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The house we are renting has an electric stove and that is what DH has been using for heating coffee and tea water. I am wondering if it is simpler and more efficient to purchase an electric tea kettle as it would heat the water much faster. Or is that just one more gadget to keep up with? What do you think?
Ishbel and the other Brits are the most qualified to weigh in on that. My expertise is coffeemakers--my coffeemaker now is a Cuisinart drip coffeemaker with a thermal pot. I love it.
But I have also owned a number of electric kettles, which are faster and more efficient than waiting for an electric stove to heat up the kettle. If you are a regular tea drinker, it might be worth the investment.
Just want to add, I read that one of the reasons electric kettles never caught on in the States is because the voltage in Britain is higher, so the water in the plug-in kettles does indeed heat up much faster there than it would here. Not sure how true that is, but here's the link to that hypothesis: http://www.businessinsider.com/why-a...ve-top-2015-12
My experience is the kettles heat up quicker. At least some of them, seem to heat further up the kettle, so you don't have the time waiting for the full pan to heat up. We used one in a garage I worked at, for multiple things (namely battery terminal cleaning), and this thread makes me want one for hot chocolate.
I have an electric kettle and it does indeed heat water faster than the stove, and faster than the microwave if making more than one cup.
We have an electric kettle and love it. (and we have a gas stove.) It gets the water very very hot very fast.
Electric kettle fan here, too. When I want just one cup, I pour the cold water from the cup I will be using into the pot, and only heat that one cup. I do the same to use my French press for coffee in the morning. That way I am only heating th water I need.
we have hard water, so about every ten days I put a little vinegar and acupuncture of water in the pot, heat it and let it stand for a while.
Do you people not have microwave ovens?
Yes I have a microwave. For one cup, its marginally faster. For amounts larger than one cup, the kettle is faster.Quote:
and faster than the microwave if making more than one cup.
Love my kettle! And if you drink a lot of tea I recommend a thermos as well. I fill my cup and then the thermos with hot water and it stays very very hot for up to 8 hours.
I'd say one more gadget (that can and the way most everything is made these days WILL break before too long. I only like purely mechanical gadgets like salad spinners). How hard is it to boil water? A little harder on electric than gas maybe but ...
(I had a microwave for a couple of years. I rarely used it, and it took up precious counter space, so I passed it along to the SO. I'm not really a fan of those.)
I second Zoe Girl's recommendation of a thermos. I have a 48 oz. carafe thermos with a handle and spout that I love. Yesterday, I made a big pot of cardamom chai and had it with me here at the "Command Center," where it kept the tea flowing for some time. I might invest in an electric kettle, just for the portability. It seems like a useful item to me.
The reason I like a kettle instead of the stove is because then I can walk away and not worry about getting distracted. A lot of the reason I love the rice cooker and crockpot. If you don't tend to walk away and get distracted that is great, but having the water run out of a pan a couple times led me to believe I was a person who needs a kettle (and I use it twice a day all the time).
I have a Dualit retro-stlyed electric kettle and toaster in a cream colour. The kettle boils very quickly. I buy Dualit because they are still manufactured in the UK and the quality is high. Mark you, that is reflected in the price!
I used to buy other British brands, but nowadays they are all manufactured in China and the quality is very poor.
I think most UK houses have an electric kettle, even those with Aga or Raeburn ranges!
https://www.dualit.com/products/kettles
I remember the first time I visited my partner's family in the US I was shocked they didn't have a kettle. Like Ishbel said, most houses have them here, I couldn't live without mine and it is easily the most used thing in my kitchen.
Hunh. I guess we never make hot drinks at the same time.Quote:
Originally Posted by herbgeek
Our microwave oven is used at minimum 5 times daily. Wouldn't want to live without it.
I love my kettle. I love that I cannot boil it dry, that it heats water faster and that I can make a cup of tea by pouring the boiling water over the tea rather than by dangling a tea bag in hot water. I have pushed them on my family and I am not so sure they all love them but I am very happy with the one that lives on my counter. The kitchen is tiny, and things have to be critical to my well being to be allocated counter space. The kettle counts!
That's the way I feel about my Instant Pot. I use it several times a week, without fail. Today, J cooked a hamburger steak and green beans. Yesterday, I infused cardamom tea. The day before, it was soft-cooked eggs.Quote:
Originally Posted by iris lilies
I find that the shorter heat waves of microwaved food/beverage do not stay hot as long as the longer waves of more traditional cooking. Some things this doesn't matter, but for beverages I am going to sip slowly I prefer non microwaved.
I drink herbal tea throughout the day and am glad to have an electric kettle. I went to Vietnam a couple years ago and so appreciated that the room we stayed in had a electric kettle as well.
I caved and bought one on amazon today. Who knew there were so many different ones though?
They're very handy but not essential. I have one in my bedroom so I can have my morning tea in peace - such luxury!
Try telling that to anyone this side of the pond. Here, an electric kettle would definitely be classed as n essential! I even had one when I had an Aga.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gardenarian
Are Agas still sold? Or did the coal industry decline reduce their use? My parents had one when I was quite young.Quote:
Originally Posted by IshbelRobertson
Yes, they are still very popular (and expensive!) here.
I had mine removed when I remodelled my kitchen a few years ago. I sold it for the same amount as when new!
http://www.agaliving.com
I have electric stove and I've loved my electric kettle. It is super fast to heat up water for my pour-over or french press coffee. A quick cup of tea or to warm up a bit of water to make bread or pizza crust. I can set the temperature on mine. The worst thing for me to try to do is heat water in a microwave...I always forget it.
I was inspired by this thread to get one in red, to match the Command Center decor and the BatPhone.
(Maxi-Matic EKT-300R Elite Platinum 1.7 L Cordless Electric Tea Kettle, Red--at Amazon)
I have a backlog of tea to use up, so now I'm in business. Thanks for the good word on kettles.
Jane I love red appliances--have an old touch red phone that I will bring out at some point, and bought a new red Kitchenaid when my old one bit the dust. Very cheerful. Will check out your tea kettle.
Now you will need a red teapot to match. I got one which included an infuser and use loose leaf tea. Delightful.
I have a nostalgic attachment to blue teapots, since that was my favorite book as a child...But you may be right!Quote:
Originally Posted by razz
If you were purely basing your decision on the most energy efficient type of kettle available, you would have to go with an electric model. http://www.thekitchn.com/electric-ke...-you-bu-146531
I'm in London on business where every hotel room has an electric kettle, and I've really been enjoying it. (For tea, that is. I'm drinking coffee, but boy, do I hate that powdered Nescafe!).
I don't think I'll buy one because I already have too many coffee gadgets at home, but I have to say, from "wish for tea" to "tea in hand" in 20 seconds is pretty impressive.
I carry the little Via tubes of Starbucks Instant coffee. Lovely. We also have an electric kettle. Put it away since we can get hot water from our coffee maker almost as fast.
I have one and I like it. I enjoy tea, but rarely bothered -- it seemed like too much trouble. My microwave takes forever to boil water. My kettle heats quickly, so I'm having tea more often.