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MSR Titan Kettle: first impressions
Camping stoves and cookware often don’t get much of a look-in when it comes to updating kit on a regular basis, unless you’re thinking about saving weight. The MSR Titan Kettle, however, is an excellent addition to my campcraft and outdoor box, as it’s an incredibly light and useful pot that also doubles up as a kettle.
• List price: $64.95 / £55.99
• Color: Titanium
• Packed size: 4.9 x 4.4in / 12.4 x 11.2cm
• Volume: 30.43fl oz / 900ml
• Weight: 4.4oz / 130g
• Compatibility: Thru-hiking / alpine / camping / van life
Weighing in at around 4.4oz / 130g – about the same as a sausage roll if you need the hard metrics – the pot comes with a lid that allows steam to pass through and the perfect spout for pouring into a cup or adding hot water to a dehydrated meal. Folding comfort handles make it easy to pick up, although as with all stoves and pan use, I’d recommend erring on the side of caution with anything that’s hot.
MSR Titan Kettle: in the field
This pan was tested on a two-week trip to the Outer Hebrides in Scotland, and I was pleasantly surprised by the ease with which it neatly slotted into my cooking setup. I tested it while cooking on the side of a van and staying in a shieling bothy – it was great to have a one-pot setup which required very little assembly and is very easy to use. It also has a lid which can be hung off the rim, so it doesn’t get mucky on the floor. Quite simply, it’s a genius piece of design.
MSR Titan Kettle: size and weight
900ml is the maximum capacity of the MSR Titan Kettle I was testing, making it ideal for solo adventures. It’s super easy to measure up and boil just enough water and save on unnecessary gas usage. The sizing was also easy to understand as there were graduation marks. The benefit of the MSR Titan is that its shape allows it to be used as a pan (and to clearly see into the inside of the kettle) without sacrificing the functionality of the kettle spout.
Often, in thru-hiking and camping, the pan can be quite bulky and difficult to justify carrying on adventures so a smaller cup or pan is required. I used the MSR Titan kettle to boil several eggs inside, while also allowing enough hot water for a cup of tea. In a lightweight hiking / camping context, space and weight is key, so it’s good that it’s possible to fit some food items inside the kettle/pan interior in case you need to transport something to your chosen camp spot.
At 4.4oz / 130g, the pan is far lighter than an aluminium or stainless-steel version, thanks to the use of titanium. It’s half the weight of steel yet twice the strength of aluminium – and it should be noted that titanium cookware is not super expensive anymore.
MSR Titan Kettle: usability
One thing I really like about MSR cookware is the quality of the materials – this kettle is easy to clean, food is easy to scrub off if it burns onto the bottom of the pan, and heat is evenly distributed in the pot.
The MSR Titan kettle is made of titanium, so if you’ve got particularly sweaty or sticky hands it does show up marks, but this is a very small quibble. Titanium pots can boil water efficiently, due to very thin walls which aid quick and efficient heat transfer. Titanium pans can be more prone to hot spots, so care is needed if using them to make temperature-sensitive foods like eggs or pancakes.
MSR Titan Kettle: features
The MSR Titan Kettle is ultimately a titanium pot with a spout. Nonetheless, useful MSR additions include the lid which fits snugly on the pot to help improve boiling efficiency and reduce heat loss while cooking, but can also be hung off the rim when checking the boiling process. This means it doesn’t sit on the ground and attract dirt.
The MSR Titan kettle is also nestable with the other pots in the Titan range, including the 1400ml kettle. This makes it ideal if you’re wanting to cook with two pots or traveling for a longer period.
MSR also mention that the kettle can fit a small, 4oz gas canister and a pocket rocket inside, I was able to test this with using a non-MSR branded stove and gas and it worked well. Finally, the silicone handles make removing the MSR Titan kettle from the heat source easy, although caution should be exercised as these can still get hot.
