The Daymo Bush Kettle brings old-school charm and smart design to roadside tea breaks, boiling water fast with just twigs, leaves and a touch of bush magic.
When Damian Smith and his wife, Lyn, retired from their pharmacy business, they continued their lifelong love of travel with their caravan — now with more time on their hands to explore the country and pursue various interests. Damian — or ‘Daymo’ to his friends — decided to turn his attention to making camping equipment that fellow adventurers might appreciate and so began a new chapter with his Daymo brand of travel accessories and camping gear.
The Daymo Bush Kettle
Putting the Daymo Bush Kettle to the test
I recently tried out the Daymo Bush Kettle on a quick roadside stop during a regular drive down to Caravan World headquarters in Melbourne. This style of kettle has been around for years — my father had a version he made himself back in the day, although it was nowhere near as neat as the Daymo model. The design was popularised in Ireland in the 1890s but ancient Mongolians had hot pots with the signature central chimney.
Daymo’s elegant stainless-steel Bush Kettle features a water jacket that surrounds a central chimney with a conical fire opening underneath, providing a maximum surface area for heating water. The kettle sits on a separate perforated ring where you build a small fire from twigs and leaves. The ‘volcano effect’ gets the small fire started quickly with no cords or moving parts, and flames are soon lapping out of the top of the chimney.
Twigs go in the base and the central chimney creates a ‘volcano effect’
My first attempt had two cups of water boiling within a couple of minutes using only twigs and leaves I gathered from the ground nearby. The kettle holds up to 1L of water, and the wooden handle is designed to prevent burns when lifting.
The Daymo Bush Kettle is made using durable stainless steel and is neat and compact, adding a modern touch to traditional technology. There’s something particularly satisfying about making a cuppa quickly using nothing but bush materials, with the leafy smoke highlighting the bush experience. The kettle also works well on a gas ring or portable gas burner if you can’t find dry twigs or are limited by fire restrictions.
The Daymo Bush Kettle is part of the Adventure-Q range and is available on the Daymo website for an RRP of $149 plus postage.
A stylish but classic bush kettle
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