# Electric water kettles are surprisingly useful **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 23, 2013, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-water-kettles-are-surprisingly-useful/653731 "2013-03-23T12:18:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2013, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-water-kettles-are-surprisingly-useful/653731/61 "2013-03-29T18:19:13Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Y’all can keep your electric water kettles. I love my [Sunbeam Hot Shot](http://www.amazon.com/Sunbeam-6131-Water-Dispenser-Black/dp/B000C3QSPQ/ref=pd_sim_k_5). You can keep your Sunbeam, I love my [Zojirushi 3-liter hot water dispenser](http://www.amazon.com/Zojirushi-CD-WBC30-Electric-3-Liter-Champagne/dp/B0011528S0). Hot water dispensers like this are used in almost every home and office in Japan. I fill it up and turn it on when I get to my office, and all day long I can have hot tea any time. Although at home I use a [Breville electric kettle](http://www.amazon.com/Breville-SK500XL-Cordless-1-7-Liter-Stainless-Steel/dp/B000A790X6), which is also awesome - it doesn’t maintain temperature, but it’s much more powerful (1500W vs 700W) than the Zo. Ours gets used at least 4 times a day, and we’ve had it for 6 years. Still works just fine. (By the way, in that Sunbeam page under “Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought:”, why is there a [hard case for a compound bow](http://www.amazon.com/Plano-Bow-Max-Single-Bow-Case/dp/B000P3WRIK/ref=pd_sim_k_3)??) ---
**Author:** ![Brynda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@Brynda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brynda)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2013, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-water-kettles-are-surprisingly-useful/653731/62 "2013-03-29T19:18:29Z")
I got introduced to the kettle by my late husband, who was British. I have one at work and one at home. I drink hot or cold tea all day at work, so that one gets used a lot. Using a microwave for heating water is NOT the same at all. ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2013, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-water-kettles-are-surprisingly-useful/653731/63 "2013-03-30T03:03:30Z")
I don’t have a kettle…but I have an [instant hot](http://www.costco.ca/Quick-%2526-Hot%C2%AE-Instant-hot-Water-Dispenser.product.10319326.html) water system in my sink. It’s basically a little hot water heater. I have a faucet that gives me near boiling water any time I want it, suitable for tea, or for my french press coffee. ---
**Author:** ![sparky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@sparky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sparky_1)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2013, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-water-kettles-are-surprisingly-useful/653731/64 "2013-03-30T17:24:11Z")
> [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](#): > > I don’t have a kettle..but I have an [instant hot](http://www.costco.ca/Quick-%2526-Hot%C2%AE-Instant-hot-Water-Dispenser.product.10319326.html) water system in my sink. It’s basically a little hot water heater. I have a faucet that gives me near boiling water any time I want it, suitable for tea, or for my french press coffee. Wow. Just wow. I hope to build a house before long, and it will have that! ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2013, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-water-kettles-are-surprisingly-useful/653731/65 "2013-03-30T22:25:13Z")
> [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](#): > > I don’t have a kettle..but I have an [instant hot](http://www.costco.ca/Quick-%2526-Hot%C2%AE-Instant-hot-Water-Dispenser.product.10319326.html) water system in my sink. It’s basically a little hot water heater. I have a faucet that gives me near boiling water any time I want it, suitable for tea, or for my french press coffee. “Near boiling” may be adequate for coffee, but it won’t do for tea — not proper tea, anyway. It really does need to boil. ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2013, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-water-kettles-are-surprisingly-useful/653731/66 "2013-03-30T22:57:18Z")
> [@WotNot](#): > > “Near boiling” may be adequate for coffee, but it won’t do for tea — not proper tea, anyway. It really does need to boil. Isn’t that somewhat dependent on the type of tea? I don’t know what the definitive sites out there are, but according to this [site](http://www.empiretea.com/tea_facts.htm): > [@](#): > > White tea 7 – 10 min at 200 F > Green tea 3 – 4 min at 160 - 180 F > Oolong tea 4 – 5 min at 190 F > Black tea 5 min at 212 F > Herbal tea 5 min at 212 F I drink Green tea. To keep it on topic..the same site says: > [@](#): > > For Green tea you may use less than boiling water, by letting the kettle cool for 2 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2013, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-water-kettles-are-surprisingly-useful/653731/67 "2013-03-30T23:12:46Z")
> [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](#): > > Isn’t that somewhat dependent on the type of tea? I did specify “proper” tea. Which, as every right-thinking person surely knows, means black tea, as drunk in Britain by the British. 😉 Only anarchists don’t drink proper tea. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2013, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-water-kettles-are-surprisingly-useful/653731/68 "2013-03-30T23:26:03Z")
Back in January, my boss (also very good friend) and I were talking at work about how much she loved her electric kettle. I mentioned I’d always wanted one, but couldn’t really justify it. I had a perfectly good kettle for the stove top. The next week when I came in she had bought me this: [Bella Tea Kettle](http://www.target.com/p/bella-tea-kettle-white-blue/-/A-14232072?ref=tgt_adv_XSG10001&AFID=Google_PLA_df&LNM=%7C14232072&CPNG=Appliances&kpid=14232072&LID=PA&ci_src=17588969&ci_sku=14232072). I love it! I have no idea how I ever lived without one. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2013, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-water-kettles-are-surprisingly-useful/653731/69 "2013-03-30T23:26:28Z")
> [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](#): > It’s quite sweet that you posted the first link you could find. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Claverhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Claverhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claverhouse)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2013, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-water-kettles-are-surprisingly-useful/653731/70 "2013-03-31T00:01:12Z")
