Kelly Kettle FAQ

You can order online through our SECURE WEBSITE (look for the closed Padlock symbol) by simply selecting the category of products on the left hand side of this page that you wish to browse or buy.
Payment Options are either CREDIT CARD - or - PAYPAL account.  99.9% of our customers simply pay using their credit card.
If you are not comfortable ordering online, we can take Card Payment over the phone - no problem.  
When your order is successfully placed online, we will automatically send a copy of your 'Confirmed' order to whatever e-mail address you provide.  If you do not receive a confirmed e-mail within minutes, please be sure and check your Junk/Spam folder as the Order Confirmation may be directed in there by your PC's security settings.
We will then send you an e-mail once your order has 'Shipped'.  For shipping information click Here.

If you have any problems, please feel free to get in touch with us through our contact us page s and we will help you out.

The Kelly Kettle® is easy to use. Click HERE for our How To Use It page. 

For decades Kelly Kettles were made from Aluminum, and these kettles have been known to last for literally decades!   However, in recent years in North America, Europe, Japan, Australian, etc,  there has been significant move by customers away from Aluminium products and over to steel.  Hence, our steel products are now significantly more popular than the traditional Aluminium kettles. 

• Stainless Steel is slightly heavier than Aluminum however; it is a stronger metal and therefore more resilient to dents.
• The Aluminum kettle boils slightly faster than its steel twin as Aluminum conducts heat faster than steel.
• The Aluminum kettle is slightly cheaper than its Stainless Steel twin.
• > There should be no 'taste' of either metal.
• All of our kettles come with upgraded steel fire-bases as standard (traditional aluminium bases used to burn out quite quickly).  These new Steel bases can be turned into an efficient wood fired camp stove by simply dropping our hugely popular 'Hobo Stove' accessory on top.   Steel has a melting point almost twice that of Aluminium.  
• All of our Accessories are made from Food Grade 304 Stainless Steel (Cups, Plates, Cook Sets, Pot Support, Hobo Camp stove) 

Please note: Per our instruction leaflets, the Kettle is not designed to be a water carrier. It has been designed to boil water extremely fast in all weather conditions using very little fuel. When filled with water, the Stainless Steel Kettles should always be carried upright in order to avoid any leakage from the chimney top or water spout.

That’s it really…..the choice is yours!

Historically, all Kelly Kettles have been made from Aluminum (1020) however, we now supply a full range of high grade Stainless Steel (304) kettles.

We currently provide 3 sizes in Aluminum (Base Camp 1.6 ltrs / Scout 1.2 ltrs/ Trekker 0.6 ltrs).

And we provide 3 sizes in Stainless Steel (Base Camp 1.6 ltrs / Scout 1.2 ltrs / Trekker 0.6 ltrs)  

The 'Base Camp' is our largest kettle.  The 'Scout' is our middle size and the 'Trekker' is currently our smallest kettle.

All of our accessories, Hobo Camp Stove, Cups, Plates, Cook sets etc. are all made from Food Grade 304 Stainless Steel. 

Other products are planned for Spring/Summer 2018 and our website and social media pages will be updated as new products become available.  

Please Subscribe to our Newsletter to be notified when new products are available.

If it burns...you can use it!   We use sticks, dry grass, dried peat, paper & cardboard, spirit burner, fistful of sand with petrol poured over it, bean can with petrol in it, your mates shirt, old underpants, etc.!!

Sticks work best as they create an inferno in the chimney which rapidly heats the large chimney wall and boils the water very quickly.  

Top Tip if sticks are damp or wet:  You can basically use anything to light a fire and then start feeding long sticks (leave them sticking out the top) into the chimney.  The heat from the smaller fire below will dry the sticks and they will gravity feed down as the bottom most piece burns!  Here in Ireland it can be very difficult to find dry fuel at times so, we use anything we can to start a small fire, then feed longer (usually damp) stick into the chimney using this trick.   Try it out ..... it works!

