Kettles and the tea test - what do other stovies use?

In a recent posts the subject of kettles came up and it set me thinking, what do people use? Do you have a favourite kettle that you use for the tea test and what is it that makes you go back to it each time. One of my other hobbies is collecting tea and coffee makers so I find this stuff interesting!

I have two main kettles I generally use, my faithful Polish made blue enamel one, shown here on my Enders 9061D...



And my latest kettle acquisition, a Simplex style chromed kettle (not a real Simplex, it's called an Aristocrat apparently) in use on the same stove after I fitted a roarer burner as you can see in this video. (I love the pulsing roar it makes now!)



The Chrome kettle really only fits on the Enders because it's got such a wide base but it's a beautiful kettle nevertheless.

 

What a great post and perfect as I am just back in the house from a recent stove fettle. All went well.
Ahhhhh...as far as kettles go I have a couple vintage copper fancier ones that I display on stoves in the house but for actual working conditions in the shop I just use a vintage been around the block used and abused small aluminum whistler that I picked up somewhere in my travels. I like the whistler function as my hearing isn't what it used to be. I blame a Led Zeppelin concert for the hearing loss but what a way to lose your hearing!
Anyways...nothing fantastic but here it is in all it's abused glory on my recently fettled MONITOR.

 

A Led Zep concert... lucky guy, unfortunately I never saw them live but that it a great old kettle you have there, looks like it's seen a lot of use over the years.

 

Hi folks

Well, here is my old faithful!

I have no Idea of the brand as the stamping only says "British Made" but it was given to me years ago by my Father and has been used regularly on all types of stoves including wood burners and is still going strong.

Regards Jeremy

 

Nice of you to ask. On the boat, I had a lovely Trangia two-pint kettle until I lost it over the rail. It was a gift, and I've not been able to find one quite like it. I was fond of that kettle.

Today I got in another Kelly Kettle. I gave my last one to a group of lads who were clearing electric lines in the snow and looked in need of hot drinks. They cut some "danger trees" for me, so I was well compensated.

There are various threads about these, with alternate names. Thermette, Ghillie, and so on. Fired with twigs, they boil fast. People have had less luck on stoves.

I just boiled a full 1.25 liter kettle from ice-cold water in less than five minutes. Here's the trick: the burner or the flame path have to be nearly as large as the inside of the kettle. My Toyotomi stove fits that bill. Alternately, use a #10 can lid as a flame spreader - trust me, no one is looking, but if you want one in stainless or titanium, go ahead. Machine away. Those who cannot fabricate are at the mercy of the tradesmen.

Choke the top opening way down. I used a lid from a tin of tomato paste. Obviously, there are more elegant options, but this was "field expedient."

Fast boil and a lovely cup or two of the Typhoo Extra Strong in record time.

 

Aboard the boat, I'm rather fond of my MSR kettle, not least because it stows inside the pots:



One day I'd love to have a nice copper kettle, though.

Alex

 

Wow, that is a sexy gimbal you have, Pilgrim. Nice wooden boat as well. Mind sharing what it is?

 

Yes, please tell us more about that gimbal (I'm drooling here).

Ben

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Antique-...820029?hash=item3628449ffd:g:AP8AAOSwquVaEDyd

 

Just from the centerboard trunk and what I can see, that says catboat to me. Not so common on the left coast, however.

 

@Canuman: She's a 19' Ralph Stanley sloop: essentially a Friendship sloop with a spoon bow. Cedar on oak, deep keel, gaff rigged, quite heavy but pretty slippery in light air, too.

@z1ulike: Here's the thread I wrote up on my "sea swing" variation, ages ago: https://classiccampstoves.com/threads/sea-swing-new-variation-part-ii.22988/

But c'mon, guys! KETTLES! (In other words, sorry I drifted the thread.)

@kerophile, you're making me drool again, darn it!

Alex

 

I absolutely love your copper kettle!

 

That's one pretty Kettle, eh?

 

The stainless gsi one is in my car camping kit. The snow peak stainless one is part of my picnic kit and the big aluminum one is for parties.

 

There’s also a version of the large fire maple with a heat exchanger ring on the bottom. I like pairing it with my westwind trangia.

 

Here’s a setup for party beverages.

 

Sweet!

Alex

 

My favourite kettle on my favourite stove (at Fort De Séclin, France last november)

 

Here's my Manaslu 121 and my new .6 liter Trangia kettle in action. The kettle is tiny - it fits in the palm of my hand. Makes one solid mug, and while I am enjoying that, heats water for the second. For going solo on the boat, it's the perfect size.

To give an idea of scale, here it is again atop my Godin Belle Epoque.