# Anyone own an electric tea kettle?



## *bejeweled* (Jul 16, 2003)

Just wondering what you think of it?

Do you unplug it between uses?

What are the advantages/disadvantages between electric and stove top kettles?

How fast does it boil water?

Thanks!


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## MomToKandE (Mar 11, 2006)

I have one on my desk at work. I don't unplug it between uses... maybe I should though...

It boils water faster than the stove. I choose not to use one at home just because I already have a stove-top teakettle and I didn't want to add another small appliance to the house.


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## MomToKandE (Mar 11, 2006)

Another down-side of the electric is that it's made of plastic (or at least mine is).


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## ASusan (Jun 6, 2006)

I have a very simple one in my office. There are no switches - I have to plug and unplug it to turn it on and off.

My friends have one on their counter. It stays plugged in all the time, because there is a switch - and it turns off automatically when it boils.

I really like them. They are faster than the stove, and I'm not using the microwave.


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## momto l&a (Jul 31, 2002)

It seems they are either plastic or aluminum.

I just got a stove top kettle from a thrift shop for 3.50. A nice sized one, stainless steel.


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## beanma (Jan 6, 2002)

we have one. it's stainless steel. we use it a lot. it's by Hamilton Beach. we don't unplug it.


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## Irishmommy (Nov 19, 2001)

Only Americans don't have them as a matter of course.

I have a stainless steel one. It sits on the counter, plugged in, at all times (the only appliance that does).

Plug in kettles are cheaper to use than heating on the stove top.


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## stelly (Sep 20, 2006)

I am trying to convert America to electric kettles!

I used a stovetop one when I first moved here and hated it. It takes ages to boil the water, wastes space on the stove even when not in use, and gets splattered when cooking other stuff.

I have a fabulous kettle that sits on a 360degree base so it is cordless. I leave it plugged in all the time - when it's not heating something it's off.

We bought kettles for my MIL and GMIL. Grandma is on oxygen so couldn't use the stove to heat hot water any more anyway. They both love them.


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## GaSteph (Jan 29, 2007)

I love mine! My stepdad is from England, so I've been around them for years.







I leave mine plugged in. It heats up water at a rate of about a cup per minute. I'd think the main advantage over stove top is heat up time.

As others have said, these are commonplace in Europe and Australia, etc. They're awesome!


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## the_lissa (Oct 30, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Irishmommy* 
Only Americans don't have them as a matter of course.

I have a stainless steel one. It sits on the counter, plugged in, at all times (the only appliance that does).

Plug in kettles are cheaper to use than heating on the stove top.

Yeah I have never seen anyone without one here. I have seen the occasional stove top kettle, but they are more of a cute, novelty type thing.


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## moderngal (Jun 7, 2006)

we have one at work. I love it- it's so fast.







It boils water for my tea in about 2 minutes. I unplug it after I use it


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## momto l&a (Jul 31, 2002)

I am glad to hear there are stainless one out there.

I must keep a look out for one.


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## eleven (Aug 14, 2004)

They're great!! We leave ours plugs in and it shuts off automatically. I use it every day and it has earned a permanent spot on our counter.


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## TigerTail (Dec 22, 2002)

Faugh, Irish, some Americans wouldn't do without theirs.









It lives in my bedroom, & travels with me on the road.


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## *bejeweled* (Jul 16, 2003)

This is a big deal. Counter space is prime real estate.









Quote:


Originally Posted by *peace* 
it has earned a permanent spot on our counter.


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## Momtwice (Nov 21, 2001)

I don't have one but I know lots of fellow Americans who do! If I had more counter space I'd use one, but only if it whistles. Do they?


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## Irishmommy (Nov 19, 2001)

I've never seen one that whistles, but they pretty much all switch off automatically after the full boil.


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## Irishmommy (Nov 19, 2001)

And TT, I would expect no less from you.


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## Momtwice (Nov 21, 2001)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Irishmommy* 
I've never seen one that whistles, but they pretty much all switch off automatically after the full boil.

That's a great safety feature, but I also must have a whistle to remind me to pour the water or I'll forget.


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## Irishmommy (Nov 19, 2001)

You mean not everyone boils the kettle at least 5 times before actually making the tea? Who knew?







Actually, I'm so bad (ie. addicted), that I switch on the kettle every time I walk into the kitchen. It really is habit.