One idea is to remove the fire base as the kettle operates perfectly without it.  Simply place the kettle on a level non-combustible surface (large flat rock / sand / gravel etc.) and slightly raise the kettle using 3-4 small flat stones to allow for air intake.  The kettle should work perfectly.

Remember that with a Kelly Kettle there is no need to carry fuel and the interior space of the kettle (the chimney) can be used to carry some of your basic survival gear items (plastic signal whistle, knives, waterproof matches etc.) once those items are sealed in a plastic bag to protect them from the thin layer of soot in the chimney.

A second option for making the kettle lighter is to replace the existing handle with wire.  In this case, care would need to be exercised once the kettle boils and you want to lift the kettle off the fire base.  Using both hands coming in from the side, take the wire as close as possible to the connection with the kettle (without touching the kettle as it will be extremely hot) and lift the kettle straight up and away from the flames setting it down on level ground.  Once the kettle is clear of the fire, the kettle can be carried normally in one hand with the wire handle directly over the chimney of the kettle.
Note: Never lift your hands directly over the chimney of the kettle when the kettle is lit as it can result in a burn.

No - Never!

If you use your Kelly Kettle without water in the chamber you run the risk of overheating and melting the inner chimney wall.  This is especially the case with Aluminium (Kettles) which has a lower heat threshold than Stainless Steel.  We have no recorded cases of any of our Stainless Steel kettles melting.

Please look at the pictures below - all of which are Aluminium Kettles which have been used without water or allowed to boil dry.  Note: it is physically impossible to melt the chimney, if the kettle is been used correctly and there is always water in the chamber.

Tell-tale signs that a kettle has been boiled dry are:

• The inner chimney cracks (early stages of overheating)
• The inner chimney wall has either melted through completely or become so brittle that you can easily stick your finger through it!
• The warning labels on the outside of the kettle have bubbled up, singed and perhaps disappeared altogether from the kettle! This is an extreme case - see bottom right picture.

NOTE: Your 2 year anti-leak warranty will not apply if you boil your kettle dry!

The kettle should be filled with water at all times when in use.  You should easily be able to see the water when looking into the spout.  If you cannot easily see the water, then you do not have enough water in the kettle.

Our Kettles boil very fast and if left on the boil, the water will evaporate very quickly and the kettle could boil dry.  If an Aluminium kettle boils dry, the inner chimney wall can overheat and melt.  Please see some pictures in the FAQ 'Can the kettle be used without water in the chamber' 

Fortunately, we have not had any reported incidents of Stainless Steel Kettles melting.  However if the water chamber is not full, you run the risk of overheating the steel and possibly causing one of the laser welded joints to open.  So, keep the kettles filled with water at all times. 

Warranty Cover will not apply if the kettle is mis-used. 

Cleaning your kettle

The inner chimney of your kettle should not need to be cleaned (I have never cleaned my own kettle which is now over 20yrs old).  We find that the soot tends to dry up and flake off over time and it never really builds up to such an extent that it hinders the performance of the kettle.
Dry hardwoods burn very clean and leave little or no residue.  On the other hand however, pine cones can be quite waxy and can leave a sticky residue on the inner chimney wall of the kettle.
If ever you felt that it needed a slight cleaning then:

• We know that some wire wool and soapy warm water can be used to gently clean the chimney.....although this will require some elbow power!
• Another tip we heard was to spray it with WD40, let it soak for a while and then wipe it off!
• Another easy sounding idea is to spray on oven cleaner ...then simply wipe off later with paper towels! (Thanks for the tip Dave)  CARE: Please use the appropriate Cleaner for your make of Kettle i.e. Aluminium or Stainless Steel.  If you use a cleaner that is not suitable for the metal of your kettle, it may cause corrision.  

