Kelly Kettle

[AWCHIEF]

Kelly Kettle
And users?

[Landrum]

I've got one. Amazing how fast it will boil water with a few twigs.

[AWCHIEF]

Do you use it with your trailer? I thought it might be nice for coffee and tea without having to heat the trailer up in the summer. Plus it just stuck me as being a rather interesting concept.

[Landrum]

I actually don't use it much, but I should. It is fun to use. I also have a jetboil flash which I seem to use more often. The Kelly Kettle isn't great for stuffing in a backpack, so I end up bringing the jetboil for coffee or tea on hikes. I've thought about buying the Scout to see if it's small enough for a daypack.

[ras.robshort]

I use mine every trip to boil water for my French press in the morning. My wife sleeps late and I like to be in the outdoors as much as possible. It is great and heats up quickly. It is also good to fry something using the pan stand. I am amazed at the simplicity and the heat it produces!

[OTRA15]

Another alternative -- this Iwatani 15,000 BTU butane burner works great as an outdoor table-top station for boiling water etc. early in the morning.

https://www.amazon.com/Iwatani-Corpo...tani+15000+btu

With a coffee setup in the tow vehicle, plus milk/eggs in a cooler, making early breakfast outside lets others sleep in. The small butane fuel bottles are sold in most campgrounds and last pretty long. Also, 15,000 BTU is a pretty intense heat, and the optional griddle cooks an OK burger etc., although the grease splatters all over requiring disassembly and careful cleaning. [A small charcoal grill does a better job.]

The unit comes in a hard plastic case [like a portable drill] which is easy to store and is durable.

[Shiny16]

Plus 1 on the butane burner. I use one at home for cooking side dishes when grilling. It provides a great consistent flame.

[AWCHIEF]

Originally Posted by OTRA15

Another alternative -- this Iwatani 15,000 BTU butane burner works great as an outdoor table-top station for boiling water etc. early in the morning.

https://www.amazon.com/Iwatani-Corpo...tani+15000+btu

With a coffee setup in the tow vehicle, plus milk/eggs in a cooler, making early breakfast outside lets others sleep in. The small butane fuel bottles are sold in most campgrounds and last pretty long. Also, 15,000 BTU is a pretty intense heat, and the optional griddle cooks an OK burger etc., although the grease splatters all over requiring disassembly and careful cleaning. [A small charcoal grill does a better job.]

The unit comes in a hard plastic case [like a portable drill] which is easy to store and is durable.

Originally Posted by Shiny16

Plus 1 on the butane burner. I use one at home for cooking side dishes when grilling. It provides a great consistent flame.

Nice unit but not relavent. You run out of butane you are done. The Kelly and other burners of that type are designed to use fallen wood available almost anywhere. A few weeks ago I got to see one in action. From starting fire using twigs picked up around the camp site to full boil in less than 10 minutes. Very impressive and what I am looking for. I have a Scout size Kelly on order. It is scheduled to arrive Wednesday.

[Phoenix]

We have a single-burner marine stove, purchased years ago for use on our boat. Not sure it is worth the price for land-based camping (we purchased it because it uses alcohol, which is much safer in a marine environment), but it's stainless steel and very sturdy:

Origo Single-Burner Marine (Alcohol) Stove

Note: Link is for illustration and description purposes only. We purchased this at a marine parts store, and this model may no longer be in production.

[Lily&Me]

I had never heard of a Kelly Kettle, but googling them they are pretty ingenious and efficient.

Hard to imagine a faster or more fuel efficient way to boil water in the out of doors.


Maggie

[Airtandem]

Same principal; several years ago I had a grill called Butkas or Ditka it used 5 sheets of news paper and could cook several hamburgers or couple of steaks. It took about 10 minutes.
I think this might be the same principal of heating as the Volcano Grill.
mj

[gypsydad]

OK; I may not get it, but please explain "why" the Kelly Kettle is of value to cook with while in the AS when we have our propane stove top, Coleman stoves for breakfast outside, portable propane single burners for coffee outside, propane BBQ's, Volcano charcoal grills, etc. Still trying to figure out why I need this thing? But, perhaps with a good explanation, I will find I need to order one also! I do have a little storage space left up front!

[OTRA15]

Because you burn small pieces of wood to boil the water, with the heat going up through the kettle's central "chimney" and it can be used outside in rustic settings. A neat tool IMO, but one more thing personally I don't feel the need of owning.

To each his own . . .

[AWCHIEF]

Originally Posted by gypsydad

OK; I may not get it, but please explain "why" the Kelly Kettle is of value to cook with while in the AS when we have our propane stove top, Coleman stoves for breakfast outside, portable propane single burners for coffee outside, propane BBQ's, Volcano charcoal grills, etc. Still trying to figure out why I need this thing? But, perhaps with a good explanation, I will find I need to order one also! I do have a little storage space left up front!

I not only camp in my trailer I also go real camping. Kind of hard to bring the appliances plus 20 pound propane bottles on the trail. I enjoy cooking over real wood fire. Plus why ask why? Best answer I can come up with is because I want too. I assume that is why people do most of the things they do.

[InterBlog]

Originally Posted by gypsydad

OK; I may not get it, but please explain "why" the Kelly Kettle is of value to cook with while in the AS when we have our propane stove top, Coleman stoves for breakfast outside, portable propane single burners for coffee outside, propane BBQ's, Volcano charcoal grills, etc. Still trying to figure out why I need this thing? But, perhaps with a good explanation, I will find I need to order one also! I do have a little storage space left up front!

