Kelly Kettle and M-Kettle Comparison

[Fletching]

Hi Guys/Girls,

I was asked by Jakob (JEEP) to put up some details about the M-Kettle so I thought I'd get out the Kelly and do a 'pros and cons' for each of them.

First up, here's the kettles in their respective bags:

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5045/5320300264_07a7b3b8fc.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/57496601@N08/5320300264/)
both_kettles_packed (http://www.flickr.com/photos/57496601@N08/5320300264/) by newsxter (http://www.flickr.com/people/57496601@N08/), on Flickr

You can see straight away the difference in size. I've loved using a Kelly Kettle but quite often it gets left behind on overnight trips as I'll be taking a stove of some description (usually a 'hobo' type and back-up alcohol burner in my case). It's been great on day trips for a quick brew or to sterilise drinking water.

...and in November I came across the M-Kettle (which I got from www.backpackinglight.co.uk) and being a kit freak, I thought "I'll have one of them".

It duly arrived and I'm very impressed with the compactness and the build quality. The neoprene wrap-around is a godsend as you can actually pick up the hot kettle to pour the contents. The supplied case also has 'D' rings so you can attach it to a bike or the outside of a pack. I know a lot of you guys/girls out there probably don't bother with kettles at all, but having a mini version of the Kelly certainly bags to be packed as well as a small stove for overnight stops for me. Even going ultra-light, you could forego the stove and use the M-Kettle with MRE's and to sterilise your water.

Here's a shot of the height (side on):

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5130/5319698935_91831a3074.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/57496601@N08/5319698935/)
m-kettle_01 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/57496601@N08/5319698935/) by newsxter (http://www.flickr.com/people/57496601@N08/), on Flickr

Here are some shots showing the water volumes for the kettles. I've tipped an extra bit out to be on the safe side to avoid overspills (which I'll cover in a moment):

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5084/5319699209_745e4fab6d.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/57496601@N08/5319699209/)
kelly_volume (http://www.flickr.com/photos/57496601@N08/5319699209/) by newsxter (http://www.flickr.com/people/57496601@N08/), on Flickr

You'll see the Kelly Kettle (one pint version) holds, predictably, one pint.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5082/5320300578_0306a6ffd7.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/57496601@N08/5320300578/)
m-kettle_volume (http://www.flickr.com/photos/57496601@N08/5320300578/) by newsxter (http://www.flickr.com/people/57496601@N08/), on Flickr

...and the M-Kettle, just over three quarters of a pint.

Now I took the kettles out into the garden for a 'field' test (there's no actual fields - or woods even - involved for me as I'm house-bound waiting for a back operation at the moment, so the back garden's got to suffice whilst all you lucky buggers are out there in the wild blue yonder!). Anyway, the only fuel I could scrabble together was very wet so time to boil will be much shorter with good dry twigs.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5282/5319699435_1a94f43778.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/57496601@N08/5319699435/)
kettles_alight (http://www.flickr.com/photos/57496601@N08/5319699435/) by newsxter (http://www.flickr.com/people/57496601@N08/), on Flickr

The Kelly came to the boil first in this instance (I've had it the other way around) but they both came to the boil around the ten minute mark with wet fuel. I think the Kelly may be a little faster overall as it has a greater surface area to heat the water.

Well, after a couple of nice brews, I'm indoors and onto the pros and cons (as comparisons between the two):

Kelly - Pros:

Faster to boil
Holds more water so can be used less
Sturdy construction and no leaks
Can use natural fuel or an alcohol burner inside the flue
Fire base fits snugly inside the flue when upturned for transport


Kelly - Cons

Much bigger - more useful for groups than solo
Supplied bronze chain locks and snags (I replaced mine as you can see)
Awkward to pour by squeezing handle and lifting chain


M-Kettle - Pros

Still fast to boil
Very compact so will get used more
Well made (apart from a couple of design faults - see cons)
Very easy to pour with neoprene wrapper
Can use natural fuel or an alcohol burner inside the flue


M-Kettle - Cons

Holds less water - obviously - but not by too much
Water 'spout' is rather small and needs care when filling from a bottle/tap or you'll waste water
Fire base fits loosely (on mine) inside the flue when upturned for transport


There you go. There's probably more that I could add, but these are the basics of the two. I like the M-Kettle but don't get me wrong, I'm still a big KK fan (especially the larger ones for group use - can't be beaten). The 'M' is great for solo and short trip use.

Hope this helps!

Steve

[Martin]

Great review there Steve, thanks for sharing. :)

Martin

[JEEP]

Super! Thank you for that review :)

I have been considering a Kelly Kettle for a while, now I have to think some more.

[Fletching]

Glad to be of help!

By the way, the Kelly has optional accessories such as a pot support but, personally, I find that the heat passing through is too hot to cook on, unless you're constantly stirring (which is not easy as the pot's quite high up and you're got to hold the whole arrangement steady with pot grabbers at the same time). You can boil extra water and make good char cloth in a tin on the top though...

Steve

[Fletching]

Martin,

...can I come out as a 'Poshcrafter™' now then?

Steve

[Fletching]

Hi Guys,

I sent the review to the makers and this is their response:

Ultra Light Kettle Company
to me

show details 20:14 (1 hour ago)

Nice review and photos. Thank you for taking the time.

I would reference just one of your comments "(apart from a couple of design faults - see cons)"- which may be somewhat hard on the mKettle:

The mKettle is designed to properly carry water; one reason why there is no spout is that we wanted to reduce the possible points of failure. The mKettle has only three seals which it could leak from- bottom, top, and water hole (using the stopper). The KK cannot carry water (and is not designed to) any distance and has additional points of possible failure (i.e. the rivets used for the chain and handle). As we have said larger kettles are used for different purposes.