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## mirlee (Jul 30, 2002)

We have a Cuisanart kettle and it is plugged in at all times. Not only do I use it for tea water, but anytime I need to boil water. I rank it up there with my Kitchenaid as one of those required pieces of kitchen equipment.


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## GaSteph (Jan 29, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Momtwice* 
I don't have one but I know lots of fellow Americans who do! If I had more counter space I'd use one, but only if it whistles. Do they?

My parents had one that whistled years ago. Just check around and I'm sure you'll find one somewhere out there.







Oh, yeah - I just googled electric tea kettle whistles and got many hits!


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## zo's ma (Mar 4, 2003)

I'm using an electric one here (UK) and I'll buy one when I get home. The one here is stainless and heats the water to a boil in what seems like seconds. It also shuts off automaticaly.....which for me is a huge safety feature.....I have left my stove top kettle on long enough to boil dry and then fuse to the glass stove top and crack it right in half!


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## aiccerb (Dec 25, 2006)

*Just wondering what you think of it?* lOVE IT









*Do you unplug it between uses?* Nope -automatic shut off
*What are the advantages/disadvantages between electric and stove top kettles?* No hot burner for DC (or DH for that matter) to touch

*How fast does it boil water?* Much faster than stove top. I can never read through a whole thread here before its ready


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## TudoBem (Aug 30, 2004)

In Asia a lot of people use these water boilers. http://www.amazon.com/Zojirushi-CW-P...&s=home-garden
They're more pricey but we absolutely loves ours!


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## talk de jour (Apr 21, 2005)

I LOVE IT!

It is ~2min to heat a liter of water, less for enough for just 1 cup.

I don't leave it plugged in because I don't use it every day.


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## CariOfOz (Jun 30, 2005)

But as an American living in a country where electric kettles are the norm I have to say...OMG is america behind the times on this one!







I have a lovely stainless one thats cordless... it lives on my counter as well (and oh yeah is counter space prime real estate in THIS house, there's not a lot OF it!) and gets used *multiple* times a day. Coffee, tea, boiling water for cooking... I looooooove it. Sadly it has served over 5yrs and now it ejects the lever that turns it on across the floor when it is finished boiling







but I guess at least I will always hear when it boils!


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## runes (Aug 5, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *TudoBem* 
In Asia a lot of people use these water boilers. http://www.amazon.com/Zojirushi-CW-P...&s=home-garden
They're more pricey but we absolutely loves ours!

those are great. they're pricey but zojirushi products last and last. my grandmother has one of those.

culturally, is it because the US isn't really a tea drinking society? in japan, many social customs surround the drinking of tea.

i am a tea addict, by the way. i 'collect' them, which drives dh bonkers, he always asks me how one woman can possibly have so many different teas.


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## AlbertaJes (May 11, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *CariOfOz* 
Sadly it has served over 5yrs and now it ejects the lever that turns it on across the floor when it is finished boiling









Hehe. Maybe it's saying "leave me alone!"









We don't have one, but I want to get one. We drink a lot of tea, and I'm forever waiting for the stovetop kettle to boil. But my stovetop kettle looks so cool.


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## CariOfOz (Jun 30, 2005)

LOL Never! My kettle loves me.. I keep it nice & shiny and talk to it and everything







It loves me and I refuse to believe otherwise (is there a denial icon? lol)


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## frogguruami (Sep 21, 2004)

I have one. I don't unplug it. I set the kettle part on the shelf and then rest the base on the back of the stove out of the way.

It boils water faster than on the stove and it make PERFECT hard boiled eggs. It has an automatic shut off once a boil is reached and will not boil dry. You can heat broth and milk in it too. I would hate to have to make risotto without one and I will never hard boil eggs without it again!!!!


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## avakitty (Jan 11, 2003)

Quote:

It boils water faster than on the stove and it make PERFECT hard boiled eggs. It has an automatic shut off once a boil is reached and will not boil dry. You can heat broth and milk in it too. I would hate to have to make risotto without one and I will never hard boil eggs without it again!!!! ]

question about the above reference to boiling eggs.. how do u do this??

To OP: we love our stainless kettle, use it every day, plugged in all the time. couldnt live without it. got it at Target for around $30-40.


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## Millie Ivy (Dec 8, 2001)

: Just joining the electric kettle love fest...

I got mine a couple years ago when we got married, and I use it daily!! It stays plugged in all the time, and I also tend to get it boiling every time I head to the kitchen for more than a minute.

