When heating water for a cuppa, washing dishes, or even washing yourselves while on the road, most of us would generally use the usual options like gas, a butane burner, or even a traditional campfire billy. While all these sources will do the job, we’ve found there are pros and cons for each, especially when we’ve been in places where we can’t get supplies easily.
This is why the concept of the Eco Billy piqued our interest some time ago. All this unit needs as its fuel source is a few leaves and some twigs, making this billy a very efficient method for boiling water. Construction wise, the Eco Billy is made from durable 304 stainless steel and looks quite different to your regular billy.
The Eco Billy is 285mm high, with a diameter of 160mm, and weighs around 1kg. Some handles are located on the side, and a stainless-steel lid which has a large hole in the centre acts like a chimney.
The billy’s design also incorporates a number of holes by its base. These help with air flow and allow heat to be drawn up through a cone-shaped funnel in the Eco Billy’s interior, which in turn heats the water.
The Eco Billy comes in two sizes. We’ve been using the 1.5L unit, but there’s a smaller 700ml version as well.
HOW THE ECO BILLY WORKS
Using the Eco Billy is fairly straightforward and the speed of getting hot water really boils down (excuse the pun) to the materials used. If you’re looking for rapid heat, use small things that are quick to ignite, like grasses, twigs and leaves. These may not burn for long, but they create a short burst of heat which is all you need for boiling water.
Start by creating a small pile of this mix as a base for the Eco Billy to sit on. Then pour some water into the billy and put the lid on to prevent ash getting into the water while it’s being heated.
The heat source is then lit and the Eco Billy placed onto it to get the process going. If more heat is required, it’s just a matter of adding more twigs into the chimney outlet located in the lid.
Once the water has boiled, simply use the handles that swing out to assist with pouring. The Eco Billy also has a tab on the lid that slides out to help direct the hot water over the spout and to prevent any splashback.
OUR THOUGHTS
There are a number of things we like about the Eco Billy. It’s quick, easy to use, and having the heat source contained provides us with a level of comfort when it comes to safety. It also doesn’t matter where we’re travelling when we can always find something for the heat source, and the burnt material leaves a minimal amount of ash.
To increase safety, we always travel with a few pairs of work gloves, and wear some while using the Eco Billy to ensure our hands are protected.
We’ve had our 1.5L version for just over five years now and its durable stainless steel construction means we’ve never had any worries about it rusting. This larger size has also been good for a range of applications as we use ours for everything from boiling water for a cuppa through to heating water for a bush shower.
The Eco Billy (with a starting price of $79) is compact, with handles that swing inwards, and there’s no protruding spout. We keep ours in a storage bag that is sold separately. So when it comes to a quick hot water solution, being self-sufficient is the name of the game for us, and the Eco Billy meets that brief nicely.
More information: www.ecobilly.com