Could we quote you on our site?

We hope your operation goes well and you enjoy the mKettle in the field!

Adam



Regards,

Ultra Light Kettle Company
Unit 10
Quadrum Park
Old Portsmouth Road
Peasmarsh
Guildford Surrey, UK
GU3 1LU


...so there's your answer to the spout being so small.

Steve

[Martin]

Nice to see a company who appreciate their customers' feedback and respond to mail. Sounds like a good company to deal with. :)

Martin

[Fletching]

Yep, and I can definitely see the mKettle getting used loads this Summer (back permitting!).

Steve

[Martin]

Oh, and Steve, you can't be considered a true poshcrafter unless you have someone to put the mKettle on for you whilst you have another 10 minutes in bed. Nice try though mate. ;)

Martin

[Fletching]

Will an 'inflatable' helper do? Deluxe version of course. ;)

[Martin]

As long as it's got the real hair. ;)

Martin

[Fletching]

It's Swedish, of course it has!

...I think we're getting off topic here mate... ;)

Steve

[Bernie]

I would have liked the price included so for other people wondering the same:

mKettle: £46.99 (from http://www.backpackinglight.co.uk/product526.asp?PageID=43)
Kelly Kettle (1pt): £31.50 (from http://www.survival-school.org/Default.aspx?tabid=246&productid=240)

[Ashley Cawley]

Thank you for sharing that Steve. And thanks for the prices Bernie, there's quite a price difference then.

[jikido]

I have the large kelly kettle, its a brilliant bit of kit. I don't use it when I am out for a single night, but any more than one night, it is worth the carry. Its too bulky to fit in my pack but straps nicely to the outside. I have a jam jar lid with a one inch whole cut out of it to slow down the burning process that I place over the chimney and another jam jar lid that I place over the water spout if I want o boil quicker

[Fletching]

Apparently, the M-kettle is now SAS issue. Don't know if it's true or not but the Bushcraft Store are selling as such:

http://www.thebushcraftstore.co.uk/mkettle-sas-ultra-light---hard-anodised-variant-7967-p.asp

...I still think it's a great bit o' kit as it caries water when not boiling it, and the ability to pick the damn thing up when boiling hot is definitely a plus point.

Steve

[happybonzo]

Aren't Kelly supposed to be bringing out a stove attachment for the base? There was some talk about it from the middle of last year IIRC

[Ben Casey]

Hi Steve I think you can do the same with the Kelly well I can with mine :)

[Verity]

If you need to justify a Kelley Kettle, do what I do: I keep it in the fireplace at home and boil all the water I need during the day for coffee, tea, minor washing, washing-up, etc., using old newspapers, bits of cardboard, and all the other stuff one accumulates. I think it's much better recycling than putting it out to be collected once a week. I am also an avid collector of twigs! :o)

[Tigger004]

Nice review and photos, below are my views,
My first volcanoe kettle was a Ghillie Kettle 1.5 ltr (similar to a kelly but has a whistle) , there are bigger and smaller sizes, anodised and not, all sorts of extras too (base stand, grill set pots and pot stand,
It's already been said, cooking over the top is too fast (Important Note: the kettle must always contain water while over the fire box to stop it damaging seals) I have cooked very sucessfully on the grill set, BUT the ghillie is too big for back packing unless you want to look like a tinker....
My dear wife bought me an SAS version of the MKettle (anodised and a bit tougher than the original) ..... to sum it up... it's fantastic, 1 pint too little? just pop it on again, very quick boil times. I often use a trangia or tatonka meths burner for convenience, Fire pot is a bit small for cooking over but it is possible, it is ok for a contained safe no trace fire, Hope this info is useful, wish I had seen reviews and comparisons before buying
I just love the Mkettle and haven't even used the Ghillie since getting one, there is another small one similar to mkettle, it's called Backwoods boiler

see the thread headed - Ghillie kettle group buy

[macworm]

Nice review I have a big Kelly Kettle and love it. I think though I might be wrong the Kelly Kettle is only marketed to temporally carry water from water source to heat only. Being a canoeist I’ve never had a need to carry water in the kettle so just use it for heating. There’s something very pleasing about making a hot drink in the wild with these kettles whatever one you get. I love it :) especially when the wife carry’s the kettle :) Its nice to see a company not take teh hump at a review which points out a point lol

[Ehecatl]

I love my Kelly too. It's not right for every occasion but when there's a crowd it's great for getting lots of bews done.

[paulthefish2009]

I've just been given a ghillie kettle,it is a kelly kettle cloan with a whistle,amazed at how little fuel it uses and how well it draws. Paul

[swright81076]

To throw another kettle into the mix, I use the storm f1 kettle. British made, spout, more stable base than the mkettle IMO.

I've used it with twigs, pine cones, sticks and the trangia. :thumbup:

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/02/12/emanyruj.jpg
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/02/12/u9ebupuv.jpg
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/02/12/de3uze3u.jpg

[Tigger004]

Hi all, I added a comment earlier in this thread and prompted by someones comment that you can cook over a kelly,
I found a universal trivett (easily made) which fits loads of stoves and you can pop on a pot or frying pan, it fits trangia & tatonka meths stoves, the top or the bowl of the Mkettle, the kelly and Ghillie top (too small for the bowl) probably others which I don't own.
It's a nice light useful addition 7049 (17 grams S/S or 7 grams titaniun)
http://www.backpackinglight.co.uk/page38.asp

PS. I made one from aluminium first but had forgotten the anealing process, after a couple of uses it still worked fine but became very very bendy and easily damaged.