Kelly Kettle vs. JetBoil vs. Other Small Stoves: OJ->Real World

[Fergie]

Mr. Hanson's article was very informative, and well written, but sadly, it is only one man's experience.

I'd like to hear everyone else's experiences when it comes to using a KellyKettle, JetBoil, or other small stoves. I'm trying to decide on one of the three as a secondary stove to my trusty Coleman. I have grown tired of stopping and getting coffee at Starschmucks and places of that nature, and would like to stop, let the dog out to stretch, and brew my own coffee. Also, I want to be able to heat baby formula and that kind of thing to keep the forthcoming child happy as well.

So far, this is my thought process:

Kelly Kettle:
Pro: Multi Fuel, with no canisters to worry about. Cool factor
Con: Large and bulky. No way to use as a small cook fire.

JetBoil:
Pro: Small and Compact. Speed comparable to KellyKettle.
Con: Water only, in limited amount. Must carry proprietary fuel canisters

Small Sotve(whisperlite, dragonfly, et al):
Pro: ??
Con: ??

In doing some reading, the JB GCS might be a good way to go, but again, I'd have to carry the fuel cans around, and I would also have to buy them.

So, what say you? I'd like to pull the trigger on this in the next week or so, that way I can test everything on the DV trip.

Thanks all.

G

 

[ken richardson]

stoves

I recently purchased a Primus stove. http://www.rei.com/product/752818

I have always been nutty for stoves for some reason and own about 4 or 5 different models From a Svea to MSR to Coleman expo yadda yadda.

ANyway, I really like this one. Boils fast or can be turned down to simmer. Comes with pot and small fry pan lid as well. The pot is a useful size. The fry pan is useless.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[Scott Brady]

Mr. Hanson's article was very informative, and well written, but sadly, it is only one man's experience.

So, what say you? I'd like to pull the trigger on this in the next week or so, that way I can test everything on the DV trip.

Thanks all.

G

Have you seen my article in the Winter issue? We test 11 stoves...

 

[paulj]

Kelly Kettle sells a grating that can be set on the base, so you can use the fire with other pans etc. But in its normal use, the only way you are going to heat baby's milk is to set the bottle in a pot of hot water (off the stove). But come to think of it, that's probably the best thing to do with any stove.

Jet boil is essentially a canister stove with a fancy heat exchanger built in to the base of the pot. Now you can buy extra pots with this base. The heat exchanger should make the stove more fuel efficient. That could be important on multiday backpacking trips when fuel weight matters. It would be less important when car camping. Plus, as that Primus link shows, other companies have added heat exchangers to their stove sets.

There are a number of other small canister stoves on the market. Ones that mount on top of the canister are convenient, but can be unstable with large pots. Also it is hard to set up a wind screen with this type, since a screen can heat up the canister itself.

There are small stoves that use the same fuel as your Coleman, but you can also get adapters to use propane with the Coleman.

Yet another stove option is alcohol, either a commercially made one like Trangia, or a homemade version.

paulj

 

[Fergie]

Have you seen my article in the Winter issue? We test 11 stoves...

No I havent. My wife tried to order the Winter Issue on the 21st, and told me it wasnt available as a back issue yet, so I am waiting for the Fall issue to arrive.

I'll check the site again.

 

[HMR]

JetBoil:
Pro: Small and Compact. Speed comparable to KellyKettle.
Con: Water only, in limited amount. Must carry proprietary fuel canisters

I love my JetBoil and it's the only stove I carry on motorcycle trips. I heat soup and make coffee with it regularly. You can put any liquid you want inside, just have to be careful as it gets hot QUICK and will burn if you're not careful.

I don't think the canisters are proprietary. I use the same ones I've always used with various backpacking stoves. I prefer the smaller fuel canisters as they pack up nicely inside the JetBoil cup and still last a long time.

 

[paulj]

All canisters with the screw Lindal valve (some times referred to a Primus system) are bascially interchangable. They use a mix of natural gas weights, usually butane, isobutane, and propane. The exact mix varies with brand, so cold weather burning properties can vary a bit, but for most of us, any brand of canister with this valve will do.

For car camping in mild weather, another option is a butane 'hot plate'. This is a very stable and safe table top stove that is popular in Asia for cooking at the table. Stoves and fuel are inexpensive, and can be bought in most large Asian groceries. Since it uses straight butane, performance drops off in cool weather.

paulj

 

[grahamfitter]

For what its worth, I've got a high mileage 10 year old MSR Whisperlite International. The only thing I've replaced is the leather pump plunger seal...

Pros: Stable, takes a beating, packs reasonably small, boils fast, works at altitude, works just as well with mostly empty fuel bottle, handles wind well, Zippo lighter lives in the same bag and runs on the same fuel.

Cons: Generates lots of soot during priming, tricky to simmer, dubious performance with paraffin/kerosene jet unless you use a real priming fuel.


