BioLite Kettle Charge: Did they skip the industrial design?

I just saw a post on Uncrate for the new BioLite Kettle Charge, and I must say I was a little disappointed. It looks like they skipped the the whole design process all together. To me it feels a bit like an engineering prototype rushed into production. Just look at the person holding it, that doesn’t seem very comfortable.

I’m wondering if anyone has any more info on this or any hands on experience. I would be curious to get other peoples impressions. In general I like BioLite’s tech, but I think they need a little more refinement.


Looks very “clumsy”. On looks alone I would not buy it. Then I saw the price and was even more put off.

Being into backpacking I have looked over their products quite a bit. Some of their stuff is pretty nice, but yea, that handle looks terrible to hold, especially when you are trying to pour boiling water. Also…that spout.
In all though, I struggle to find how the same consumer who is going to use a wood burning camp stove is also the same consumer who brings their iphone with them into the backcountry.

many use their phones for the other features built into the device, gps, camera, flashlight, reader. phones are great out in wilderness, because phones do so much more nowadays than just make calls.

^^^ spam?

I think Blake means that the charge function of the generator does actually serve a purpose, as phones are used a lot in the wilderness and might need charging.

I don’t really see how the Biolite is more useful than just taking a small battery bank with you for the phone (and you don’t need to make fire to charge it) and any kind of metal bowl for boiling water .

Because a battery is dead weight in your backpack once you’ve exhausted it? Which is probably day #2.