Pick up the Kettle and you'll notice its point straight away: it's cheap, light, and made for messy rooms rather than clean duels across open ground. It's a fully automatic SMG that uses Light Ammo, and while it doesn't need rare ARC Raiders BluePrints to get going, it still asks something from you. You've got to stay close, keep moving, and stop pretending the 20-round mag will forgive bad sprays.

What the Kettle Is Good At

The Kettle suits players who like to push. Not blindly, though. You use it to slip around cover, cut angles, and punish someone before they've settled their aim. Its agility is the real selling point. You can strafe well with it, swap positions fast, and keep pressure on targets that don't have heavy protection. The damage is decent for a budget SMG, but the fire rate isn't wild, so missing half a magazine feels rough. Short bursts help. So does aiming for cleaner center-mass tracking instead of dragging the trigger and hoping.

Core Stats and Handling

On paper, the Kettle has 100 durability, runs Light Ammo, carries 20 rounds, and fires in full auto. Its damage sits at 7, fire rate at 45.3, range at 42.1, stability at 45.3, agility at 73.8, and stealth at 19. The big catch is ARC armor penetration, which is very weak. That matters. Against basic threats or lightly armored players, it feels lively and useful. Against tougher ARC units, it can feel like you're throwing coins at a wall. Recoil isn't impossible, but new players often overhold the trigger. Tap the fight into smaller chunks. Reload behind cover. Don't get caught doing it in a doorway.

Buying and Crafting Value

You can buy the Kettle from Tian Wen for $2400, which makes it a sensible pick when you don't want to risk your better gear. It's also easy to craft: 8 Metal Parts and 4 Rubber Parts, with Gunsmith Level 1 and Workbench Level 1. No blueprint is needed. That's why many players keep coming back to it after a bad raid. It's not glamorous, but it gets you armed again without making your stash cry. If you're saving coins for armour, ammo, or a stronger weapon later, crafting one from common parts is often the smarter call.

Best Use Cases

The Kettle works best in early and mid-game runs, especially when you expect close fights inside buildings, tunnels, cluttered camps, or tight extraction routes. It's also a good backup plan for budget kits where losing the loadout won't ruin your night. Bring it when speed matters more than penetration. Leave it behind, or pair it with something stronger, if you're planning to fight armoured ARC enemies at range. A simple habit helps a lot: open fights from cover, dump controlled fire, move, then reload. Standing still with the Kettle is usually how you end up watching someone else take your gear.

Final Thoughts

The Kettle won't carry every raid, and it's not meant to. It's the gun you take when you want a low-cost, close-range tool that still feels useful in the right hands. Players who manage their economy, craft with spare parts, and avoid bad long-range fights will get real value from it. If you're rebuilding after losses or checking options like ARC Raiders Loot buy while planning your next kit, the Kettle remains a practical SMG for fast raids, sharp pushes, and learning how to win ugly fights without overspending.