Of course, I could be accused of been lazy for not cleaning my own kettle but ..... Mark Marshall in the U.S. kindly wrote in and pointed out that heat is infrared electromagnetic energy which is absorbed better by a black surface than a reflective one.  So, it is quite possible that a slightly sooty chimney actually helps the kettle heat more quickly and efficiently....than a clean one!  The sooty chimney certainly adds character to ones kettle!  :-)

The pot-support is suitable for cooking quick meals (such as Noodles / Rice / Oatmeal / re-hydrated food / soup / toast if using smokefree fuel / etc.) and for re-heating pre cooked food, as you wait for your kettle to boil. It is not recommended that you try and cook the Sunday Roast over the kettle as you may end up boiling the kettle dry which would then cause the chimney to overheat and melt!
Remember, the Kelly Kettle is probably the fastest camping kettle in the world, so it should never be left unattended.
We recommend that the pot-support be used as follows:

1. Boil the kettle as normal and pour the boiling water over your food in the pot.
2. Refill the kettle with water.  Gently place the refilled kettle back on the fire base and refuel through the chimney as required to boil the kettle a second time (the additional water can be used for coffee, washing up, bathing etc).
3. Assemble the pot-support (the 2 pieces slot together) and place it on the chimney.  Place the pot on top of the pot-support.  The contents of the pot will simmer & boil within a minute or so.  Holding the pot steady with the gripper handle provided, stir the food to avoid burning it.
4. Within 4-5 minutes the kettle should be boiled again and the pot/pan and pot-support will need to be removed before you life the kettle off the fire base.  If the food needs to be cooked some more simply add fuel to the fire base, place the 2 no. Grill Pieces on the base (using the gripper handle if required) and place your pot on the grill, stirring contents as required.
Remember, practice makes perfect!

Note:

• The Pot-support is only to be used when the kettle is full with water.  Never use the pot-support if the kettle is empty.
• The pot-support is only suitable for cooking quick meals such as Noodles / Rice / Oatmeal / Re-hydrated food, etc.

It is common practice here in Ireland for 1 Kettle to boil up enough water to provide up to a dozen people with hot tea / coffee at lunchtime.

Firstly, make sure you have enough fuel availabe to boil a couple of kettles and have your cold water nearby.

Boil the kettle as normal which should take approx 5 minutes. Once the kettle has boiled, hold the handle of the kettle at a 90 degree angle to the body of the kettle and lift straight up off the fire base.  Do not lift the handle of the kettle directly above the chimney as this may result in a burn to your fingers.  Once the kettle is clear of the fire base, the handle can be used directly over the chimney and the boiling water carried to your eagerly awaiting customers!  Pour the boiling water into your cups/mugs (3 Pint Kettle approx. 7 mugs / 2.5 Pint Kettle approx 5 mugs / 1.75 Pint approx. 3.5 mugs / 1 Pint approx. 2 mugs).

Refill the kettle with cold water.  If you are camped beside a lake or river, simply immerse the entire kettle into the water to fill the water chamber.  Allow the kettle to drip dry for a brief moment and then, holding the handle at a 90 Degree angle to the body of the kettle, gently lower the kettle back onto the fire base where the fire should still be burning.

Refill the chimney with fuel and hey presto - boiling water again in a few minutes!

This process can be repeated until everyone has drunk their fill.

Yes.  Many Alcohol Burners etc. can be used with the Kettle kettle however you would need to check to ensure that your burner fits into the base of one of our kettles.

Internal Dimensions of Bases:
Fire base of our Small Kettle is c. 10.5 cm in Diameter with a working height of c. 10cm before the chimney of the kettle starts to narrow.

Fire base of Large or Medium Kettles is c. 13cm in Diameter and working height of c. 9cm before the chimney of the kettle starts to narrow.

