User Review: MSR Titan Kettle

General Product Description:

This is a .8 liter one-person cook pot. It has a rigid wire handle, a short spout, and a tightly fitting lid.

Bottom Line:

All but the most fanatic backpackers cook something, so I count cookware amongst the "essentials" of backpacking. Of all the pots and pans I've used, none has impressed me more than the MSR Titan Kettle.

Best Uses:

This item is best used to cook simple meals for one person, or as a smaller accessory pot in groups.

Positive features

Size: At .8 liters, this pot holds a generous cup of tea or coffee. I haven't met many who need more than a liter of coffee in the morning, but if that's you, I suggest medical intervention rather than a larger pot. It holds a nearly perfect i person serving of couscous, pasta or rice, boils just enough water to rehydrate an dehydrated meal, and fits 2 ramen packs, or one Knoor Noodles pack perfectly.

Ductility: The titanium conducts heat very well, which means liquids boil very quickly in it.

Shape: The pot is just high enough and not so wide. It's narrow enough to slide in neatly into the most over-packed bags, and wide enough to stay stable on most stoves. The edges are round enough to allow a spoon to scrape it completely clean.

Cartridge Accommodation: It fits a standard size propane cartridge neatly inside! How cool is that!

Spout: The lit fits on neatly and leaves a little space, allowing liquid to flow out of the spout. This means you can strain pasta, and make a mean cup of cowboy coffee.

Lid fit: The lid fits on tightly, minimizing the chance of a total boilover.

Negative Features

Handle: The stiff wire handle is a bit short, giving it a tendency to get finger-scorchingly hot.

Bail: There is a little bail on the top of the lid, all coated in plastic. The second time I put the pot at the edge of the fie to keep warm, the plastic melted. Who coats anything on a backpacking cookpot with plastic?

Ductility: Because the titanium metal transmits heat so rapidly, food burns very quickly. If you're doing anything other than boiling water, stir constantly, or rick a thick coating of charred food.

Spout Length: The spout is about 3 millimeters shorter than it needs to be, and hence, if you're pouring anything out of the kettle, it tends to drip down the sides.

Update: November 26, 2011

500 or so miles more on this kettle and it's still going strong!