MaC
Moderator
Mine's ancient now, but still sound, still utterly reliable. Boils 2pt of water very speedily on whatever stuff I can find to keep it fed.
Kelly Kettles.....anyone else use one ?
- Thread starter MaC
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Beachlover
Moderator
I’ve got two hanging up in one of my allotment sheds. A large and a smaller one. They’re more a novelty talking point now, but I fire them up occasionally. Nothing to go wrong with them unless you drop a paving slab on them as I did to the larger one, which now has a tiny leak as a result 
ElThomsono
VIP Member
Och, fun for the odd bit of whimsy but not something you'd carry, they're bloody massive for what they are. Mine leaked when I got it but it was easily mended with JB Weld.
I use it so infrequently that I often forget lifting it by the handle puts your hand directly above the flames, it's all a jolly jape.
I use it so infrequently that I often forget lifting it by the handle puts your hand directly above the flames, it's all a jolly jape.
I have friends that are outdoor instructors and remember them saying they would take them on group canoe trips so they could do a quick brew for the groups to give it a slight bushcrafty feel. Apart from that they weren’t too worried.
Beachlover
Moderator
Mate down the allotment is 80 and a keen coarse fisherman. He was extolling their virtue to someone else and lamenting his getting nicked. Once the third party had left, I offered to gift him the choice of one of mine as a replacement. His reply was along the lines of, “Fuck off, I’ve got one of those Jetboil gas things. I just wanted to see if that daft c*** would fall for it and buy one of yours!” 
MaC
Moderator
It's one of those 'get a brew on' type things.
Mine easily and quickly makes a decent six mugs worth, and I don't need to carry fuel. It'll burn pretty much anything.
I have never, ever found my hand above the flame to lift it....that's what the chain is for.....mine's on a cork.
The base makes a great glowing ember cook spot too. Handy for a fry up for the rolls to go with the tea
Mine easily and quickly makes a decent six mugs worth, and I don't need to carry fuel. It'll burn pretty much anything.
I have never, ever found my hand above the flame to lift it....that's what the chain is for.....mine's on a cork.
The base makes a great glowing ember cook spot too. Handy for a fry up for the rolls to go with the tea
Beachlover
Moderator
I’ve got one of those folding firebox things too and figured that would be a good standby if I ran out of gas as I could use my usual pot / kettle and it’s less bulky albeit probably heavier than the Kelly. The fact is that I’ve never run out of gas, if ever I did someone else would make a brew and at a pinch I could make do with a cold drink or go to the local cafe, so I really ought to punt that on at some point too.
Nice65
Explorer
I had one for years, quite enjoyed it, but pretty impractical for most occasions. My most used stove is one of those tiny BRS3000 titanium things for making a cuppa.
When I worked for SSE there was a ‘no gas or liquid fuel stoves’ rule in place after a couple of linesmen gassed themselves on CO brewing up in the vehicle cab, so I had my Kelly in the truck along with an Emberlit wood stove.
If running the Kelly indoors in a marquee or open tent, I thoroughly recommend reed mace heads as fuel.
When I worked for SSE there was a ‘no gas or liquid fuel stoves’ rule in place after a couple of linesmen gassed themselves on CO brewing up in the vehicle cab, so I had my Kelly in the truck along with an Emberlit wood stove.
If running the Kelly indoors in a marquee or open tent, I thoroughly recommend reed mace heads as fuel.
MaC
Moderator
Yeah, no !
Honestly the mess is worth repeating outdoors just for the sheer WOAH! factor
Honestly the mess is worth repeating outdoors just for the sheer WOAH! factor
CaptainBeaky
VIP Member
I still have mine - 2 litre stainless one from a BB group buy, if I remember correctly?
Got used a lot when I was helping out with the Scouts, but not much since.
No1 son uses it at festivals mainly, these days.
Got used a lot when I was helping out with the Scouts, but not much since.
No1 son uses it at festivals mainly, these days.
bushwacker
VIP Member
I still have one and used to use it when working in the woods. As I was burning brash it became easier just to take a camping kettle and bung it on the open fire. I won a small stainless one on BCUK once and gave it to a mate. Theyre great if you cant have an open fire to chuck in the landy but the gas stove is cleaner and easier.
MaC
Moderator
It was definitely a work party sort of thing, or an all day on site tool.
Many of the folks I know who have and use them refuse to buy canned gas in any form. They also in the main try not to buy stuff like meths, or specialised fuel.
For those minimalists, it's brilliant.
Many of the folks I know who have and use them refuse to buy canned gas in any form. They also in the main try not to buy stuff like meths, or specialised fuel.
For those minimalists, it's brilliant.
MaC
Moderator
Go on, try it with the scouts and the reedmace heads.....just don't do it in the hall
BorderReiver
Moderator
This might have the same novelty attraction as the Kelly Kettle, it's a jacket potato cooker for the top of a wood burner.
MaC
Moderator
Templogin
VIP Member
I bought a Kelly kettle, the small one, but I deemed it too big for my non-car use so got rid of it and bought an MKettle, which I have never used, but it's really useful as when packed up I can get a squeezy bottle of meths down the chimney and a Trangia stove in the upturned fire basket.
I have loads of outdoor stuff to get rid of but this is a keeper. I just need to get motivated. I have the camera batteries charged, so that's a step closer.
I have loads of outdoor stuff to get rid of but this is a keeper. I just need to get motivated. I have the camera batteries charged, so that's a step closer.
So….is the potato cooker a novelty?
I know someone that has one and at the time had only used it for warming bottles of wine….
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MaC
Moderator
It's just a kettle, a clean easily used kettle that's simplicity itself to fuel.
Half a newspaper will make it boil, a handful of twigs will make it boil, shavings and scraps and rubbish will bring it to the boil.
The base makes a decent small firebowl too, especially if you've used wood and have glowing embers.
I hate carrying gas or meths or petrol, the KK doesn't need that mess or fuss.
Half a newspaper will make it boil, a handful of twigs will make it boil, shavings and scraps and rubbish will bring it to the boil.
The base makes a decent small firebowl too, especially if you've used wood and have glowing embers.
I hate carrying gas or meths or petrol, the KK doesn't need that mess or fuss.
Fast but dim
Adventurer
I use mine as a chimney starter for my cobb bbq. Perfect for washing up after a meal.