TOP TIP - When using your alcohol/gel burner, partially cover the chimney top of your Kelly kettle with a flat stone to retain the heat,  save fuel and speed up boiling time

If you have an old kettle that has sprung a leak, the following ideas may prove useful:

• FDA Heat Resistant, food-contact approved silicons are available to quickly seal leaks at Rivet Points etc., but may not be suitable for sealing a leak at the bottom rim of the kettle where the temperature may exceed 200 Celsius.
• We know that many people have successfully used a product called 'JB weld' to fix older kettles (www.jbweld.com).  We have not yet tried it ourselves, but following method has worked well for some customers:

1. Clean off the seam area with a good rubbing with steel wool or light sand paper.  Wipe off the seam area with alcohol (or other solvent) to make sure it is thoroughly clean.
2. Make sure the seam does not contain any water. Dry it out by letting it sit open on a window sill that gets bright sun for a week, cook it at low heat on the stove or bake it in the oven at low heat.
3. Put a bead of well mixed JB Weld epoxy on the seam.  Force the epoxy into the seam by firmly dragging your finger over the seam as you rotate the kettle.  Let the epoxy cure for a couple of days ..or to make extra sure...follow steps 4-6 below:
4. Seal up the kettle by placing the stopper/cork firmly into the kettle opening - sealing the water chamber.
5. Make the kettle cold by putting it in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.  Cooling the sealed up kettle right after you apply the epoxy will cause the air in the kettle to contract and should help suck epoxy into the leak area. Remove the kettle from the cold environment and immediately pull the stopper/cork out of the opening.
6. Let the epoxy cure for a day or two.  

• We know of a couple of other more unorthodox methods .....e.g.  crack and egg into the water chamber, add water and boil it up.  Once emptied again, a tiny fraction of the egg will have formed a seal within the bottom crimp and cure the leak.   Another one we know of is ground black pepper....swirl it around in a little water a few times ... the small grains will find their way into the tiny leak and help form a seal .... apparently!  Again, we are reliably informed that both of these work.
• It is sometimes possible to tighten a leaking bottom seal of a kettle with vice-grips.
• Note: It is extremelt difficult to weld Steel and virtually impossible to weld thin Aluminium.

Finally, a slow leak will not stop the kettle from boiling if you use it without the fire base!

If the kettle leaks, place the kettle on a rock so that the leak will drip and roll down the side of the rock .... away from the fire! Hence the fire will not quench and the kettle will boil quickly as normal.  We use this method regularly ourselves with perfectly good old kettles that we have grown attached to!

The kettle will boil on a gas hob but it will be significantly slower than if sticks etc. were used.
The following in this FAQ should be helpful regarding what can and cannot be used to boil the kettle.
What types of fuel can I use in my kettle?
Can an alcohol burner be used with the Kelly Kettle?
In short, if it burns you can use it. The secret to a fast boil is to get an inferno going in the Chimney.
If you drop the kettle onto a gas hob it would be advisable to partially cover the chimney top with something to trap more heat inside.
Sticks will always beat a gas hob as the gas never gets a full scale inferno going. :-)

Yes - we ship internationally.  All orders are normally shipped within 1 working day. 
There are no hidden or additional shipping charges.

Shipping charges are based on the weight of the item(s) and the destination.  When you add the desired product(s) to your shopping cart, you can estimate (it will be an accurate figure) the shipping cost by selecting your Country and clicking 'Get a quote'

Approximate Delivery Times:
UK & Ireland ..2-3 days (Courier - Track & Trace)
Europe .............6 days   (Courier or Priority Airmail .... depending on the destination and size of package)
U.S. / Canada / Rest of the World ....10 - 14 days (Priority Airmail ...normally with no tracking)

DELIVERY

We will endeavor to ship all orders with 48 working hours (2 working days) of your order.  Products are subject to availability and delays may sometimes occur that are outside of our control. Any dates specified for delivery are therefore approximate only. If delivery is delayed for more than 21 days, you have the right to contact us and refuse to accept the Products. In these circumstances, we will refund any money paid by you for those Products and any delivery monies you have been charged. However, we will not be responsible for any other losses, costs, damages or charges that you may suffer if we delay in supplying or do not supply those Products.

