Are electric teakettles frugal?

[puglogic]

I'm enamored with the idea of having an electric teakettle. It seems like 90% of the use of our (electric) range is heating water for coffee or tea. I probably heat up one element five or six times a day just for that purpose.

But I'm curious whether the teakettle would actually save energy over running a single "burner" (element) on the rangetop. I wouldn't even know how to find the answer. But it seems like it would -- do you teakettle users think it does?

Aside from the niceness of it, we're trying to plug lots of little energy-use holes like this, so I'm curious what you think.

[Tradd]

Pug, heck, yes, they are frugal! They boil water very quickly (usually less than 5 minutes for a full kettle), much more energy efficient. I've had one for years. I run it constantly. I remember WJ Simon, who use to me a member here, that it really helped reduce her energy use.

Run, not walk, to the store to get one!

[puglogic]

What brand do you use, Tradd? And do they all have plastic in contact with the boiling water, or are there some that are stainless/glass inside?

[try2bfrugal]

I have started using a hot pot for hot water. I can't hook up the Kill A Watt to the built-in oven top because it is hardwired, but we do get hourly reports from our utility on electric usage. When we use the stove top or oven there are huge spikes. We live in a moderate climate so making food is probably our biggest energy expense, even more than heating and cooling.

My hot pot is older and probably not BPA free, so I am looking for an alternative, too. I bought a stainless steel hot pot but it has an automatic shut-off, which hasn't worked out for me.

I saw something by Paul Wheaton of Permies.com on a glass instant hot water heater from Amazon but the price was something like $50.

[Tradd]

Pug, I got mine at Target. It's a stainless steel one - think it was on sale for around $30-35 a few years ago. I actually had a plastic one, but folks at church doing coffee hour had a bad habit of leaving the kettle going on the gas stove when they weren't in the kitchen. So, I donated my still working (3-4 year old) plastic electric kettle to my church's kitchen, and I bought the stainless steel one for myself.

ETA: the inside bottom of the kettle is stainless steel, but there are a few small bits of plastic inside, but not many.

Mine has an automatic shutoff (which is important as I'd almost left a pot boiling on the stove when leaving for work!), which works fine. Get one of the ones where the kettle itself is cordless - easier to use. The cord is on the base.

[Jilly]

I love mine. It is a mostly plastic body, but I have never had any bad effects from it. It boils water in just a minute or three and has an automatic shut-off, which I think all of them do.

[IshbelRobertson]

No uk home would ever be without an electric kettle! Mine is brushed stainless steel by Dualit. Very fast to boil.

Just to show the variety available in the UK, here's a link to one of our department stores' range
http://www.johnlewis.com/electricals/kettles/c600001693?s_kenid=531b07a7-f0d8-ed48-0ac7-00000945863c&s_kwcid=124x310079&tmad=c&tmcampid=52

[Jilly]

Until I spent a few weeks in England and Wales I did not know that electric kettles even existed. One of the first things I did when I returned home was to find and buy one. I used one at home and took another to work, so now I have a back-up kettle.

[herbgeek]

I think I have the same model as Tradd. My hubby thought the microwave would be faster, but we did a side by side test and the kettle won. Didn't think I really needed it, but I use it almost everyday in cool weather.

[iris lilies]

You people act as though you have no microwave oven. What gives?

edited to add: I just read herbgeek's comment. Now, that is interesting, I assumed that the microwave would be faster than any sort of gadget. But then, there is the downside of another gadget.

[Tradd]

Iris, I don't have have a microwave. I have too little counter space.

I didn't know about an electric kettle until a coworker from Canada at a previous job brought one in for our department to use. I was hooked then.

[ToomuchStuff]

Worked in a garage that had no hot water for decades. It would have supplied two sinks, and wasn't considered cost effective. Used an electric kettle or the coffee maker to make hot water. The kettle was MUCH quicker. (and hot water will clean a battery well, but don't pour when over concrete, because it will stain)

[lmerullo]

RE: microwaves - they are ok for one cup, but no more... and you can't trust the BEVERAGE selection to be hot enough. I find an electric kettle to be a very frugal and time saving device.