# Is this a safety feature (electric kettle)?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-safety-feature-electric-kettle/770696>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 5, 2016, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-safety-feature-electric-kettle/770696 "2016-11-05T14:21:17Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Dahu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dahu/32/3416_2.png) [@Dahu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dahu)\
**Post date:** [November 5, 2016, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-safety-feature-electric-kettle/770696/1 "2016-11-05T14:21:17Z")

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I have an electric kettle similar to this one -

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If I fill it nearly to the top, put the lid down, then tip it backwards, water pours out of the bottom. At first I thought this was a fault, that it was leaking where the handle screws in at the top, and that it’s dangerous as the water is very close to the on/off switch. But inside there seems to be a plastic pipe at the back from the base to just below the top.

My question is, is this an overflow - a safety feature? And why have it? The lid seems to be on tight, I can’t imagine water would leak out.

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**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\
**Post date:** [November 5, 2016, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-safety-feature-electric-kettle/770696/2 "2016-11-05T14:26:31Z")

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I suspect that it is the device that switches the kettle off when it boils. Steam pressure pushes down on the pipe and actuates a switch.

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**Author:** ![Dahu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dahu/32/3416_2.png) [@Dahu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dahu)\
**Post date:** [November 6, 2016, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-safety-feature-electric-kettle/770696/3 "2016-11-06T11:54:44Z")

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Thank you! Of course that’s what it is. :smack: