We were about 4 travelers going on a hike (watch out if you are in bear country) to Kodachadri, Karnataka. It started off by train, through Jeep, that crossed a river via a carrier boat. At the end of the road, the jeep’s journey ended while ours began.
You can imagine the environment I am writing about. It was a mountainous terrain (you can consider rappelling) full of trees and rocks. We were carrying some rice, a stove, and some vegetables, but not water.
Water is in abundance in Kodachadri. You can collect water from a nearby stream, which is as clean as mineral water, and boil it to cook!
Can you boil a kettle in a tent? Yes, you can boil provided you have a camping kettle that we had that day. It will be a boon to have something hot during these cold times, wearing a jacket.
To know more about lanterns, please read this article.
What to use to boil water while camping?
A camping kettle is used to boil water while you are hiking or camping. A camping kettle comes mainly in two variations. Electric Kettle and a Non-electric Kettle.
While the difference is quite obvious, let us see the scenarios when they are used. The electric kettle needs electric energy to be used while the other one needs a source of energy from one of these:
- Gas
- Wood
- Alcohol
In our case, we used a kettle with a camping stove (you can even lay down in a car, but we could not) as we were already prepared for such kind of a situation.
A camping stove makes the process of boiling faster. It is also sensible to use a wind guard while you are trying to boil using a kettle. You can’t predict how wind can turn off the ignited fire.
How do you boil a kettle on an open fire?
Use wood as your fuel and burn it until it turns to coal. Place the container in the middle and kindle fire around it by adding small sticks. Keep feeding small sticks until the water starts boiling. Be careful about the handle getting hot. Close the lid of the container to avoid the ashes falling inside.
But, you might have a question. Why do we even have the option of using electric kettles? How can we make use of the electric kettles?
When do we use electric kettles for camping?
Electric kettles need electricity as the source of energy. So, we can use them where we get electricity in battery pack generators or where we drive our Recreational Vehicle (RV).
Recreational Vehicles are those sophisticated vehicles that are mini houses that fit into a bigger van. If you are into film-making there are chances that you would have heard about vanity vans.
Well, Vanity Vans are similar to RVs. Just that their use-cases are different. While a Vanity Van is used as a changing place for the artists enacting in a movie, the RVs are used as a mini home (if you are in your real home check out these wood-burning stoves) where people can recreate, while they are on a journey.
On the other hand, lanterns, and new breed battery pack generators produce electricity that is ample for a regular 240V AC-powered electric kettle. This is the fastest way to boil water, in just a matter of minutes.
However, be careful if you are plugging in too many electric items. This might trip the power and it might be tough for you to fix it.
Instead, you can choose a slightly less power-consuming electric kettle. This might take half a minute more than the former kettle but reduces the stress on the battery.
Since all the electric kettles are mostly made using plastic, you don’t need to bother about the weight of the kettle. All you need to worry about is the volume. The bigger the kettle, the more difficult it is for you to place it in your bag.
How do you boil water in a camper van?
Recreational Van has a lot of batteries for household works with electric plugs here and there. It is using these plugs that we connect electric kettles to boil water. So, the electric kettles can be used only in camper vans or recreational vehicles.
What kind of kettle do you use for camping?
This is where it becomes more and more interesting as you will be using a non-electric kettle only during your tenure in an isolated civilization.
We have many variations that we can think of, right? Let us start jotting them down. As we have mentioned earlier the three different types of fuel that can ignite this kettle.
In addition to that, it is very important that we have the right kind of material to make sure that the liquid inside gets boiled faster. That stands out as a major difference when it comes to categorizing non-electric camping kettles.
So, let us see one by one, the different kinds of materials used in these kettles and what the differences are.
The list of materials used to make camping kettles
Let us see the three of them in preference.
Stainless Steel
A typically used metal for camping kettles because of the fact that it will work well on induction stoves. One thing you should keep in mind is they are heavy compared to their other metal counterparts.
So, it is advisable to use this only when you have an induction heater. If you are not comfortable carrying it, let us see the other few options that we have.
Aluminum
The next metal that comes to our mind is Aluminium. The lightest metal that you can carry when you are hiking (wearing hiking boots and climbing pants) in uncivilized isolation. In addition to its strength, it is equally strong and durable.
What you should be careful about is the quality of Aluminium that is linked to degenerative brain conditions. When you consume food prepared in Aluminium in high doses, there is more possibility of the above-mentioned brain condition.
As an alternative, you can use aluminum electrolytically coated with an oxide layer that separates the water getting boiled from coming in contact with the metal.
Titanium
The last option Titanium is a better option than Aluminium. If you want your brain intact and you have a bag that is the only thing that you can rely on, then this is the best option.
What you should look out for is the cost. Yes, these are more expensive than the other two. A “Jetboil camping stove” that helps boil water faster.
Is there a kettle that keeps water hot?
Most of the electric kettles come with the option of keeping the water warm, for about 4 hr. – 8 hrs. time.
Electric Camping Kettles
There are multiple options and it has never been this easy to go on hiking. Let us see in this section, the choices that we hikers (if you are on a snowy mountain, consider wearing these down pants) have when it comes to the kettles.
While we are doing this, these are the things we consider that make the kettles better.
- Size
- Capacity
- Weight
- Build
- Type
- Material
- Price
- Boiling time
Let us discuss these attributes for each of the kettles that we are listing out here so you can decide the best kettle for you depending on the place you are visiting.
1. Camping kettle for open fire [Stansport Enamel Percolator Mugs]
Size
11 x 5.5 x 11 inches
Capacity
350 Milliliters
Weight
3 Pounds
Type
Campfire
Material
Three-ply steel
Price
$34
Boiling time
4 mins 30 secs
2. Portable camping kettle [Bulin 2.2L Camping Kettle]
Size
4 1/2″ opening and is 5″ tall
Capacity
2.2 liters
Weight
0.75 pounds
Type
Stovetop
Material
Anodized aluminum
Price
$30
Boiling time
3 – 5 mins
Small camping kettle
3. Norwegian camp kettle [Eagle Norwegian Mountain Camp Kettle]
Size
7in diameter 3 3/4in high
Capacity
1.5 liters
Weight
0.8 pounds
Type
Stovetop
Material
Stainless-steel
Price
$90
Boiling time
3 mins
4. Stanley camping kettle [Stanley Adventure All-in-One]
Size
4 x 4.3 x 5.8 inches
Capacity
710 milliliters
Weight
0.8 pounds
Type
Stovetop
Material
Stainless-steel
Price
$15
Boiling time
10 mins
5. Large camping kettle [ GSI Outdoors 36 Cup Coffee Boiler]
Size
10.7 in x 9.2 in x 13 in
Capacity
6 liters
Weight
1 pound
Type
Stovetop
Material
Stainless-steel
Price
$50
Boiling time
10 mins
6. Alocs camping kettle [Portable Tea Kettle]
Size
10.7 in x 9.2 in x 13 in
Capacity
1.3 liters
Weight
2.75 pound
Type
Stovetop
Material
Anodized aluminum
Price
$30
Boiling time
3-5 mins
7. In-built heat exchanger [Tentock Camping Kettle]
Size
17.5 x 17.5 x 9 cm
Capacity
1 liter to 1.6 liters
Weight
0.78 pound
Type
Fast Heating
Material
Anodized aluminum
Price
$33
Boiling time
5-6 mins
8. Whistling Camping Kettle [Pykal STAINLESS STEEL]
Size
22 x 22 x 22.8 cm
Capacity
2.8 liters
Weight
1.99 pound
Type
Whistling Kettle
Material
Stainless-steel
Price
$38
Boiling time
5-6 mins
9. Collapsible Kettle [Hi-Gear COLLAPSIBLE Stove]
Size
8 x 5 x 3 inches
Capacity
1.2 liters
Weight
1 pound
Type
Collapsible Kettle for Induction
Material
Silicone
Price
$24
Boiling time
5-6 mins
10. Electric Low Voltage [Bodum – 11451-01US]
Size
7 x 4 x 7.75 inches
Capacity
0.5 liters
Weight
1.8 pound
Type
Low volt Electric Kettle
Material
Plastic
Price
$39
Boiling time
3 mins
11. ELECTRIC COLLAPSIBLE Camping Kettle [Ultrathin Upgraded Food Grade]
Size
170*139*132mm folded
Capacity
0.5 liters
Weight
1.89 pound
Type
Compact Electric Kettle
Material
Silicone
Price
$50
Boiling time
3 mins
