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Thread: The Electric Kettle

  1. #1
    Senior Member bae's Avatar
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    The Electric Kettle

    My daughter, who lives in the UK, has become quite a fan of the electric kettle. However, in the UK they have 230V power outlets, and the electric kettles boil the water about twice as fast as happens with an electric kettle here.

    The past two months I have evaluated using a Kitchenaid 1.5 liter electric kettle here in my US kitchen.

    I first did an A/B test with my electric cooktop with my tea kettle on it: 6:12 seconds to boil. The Kitchenaid: 6:32 seconds. So, a teeny bit slower than using the cooktop. (And, much slower than the one my daughter uses in the UK) Why would I want it then?

    After mindfully using it, I find it offers these advantages to me:

    - it is fire-and-forget - you turn it on, when the water boils, it turns off by itself
    - it is insulated, so if you are making one cup of tea, it stays warm enough to make another couple cups over the next hour or so
    - it can be placed on the dinner table, as the bottom is insulated
    - it doesn't permanently occupy a burner on the cooktop, as my regular kettle has for 20 years.
    - I can use it to make tea/coffee water in other places in the house

    Disadvantages:

    - it's another thing in the kitchen
    - it needs a small amount of countertop, somewhere

    Summary:

    I'll keep it

  2. #2
    Senior Member Teacher Terry's Avatar
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    I use the microwave but I am not a fan of lots of gadgets.

  3. #3
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    I LOVE our electric kettle!!! It is used so many times a day by everyone in the household; it gets more use than pretty much any other appliance in the kitchen.
    To give pleasure to a single heart by a single act is better than a thousand heads bowing in prayer." Mahatma Gandhi
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  4. #4
    Senior Member JaneV2.0's Avatar
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    I'm a fan of solid kitchen appliances, and an electric kettle is one of those. It isn't tied to the kitchen, which is a plus for me.

  5. #5
    Senior Member razz's Avatar
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    What is the volume of water that you are boiling for it to boil that fast.
    I have an 1.5L electric kettle and it takes a few minutes to bring a full pot to boiling. I also have a 2L stainless steel that I use with my induction cooktop and it takes less time for more water than the electric one.

    I have a large teapot so use I use the 2L kettle routinely.
    As Cicero said, “Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.”

  6. #6
    Senior Member bae's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by razz View Post
    What is the volume of water that you are boiling for it to boil that fast.
    I have an 1.5L electric kettle and it takes a few minutes to bring a full pot to boiling.
    1.5L, but the water is probably starting out at 45 degrees or so.

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    Used to use one in a garage I worked at. (no hot water)

    Comes in handy for battery terminals and cleaning corrosion, as well as food use of hot water.

  8. #8
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    DH loves it for his pour-over coffee. We stash ours in the cupboard over the fridge after each use.

  9. #9
    Senior Member catherine's Avatar
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    I have this electric kettle

    And I bought my daughter this one:

    I bought mine when I was downsizing and didn't want a huge coffee maker cluttering up my sparse counter space. So I went with the kettle and a French press for my coffee. Of course the electric kettle does double duty for coffee and tea, and I really like the thermostat feature that allows you to heat to the appropriate temperature for various coffees/teas. We use it every day.

    Here in Japan I've been using the electric kettles in the hotel room, but I'm not happy about having to use it for instant coffee. Yuck.
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  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by catherine View Post
    I have this electric kettle

    And I bought my daughter this one:

    I bought mine when I was downsizing and didn't want a huge coffee maker cluttering up my sparse counter space. So I went with the kettle and a French press for my coffee. Of course the electric kettle does double duty for coffee and tea, and I really like the thermostat feature that allows you to heat to the appropriate temperature for various coffees/teas. We use it every day.

    Here in Japan I've been using the electric kettles in the hotel room, but I'm not happy about having to use it for instant coffee. Yuck.
    We do the same with the electric kettle and coffee press. I like the stainless steel electric kettles you linked - I may need to look at those if/when our current on kicks the bucket.
    To give pleasure to a single heart by a single act is better than a thousand heads bowing in prayer." Mahatma Gandhi
    Be nice whenever possible. It's always possible. HH Dalai Lama
    In a world where you can be anything - be kind. Unknown

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