Love!~


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## floydmom (Nov 9, 2005)

I have one and absolutely love it, it's my most-used kitchen item and was the one thing on my shopping list when we made the move from the UK back to the US.

I unplug it after each use, though it does have automatic shut-off

This article reviews a few models available in the US. I have the Bodum Ibis.
http://www.slate.com/id/2129285/

Have we convinced you yet?


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## EnviroBecca (Jun 5, 2002)

I've had one at work for about 5 years. It's the stainless kind that lifts off the plug-in base. It's plugged in to my powerstrip which I shut off when I go home. It boils really fast: I flip the switch, walk across the room to get my mug and teabag from the file cabinet, get that arranged, sit down again, and it's ready! I can hear it boiling, and if I let it auto-shutoff that makes a loud click, so no need for a whistle.

It's Chef's Choice brand. When I got one for my mom last year, I couldn't find the exact same model, but I got a similar one that she says is wonderful. sears.com had the best price I could find.

In college, I had the type of electric kettle that's plastic except for the heating element which is exposed in the bottom of the water. It worked fine, but now that I've tried the stainless kind I would not go back! The aroma of hot plastic was disturbing, and minerals from the water would collect on the heating coil and then fall off into the water in big chunks.


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## frogguruami (Sep 21, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *avakitty* 
question about the above reference to boiling eggs.. how do u do this??

Put six eggs in the kettle. If you can't get your hand in you can use a pair of tongs to put them in. Six should give you a single layer. You can adjust more or less in order to achieve a single layer of eggs. Cover the eggs with a couple of inches of water. Once it reaches a boil, shut it off (most do that automatically) and then wait 15 minutes. Drain off the hot water and then rinse a few times with cool water until they are cool enough to handle. And you have a perfect hard boiled egg. I am told you can do soft boiled eggs in 7 minutes but I have never tried it because I prefer my eggs cooked!!!


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## avakitty (Jan 11, 2003)

Quote:

Put six eggs in the kettle. If you can't get your hand in you can use a pair of tongs to put them in. Six should give you a single layer. You can adjust more or less in order to achieve a single layer of eggs. Cover the eggs with a couple of inches of water. Once it reaches a boil, shut it off (most do that automatically) and then wait 15 minutes. Drain off the hot water and then rinse a few times with cool water until they are cool enough to handle. And you have a perfect hard boiled egg. I am told you can do soft boiled eggs in 7 minutes but I have never tried it because I prefer my eggs cooked!!!
Thanks!! I will give it a try, though im not sure i can get the eggs through the top opening.


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## nonnymoose (Mar 12, 2004)

We have the Hamilton Beach stainless kettle from Target. Looks cool, works great, and even my husband grabs it first when we're planning to make pasta. I've seen reviews from people who've had trouble with this model, but ours hasn't given us any trouble and now I can justify a superduper model when/if it ever dies on us.


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## MommyErin (Jul 10, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *stelly* 
I am trying to convert America to electric kettles!

I've long been a convert. They rock!

Quote:

I have a fabulous kettle that sits on a 360degree base so it is cordless. I leave it plugged in all the time - when it's not heating something it's off.
I have one like this. It's stainless and the cord is attached to the base, not to the kettle, so it's so easy to pour. Mine also shuts off automatically if DS turns it on when there is no water in it. It was a wedding gift from our Williams-Sonoma registry back in '99. It still works great. Mine looks to be an older model of this.


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## Malva (Nov 2, 2005)

It was just recently that I realized not everyone already owns one of those!

My mom is the only person I have ever met with a stove top one instead of an electric one, and it's only because it's a really cool looking piece of stainless steel.

I used to have one that whistled and it broke after 10 years of daily use (it was a $9.99 purchase when I first moved away to university), I replaced it with the cheapest one I could find and it works just fine. I don't think it's an item one needs to spend a lot of money on.

I keep mine in the cupboard and pull it out everytime I use it (at least a few times a day) so it takes no counter space. It's really no harder than taking out the cup you'll be pouring the water in.


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## luvmy2boys (Apr 17, 2006)

I'm going to be the malcontent here









I've used my friend's electric kettles (yes, I am part of a pocket community of American-born tea-drinkers







). They do heat up water faster than my stovetop kettle, but I didn't think it was that much faster. I do have a gas stove; I can imagine waiting forever for a standard electric stove. Usually I put on the kettle, then go about cleaning up a few things in the kitchen. It's usually done before I am, so it works. Also, a kettle with a whistle is a must (to counter the "but you can boil it dry" argument...I would, but with the whistle I don't).

