Obligatory cypher tie-in: Remember the Lava Lamp used to create random numbers? Bubbles in a boiling liquid might also be suitable. Electric kettles are common in the UK and Canada. Black and Decker makes a model (in 1/2 quart and 1-1/2 quart sizes) available in some department stores, kitchen stores and catalog stores in the US. Electric kettles will boil several cups of water faster than a microwave. For a smaller amount, it's a toss-up (depending on the power of your microwave). If you want to make a full pot of tea, an electric kettle is faster and more convenient than a stovetop or microwave solution. Energy consumption is favorable or better than a stovetop as very little heat goes other than to heat water (versus a stove, where heat disapates around and under the pot). Like an automatic drip coffee maker, it's wise to periodically clean the inside of the kettle with a vinegar solution. This eliminates build-up from minerals in the water. Here endeth the lesson. -- Greg On Thu, Jan 04, 2001 at 01:40:11PM -0500, mmotyka@lsil.com wrote:
Steve Mynott wrote:
Ken Brown <k.brown@ccs.bbk.ac.uk> writes:
On a tangent a friend claimed Americans didn't have electric kettles for boiling water.
Can anyone confirm whether this is true?
I have never seen an electric kettle for boiling water for tea.
Why boil water for tea on a stove or in an electric "kettle" when you can put a mug of water in the microwave and have it on the verge of boiling in 60 seconds? Probably uses less energy too.
Tea you can pick in your back yard.
Mike