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How do I Choose the Best Electric Water Kettle?
An electric water kettle can be a handy small appliance to have in the kitchen. Rather than having to boil water on the stove, electric kettles are simply plugged into an outlet. With the many attractive styles of electric kettle manufactured today, the appliance can be left out conveniently on a counter top ready to use to make tea, gelatin desserts or many other possibilities. Designed with a main section in which to hold cold water for boiling, electric water kettles should have good pour spouts to avoid spills. The best electric water kettle to choose is also one with safety features in a size that matches your kitchen needs.
If you only need the kitchen appliance once in a while, such as to make a pot of tea for guests, you may just want to buy a small, plain electric kettle and keep it stored in a cabinet. On the other hand, if you'll use the electric water kettle often and wish to keep it out on your counter top, then it's best to purchase one that suits the holding capacity you'll need, plus is attractive looking. There are many different models of electric kettle from which to choose today, making it easy to find a look that fits in with the style of your kitchen. For instance, the handles and outside kettle color choices are available in metallics and neutrals as well as bright, bold colors.
While it's not a good idea to leave the kitchen when you have an electric kettle plugged in and are waiting for the water to boil, it may be easy to forget and do just that — especially for elderly people. Some electric water kettle models have an automatic shut-off feature. They allow the water to boil for only a certain period of time as a safety measure. When a kettle without the shut off safety feature is left too long, the boiling water may eventually evaporate, or disappear, into steam and allow the appliance to become waterless. Without water, the kettle boils dry and may cause a fire.
An electric water kettle should fit comfortably in the hand with ample space between the handle and the body of the appliance. Your fingers and palm should be able to easily grip the handle. A paddle type of handle may help prevent slipping as well as provide added comfort for people with conditions such as arthritis in the hands.
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Discussion Comments
I love my delonghi electric kettle dk350 because it maintains the purity of the water and even eliminates impurities in the water.
@manykitties- I really value the auto shut off feature. I used to have one of those where I lived before, but now I'm a teaching volunteer in a new place, and we have a kettle without auto shut off. I have to be careful where I leave the hot kettle when I'm done using it, and I always feel like my kitchen has a waiting fire hazard.
I got an electric kettle in college because I like to drink tea and instant coffee, and we were not allowed any other kitchen supplies in our rooms.
I found you can cook a lot of instant food with a kettle if you're desperate, actually. One thing I got pretty good at was steaming ramen noodles: I would boil water, meanwhile taking the noodles and putting them in a deep bowl or cup. Then when the water was done I would pour in enough to heat the noodles, but not cover them, and then I'd put a plate or another bowl over the cup of noodles. A few minutes later, they would be cooked; not super hot, but cooked, sort of like those cup of noodle lunches you can buy. This always made me feel pretty smart, although when I can I prefer to microwave noodles, so they're hotter.
@sunnySkys - I have to admit, I find the whistling of a tea kettle to be extremely annoying. That is one feature I will be sure to avoid if I decide to purchase one of these things.
I do think that I will want an electric water kettle that is kind of whimsical, if I can find one. My kitchen is decorate in kind of a whimsical, country style. I think I would probably leave the kettle sitting out on the counter all the time. So I'd really like it if it matched the rest of the decor!
I've been thinking about switching to an electric water kettle recently. I have decided that I absolutely must have one that whistles when the water is done boiling.
My mom used to make my sister and I tea all the time when I was growing up. We had a stove top tea kettle that whistled, and I always associate that sound with making tea. I don't think I could deal with having a non-whistling tea kettle.
Also, more practically, the whistling lets you know the water is boiling. This is a handy feature if you've walked away and forgotten you started to boil water. That whistle will draw you back to the kitchen in a jiffy!
Electric water kettles are so convenient for the office. I'm a tea drinker and I have to have tea while I'm at the office. I bought a small electric water kettle for the office and it's working great.
I especially bought one that's a two-piece so that it would be easy to carry and fill with water. It has a round bottom piece that's plugged into the wall in my office and the kettle fits on top.
We have a kitchen in our building but it's a bit of a walk from my office. So when I need water, I just grab the kettle part and walk over to the kitchen with it. I can't imagine having to unplug it and walk around with the cord all the time. The two piece is really easy to use and sometimes my coworkers in the next office will use it too. They just grab the kettle when the water is boiled and take it over to their desks to pour their teas.
I've been using electric water kettles for some time now and I agree with the article that the automatic shut-off is a necessary feature.
I've used one without this feature and it wasn't fun to use at all. I'd constantly forget that it wouldn't automatically shut off and walk away from the kitchen. When I came back, the water would have boiled so much that it would overflow. I started worrying about getting electrocuted. Either I had to put very little water in this kettle, or basically wait in front of it so I could shut it off right when it boiled.
Even though I like to drug hot tea, I really resisted getting an electric kettle. Someone got me a Krups electric water kettle as a present, and for several months, I didn't even use it. I just heated water in my teapot on the stove.
But then I thought it might save electricity to use the electric kettle. And maybe it does, but what I really notice is that the kitchen doesn't get as hot as when the stove is on.
So I started out just using it for tea, but now I use it whenever I want hot water.
An electric water tea kettle is one of the best things to have on hand if you are feeling ill. I hate having to go into a big production just to fill a hot water bottle, or boil water for my tea.
Also, if you are careful, having a cordless electric water kettle means you don't even have to leave your bedroom to make your hot water. I usually set mine up on my dresser and make myself a small steam bath to help clear my sinuses.
All you need to do to make the steam bath is fill a large bowl with boiling water, and lean over and inhale the steam. Tossing a towel over your head to seal in the steam will really help you to keep all that steam in so you can reap all the benefits. Of course, be careful to not get too close and burn yourself.
One of the first things I picked up for my new apartment was an electric stainless steel kettle. I love to make instant noodles and not having to boil water in a pot, or in the microwave saved a lot of time. Plus, I felt using an electric water kettle was a lot safer.
The electric kettle I have is has the automatic shut off, and I really didn't have to pay a lot to get that feature. It was included in all the kettles I looked at, with the exception of a few really old models at a consignment shop.
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