Kelly Kettle

Ever since I first saw a Kelly Kettle on T.V., I've been interested in them. Trouble was, I thought that you had to have a beard and be classed as 'a bit eccentric' to use one. So, when I got some birthday money from my mother last year, I decided to dispense with the Gillette, act a bit odd and take the plunge. A Kelly Kettle was duly ordered and arrived at my house a couple of days later.

It's probably worth explaining what a Kelly Kettle is at this point, in case you haven't seen one yourself;

Often referred to as a Volcano Kettle, for reasons that will become apparent, a Kelly Kettle is a stainless steel kettle that boils water from a self-contained fire. Legend has it that it was developed the Irish Ghillies. The beauty of it is that it is always available to use (no running out of gas!) and is extremely efficient.

The way it works is simplicity itself. The Kelly Kettle is, basically, a cylinder with a hole in the middle. A small fire is lit in the base, using whatever you can find to fuel it, and the flames/heat rise through the centre hole. If the original fire that you lit is a bit small, you simply drop a few twigs into the centre hole and get it roaring again, hence the Volcano nickname! The result is a very quickly boiled kettle of water and the beauty is that you are using natural, freely available fuel to burn it. The design means that it burns in the harshest of weather conditions, too, so it's there when you need it.

The Kelly Kettle is amazingly lightweight. I've got the 2.5 Pint version, which is great for when I'm carp fishing. It's a bit overkill for just one cuppa, but fantastic when you're making food or washing up! I may also get a 1 Pint kettle, as this would be the ideal one for mobile fishing. You just can't beat a fresh cup of coffee in the outdoors. Coffee from a flask just doesn't come close. I dare say that it's the same for you tea-lovers, but as I can't even stomach the smell of tea, I'll take your word for it!

There are a couple of things to remember when using a Kelly Kettle. Number one is that you do not leave the cork in when you start the fire. The cork is there to keep the water in when you're travelling. Turning that water into steam with the cork still in is not a good idea. Yes, it's on a chain, but the result is still pretty dramatic, as a friend of mine will testify! The other thing to remember is that the reason these kettles boil so quickly is that the fire inside them is very hot – it's as simple as that! So, take care when adding extra twigs and such-like and also when removing the kettle to pour. Pouring itself is very safe, when done properly – you simply pick up the handle and chain simultaneously, and the whole thing pivots. You don't need to touch the kettle itself (it's a lot easier to do this than it is to explain it – trust me on that one!).

There's also an optional cooking kit available. I haven't tried this yet, but a friend has one and reckons it works well, making the Kelly Kettle a complete 'survival aid'.

Oh, one thing I hadn't thought of until I just Googled “Kelly Kettle” - those of you who fish abroad will like the fact that there's no problem taking a Kelly Kettle onto an aeroplane. No gas or petrol required, you see!

The Kelly Kettle comes in a handy carrier and the prices below were correct as of May, 2008. You can click the links to check the current price.

2.5 Pint Kettle - £42.00 - ( 15" Height x 7.25" Diameter; 1.61lb Weight ) - click here to check price.
1 Pint Kettle - £37.00 - ( 10.5" Height x 5.625" Diameter; 0.98lb Weight ) - click here to check price.

Oh, and in case you were worried, my eccentricity has worn off, as has the beard. In fact, I'm quite a normal bloke now, who just happens to enjoy using his Kelly Kettle.

Elton Murphy – May, 2008

Kelly Kettle complete. The hole at the top is the bit where the flames come out!

Remove the base and turn it over. Note the hole in it, to allow air to flow through for efficient burning.

Start a small fire in the base, then put theKelly Kettle on top

Very soon, you'll have piping hot water