Kelly Kettle

[binka]

I know these things are fond to many people and I've decided to buy one, namely the 1.6l Basecamp and my question is has anyone used one in conjunction with the optional cooking attachments that fit on top of the chimney?

I'm thinking of spending the small additional amount but wondered how effective it was for cooking?

Any other general (constructive! ) comments either for or against would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance

 

[tigger]

Steve, the only constructive thing I could say to you is ..."don't do it"...just get a good little gas burner .

The MSR pocket rockets are small and cheap, clean, less hastle and you don't need to start hunting down dry twigs to light them. Sorry to pour water on your fire Steve but personally I think those Kelly Kettles are more of a nostalgic type of thing for Chris Yates, cane, flat cap and tweed wearing anglers. Notice I didn't mention that they use centrepins since I use them most of the time myself lol.

 

[aebitim]

Ihave a Steve Eyden storm kettle, same type of kettle but the cooking attachments go on the firebox rather than the top of the kettle, the problem is that the firebox doesnt hold enough fuel to cook stuff and if you put loads of wood in it incinerates the food. My solution is mugshots, pot noodles etc. Best to buy the large kettle, the small one only does 2 cups just. Thermal cups are the best thing, one boil, 2 cups of tea and a potnoodle, happy days.
Best take wood and firelighters with you as they can be harder to get going with newspaper and twigs than you think, cardboard works well as fuel as long as it isnt fire retardent.
I have been using mine for nearly 15 years and wouldnt be without it, but I do carry a doiuble burner stove in the van . . . . .

 

[S-Kippy]

Got to agree with Tiggs. They work fine but are a proper PITA to carry around and if you take your fuel with you then you're kind of missing the point IMO. I've got one...in the shed !

 

[binka]

I guess it's not looking too good really

 

[pidgergj]

Iv mentioned on a similar post before about Jetboil, they are brilliant, boil a litre of water in under a minute, i cook soup, beans, hot dogs ect in mine too. Fantastic bi of kit binka.

JetBoil Zip Lightweight Cooking System | GO Outdoors

This is the one i have, but you can get a slightly bigger one, the gas is cheap and a big canister will last a good while too.

 

[mark brailsford 2]

Binka the KK seems a good idea...Until you need to carry the damn thing!
much better off with a little gas/petrol/multi-fuel stove such as a MSR or Primus!

The jetboil are very good and ultra quick but I heard reports about them not being very stable because of their design

Leave the Kelly Kettle to the nostalgic crowd, you know the ones with the Morris Minor Travelers needed to transport said item mg:

 

[tigger]

I actually got a little stove from go outdoors several years ago for £9.99 and it's great. If i'm honest I can't see any point in spending any more for stoves like the MSR that only do the same thing.
Check this one out...
GoSystem Rapid Stove | GO Outdoors

It boils a litre of water in 3min's, the MSR takes 3.5min's.
For me that doesn't really matter but the price difference does.

 

[mark brailsford 2]

I actually got a little stove from go outdoors several years ago for £9.99 and it's great. If i'm honest I can't see any point in spending any more for stoves like the MSR that only do the same thing.
Check this one out...
GoSystem Rapid Stove | GO Outdoors

It boils a litre of water in 3min's, the MSR takes 3.5min's.
For me that doesn't really matter but the price difference does.

The reason why MSR are more expensive than most is because they are imported from the USA! Same with Sage, Lamson, LL Bean and many other American made brands...BL00DY IMPORT TAX!

 

[hunters moon]

binka it would seem that I'm on my own but I love my Kelly, mine is the
scout 2.3pint size when I looked at the kellys the scout looked to-be the most
stable and as for fuel I have a large pine tree next to my garden I collect the
cones and store them in a onion sack in the shed and as for cooking on a Kelly
it's very good/quick. I know the kellys are not to every ones liking but for me
I like the ritual of the whole thing.



....I have fished through fishless days that I remember happily without regret.
....Roderick haig-brown.

 

[Peter Jacobs]

Leave the Kelly Kettle to the nostalgic crowd, you know the ones with the Morris Minor Travelers needed to transport said item

I've had mine for many years and have never found it too much of a burden to carry around. I happen to drive a 3.0 Jaguar S Type and it fits in there purrrrrfectly . . . . . .

As for carrying fuel around?
Other than a few twigs (for kindling) all you need you will find on the ground around the river.

If a Kelly is what you want then don't get put off, give it a try.

I have only used the cooking accessories couple of times but found them to be adequate.

 

[mark brailsford 2]

I've had mine for many years and have never found it too much of a burden to carry around. I happen to drive a 3.0 Jaguar S Type and it fits in there purrrrrfectly . . . . . .

As for carrying fuel around?
Other than a few twigs (for kindling) all you need you will find on the ground around the river.

If a Kelly is what you want then don't get put off, give it a try.