> [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](#): > > I don’t have a kettle..but I have an [instant hot](http://www.costco.ca/Quick-%2526-Hot%C2%AE-Instant-hot-Water-Dispenser.product.10319326.html) water system in my sink. It’s basically a little hot water heater. I have a faucet that gives me near boiling water any time I want it, suitable for tea, or for my french press coffee. That took me back. Apparently — I don’t know if I ever saw one working ---- British ( and I’ll assume American ) houses from say the 1940s to 70s had little mains gas supplied water heaters very similar hanging over the kitchen sink with spouts going down. Except obviously for washing water, not to drink ( I think ). And very dangerous looking too. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2013, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-water-kettles-are-surprisingly-useful/653731/71 "2013-03-31T10:20:27Z")
> [@WotNot](#): > > Only anarchists don’t drink proper tea. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2013, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-water-kettles-are-surprisingly-useful/653731/72 "2013-03-31T14:27:24Z")
> [@Enter\_the\_Flagon](#): > > That’s plenty fast for me, but I’d bet it would be even a good bit faster in the UK, what with their 230 volt mains electricity. No wonder every kitchen has one, over there. I have 10Amp power circuits, giving 2300W at 230 Volt. If you have a 20Amp power circuit to the kitchen, giving 2300W at 115 Volt, then you can heat water just as fast as I can. But actually, my electric kettle is only 800W. You use a bigger element if you want to heat more water. Using 2400W to heat 2 cups makes it more expensive, flaky, dangerous and fragile, but yes, faster. I’ve seen a single cup 2000W device. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2013, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-water-kettles-are-surprisingly-useful/653731/73 "2013-03-31T16:20:05Z")
Hover mowers and electric kettles. Two things that are surprisingly rare in the US, apparently. As others have said, the difference in mains voltage could be part of it. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2013, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-water-kettles-are-surprisingly-useful/653731/74 "2013-03-31T18:40:23Z")
> [@Ximenean](#): > > Hover mowers and electric kettles. Two things that are surprisingly rare in the US, apparently. As others have said, the difference in mains voltage could be part of it. nobody has a hover mower in the states because of the cost factor converting over to metric grass. Seriously, I had to look up what a hover mower was. Never heard of one. Definitely not for people with hilly lawns. ---
**Author:** ![Claverhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Claverhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claverhouse)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2013, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-water-kettles-are-surprisingly-useful/653731/75 "2013-03-31T19:19:45Z")
Actually, and despite the fact I loathe gardening and maintaining lawns instead of natural rough grass, a hover mower held by the wrists and cushioned on a bed of air would be a lot more adaptable for hilly ground than either type of rigid mower pushed around. A goat would be better still. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2013, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-water-kettles-are-surprisingly-useful/653731/76 "2013-03-31T19:37:01Z")
> [@Claverhouse](#): > > Actually, and despite the fact I loathe gardening and maintaining lawns instead of natural rough grass, a hover mower held by the wrists and cushioned on a bed of air would be a lot more adaptable for hilly ground than either type of rigid mower pushed around. > A goat would be better still. No argument about the goat but my lawn mower propels itself uphill and can be used at a right angle to the hill. A hover mower can do neither. Now a perfectly level lawn would be fine for a floating mower. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2013, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-water-kettles-are-surprisingly-useful/653731/77 "2013-03-31T19:41:54Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > nobody has a hover mower in the states because of the cost factor converting over to metric grass. > > Seriously, I had to look up what a hover mower was. Never heard of one. Definitely not for people with hilly lawns. They’re very common over here. In previous discussions of this topic, people have conjectured that electric hover mowers wouldn’t sell in the US market due to lower voltage, or safety risks (people mowing over the electric cable, their own feet, etc.). I’m not sure how plausible these explanations are. We have lots of heath and safety regulations here too. Maybe the lack of self-propulsion is a valid reason. ---
**Author:** ![Claverhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Claverhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claverhouse)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2013, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-water-kettles-are-surprisingly-useful/653731/78 "2013-03-31T20:43:43Z")
Lawns and lawncare are surprisingly dangerous. Amongst read about deaths I remember, one was a police officer set on fire by a petrol mower; and one was a teenage girl dancing in the wet grass the morning after her birthday, where there was a live electric cable. Both a long time ago. ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2013, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-water-kettles-are-surprisingly-useful/653731/79 "2013-04-01T10:20:00Z")
> [@Claverhouse](#): > > houses from say the 1940s to 70s had little mains gas supplied water heaters very similar hanging over the kitchen sink with spouts going down. Except obviously for washing water, not to drink ( I think ). And very dangerous looking too. Actually, I’ve got an electric one hanging over the sink at work. And it’s only for drinking–it’s too hot for any other use. But yes, the gas heaters I was familiar with were not for drinking. They were instant-heat, which only switched on when there was a good flow, which meant that if they were hot, there was too much water, and if you only tried to fill a cup, it wasn’t hot. The maxium temperature wasn’t boiling, and the mininimum temperature was cold. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2013, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-water-kettles-are-surprisingly-useful/653731/80 "2013-04-01T14:21:45Z")
> [@scr4](#): > > You can keep your Sunbeam, I love my [Zojirushi 3-liter hot water dispenser](http://www.amazon.com/Zojirushi-CD-WBC30-Electric-3-Liter-Champagne/dp/B0011528S0). Hot water dispensers like this are used in almost every home and office in Japan. I fill it up and turn it on when I get to my office, and all day long I can have hot tea any time. This. It keeps a tank of water hot at all times (you can put it on a timer so it shuts off for X hours, e.g. at night). Cup of tea NOW, no waiting for water to heat up. It’s insulated, so it can do this with minimal daily average power consumption. Great for tea, or for mixing boullion to make soup stock, or anything else that needs boiling hot water. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-water-kettles-are-surprisingly-useful/653731.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-water-kettles-are-surprisingly-useful/653731.md?page=5)