Patrick. Apart from the grill, the only accessory i carry is some tinfoil which i use to wrap food in and cook inside the body of the kettle over the embers (always ensuring there is enough water in it). That is why the method of lifting it on and off is important as it will come off several times to check what is going on inside. Personally, i find that food cooks much more quickly and evenly if the kettle is replaced over it. My favourite meal is salmon wrapped in foil with a few squirts of olive oil in with it. The water in the kettle is then used to rehydrate mashed potato with a few blobs of butter added to it. A grilled pepper is good on the side. Even eggs for breakfast present no problem. Take a square of foil and with a little experience of origami you can fold it over a few times then fold in the edges and you have a lightweight cooking vessel. Eggs. Coddled. For the use of.
I have a brand new copper-bottomed steel panset that i have never used as i get far too much fun out of cooking real food with a kettle. I shudder to think of going back to stew and potnoodle!

[Seaton-Les]

Apart from the grill, the only accessory i carry is some tinfoil

I made one of these as soon as I saw this on youtube. A simple bit of mesh cut and rolled to fit the base.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFG2A1irX6Y

[Mr Adoby]

I like my KKs!

I use my small KK to supply water for my thermos-cooking, when out and about. Dried veggies, dried minced meat and sausages, pasta, rice, noodles, lentils, dried milk powder, spices, and powdered tomatoes. And porridge and coffee in the morning. I use a 1/2 liter food thermos to cook in, using hot water.

For longer trips a larger KK is a great way to quickly get a bucket full of warm water for a nice warm shower and hair-wash, without frost-bite. Also helpful with warm water when you want to wash some clothes.

If you are suspicious about organisms on the water, it is a good way to quickly sterilize a few liters to drink your fill and fill your canteens.

[para106]

I like mine!! I've the big un for camping & the little un for fishing or backpacking. The little un works well with a Tatonka or Trangia meths burner too - 6 mins boil time.

[FGYT]

Ive never seen the point of KK style except a large one for base camp water heating

But My Dad got hold of this from some where i still havent tryed it but it holds 2ltrs to the neck of the filler (probably not good to fill to here)

its made from Copper (1.5-2mm thick) and soldered dont have a base etc for it but it will fit on a 2.5ltr paint can or he tryed it on top of the neigbours Chiminea Chimney

[Shewie]

Ive never seen the point of KK style except a large one for base camp water heating

But My Dad got hold of this from some where i still havent tryed it but it holds 2ltrs to the neck of the filler (probably not good to fill to here)

its made from Copper (1.5-2mm thick) and soldered dont have a base etc for it but it will fit on a 2.5ltr paint can or he tryed it on top of the neigbours Chiminea Chimney

Nice find Duncan

Is that military then ?

[ged]

I like mine!! I've the big un for camping & the little un for fishing or backpacking. The little un works well with a Tatonka or Trangia meths burner too - 6 mins boil time.

That's interesting. I was musing about measuring the efficiency of my Ghillie the other day, seems like you've almost done it for me.

What's the capacity of your small kettle?

[para106]

That's interesting. I was musing about measuring the efficiency of my Ghillie the other day, seems like you've almost done it for me.

What's the capacity of your small kettle?

About 1 pint, mate. Very handy for solo trips. I just shove the burner in the fuel bit & it works a treat, the Tatonka works best I find. Tried it with the big one & it takes forever & a refill - not ideal when freezing your nuts off in sub zero temps on the banks of a Scottish loch!!!!

[FGYT]

Nice find Duncan

Is that military then ?

No idea the pictures show all i have and know
no markings either etc

ATB

Duncan

[steven andrews]

3 minutes 45 seconds for a cup of boiling water..not that I was in a hurry!

[Bushy&Crafty]

welcome to the forums Kelly Kettle

i don't suppose you've thought about making a large party size kettle? if I've a group of 10 people they don't want to wait for a rebrew half way through, so having a properly big kettle would be an advantage

kelly kettle do a 3 pinter that would make tea for 10 (OK quite small cups!). I got one because I wanted a stainless steel kettle rather than an aluminium one. I had to wait ages to get one as they have been out of stock everywhere. I found one a couple of weeks ago
http://www.getyourselffitter.com/kel...tles-c-28.html

[jonquirk]

I have a Kelly Kettle and a Bushbuddy stove. I have toyed with the idea of suspending the KK over the Bushbuddy and seeing how that works with the Bushbuddy burning the woodgas and its huge flames being drawn up inside the KK cone.

[ged]

... I have toyed with the idea of suspending the KK over the Bushbuddy ... huge flames being drawn up inside the KK cone.

Be careful (like I wasn't, at least not careful enough). Have a bucket or two of water and a first aid kit handy (like I did, or I'd have had permanent scars to show for it).

http://www.jubileegroup.co.uk/JOS/misc/hand.jpg

[Wayne]

I have have treated several people with serious scalds at Bushcraft events from misuse of a Kelly kettle.

I use 5 KKs regularly for groups and find them great kit but like everything you need to treat them with respect.