Note on Failed Delivery Attempts: Ordinarily, goods are delivered during normal working hours (9 am - 5 pm).  If you provide a delivery address, to which the goods cannot be delivered during normal working hours, then the goods/parcel may be returned to us (normally after at least two failed delivery attempts) by the courier/postal service. If this happens, you will be responsible for all shipping charges required to resend the item the second time. If for whatever reason you decide not to have the goods re-shipped, then you will be entited to a refund of the cost price of the goods, but you will not be entitled to a refund of the initial shipping costs for the item.

CLAIMS / RETURNS
When you purchase online, you have a statutory right to return a Product (other than perishable produce) up to 7 days after your order has been delivered (cooling off period). We can change or cancel an order up until it is dispatched. If the order has been dispatched, you can return the Product to us and we will organise a refund (excluding delivery cost). You will be responsible for all shipping charges required to return the unwanted item to us.

If a Product is damaged or faulty please contact us and we will organise a replacement or refund.  A warranty card with instructions on how to Obtain Warranty service is inclued with every new kettle.

If an order is automatically 'Declined' or 'Cancelled' right after the payment stage, it is because the Credit Card Transaction was declined by your Credit Card provider.  In this case, please contact your Card provider. 

The two main reasons for a Card been declined are 1) lack of funds and 2) Your Bank suspect it is a fraudulent transaction and block the transaction to protect your account. If this happens to you, simply contact your Credit Card provider about the failed order attempt.  When they know it was a genuine attempt by you to make a purchase, they will ease the fraud settings and you will then be free to use your card to complete a purchase with us.

If you have received an Order Number from us (10000####) via e-mail, then we will already have all your Order & Contact details.  So, we can simply call you on the number provided and take your card details over the phone to complete the order.  Note: We do not store customers Credit Card details so a quick call should see your order completed in full.  

So, if you receive a 'Declined' or 'Cancelled' message, please contact your bank first and then let us know when you are ready to proceed.  We will then call you for payment and get your order shipped.   :-)

The Kelly Kettle Company is fourth generation family run business. We make Aluminium Kettles in the U.K. and China.  All our high quality Food Grade 304 stainless steel products are produced in our Chinese facility
New Product Design & Testing, Graphic Design, Shipping & Distribution, Website & I.T., Sales & Marketing, Customer & Warranty Service, etc. are all done from our Head office here in Ireland with wonderful input and assistance from our North American Team.  
Order fulfilment is completed from bases in Ireland, U.K. and the U.S

To subscribe to our newsletter simply complete Newsletter Sign up and and click  'Subscribe' which is on the bottom right of every page.  It really is that simple!
When you order online through our website, you will automatically be added our mailing list.
Note: we would only do a mailshot if we have new products which we think are of interest to you or if we have special offers available.

Sometimes camp food can get a bit boring! These burgers are delicious and brilliant! Great for camping, or even take your Kelly Kettle to the neighborhood park for a fun family adventure. A wholesome meal cooked fresh and easily with your Hobo Stove.

Camp Cookin’ Tip

Prepare these burgers at home; press into patties. Stack with parchment or wax paper between patties. Wrap in plastic wrap and then tin foil (to help keep them cool in your cooler). Much easier to prepare at home and be ready to throw them in the pan and cook fast for hungry campers! Use a larger pan than shown for cooking multiple burgers.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground sirloin, or extra lean beef
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/8 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 (4 ounce) container crumbled Blue Cheese
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Tomatoes, onion and lettuce
• Burger buns
• Mustard and Ketchup if desired

Preparation:

1. Create a fire in the steel fire-base of your Kelly Kettle and Preheat the grill grate that comes with each Cook Set. Create a bed of embers and lightly oil the grill grate. A fry pan will work for these as well - simply drop our Hobo Stove accessory onto the fire base and fry-away!  .

2. Mix the ground sirloin, garlic, onion powder, Blue cheese, and basil together in a large bowl until evenly blended. Divide mixture evenly to form four patties.

3. Cook burgers on preheated grill until meat is evenly browned and center is no longer pink, about 5 minutes on each side.

4. Then place burger onto the buns and add your toppings and chow down!