Kelly Kettle Scout review
Kelly Kettle 'Scout' Basic Kit (1.2L, Stainless Steel)
By Tom Calder
The Kelly Kettle is a genuinely different kind of backup: a double-walled 'volcano kettle' that boils 1.2 litres in three to five minutes burning twigs, pine cones or scrunched paper. Kelly Kettle sells a cook set for pans on top separately; this basic kit is the kettle, fire base, whistle and carry bag. It is still an open flame and must only be used outdoors, on a stable, non-flammable surface, well away from the house.
- Best for
- Boiling water for a family with no gas, batteries or fuel to buy — just a handful of sticks.
- Skip it if
- You want something instant and clean with no fire-lighting involved
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Researched, not used. We haven't used this product. This review is built from the maker's specifications, owner reports and our own sizing.
What we like
- Free, endless fuel — a handful of garden twigs or paper is enough, so there is never a canister to run out of
- 1.2-litre capacity makes it genuinely useful for a family, not just a solo hiker, and Kelly Kettle's separate cook set fits it if you want to cook too
- No batteries or gas, and very little that can go wrong or wear out
Worth knowing
- Slower and messier than a gas stove, and you need dry-ish kindling to hand
- Bulkier and heavier than a folding gas stove, so it suits a shed or car boot better than a grab bag
Out of stock when we checked: our alternatives
Closest in size first, then by our score. None of them was showing out of stock when we last checked.
Best for A featherweight, dependable burner with instant piezo ignition for boiling water and simple cooking in a grab bag or camping kit.
as of 2 Nov 2026, 13:07 GMT · Details
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.co.uk at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Best for A family or small group wanting one outdoor kit that boils a larger kettle and cooks a hot meal on sticks, with no gas or batteries to buy.
in stock when checked
Best for A household or small group that wants one wood-fired set to boil water, cook and serve from, with no gas, batteries or fuel to buy.
in stock when checkedⓘ As an Amazon Associate, PreparedBritain earns from qualifying purchases. We may earn a commission when you buy, or a fee when you request a quote, through our links. When two products are close, commission can decide which one we pick. A clearly better product always wins. Amazon prices come from Amazon's own product data and show the date and time they were retrieved. Prices at other retailers are checked by us, less often. Prices and stock can change at any time, so always check the retailer's price before you buy.
Our review
The stainless steel Kelly Kettle Scout is a 1.2-litre chimney kettle that boils water on a small fire of twigs, grass, pine cones or bark lit in its base. It weighs a kilogram, needs no gas or batteries, and suits a household that wants a way to make hot drinks and rehydrate food that cannot run out of fuel.
How a volcano kettle works
The kettle is a double-walled jacket of water around a central chimney. You light a small fire in the steel fire base, sit the kettle on top, and feed sticks down the chimney; the flames heat the water from the inside across a large surface, which is why so little fuel is needed. Kelly Kettle says it boils in three to five minutes outdoors in any weather. A whistle tells you when it has boiled.
What you get
Kelly Kettle lists the Scout at 1.2 litres (about four cups), 1kg, 26.5cm tall when packed, 15.5cm wide with a fire base 18.5cm across. It comes with the kettle, a steel fire base (the maker notes older aluminium bases warped and burned out), a whistle and a carry bag. A cook set with pot support and a Hobo Stove that turns the base into a small wood stove are sold as accessories, and an Ultimate kit bundles them. Check exactly what your listing includes.
Using it safely
This is an open fire, so it belongs outdoors on bare ground, paving or another non-flammable surface, away from fences, sheds and overhanging branches. Kelly Kettle's own instructions say never hold the handle above the chimney while the fire is lit, never boil with anything blocking the spout, never touch the kettle or fire base in use, keep children away, do not overfill and do not let it boil dry. Lift it off the base by the handle, pour with care, and the maker says to carry it upright when full so water does not spill from the spout or chimney. Like any fuel-burning stove, the NHS advice on carbon monoxide applies: never use it indoors or in a tent.
How it compares
On the camping stoves page, the BioLite CampStove 2+ also burns wood but cooks in a pan and charges a phone, at more weight and cost and with a battery to look after. The Primus Essential Trail and MSR PocketRocket are lighter, cleaner and faster to start but need gas cartridges you must buy and store. The Trangia runs on meths. The Kelly Kettle's advantage is fuel you pick up in the garden, and its larger capacity serves a family.
In a power cut
A store of dry kindling in a sealed bag in the shed makes it reliable in wet weather. One boil makes enough for several mugs of tea or two freeze-dried meals. Keep it with a lighter, a bag of cotton wool or paper for tinder, and a pair of heatproof gloves, and let the fire base cool completely before packing it away. Our cooking without power guide sets out how to plan meals around it.
Our verdict
A simple, rugged way to boil water for a family with nothing to buy and almost nothing to break. Skip it if you have no safe outdoor space for a small fire, or want to cook meals rather than boil water; a gas stove used outdoors is simpler for that.
A researched review, built from the maker's specs, manual and UK listings; facts checked 2 Nov 2026. Sources: Kelly Kettle: Scout 1.2 litre stainless steel; Kelly Kettle: how to use the Kelly Kettle; NHS: carbon monoxide poisoning.
Who shouldn't buy this
You want something instant and clean with no fire-lighting involved: a small gas stove is simpler there. If you have no safe outdoor space, neither is for you: wood and gas stoves alike are for outdoor use only.
Key specs
| Type | Wood-fired volcano kettle (cook set sold separately) |
| Fuel | Sticks, twigs, pine cones, paper |
| Boil time | 4 min |
This is a Researched review: we haven't used this product. We check every specification against at least two independent sources, re-check the UK price on a schedule where we can track it automatically, and say plainly who it isn't for. Commissions never change a rating.
Questions
What fuel does a Kelly Kettle use?
Any small, dry natural fuel: twigs, dry grass, heather, bark, pine cones or paper. Kelly Kettle says no gas or chemical fuel is needed.
How long does the Kelly Kettle Scout take to boil?
Kelly Kettle says three to five minutes outdoors, depending on fuel and weather. It holds 1.2 litres, about four cups.
Can I use a Kelly Kettle indoors?
No. It is an open wood fire and produces smoke and carbon monoxide. Use it outdoors on a non-flammable surface, away from buildings.
Does the Scout come with a cook set?
The kettle on its own comes with the fire base, whistle and carry bag. Kelly Kettle sells a cook set and Hobo Stove separately or in kits, so check the listing.
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