[Thoth]

Our woodland conservation group use KK for brews. Perfect, just the tool for the job. Horses for courses. I think they are a bit of fun too :-)

[Andy BB]

Personally I prefer the Swiss volcano stove to a small kelly kettle (Sorry KK - although by all means send me one to correct my opinion ) It's lighter by far, holds a litre of water in the bottle supplied, you can boil water either in the bottle or supplied cup, and boiling times are pretty much on a par with the KK. Can use it with twigs, small meths burner, Hexi blocks, pinecones etc. And it all packs down into a handy size that'll fit into most rucksack side pockets. And at less than a tenner, extraordinary value for money.

For a base camp or car-camping, I can see the benefits of the larger KKs, and they are fun to play with (and - everything else aside, having fun is what it's all about, surely!)

[Hoodoo]

I think the Kelly Kettle is pretty cool but my twig stove works so well, I never felt the urge to get a Kelly Kettle. And it's a two-burner.

[Toddy]

I agree with Wayne and Ged; good kit, just be careful.

It's a very, very good way of very quickly getting hot water for a small group. It's easy to find fuel that will work on it, the chimney effectively 'pulls' the draught and the flames to best effect.

I do at times use the base for cooking but am still not sure about the top cooking bit; I know folks claim it's stable, but it just seems too counter-intuitive to me. It boils so quickly that I can't see me having enough time to cook on it that way.

For a settled camp it's a great way to get warm washing water too. No fuss, it just works

cheers,
Toddy

[John Fenna]

No fuss, it just works

Thet sums it up for me!

[AuldJum]

There great at what the do, as fast as a normal indoor kettle, you can store all your food for a few days inside it and it will hold water, really it's not bulky at all considering that.

[roger-uk]

There great at what the do, as fast as a normal indoor kettle, you can store all your food for a few days inside it and it will hold water, really it's not bulky at all considering that.

And Scouts of all ages form Cubs to Leaders love playing with them. I get my Kelly Kettle out and Akela is guaranteed tea on demand

[AuldJum]

My grandson told me about when he was hiking in Canada and ran out of water but like a true Scotsman he still had a bottle of whiskey.

In his infinite wisdom( and thirst probably) He thought that if i could get the alchohol out of it it would quench his thirst,

So he poured whiskey in the kettle and fired it up, as the whiskey heated up the alchohol fumes started coming out, caught the flame and sent a 6 foot jet of flame right past him.

He let it cool drank it and promptly vomited everywhere.

[demographic]

Isn't the clue in the title? Kelly Kettle

Otherwise it would be Kelly Stove or if it had sharp edges and a long handle it might be Kelly Hatchet.

[gliderrider]

I had a play with a KK yesterday, not much out of one, but a good bit of kit, deffinatly on my wants list now. Whats this about being able to get add ons for cooking? I was under the impression it was a one trick pony.

[marsbar]

Good thread this folks. The KK tracker in my view is a fantastic piece of kit. I would put it in my top 3 of my most used items. The fact that you can use whats about you i love. I do take a couple of dride out cramp balls and use them as an extra piece of fule. I find if the thicker bits of twig are a little damp when added, the cramp balls with the charcol effect are very useful in drying them out . Cheers .

[mark oriel]

I bought mine at the moot for £20.00, not really knowing how much I would use it. I love it, being a tight git we have got it in the land rover semi permanent and it has already paid for itself, we have checked the prices for a cup of coffee and a slice of cake in Pembrokeshire and we are in profit. The other great thing is what a conversation piece when you return from a walk light the stove in a car park and brew up. You can see some are almost disgusted that you must surely be breaking some rule or ancient bylaw. Love it.

[Filterhoose]

On a recent canoe expedition through Inverpolly the kk was invaluable. Absolutely nada wood at times.Hot water and cooking was done with the kk using heather roots. Don't know what I'd have done without it to be honest.

Windy

[Wook]

Criticisms of the KK come from people who have tried to use them as a stove and been disappointed.

They are a portable wood fired water heater, not a stove. And they do that job better than anything else I have ever seen. My Kelly Kettle will boil 1.5 litres of water in 4.5 minutes from lighting. Normally people will let a fire get going before they pop the pot on and begin timing.

The next closest I have ever seen is my own stove, which if you allow it to get going before you pop the kettle on will boil 1 litre of water in 6 minutes. And it was melting the handle of the kettle even managing that.

The kelly kettle is in a league of its own.

I've been wondering if a neglected application of the Kelly is as a water purification system for expeditions. It gets the water really hot so I'm confident no bugs could survive in there....

...oh yeah and I'm pretty sure it would make an awesome still!

[Dartmoor navigator]

Normally people will let a fire get going before they pop the pot on and begin timing.

I find that that 'popping the pot on' actually helps the fire get going due to the chimney.

I have just used mine for 10 days solid just as a water boiler while camping, absolutely fantastic. Once you get the thing off to a start, just leave it alone and it will reach a rolling boil within a few minutes - as Wook says, this is a good way to purify water. You don't have to panic once boiled just let the thing trundle along and take the water when you need it.

Designed for fisherman, I think the KK makes a great base camp water boiler but I wouldn't want to hike anywhere with it.

[crosslandkelly]

I love my KK, Heat your food while the water boils for a brew, great, But then I would say that.