I have only used the cooking accessories couple of times but found them to be adequate.

Nothing wrong with KKs, I just look on it as another bulky item to hump around Peter, IMO its much better to buy a stove that fits in your bag out of the way!

I did nearly buy one on impulse a few months back from the Bushcraft store, a nice shiny grey anodised number but I thought I would get bored just sitting in the garden with it!

 

[aebitim]

HH and PJ are you cooking on the top of the kettle or the firebox? My storm kettle uses the firebox and it is hopeless for cooking, tried charcoal and briquet without succes, the vent acted like a blast furnace and melted the base. As I said earlier I wouldnt be without my kettle, it is a really good way of heating water quickly, and isnt hard to carry loaded for use if you squeeze the firebox so it grips the bottom of the kettle.

 

[Peter Jacobs]

I cook on the top of the kettle.

The accessories include a stand that fits inside the large top opening and on that all else fits.

I hope this link works, but like this:

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=kelly+kettle&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=q9ZUU9GVIcGr4ATNm4DQBA&sqi=2&ved=0CEwQsAQ&biw=1600&bih=728#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=7IWW0_wmQa_G3M%253A%3BfOnUWakR1EnU6M%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fthebushcraftforum.co.uk%252Fattachment.php%253Fattachmentid%253D2291%2526d%253D1361039878%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fthebushcraftforum.co.uk%252Fcontent.php%253Fr%253D64-Kelly-Kettle-Scout-Kettle-SST%3B480%3B429

As I said earlier, I have only done this a few times. For weekend sessions I prefer to use my Cobb BBQ Oven which is an excellent piece of kit and can cook almost anything on that, including Sunday lunch . . . . . .

http://www.gasproducts.co.uk/acatal...=feedmanager&gclid=CPCBzfqV8b0CFWzJtAodxlcAXg

The added attraction, for me at least, is that the Cobb uses bricks of compacted coconut husks as fuel so it environmentally more friendly than gaz, and they burn for about 3 hours or more.

 

[binka]

Thanks for the advice and info everyone, very helpful.

I'm not overly concerned about the size or weight issue too much as the vast majority of my river fishing is done down long, private farm tracks behind locked gates where I can drop gear off and trust it will still be there after I've parked the car and returned and it's a similar situation on some of the lakes I would use it on.

Interesting to see some of these micro-sized alternatives, it's certainly making me think a bit harder about the whole thing.

binka it would seem that I'm on my own but I love my Kelly, mine is the
scout 2.3pint size when I looked at the kellys the scout looked to-be the most
stable and as for fuel I have a large pine tree next to my garden I collect the
cones and store them in a onion sack in the shed and as for cooking on a Kelly
it's very good/quick. I know the kellys are not to every ones liking but for me
I like the ritual of the whole thing.

I think you've just summed up the attraction of one for me there HM

 

[Peter Jacobs]

I know the kellys are not to every ones liking but for me I like the ritual of the whole thing.

. . . . . and that is one of the attractions for me as well.

I love to fire it up in the car park after a day's fishing, especially in the autumn, and then sit and have a fresh cup of tea and just reflect on the day and watch the little flames dancing around as I do . . . . . . to my mind there is a lot more to fishing than just catching fish.

 

[mark brailsford 2]

Thanks for the advice and info everyone, very helpful.

I'm not overly concerned about the size or weight issue too much as the vast majority of my river fishing is done down long, private farm tracks behind locked gates where I can drop gear off and trust it will still be there after I've parked the car and returned and it's a similar situation on some of the lakes I would use it on.

Interesting to see some of these micro-sized alternatives, it's certainly making me think a bit harder about the whole thing.




I think you've just summed up the attraction of one for me there HM

Steve, take a look on the bushcraft store site, they have 2 different sizes and finishes but best of all they come with a whistle on the spout just like a stove top kettle, good prices too!

 

[tigger]

Steve, another thing to consider if you do get one is that many clubs/ waters will not allow stoves and/or kelly kettles in particular, so check up before you take it otherwise you might get moaned at from the bailiff or owner.

 

[Paul Boote]

Yes. Clubs grew tired of me finding a bivvy, lighting it, then placing my pan of water on top.

 

[pidgergj]

Binka the KK seems a good idea...Until you need to carry the damn thing!
much better off with a little gas/petrol/multi-fuel stove such as a MSR or Primus!

The jetboil are very good and ultra quick but I heard reports about them not being very stable because of their design

Leave the Kelly Kettle to the nostalgic crowd, you know the ones with the Morris Minor Travelers needed to transport said item mg:

it comes with a stabiliser but they can be a bit top heavy if they arent on a stable surface. They are fine as long as you have somewhere fairly flat and if you have a wooden fishing platform, all the better. The reason i prefer them over say the MSR pocket rocket is because everything fits inside the cup, including a small gas canister.