Do Americans use electric kettles?

[Self Inflicted Wounds]

I just use the stove top, like a normal person.

[Orange Joe]

Be a bit wary of doing this. It can sometimes be dangerous:

http://www.snopes.com/science/microwave.asp

(tl;dr: it is possible to heat water in a microwave to beyond 100C without it boiling. when this water is disturbed it will spontaneously start boiling and effectively "explode" spraying superhot water out of the container)

Myth busters kinda contradict that page.




They had to use distilled water as any tap water was too impure to not boil.

[Kithelle]

I'm not sure where this would fit in.....it is electric but it isn't really a kettle. I just use a Keurig for my green tea

[Enthusiastic Steward]

I am American and I use a stovetop kettle or a pot if I'm boiling water, depending on what the water is for. I have never heard of anyone using a microwave to boil water before.

[Phookah]

Myth busters kinda contradict that page.
They had to use distilled water as any tap water was too impure to not boil.

Common sense goes a long way too. If you hurt yourself heating water you might want to consider a helmet.

- - - Updated - - -

I am American and I use a stovetop kettle or a pot if I'm boiling water, depending on what the water is for. I have never heard of anyone using a microwave to boil water before.

You never heard or seen someone take a mug of water and microwave it? What year did you move to the states? :P

[Celista]

I've never seen an electric kettle in a home here in the US. I've never used one, never visited friends/family who had one, never had roommates who had one.

Everyone I know either uses an old fashioned kettle, heating up water on the stove, or heating up a cup in the microwave.

I remember kettles from my childhood. Now I feel old, thanks >.<

Ever since I lived on my own I got a Quooker so I never needed one anymore.

Funny story, I was visiting my ex's parents' house one weekend and I couldn't find a kettle in their huge ass kitchen, he walks in and looks at me chidingly for not finding the boiling water tap. I had never seen one before!

[Molis]

I have one only because my wife is English and she has tea at least once a day.

When I cook I use the microwave or the gas stove to boil water.

Never even saw one until we moved in together.

[kaid]

Lol I saw that article and thought WTF



While using an electric kettle to heat water is commonplace in Australia, it was learned that many Americans actually use the microwave to get their water to boiling point.
A wave of disbelief washed over Twitter when this was discovered.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/201...alians-just-a/

Pretty much if I just want one glass the microwave is fine otherwise I just put our old kettle on the stove.

- - - Updated - - -

really if you are worried about boiling water in a microwave you will very quickly figure out how many seconds to throw a cup of water on to get it boiling. The big danger would be you set it for something like two minutes with ultra pure water.

I think electric kettles are more of an english thing or tea drinking society thing. For the rare times we require that much boiling water for drinking we have an old kettle that works fine but it gets used maybe once or twice a year.

[Afrospinach]

I think electric kettles are more of an english thing or tea drinking society thing.

This is actually blowing my mind right now. I even use the kettle to boil water before putting it on the stove for whatever else I am doing.

[Annoying]

I pretty much don't do anything that would require a kettle, so I don't have one. In the off chance that I need boiling water (for non-stove use), I'll microwave it, yes. Not gonna buy something I'd use 2 or 3 times in a year.

[mizeri]

i use my Keurig for coffee and hot water, or microwave cause it takes like 2 minutes

[Puupi]

This is actually blowing my mind right now. I even use the kettle to boil water before putting it on the stove for whatever else I am doing.

You what? If you are boiling eggs, do you actually use the electric kettle to boil the water and then pour the water to a pot and put eggs there and turn the stove on?

[belfpala]

Why would anyone buy a kettle, that only has a single use(to boil water), when there are many more options available that do the same thing in practically the same time while also providing FAR more functionality?

They're okay for heating up thin soups, I guess?

But yeah, I don't own an electric kettle. I have a regular one that goes on my stove used for tea if I'm making for a couple people, or fueling my French press. For myself, if I want tea, I just microwave the water for a cup of tea, and that's that.

Disclaimer: I have maybe 2 cups of tea in a month.

Actually, if it's a single meal of noodles, the electric kettle takes care of it all. At least these insta-ramen types don't need cooking, just hot water to pour on them.

Microwave does that too.

Anyway, I have enough junk at my house to clutter multiple kitchens; don't need another that duplicates things other things do as well or better.

[Sierra85]

if you dont own a kettle you should get one for christmas or next birthday

[Auxora]

I don't understand how boiling water in a pot can be inferior in any way.
1. It takes me less than a minute to boil a cup of water in a pot
2. Boiled water is boiled water, there's no difference in taste with boiled water...it's water.
3. It's just damn boiled water!

Agreed, in the end a kettle is just a pot with a lid and vent. There isn't anything magical about it. Claiming that a kettle is any better of a way to boil water, or that Americans don't know good coffee is nonsense. 2 of the top 3 coffee bean growers in the world are in the Americas, and people in the US are quite knowledgeable and picky about their coffee nowadays. It's a long way from 30 years ago when any cheap instant coffee would make people happy.

I still see kettles around once in a while especially for people that drink a lot of tea, but for most people in the US it's unnecessary and other items can be used to do the same thing and and save space. Most people in the use have gas stoves that can get water boiling in no time, so an electric kettle would really be pointless.

[Berengil]

if you dont own a kettle you should get one for christmas or next birthday

I get a call from my mom on both those days, but I celebrate neither.

There's literally nothing I do at home that requires a kettle.

[sheggaro]

I don't, I use a pot.

[flyspyro]

i use my Keurig for coffee and hot water, or microwave cause it takes like 2 minutes

yep, I don't need a kettle I have a Keurig for my coffee/hotwater needs. I guess you can say a keurig is like a kettle though

[Witchblade77]

This is actually blowing my mind right now. I even use the kettle to boil water before putting it on the stove for whatever else I am doing.

that is blowing MY mind, becasue I'm used to heating water in whatever I'm going to be cooking in for anything that is not tea. especially since my regular kettle is good for maybe 6 cups? while I might be cooking for several days in advance and need a LOT more water then that, for broths in particular. I do drink a fair amount of tea (ok, I drink at least 6 cups of green tea a day) but honestly? I mostly can gauge when my regular kettle is at the right temperature. and my electric doesn't have temperature setting, maybe if one day I'll splurge on the one that does - I'll use that more, but stovetop kettle really does just fine.

[Unhinged]

Agreed, in the end a kettle is just a pot with a lid and vent. There isn't anything magical about it. Claiming that a kettle is any better of a way to boil water, or that Americans don't know good coffee is nonsense. 2 of the top 3 coffee bean growers in the world are in the Americas, and people in the US are quite knowledgeable and picky about their coffee nowadays. It's a long way from 30 years ago when any cheap instant coffee would make people happy.

I still see kettles around once in a while especially for people that drink a lot of tea, but for most people in the US it's unnecessary and other items can be used to do the same thing and and save space. Most people in the use have gas stoves that can get water boiling in no time, so an electric kettle would really be pointless.

No. The USA and Canada do not know what good coffee is at all.