Kitchen Tech Survey: Do You Own an Electric Kettle?

We are on the record as loving our electric kettle. It boils water in a fraction of the time needed to heat water on the stove or in the microwave, and it's earned precious countertop space because we use it at least three times a day. We're curious about your kitchen tech setup and whether an electric kettle has earned a spot there too. More about electric kettles and our favorite model, after the jump.

Our current favorite kettle is Adagio's UtiliTEA kettle, which gives some control over the temperature. We like to heat water just under boiling for coffee and some teas, so this control is nice. We would love a kettle, though, that gave more precise control and that had an actual temperature display somewhere.

Here are some of our past discussions and reviews on electric kettles:

• Best Product: UtiliTea Electric Kettle
• Buying an Electric Kettle
• Home Cooking: How Do You Boil Water?

Do you own an electric kettle? This is one place where Americans and Europeans seem to differ markedly; nearly every European home we've visited has had an electric kettle. Americans, on the other hand, seem to use them less. If you have a model or brand that's worked well for you, tell us!

Originally posted at The Kitchn

Comments (14)

I have one.. but I keep it at the office, so it may not count.

I love tea but just use a saucepan with a pouring spout to heat water. For me, living in a small apartment kitchen, eliminating the need for something as large as a tea kettle is a big deal... Also, being able to see the water easily allows me to control the temperature of the water better than with a kettle - this is important with certain types of fine teas.

I was going to say no, but... my apartment in Hamburg has a tank attached to the wall above the sink. One knob fills the tank with cold water, a dial is set to heat it up, and another knob gives you the hot water. (The third knob just gives you the cold water directly.) Apparently it's a common apparatus.

So: Specialized appliance to give me hot (up to boiling) water, electrically powered, with no stove involved? Sounds like an electric kettle. And bonus! No counter space taken up.

(By the same token, the "instant-hot" tap is pretty common in upscale US houses. I don't know how much that ends up costing in electrical bills, as it's heating all the time, but it's clearly the same principle.)

Every Canadian has one too. The newer "cordless" designs with the detachable base are wonderful. They use far less energy than cooking on the stove as well! Can't write any more- off to make tea.

We have one in my office and it's very convenient. The only thing is, all the ones that I've used, need to be cleaned pretty regularly. There is residue that builds up around the heating element and floats around inside. I'd say after every few days of use. If you use one at work, just look inside of it, you might be surprised.

We have a Sunbeam hot shot hot water dispenser - it just heats up water and dispenses it into a cup. Works great for whatever - tea, coffee, ramen, etc...

I have one but I stopped using it when I found out what an energy hog it is.
: (

"I have one but I stopped using it when I found out what an energy hog it is.
: ("

So des this mean you no longer use hot water? By placing the heating element in the water, this is one of the most efficient ways to heat water. Heating it most other ways will use more energy.

I love Adagio - next time I order tea from there I'll have to get one.

One Sunday morning I put water on the stove in our lovely old copper teapot and went inside to check email. Two hours later when I came back to the kitchen, the water had all boiled out (duh) and the spout had unsoldered from the now red-hot pot. I ordered an electric kettle that day, a Chef's Choice from Amazon. Three years later it stopped working with an accompanyingly horrid electrical smell ... and Edgecraft, who makes Chef's Choice, replaced it with a new and obviously improved model for free. Love it!

i have the one in the first picture, the Capresso Electric Kettle, it is ingenious, heats up in seconds and the button is ergonomic too, easy peasy. it was one of the best bday gifts from crate & barrell.

I have the Utilitea (thanks to a gift card to foodnetwork.com). It has made my coffee or tea every morning for the past 6 months. Works perfectly for every beverage, auto shut-off for us forgetful people, detachable base so I can leave it plugged into the wall, and heats single cups in about a minute.

Now I just need to find a good single-cup coffee solution that doesn't require me cleaning a french press every time.

I bought a Bodum kettle perhaps 6 years ago:

http://www.bodumusa.com/shop/line.asp?MD=2&GID=52&LID=307&CHK=&SLT=&mscssid=G6DTVA4S8W9B8NL2E5DSD33ABNQL2WG2

...and it just keeps-on going. A cuppa in 30-40 seconds, a pot in perhaps two minutes... so much faster and economical than using the gas stove and pot/water method. Even with the hard water here in the Netherlands, the thing stays caulk-free and easy to clean.

I have a Russell Hobbs electric kettle that is similar to this:
http://www.macys.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=258182&PartnerID=FROOGLE&BannerID=PD677

I love it. The heating element is in the base of the kettle, separate from the water, so there's no residue build up. Very fast and easy to clean and it turns off automatically, so you don't have to worry about forgetting that your water is boiling on the stove.

Food Doc, for that single-cup coffee solution, try this:

Aeropress Coffee Maker

It's $30, makes an almost perfect cup of coffee in about 2 minutes, and cleans up super easily.