Kettle Guide

Kettle Guide

Vanette Mendoza

When it comes to tea, no one quite likes it as much as the British. According to tea.co.uk, 100 million cups of tea are drunk in Britain every day. It is no surprise that a kettle is a staple in the British kitchen, perhaps the most used appliance in most kitchens. Don’t reach boiling point with a terrible kettle; find kettles perfect for one cup, kettles that boil in less than a minute, kettles with variable temperature settings and a lot more. If you’re lucky, your perfect kettle might come with a matching toaster. 

What is a kettle?

A kettle is a device that helps you boil water easily and fast. Whilst they may be a staple across households in the UK. Strangely, in the USA, they aren’t that common; perhaps they don’t share our tea and coffee drink capabilities.

  

How much does it cost to boil a kettle?

Find the current price you’re paying to electricity, which is probably around the 20p per kwh mark. The price will vary depending on how much water is in the kettle. If you’re boiling a single cup then it’s going to boil quicker and therefore cost less whereas if you’re filling it to the top each time, it could be up to four minutes to boil making it fives times more expensive when compared to a single cup.

 

Finding the right kettle for you

There are various primary factors to consider when buying a kettle; initially, who will be using it, and are there any specific features it must have? Decide what features are most beneficial to you (fastest boiling time? Lightweight? need a quiet kettle?); you should consider the style; does it need a specific design to match your kitchen? Whether you want a super quick kettle, one that boils at varying temperatures or one that filters the water, here’s what you need to know when buying a kettle and help answer questions, i.e. what’s a variable temperature kettle.
 

Three important things to consider:

In the past, all you needed to know when buying a kettle was to ask yourself these two questions, how long does it take to boil and is it safe to use. However, there are now a lot of options when buying a kettle, with some coming with fancy additions.

 

What’s the power of the kettle?

The majority of different kettles have different wattage. The higher the wattage, the means it will have more power, the quicker it will boil your water. It is good to remember that electronic kettles that offer a keep-warm function and multiple temperature settings are typically left on standby. Please note this will also cause the kettle to be using more electricity.

Does it have a filtering system?

Do you filter your water before using your kettle? An alternative option is to buy a kettle that includes its filtering system if you are fuss about drinking filtered water. Keep in mind that going for a kettle with a filtering system will only add to the weight of the kettle, causing it to be heavier.

Also, you will have to wait for your water to boil a bit longer since the water needs to be filtered through before boiling.

Boil dry protection

This is a cool little feature that you’ll find on some kettles. The boil-dry protection feature automatically switches the heating element off once the kettle becomes empty.

 

Different types of kettles

When looking for the best kettle, firstly, you will have to acknowledge the different types of the kettle. Some people struggle to conclude which kettle is best for them due to not knowing the purpose of the different kettles available in the market. But all we want is the fastest boiling kettle and one that isn’t too loud.

Electric Kettles

Electric Kettles are the most common that you are most likely to see in a modern household because they are convenient and faster to boil water. Electric kettles have various designs, and many contain digital technologies. Some even include smartphone integrations where the user can control the kettle’s power anywhere.

Stovetop Kettles

Stove Kettle is made from durable metals such as copper, iron and stainless steel. These highly durable metals are required because they have a high boiling point. Stovetop kettles are thought to be more durable and stylish compared to an electric kettle. However, stovetop kettles take a long period to reach a boiling point. If you want a kettle that will enable you to switch to the highest temperature surpassing the boiling point, the stovetop kettles are your best friend.

Gooseneck

Gooseneck kettles are designed with a long narrow spout, providing a classy stainless look. It is a more traditional kettle. The long neck provides you with control over the water coming out of it. These types of kettles provide most traditional boiling purists. The pouring process makes it authentic because it provides a rewarding experience while the water temperature is on top of its boiling point.

 

Glass Kettle Vs Stainless Kettles

Glass kettles are stylish and glamorous. This is mainly because of the visible glass body. Not only do these kettles look fun to look at, but they are also the safest to use because they use tempered glass, which is not easy to break.

 

Glass Kettles

Glass kettles have a modern and considering they are made out of glass they are extremely durable but perhaps more expensive when compared to other types of kettles.

Stainless Steel Electric Kettle

Stainless steel kettles are the most popular in the market. These cordless kettles are budget-friendly. Some stainless-steel kettle includes a limescale filter to prevent the limescale buildup inside the tank. However, they do not affect the taste of the water.

 

Pros of a glass kettle

  • Glass kettles are classified as one of the most modern kettles in the market. It will have you falling in love with just a glance.
  • Made from one of the highest glass qualities, which means you do not have to worry about corrosion.

See-through the water tank to quickly check the water level or clean the kettle.

Pros

  • It is highly durable due to the material it is made from; simultaneously, they are a good budget kettle. You will most likely find many additional features loaded into these electric kettles. Not only that, you can find cordless and portable models.
  • For most stainless electric kettles, there is a double-walled design. This way, some stainless kettles are marketed to have a cool exterior even when the water is boiling inside.
  • The most stainless kettle has washable and easy to clean limescale filters.
 

Cons of glass kettles

  • Due to the material of the glass, it makes them heavy and difficult to carry. In addition, you need to be extra careful with the glass kettles, or you may end up shattering the glass.
  • Since the kettle glass is transparent. You would need to put in a little more effort to clean the glass.
  • Glass kettles tend to be a bit pricey compared to the other kettles.