And a one year old JetBoil...

Pros: Perfect for making tea, JB cannisters last forever, whole thing fits in the pot, can be used with regular cookware with the pot holder accessory.

Cons: French Press is messy (aren't they all), accessories are expensive for what they are.

Cheers,
Graham

 

[RobinP]

We've just come back from a trip up north, and we tested a few stoves:

Temp was -18 C (0 F), altitude 950 m, 1 litre of water.

A coleman 2 burner stove, 10,000 btu/hr per burner with a new propane bottle was only able to maintain 38 deg C. The water never boiled.

An Optimus Nova running white gas, with bottom and side heat shields melted snow and brought to a boil in around 10 minutes (the melting part takes the time). The Nova simmers really well, has a cool braided S.S. hose and quick release system. It's a multifuel stove as well.

An MSR Whisperlite International (multifuel) was about the same as the Nova. It has the poor reputation for simmering, but like someone said above, it's a bomb proof stove. I've had it for 14 years.

Scott, I'm interested to see your results in the Winter issue (I assume you mean the Overland Journal) - when is it coming?

 

[alaskantinbender]

I have used a MSR XGK for the last 18 years or so. It boils water fast and is easy to pack. It’s not a good cooking type stove at all, more of a blow torch.
But when you want hot water or to melt snow it can’t be beat.
Its riding under the seat in my snowmachine as part of my emergency kit now.
The coleman single and double burner liquid fuel stoves work well as camp stoves if the weather isnt too cold.
Below about 10 F I have a hard tome keeping them hot enough to vaporize the fuel.

Regards,

Jim

 

[Scott Brady]

Scott, I'm interested to see your results in the Winter issue (I assume you mean the Overland Journal) - when is it coming?

With you being in Canada, probably another week or so for delivery. That Nova burner does rock. We tested a classic Hiker, with the new Nova burner. I love the classic kit

 

[Desertdude]

I've been using the jet-boil for the past 3 years and its hard to beat, even with the expense of the fuel canisters. The fuel canisters really weaken during cold weather (this is where the MSR Dragon fly or Kelly Kettle shine) I usually rotate between these three below.

1) Jet-boil = fast and convenient (relatively)compact road side hot water - can also purchase the stove grate adapter for cooking.

2) MSR Super fly = fast and convenient compact stove for hot water and cooking - just add a pot.

3) MSR dragon fly = multi-fuel burning - a bit of set up and tear down - needs a cooking utensil, and some practice to light it.

I have seen the Kelly Kettle in action - while I find it retro cool - it does need a fire ready space to operate, and some way to wrap it up when your finished - to keep the soot/smell from the inside of the vehicle.

 

[Dave Bennett]

JetBoil:
Pro: Small and Compact. Speed comparable to KellyKettle.
Con: Water only, in limited amount. Must carry proprietary fuel canisters

I have both the Jetboil and the MSR Pocket Rocket.

Both can be used with either the Jetboil fuel cans OR the MSR fuel cannisters (Iso/Propane mix is comparable).

Jetboil can also utilize a frying pan and a pot, but you need the group cook set with pot adapter from Jetboil for this. It also has a nice coffee press available (free if you buy the Java Kit which is usually about $89 for the whole setup).

MSR Pocket Rocket is very versatile and can heat small pots easily.

.02

 

[7wt]

I have messed around with a Jetboil but not all that much so I can only offer a one sided comparison but my new MSR Reactor is like a Jetboil on steroids. It's primary advantages over the Jetboil is it's heavy duty construction yet it is still light. The Jetboil just seems flimsy to me and all the store demos I have seen were damaged but they do get the water going fast. The Reactor has a regulator in it so it is supposed to work better at altitudes and extreme cold. Where I live I have only been able to test the cold part, last night I boiled a liter and a half right at 3 minutes at 16 ft MSL and 8 degrees with the wind gusting to around 20 mph. Lets just say I was glad it was done in 3 minutes because I wanted to get back inside VERY badly! No pics of the test because it was at 3 am and it was all I could do to boil water anyway. The burner is like a catalytic converter so it isn't effected by the wind at all. I am very impressed with it and it will be my "goto" stove for most of my camping.

I will get off my soap box now, I just really like my Reactor.

 

[1leglance]

in trying to adrs the particular need you mention:
quick stop and heat water for coffee or formula and then pack away and go...
I would put a vote in for the Hiker...mainly because you can just close the top and go even if it is still a bit warm. Also the box shape makes it stable for a kettle or pot which is what will sit on it for heating water or formula.
If you matched it with a small stainless cup and a combo french press/tumbler you would have a very compact kit...the stainless cup would also be about the right size to heat the baby bottle without alot of waste.
http://www.mountainhighoutfitters.c...page=product_info&products_id=88&currency=USD
or a sierra cup, not quite as good for the baby bottle

just my thoughts