It is of particular value during extended boondocking trips when one wishes to conserve propane, particularly in the Airstream Interstate which has a smaller tank than trailers (especially the older models which have only a single 6 gallon nominal tank, for which the 3-way fridge must take usage priority).

Especially because Interstates can't carry any of that other stuff for lack of space. No Coleman stove. No portable propane burners. No propane BBQ, and many people elect not to bring grills at all, because they would have to be kept inside (stinky / sooty / greasy) given the absence of exterior storage compartments.

Where I'm going this summer will be a 50-mile round trip to a propane dealer, 50 slow miles across tertiary roads, so it'd be about a 90+ minute trip. And that's just to get to a lone servicer in a tiny village. If he happens to be out of propane (a very real possibility in a village) or be having an equipment malfunction, or maybe he'll be sick on the day I need propane and therefore not on the job, then for me it would be an additional 40-mile round trip on top of the initial 50-mile round trip.

So yes, in some scenarios, a biomass burner is a very good option. I bought a Kelly Kettle Base Camp in stainless steel last week, and posted about it on Small Space Living before a reader alerted me to this other thread. I am forecasting that I'll get a lot of use out of the kettle. I've tried it, and I like it.

[gypsydad]

Originally Posted by InterBlog

It is of particular value during extended boondocking trips when one wishes to conserve propane, particularly in the Airstream Interstate which has a smaller tank than trailers (especially the older models which have only a single 6 gallon nominal tank, for which the 3-way fridge must take usage priority).

Especially because Interstates can't carry any of that other stuff for lack of space. No Coleman stove. No portable propane burners. No propane BBQ, and many people elect not to bring grills at all, because they would have to be kept inside (stinky / sooty / greasy) given the absence of exterior storage compartments.

Where I'm going this summer will be a 50-mile round trip to a propane dealer, 50 slow miles across tertiary roads, so it'd be about a 90+ minute trip. And that's just to get to a lone servicer in a tiny village. If he happens to be out of propane (a very real possibility in a village) or be having an equipment malfunction, or maybe he'll be sick on the day I need propane and therefore not on the job, then for me it would be an additional 40-mile round trip on top of the initial 50-mile round trip.

So yes, in some scenarios, a biomass burner is a very good option. I bought a Kelly Kettle Base Camp in stainless steel last week, and posted about it on Small Space Living before a reader alerted me to this other thread. I am forecasting that I'll get a lot of use out of the kettle. I've tried it, and I like it.

Wow; sounds like you may want to check out satellite internet service where your staying! I appreciate your seclusion decisions...but I likely won't be doing anything that remote for a while...unless we decide to raft down the Grand Canyon Then, perhaps, that kettle may make sense.

[PharmGeek]

I go backpacking and kayak camping somewhat regularly and use a "bushbuddy" stove - "solo stove" makes an early identical wood burning unit...it's a great design if you have never seen one it action

Never tried the Kelly product but because I love these sorts of things I would love to!!

Doubt I personally would ever have a need when RV'ing but actually I may bring my bush buddy and small cast iron pan to make my bacon outside

[Len n Jeanne]

Thanks for the voices of experience.

We don't own a Kelly Kettle, but I am seriously entertaining it.

One reason is that we do like to live outside the Bambi during the day, weather permitting; and being able to prepare food & cook outside is a big advantage in the 19' FC, as counter space is pretty much restricted to the table top.

Another reason isn't so much even saving propane, but the battery power to run the stove's exhaust fan when boondocking. Cooking something requiring any length of time on the stove is one more drain on the batteries.

Our area often has bans on open fires during the summer due to forest fire danger, but putting sticks into a small fire container that sits on a non-flammable surface hardly seems like an open fire.

The other thing is that I still hope we've got an another overnight canoe trip or two left in us, and when the open fire bans are in effect, the Kelly system seems a lot more sensible than carrying a backpacker stove, fuel bottle, and soot-blackened pot, when so many dehydrated foods simply need boiling water added to cook.

[PharmGeek]

I bet if you asked they will still discourage the use of any wood fire stoves

The bushbuddy or solostove can be set in the ground and they do not scorch the earth but I bet if you asked they would still say no...let me know if you all find out otherwise as I would be interested.

Wow - I just watched a few boil time videos - a dude boiled 8 cups in 3-4 min - insane fast. I think he was using all fat wood so that may be difference but a cool device

I am a sucker for stoves - I want them all.

If I was wanting to cook vs merely boil water only as primary desire - I would want more of a wood stove such as the solo stove or bushbuddy as they are easier to set up a long simmer or up to very hot.

I like how the Kelly kettle looks very wind resistant - that is a big plus - I need a small wind screen for my bushbuddy for best results if. Ugh wind is present.

You do still get soot blackening on the Kelty kettle I presume but it would be mostly that inner surface...

Dang this thread - I want yet another cool system that I don't need hahaha

[AWCHIEF]

I bought my Kelly Kettle direct from Ireland. They had the Scout Ultimate kit on sale at the time with discounted international shipping. I called and fell in love with the customer service rep. Accent to die for. She could of sold me the Blarney Stone. I have used it several times and everything I read about it is true. Using sticks picked up off the ground it will boil water in under 5 minutes at sea level. Like most stainless steel cleaning is very easy. Wipes clean with a wet paper paper towel. The chimney takes on a patina. It came with the hobo stove and cook set that is sized for the cooker and stove.

Kelly Kettle Ireland
https://www.kellykettle.com

Alternative to Kelly, also made in Ireland.
http://ghilliekettleusa.com