Cons

  • Stainless electric kettle tends to weigh the same as glass; therefore, they are still a little heavy.
  • It can be tricky to clean a stainless-steel kettle as the buildup is very common, and a small amount of stainless-steel kettle comes with a cleanable scale filter.
  • Electric kettles are often prone to rusting after long term usage. You should discard your kettle if this does happen.
 

What’s the weight?

If the kettle’s weight is essential, you should take accountability for the material it is made from, especially if you frequently fill your kettle to the maximum level. A plastic kettle will be lighter when compared to a metal kettle. However, weight is only one aspect of lifting comfort. It is essential to consider having a kettle with a good and comfortable grip to ease the lifting of your kettle.

What’s the capacity?

Exactly how much water do you usually boil? This is one of the most important questions you should ask yourself to help you decide which kettle is best for you. Smaller kettles tend to have a capacity of around 1.5 litres, and they can make a maximum of 6 cups at once. Larger kettles typically have a total of 1.7 litres. This means you should be able to get around 7 cups from each boil.

 

Kettle design

The appearance of your kettle may be vital to you. When considering what you want in this area, you may want to think about the colour scheme and your kitchen interior design, together with other appliances. Most kettles come in many designs; many also come with a matching toaster. Each has its pros and cons. To add an example, a stainless kettle might look sleek and match your other kitchen appliances, though they might show up fingerprints.

How easy is it to clean?

Some kettles have a washable limescale filter that can easily be removed compared to others. Plastic kettles are one of the easiest kettles to clean because you can easily wipe them, whereas metal kettles will need to be buffed and brushed to remove the unwanted stains on them. Water drips result in a limescale buildup, so if you want to avoid this, go for a kettle with a non-drip spout to keep your kettle in a good appearance.

 

Kettle Safety Features

Finally, this is one of the most crucial and is worth thinking about because the mixture of heat and water can make the kettle one of the most dangerous appliances in the kitchen. But this is not something you should be worried about as the range of safety features available has been improving over time

How long does it take to boil?

The more powerful the kettle, the faster it will boil. Also, correctly ensuring you have the right amount of water in for what you need (i.e. not filling it to the top if you only require a cup) will help the kettle boil faster. On average, most kettles, when full, will take around four minutes to boil.

 

Variable temperature control

Sometimes we don’t need boiling water. We need hot water. Whilst kettles used to be just boiling or nothing, now with some, you can determine what temperature you want the

How loud is the kettle?

Generally, the most potent kettles tend to make the most noise. However, this isn’t always true if noisy appliances cause you irritation.

 

When kettles stop working…

Reliability & repairability

Consider what type of material the kettle’s lid is made of because the hinge works twice as hard as the other kettle parts. If the lids look relatively thin, it is worth looking into a different kettle or asks the manufacturer if they offer replacement parts. Nonetheless, good maintenance of a kettle will help to extend the lifetime of the product. However, don’t expect your kettle to work forever.

The element is the part that will likely fail.

The element starts to heat up when you switch your kettle on. The heat from the component warms the water until it reaches the boiling point. Traditionally elements used to be exposed within the kettle. However, most modern kettles have hidden elements in the kettle base. This means that the element will not meet the water, which stops limescale from building up.

 

What is limescale?

No matter what, kettles develop limescale. Areas that have hard water suffer great levels of limescale compared to soft water areas. Limiescale is tiny deposits of insoluable materials calcium and magnesium once the kettle dries and the water evaporates. This is one reason why you shouldn’t leave excess water in kettels for prolonged periods of time.

It’s impossible to prevent limescale, but there area certainly steps you can take to minimise it.

  

Water Hardness

If you’re in a hard water area you’ll need to replace your kettle more often. Remember to clean your kettle regularly, don’t keep water sitting in the kettle when not being used and also you may find it beneficial to leave the lid of the kettle open after boiling as this will help release the evaporation faster.

How to descale a kettle

The benefits of descaling a kettle

Whilst limescale is unsightly; it doesn’t pose any danger to your health. The presence of limescale in a kettle can give the water a metallic flavour, and you may find yourself coming across bits of limescale in your drinks. No one wants this.

Descaling a kettle can also help it last longer and boil faster, making it more efficient. To prevent limescale from building up, it’s recommended to clean the kettle every couple of months or months for heavy users in hard water areas.

  

What to do before?

Remove as much limescale as you can

Swirl with water & remove filter

Rinse & repeat

Clean the filter then replace.

For lightly scaled kettles

Using Bicarbonate of soda & water
Steps:

Fill the kettle ¾ of the way with water and a  tablespoon of bicarbonate of soda
Boil the kettle
Let the kettle sink for around 60 to 90 minutes
Pour the water in the kettle out in to the sink
Refill and boil the kettle again to gett rid of any bicarbonate soda residue

For heavily scaled kettles

Using Distilled white vinegar & water method
Steps:

Add 50% water and 50% distilled white vinegar
Boil the kettle
Leave for around 15 minutes
Empty and then refill with water and boil

 

What’s the minimum and maximum amount of water you can boil?

It depends on the specific kettle. It’s important to note you should never fill it above or below the recommended levels. If you boil the kettle with too little water, it can taste different, and it can also damage the heating element. If you boil more than the maximum, you could find the kettle spitting out boiling water, which can pose a threat, especially with kids around.

 

What amp fuse is in a kettle?

It’s recommended for appliances between 0.7kw and 3kw (3kw is the maximum wattage allowed in a UK wall socket) should be fitted with a 13amp fuse (this is the brown coloured one). Please check with your exact specification of kettle before changing anything, just to be on the safe side.