Cheap Lightweight Brew Kit (Trangia)

[MagiKelly]

I have been looking for a lightweight brew kit for just making a cup of coffee when out and about. Not something for cooking etc. Up till now I was using a military mug and a small gas stove or a fire. I had decided to replace my gas stove with a trangia and clickstand for my main cooking kit but was still not sure about my brew kit. But a trip to the shops changed this.

I ordered my clickstand, from Gary, and went to Tiso to get a civilian Trangia. When there I also got a steel mug for all of £3.00. My Sigg bottle fits inside it with room to spare but even better the Trangia fits inside it as if it were made to.

I got my new buys home and set about making a small stand from an old coathanger. This was pretty simple to do and takes up no space at all.

The one pictured below is the mark 1 version. It worked well in the house but lifts the cup a little to far above the burner for outdoor use. It still brings it to a boil but it takes quite a while and needs to be well sheltered. You only want the cup about 1 cm above the burner (thats half an inch for our older viewers )

So there you go a little while later a boiling cup of water to prepare your favourate beverage. This kit is ideal for me. Takes up little space, reliable and robust. As it is only for making a brew or two I do not need to take spare fuel with me. As long as the trangia is full when I set out that is plenty. With the gas stove I always had to bring a spare gas bottle just in case the one I was using was about to run out.

In fact as well as being suitable for a brew this will also be fine for a quick batch of noodles. Even if you are not going to use it with a Trangia I would highly recommend these mugs. At £3.00 it is a great bit of kit. Next time I am in I will get another couple as spares.

 

[mercury]

very nice , maybe an addition of a windsheild ?

 

[MagiKelly]

A windshield would definately help but it is coming up with one that does not increase the size or weight too much. I will have the clickstand and windshield when I am doing any real cooking (for cooking read heating up food ) but I may have a play with some tinfoil wrapped round the cup in transit and used as a windshield during heating.

 

[Gary]

John once you get your clik stand you'll be amazed how well it all works mate.

Be interesting to hear what you think of it!

 

[mal]

I love my clik-stand very fast

 

[MagiKelly]

I have no doubt that the clickstand will be first class but it is for when I am cooking a meal not for when it is just a brew up for one. And of course I am going to let you know how the clickstand does. Of course I need to wait for it to arrive from where I ordered it


I have made a small windshield from the side of a coke can and will give that a try to see how much it helps. In transit is can wrap round the cup or even sit inside it above the burner. Should make a fair difference.

 

[JimH]

I have made a small windshield from the side of a coke can and will give that a try to see how much it helps. In transit is can wrap round the cup or even sit inside it above the burner. Should make a fair difference.

Sure I'm doing the grandma/eggs[1] thing here, but a lid on t'pot will help a lot...

Jim.

[1] You could, in fact, boil eggs in it. Don't teach gran to suck 'em till they cool down

 

[MagiKelly]

Tried the windshield out tonight and it makes a big difference. The thing I did not realise at first was to point the opening in the windshield so that the wind went in to the opening. When you do this it heats up the cup in jig time. The windshield sits in the cup on top of the burner when not in use and only projects slightly above the brim. It can wrap round the cup for easier storage but inside is fine.

A couple of pictures.

A lid would help as well but that may be gilding the lilly. Still won't stop me making one

 

[MagiKelly]

As an update. I have now made a lid for the cup. Turns out that a Tuna can lid fits perfectly. Just added a small loop of wire as a handle. Water boils much quicker.


I have also recieved my Clickstand. I have added a couple of bits of coathanger so that I can put the steel cup on it. Works great and they must be made for each other as the windshield coils up and fits inside the cup, above the burner and lines up perfectly with the top edge of the cup. So my kit is now the steel cup with the burner inside and the windshield above it, with the lid on. The rest on the clickstand is in either my bag or pocket. All works a treat.

 

[raskusdrotti]

Oh my God!!!!

I've just sat and made one of these MagiKellyKettles in my living room while the better half (who thinks...no....is increasingly sure that i am bonkers) is watching casualty.
A couple of differences though... I used the twisty bit from the top of the coathanger to make the back leg, and i've got spikes on the end of the legs so i can dig it into the ground for stability.
Once i can work out how to put photos on i'll post pics!

