Posted: 5/7/2016 6:26:47 PM EDT
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Finally got to test out my Kelly Kettle that I bought a few weeks ago. I just tested it in the back yard and have to admit that I was impressed.
Product Dimensions: Kettle Height .......12 inches Kettle Capacity.....20 oz. Pot Capacity........ 16 oz., 2 cups Kit Weight.............2.3 lbs When I first got the kit, I was less than impressed. Not that the quality was poor but that it was bigger and heavier than I expected. Then, I got to thinking and this is all relative. While a beer car alcohol burner is far lighter, it suffered IMO a major drawback which is fuel. If you spill, knock the fuel bottle over or simply use it up, once it's gone it's gone. Not a big deal if you only plan on an overnight camping trip but it is a consideration in a bug-out type scenario. Next are either the white gas or propane stove. Weight may be about the same but they IMO suffer from two drawbacks. One is the fuel and the other is the small parts. Both the white gas and propane require needles and seats that, while durable, are still small and breakable. Again, not a big deal for a short trip but less than ideal in survival. The Kelly Stove has no moving parts and only requires something that will burn. For my test, I used a few pine cones and several small spruce twigs. It lit very quick due to the pine resin and boiled 20oz. of cold water in about 2-3 minutes. I didn't keep track of how much twigs I used but there was almost no ash and everything was cool enough to pack away in it's nylon bag in less than 5 minutes. Being a fire vs. a burner, it also makes zero noise as compared to many burners. It also has a stopper so you could store the water you just boiled for later use. Now to the downside which is smoke. Since I was using pine, it did produce a fair amount of smoke at first until it got burning clean. Hardwood would probably produce less smoke but would take more effort to light (relatively speaking). In survival, smoke would give yourself away which is where an alcohol burner has the advantage. They come in several sizes with mine being the smallest. 20oz. which isn't much but when compared to most packable stoves, the volume is the same or greater with this kettle. It also has accessories that fit in the same bag and would allow you to boil water while cooking from a small pot or pan. Is it perfect? No but then again, every situation has a different "perfect" item. Kelly Kettle |