Electric Kettles

[Greg Newby]

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 at lsil.com wrote:
> Steve Mynott wrote:
> 
> > Ken Brown <k.brown at 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
>