elfman

And the subject here is kitchen technology.
Whenever we visit my in-laws in Virginia, they only thing they have to boil water is an old stove top kettle that to me looks like something my family would have used on camping trips in the late 70s. It has always surprised me that Americans haven't really grasped the electric ketle concept, despite the fact that loads of them do drink tea, instant coffee, etc.

The writer of this article: http://www.slate.com/id/2129285/ (from where the thread title came from) has clearly had a kettle-related road-to-Damascus moment: "Electrics even shut themselves off automatically."
No way!!! Whatever next??

I'm pretty sure that the subject of electric kettles has come up on here before, but in my experience you don't have to look very far to find one in the north east: Target sells them, and we're still using the one we bought three years ago in Zabar's, the (reasonably) famous deli in New York.

Angry White Pyjamas

"Like Bob Dylan walking onstage at Newport in 1965, kettles are poised to go electric."

I even heard they had Elektrickery lights over in the UK....Witchcraft I tell ye witchcraft!

Hiro11

franc11s

When I moved to this new company, they had a kettle, the smallest $5 kettle you ever saw. You had to plug it in to turn it on and unplug it to turn off... It took so long to boil, I could get on a flight to the UK and back again to get a cup of tea at my Mums before it would boil

Some real great kettles here now, boil fast (even at 120v) AND yes, they swtich themselves off - The latest one we have boils for about a minute before switching off AND you can see the water bubbling in the side glass - Which is great because to get a REAL cup of tea, we all know the water has to be boiling when you poor it on the tea bag..

I joined this company 6 months ago (there are about 20 of us). We always have PG Tips on hand and now more Americans in this office drink hot tea than coffee....

Celtic_Angel

actually I used one of those whistling stove top kettles for years gone through a few cos if you don't put the lid on right they don't whistle just boil dry

I'd seen electric ones for like $60 in Sears..no way! then while visiting an American friend ..low and behold she has an electric one..."where the heck did you get that?" I exclaim..Target was the answer...about $20 ....go figure


but now it has the calcium on the bottom...how do I clean it off safely?

Angry White Pyjamas

Try boiling water and lemon juice.

elfman

I think the article is pretty indicative of US attitudes to electric kettles overall.

When my Mrs went out and about in southern VA/northern NC to look for an electric kettle for her parents, she couldn't find one anywhere. In the NYC/NJ region, where we got ours, things are a little more civilised .

Angry White Pyjamas

We have had many a look of puzzled wariness when our friends first spotted our gleaming stainless stell electric kettle. Then when I made them a cup of Kenco Instant and poured boiling water out of the fangled device......anyone would think I'd just turned water into wine the look on their faces. They nearly ran screaming for a priest.

Lizzi

Americans don't need electric kettles, they use the percolator thingies for coffee and tea is add water & stir I beleive (iced variety). I don't think instant coffee is as popular as it is over the pond.

Shahlax

I got mine at Kmart on my first week here. My husband didn't know what I was talking about and had never seen one. Then my in-laws came to visit and they were in awe. They boil their water in the microwave!!!

I find it very strange that Americans don't use electric kettles.

Roadster280

The calcium carbonate deposit is dissolved by acid. So lemon juice (citric acid) or vinegar (acetic acid) are common for this. The reaction is speeded up by heating, hence the boiling water. But this dilutes the acid. A 50/50 solution of cheap pickling vinegar and water usually does the trick, boiled for 5 minutes or so. Beware, it stinks!

The suspended/dissolved mineral salts can be filtered by a "Brita" type water filter, that gets rid of the impurities before they go in the kettle.

As for the kettle itself, basic physics say that the more power is applied, the quicker it will be (determined by the specific heat capacity of water). So, a 120v operated kettle is capped at around 1500W, because of the current required. A top notch european (240v) kettle is typically 3000W. Cheaper ones are about 2000W. So the perceived difference between a 2KW and 1.5KW kettle is small, but compared against the 3KW ones, they are crap.

Now, the stove top variety (particularly gas) can use the huge element. I seem to remember that my stove has an 8KW ring, which will rapidly boil water. So if it's speed, go for a gas-stove top kettle. If it is convenience, go for a 1.5KW electric.

Better still, fit a 240V socket and import a 3KW electric.

Best regards, kettle-spotter of Atlanta!!

tony126

Introduced my wife to an electric kettle and 4 piece toaster. She was un-aware that kettles could switch themselves off. Bought both at Target.

mandpete

We bought our Cuisinart electric kettle 3 years ago, it's used at least 10 times a day and it's still going strong. The only problem is that it's really noisy and we have to turn the TV up until it has boiled.

My Mum has had an instant heat/cool halogen hob for years in the UK but according to the advert on TV over here it's a brand new invention.

Angry White Pyjamas

Next they'll be trying to sell us washing machines with the hole in the front!!! :scared:

Angry White Pyjamas

You dont get out much do you?