The Kelly Kettle
The Kelly Kettle is a uniquely designed kettle originating from the west coast of Ireland. Here they have been used for over a hundred years by the ghillies (angling guides) at Lough Conn to quickly boil water using twigs, dried leaves and other bits of wood found around the lake shore as fuel for the kettle.
The kettle comprises a double-skinned wall that holds water and a central open chimney. It sits on a small aluminium base with one large aperture as an air inlet within the base, which greatly increases the draw of the fire. Because the water is held within the kettle wall it means that a large surface area of water is exposed to the heat and therefore boils very quickly.
Visiting anglers to Lough Conn were so impressed by this kettle they spread the word and now Kelly kettles have grown in popularity around the world, being used by a wide range of people. We find they are an indispensable part of equipment to have in a woodland, where there is an endless supply of fuel.
How to use a Kelly kettle:
- Remove the kettle from the base and fill with water.
- Put some tinder into the base of the kettle and light. We tend to carry a firesteel, which is a very good way of lighting a fire without matches or a lighter.
- When the tinder is lit, put the kettle back onto the base (ensuring the cork is not in) and quickly feed the fire with twigs, dry leaves, or whatever other materials you have at hand, by dropping them through the chimney. When we are in a woodland we find that the side branches of conifer trees work very well in the Kelly kettle as they are brittle and full of resin so catch light quickly, even in wet weather.
- The water should boil quickly (usually 3-5 minutes) and then you can have yourself a nice cup of tea!
If you are interested in purchasing a Kelly Kettle, the cooking set which goes with it, or just want more information, they have a website: www.kellykettle.com
see more demos and tips on woodlandstv.co.uk
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Discussion
I’ve been reviewing the Kelly Kettle for most of the last twelve months, and it’s become a firm favourite for just about every need I have to boil water or cook a meal in the outdoors.
It’s such an enjoyable tool, and really get’s you engaged to the full in being outdoors… though the warning about removing the bung, and not overfilling are points to remember.
But surprisingly a number of people have assumed it would be just too much trouble to light. This couldn’t be further from the truth. It’s quite straight forward and I’ve already made a couple of videos showing how easy it really is.
So I wonder if it will be OK to share a link to one of my own reviews. You can find it here: http://bit.ly/WwDKellyK2
Please make it really idiot proof and stress the importance of NOT PUTTING THE CORK IN while its boiling up- someone at a BBQ lit one put the cork in and went off to do something- all going on behind me – and of course it blew up- shooting boiling water and super heated steam all over my head and side of face- hospitalised in absolute agony and shock- Im still recovering from the burns 3 weeks later. Otherwise they are great .. just the users
I love my Kelly Kettle.
I be lost if i did not take it shooting with me.
I give 10 out of 10 i just use my one for making tea.
donner les differente grandeur dukelly kette et les mensurations merci mon adresse est 163 impasse de la blanquerie 83440 fayence merci bien egalement les prix il y aura plusieurs commande concernant ce produit
Kelly kettle do a large stainless steel version which has been out of stock for months – they are now available again. I got mine here
http://www.getyourselffitter.com/kelly-kettles-c-28.html
The stainless steel ones are a bit more robust than the ally ones which I why I went for it. I heard that the medium and small sizes will be made in stainless soon but I haven’t found them on sale anywhere yet but I could do with a small one to carry around in my rucksack
Very good article. I used my kelly kettle last weekend to give 20 scouts hot chocolate. It worked out great. I could just boil water, make chocolate, boil some more water etc. I just had to keep the fire going.
There is another article on these great kettles here http://www.naturessecretlarder.co.uk/bushcraft-equipment-reviews/kelly-kettle-review.htm , and you get a £1 off code as well, not the biggest discount in the world, but I went for it ;)
I find them to be very useful when working outside. I had my orginal one for years until it got hit by someone using a brushcutter without much care!
These are just great.
Ah! Yes, we love our kelly kettle.
Watch out you don’t put too much water in, or when it boils the water will spurt out everywhere!
Tracy
[…] Thought I’d share this article on the grand daddy of the bushbuddy stove. The Kelly Kettle. […]
I have been using a Kelly kettle for some12-15years while
carp fishing with my grandsons
I now live on a narrowboat and still use it for barbecues
But I must say on watching the film on its use I must say that to be sure never to light it with the cork in is very
Important ,but I would never put in when hot either
I would have thought that over a period there is a chance that on cooling condensation could couse the cork to
or the alliminum to collapse.
Bern
2 March, 2015