I haven't got any meths at the mo so i will be up B&Q first thing in the morning.

Bring on the brew.

 

[raskusdrotti]

I didn't read your last post.....

Off to the kitchen to get a can of tuna........

 

[leon-1]

John the foil from BBQ trays makes a good windshield, if you punch holes in it all the way around about an inch up from the ground you will ensure air flow to the stove.

 

[MagiKelly]

I didn't read your last post.....

Off to the kitchen to get a can of tuna........

Here is what you are trying to make, the lid not the clickstand.

In the picture above you can see the knot in the wire that stops the handle coming through. Also you can see the windshield part of the clickstand coiled inside the cup above the burner.

Here you can see the bits of coathanger I used so that the cup can sit on the clickstand.

And here is the cup, with lid, sitting on the clickstand. The clickstand is a great bit of kit and not very heavy at all. I imagine I will probably use it most of the time, even when only taking the cup but for a really cheap and lightweight option, using my original stand, putting a lid on the cup and following Leon's suggestion of the B & Q tray with holes punched in it would most likely be just as efficient.

One thing to remember is to make sure there is sufficient space between the windshield and the cup to let the burner breathe.

 

[AJB]

It’s me banging on about these again, http://www.minibulldesign.com/vidminiin3.htm,
Make your own for the price of an empty coke can. Mine work as well as my trangia, you don’t need a pot stand as it sits directly on the burner, they weigh nothing and you can make your own in three minutes. Even if you don’t want a recycled stove, knowing how to make one just might get you out of a mess one day or at least amaze your mates!

 

[MagiKelly]

It’s me banging on about these again, http://www.minibulldesign.com/vidminiin3.htm,
Make your own for the price of an empty coke can. Mine work as well as my trangia, you don’t need a pot stand as it sits directly on the burner, they weigh nothing and you can make your own in three minutes. Even if you don’t want a recycled stove, knowing how to make one just might get you out of a mess one day or at least amaze your mates!

It is a great site and the stoves look great but for me the Trangia has the advantage that I do not have to carry a separate fuel bottle. The stove itself holds enough for at least 3 brew ups. Still a great resource though.

 

[beachlover]

In fact as well as being suitable for a brew this will also be fine for a quick batch of noodles. Even if you are not going to use it with a Trangia I would highly recommend these mugs. At £3.00 it is a great bit of kit. Next time I am in I will get another couple as spares.

I have just Checked the tiso site and cant find these stainless mugs. Can anyone suggest a source, as all the ones I have looked at are either titanium or have handles that are fixed? Perhaps they are just a local offer.

 

[MagiKelly]

I have just Checked the tiso site and cant find these stainless mugs. Can anyone suggest a source, as all the ones I have looked at are either titanium or have handles that are fixed? Perhaps they are just a local offer.

Tiso's web site is not very good for finding anything so I would be surprised if these were on it..

If anone wants a mug or two PM me and I will try to pick some up next time I am in. I am going to be going in shortly to get a spare one for myself anyway. Not trying to make a profit just charge enough to cover postage etc. Probably about £4 for one cup to cover postage, an envelope and PayPal costs. Anyway, anyone wanting one just let me know.

 

[raskusdrotti]

Hi All,

I found these mugs in Blacks this weekend at £3.99 - don't think they have a website though. They are stamped "18-8 Stainless steel"

 

[MagiKelly]

Hi All,

I found these mugs in Blacks this weekend at £3.99 - don't think they have a website though. They are stamped "18-8 Stainless steel"

Same mug then, mine has the same thing stanped on the bottom. Does the Trangia fir in yours as well? and how did you get on with your stand, lid and windshield?

 

[raskusdrotti]

It works a treat!

All the kit fits in perfectly - it boils in about 8 minutes with the lid, and with the spikes and three legged trivet set-up it's really stable (on softish ground anyway!)
I reckon there's enough meths in one burner full to do about six brews.

I'm working on a strap for the kit now, and i reckon there's enough space in the top of the cup to put the coffee / teabags and milk powder etc inside the kit too!!

I' gonna test this theory out next week as i'm off to the lake district for a week's walking and general outdoorsy stuff (although the wife thinks we'll be shopping )

I'll post photos of the finished article, when i've finished and worked out how to do the pics!!