Counter space is at a premium, as are electrical outlets in my kitchen. So the less I have to use electrical appliances, the better. Especially considering the fact that the circuits in my house can't handle that much of a draw; I have a countertop oven that I use and I would bet that it and the electric kettle would blow the circuit.

Plus, I have a very weird thing where I enjoy cooking with the gas stove
much more than electrical appliances...it just "feels" better to me. I know we're only talking about boiling water here, and I fully acknowledge that this is just a personal idiosyncracy.

I also like buying things that are cheaper and unlikely to break. My kettle has no circuitry to fail. If/when it falls apart, I can buy another one for under $20.

But, the key here is my gas stove with a high BTU burner, so the kettle still heats rather quickly. If I didn't have that, I'd probably buy an electric one. (My friends I mentioned are always telling me I should get one, but they're also always telling me I should get a flattop stove, which I refuse to do because I HATE them!)


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## Millie Ivy (Dec 8, 2001)

Funny thing happened the other day after posting here... I was out in the backyard with the kids, and called in the house to dh to start a pot of water. I meant on the stove, for pasta, for lunch.. So I go in to put the pasta in and there isn't a pot on the stove. I stop and think and then touch my electric kettle and sure enough, the man had boiled water for tea.

So I poured the whole thing in the pasta pot, turned it on high and had lunch made in half the time!

I told him about it, and he said "um, yeah, I meant to do that...."


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## Starflower (Sep 25, 2004)

I guess I'm the other dissenter here. I just got a new kettle for my stove.

My previous one was an electric. However, it was a cheap one that was plastic and with a short cord and had only "boil" and "warm" settings so I always had to unplug it. If I ever get an electric one again, it will be a stainless one that turns off automatically.

However, I find the stove kettle safer for us right now. (It does whistle.) But mostly because we have so little counter space and cupboard space that I was only using the electric on on the baker's rack we have for our "coffee station" (we're espresso junkies). DD was much more likely to try and grab that one since it was at eye level and the short cord seemed tempting to her. She's 3-1/2. Plus it was always "open" at the spout. Mostly, it was just a crappy kettle.

The other thing for me is the nostalgia factor. My grandmother always had a whistling tea kettle on the stove. In some ways, this is a way for me to connect with her memory.

Plus, I only use it occasionally. If I were a big tea drinker, perhaps I'd change my mind.


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## luvmy2boys (Apr 17, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Bella Babe* 
So I poured the whole thing in the pasta pot, turned it on high and had lunch made in half the time!











When I'm boiling water for cooking, I will often start it out in the kettle and then transfer it to a pan. Even though it's only a stove kettle, it still seems to boil faster that way than it does in the pan (I'm assuming something about the pressure building up because it's closed, even though I don't completely understand that since I put a lid on my pots when I boil water). Anyway, I just know that it works!


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## luvmy2boys (Apr 17, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Starflower* 
The other thing for me is the nostalgia factor. My grandmother always had a whistling tea kettle on the stove. In some ways, this is a way for me to connect with her memory.

I didn't think to mention it, but I have similar feelings. No one in my family used a kettle that I remember, but I've always felt connected to older times, and it feels good to use things that I could imagine being used many years ago. I also know what you mean about connecting to your grandmother...when I ditched the microwave and started using the stove to reheat things, it triggered memories of spending summers with my grandmother. She always cooked dinner, and then we heated up leftovers for lunch the next day on the stove. My mom cooked plenty of dinners, but somehow standing over a stove makes me feel connected to my grandmother. It's amazing how seemingly mundane tasks like that can connect us, isn't it?


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## velochic (May 13, 2002)

We don't have one and don't really want one. Dh is from Turkey and we drink Turkish tea. You can't do that with an electric tea kettle. You have to use a Turkish tea pot on the the stove.

Here is a picture of one: http://www.turkishtaste.com/teapots2pcs.html

You put the tea in the top pot, and boil water in the bottom one. Once the water boils, you pour the water in the top pot to steep the tea. Then you keep the water on the bottom at a simmer. You add a bit of the extremely concentrated tea from the top and a bit of the simmering water from the bottom in your Turkish tea glass: http://www.turkishtaste.com/turteaglas.html

For me, it's part of a ritual and I would really miss just using an electric kettle. It would just be an ordinary cup of tea. Somehow with the Turkish tea pot, it's something more special.


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