# 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:** 12\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brown_eyed_girl/32/3574_2.png) [@Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brown_Eyed_Girl)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2013, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-water-kettles-are-surprisingly-useful/653731/81 "2013-04-01T19:12:32Z")
[This](http://www.amazon.com/Bonavita-1-0L-Electric-Kettle-BV3825B/dp/B005YR0GDA/ref=cm_cr_pr_pb_t) is the one i want. I currently have a stainless steel tea kettle that I use on an electric stove and am having trouble justifying the expense for essentially the same thing I currently have. Other than the spout, which is clearly superior on the Bonavita. Am I the last person using a stovetop kettle? What’s the diff? ---
**Author:** ![Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brown_eyed_girl/32/3574_2.png) [@Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brown_Eyed_Girl)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2013, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-water-kettles-are-surprisingly-useful/653731/82 "2013-04-01T19:15:14Z")
I also insist that microwaving water is not the same and is actually an inferior method. I like my microwave, but I use it a lot less now than my toaster oven and kettle. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2013, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-water-kettles-are-surprisingly-useful/653731/83 "2013-04-01T19:46:03Z")
> [@araminty](#): > > I- No, you can’t just boil a cup of water in the microwave. It takes longer, can cause boil overs, and doesn’t brew tea as well; an integral part of the process is pouring the hot water OVER the tea (leaves, bag, ball). Also, boiling is a convenient measure of temperature. Black tea should be brewed very hot, just under boiling point. It’s easier to boil the water and cool it a few seconds, than estimate if your water is nearly boiling.\* Umm, no. It takes 3 minutes to boil water in the microwave, 5 minutes in a electric kettle. And, you can easily use the boiling water from a microwave to pour over the tea. You don’t have to put the bag in the oven. Actually, this would be a perfect Mythbusters thing. Does tea, made with water from kettle (two types) taste different that tea made from nuked water? Because- it doesn’t, you know. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2013, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-water-kettles-are-surprisingly-useful/653731/84 "2013-04-01T20:52:51Z")
> [@Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](#): > > [This](http://www.amazon.com/Bonavita-1-0L-Electric-Kettle-BV3825B/dp/B005YR0GDA/ref=cm_cr_pr_pb_t) is the one i want. I currently have a stainless steel tea kettle that I use on an electric stove and am having trouble justifying the expense for essentially the same thing I currently have. Other than the spout, which is clearly superior on the Bonavita. Am I the last person using a stovetop kettle? What’s the diff? I have a stovetop one. I’d like something a little faster and maybe a bit more efficient on power use (I have an electric stove). ---
**Author:** ![standingwave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@standingwave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/standingwave)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2013, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-water-kettles-are-surprisingly-useful/653731/85 "2013-04-01T21:17:40Z")
Microwave takes longer for me, too. Maybe I just have a weak microwave. These guys did a comparison: [http://blog.plotwatt.com/2009/08/best-way-to-boil-water.html](http://blog.plotwatt.com/2009/08/best-way-to-boil-water.html) I’ve done all three and I agree that there’s no difference in taste, to my unsophisticated palate, anyway. Hot water is hot water. For me, the electric kettle is more about the convenience than saving a few bucks. I can boil a pot of water in my office. I don’t have a microwave oven in my office. Not yet, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2013, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-water-kettles-are-surprisingly-useful/653731/86 "2013-04-01T21:30:43Z")
> [@harmonicamoon](#): > > Okay, I am sold on this new fangled idea of a kitchen kettle. I drink drip coffee by manually pouring hot water over ground coffee with a paper filter holder. The electric water kettle sounds easier than heating a pot of water on the stove. I searched Amazon and came up with a bazillion different ones. Could you help me by suggesting a brand? Thank you. Look for one with an auto-shutoff safety switch (it shuts off once it hits boiling … mine goes back to a boil within a few moments to keep the water hot) and if you like things like green tea AND white tea AND whatever else, the preprogrammed settings are helpful. Oh, and for whatever it’s worth, the one we got has a superquiet beep when the water has hit temperature. It’s easy to miss. ---
**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:** [April 1, 2013, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-water-kettles-are-surprisingly-useful/653731/87 "2013-04-01T22:31:54Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Umm, no. It takes 3 minutes to boil water in the microwave, 5 minutes in a electric kettle. And, you can easily use the boiling water from a microwave to pour over the tea. You don’t have to put the bag in the oven. > > Actually, this would be a perfect Mythbusters thing. Does tea, made with water from kettle (two types) taste different that tea made from nuked water? Because- it doesn’t, you know. Nope, my electric kettle is faster than my microwave, and it does more water. For tea drinkers, just buy a plain ceramic teapot, add tea bags and water from the kettle. It lets the tea steep, and keeps the water warm. I think my pot cost around $10 at a home store. I’ve now begun enjoying green tea with honey in the morning. Yum! ---
**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:** [April 1, 2013, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-water-kettles-are-surprisingly-useful/653731/88 "2013-04-01T22:33:16Z")
> [@Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](#): > > [This](http://www.amazon.com/Bonavita-1-0L-Electric-Kettle-BV3825B/dp/B005YR0GDA/ref=cm_cr_pr_pb_t) is the one i want. I currently have a stainless steel tea kettle that I use on an electric stove and am having trouble justifying the expense for essentially the same thing I currently have. Other than the spout, which is clearly superior on the Bonavita. Am I the last person using a stovetop kettle? What’s the diff? That’s an interesting looking one. I got my stainless one at Target for around $20. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2013, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-water-kettles-are-surprisingly-useful/653731/89 "2013-04-01T22:37:32Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Umm, no. It takes 3 minutes to boil water in the microwave, 5 minutes in a electric kettle. And, you can easily use the boiling water from a microwave to pour over the tea. I live in constant fear of [superheating](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superheating#Occurrence_via_microwave) water in the microwave. I keep a coffee pot in my office that I only use for heating up water. It works pretty well for making tea. Not perfect, but it was cheap and I can forget about it for a while and still come back to hot water. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2013, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-water-kettles-are-surprisingly-useful/653731/90 "2013-04-01T23:25:26Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > 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. Not sure if you can get them here but considering how much tea my ma drinks it would probably be a good investment. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2013, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-water-kettles-are-surprisingly-useful/653731/91 "2013-04-02T00:11:57Z")
This is the kettle we have (Prestige brand). I think it was in the $30 range. [http://www.stainlesssteelkettles.net/images/14-29-red-electric-kettle.jpg](http://www.stainlesssteelkettles.net/images/14-29-red-electric-kettle.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brown_eyed_girl/32/3574_2.png) [@Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brown_Eyed_Girl)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2013, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-water-kettles-are-surprisingly-useful/653731/92 "2013-04-02T07:23:39Z")
> [@sparky\_1](#): > > That’s an interesting looking one. I got my stainless one at Target for around $20. All the ones at Target and most other places have short, wide spouts which does not allow for fine-tuning the amount of water being poured. It’s the same problem I’ve been having with my stovetop tea kettle. I drink both coffee and tea. I make coffee several different sizes of press pot, but I would also like to experiment with an Aeropress and a Chemex. The nice thing about a narrow precision spout like the one on the Bonavita is that you can uniformly saturate the grounds and better regulate the flow so you don’t splash grounds up and out of the receptacle. Same idea with tea cups. You have a dainty tea cup, you want a dainty spout that does glurgle scalding hot water all over the place. That’s why I have my eye on that one. Form and function is a beautiful thing. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-water-kettles-are-surprisingly-useful/653731.md?page=4)