[Rant] Electric Kettle (for boiling hot water quickly for tea, etc...) - Russian Ukrainian Belarus Travel Music Woman Dating News

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[Rant] Electric Kettle (for boiling hot water quickly for tea, etc...)
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Posted by: ConnerVT

One item that has always impressed me when I visit Russia has been the cordless electric tea kettle. In America, which has a much stronger coffee tradition vs. that of drinking tea (though, does anyone remember the Boston Coffee Party?

), tea drinkers have gone from heating their water on the stove in a tea kettle, to heating their coffee mug in the microwave.

In Russia (and I imagine a significant part of Europe), the tradition of drinking tea is much more widely spread. As nuking your thin walled tea cup in a microwave isn’t very good for your decorative china, and the microwave (if one can afford it financially and in space required in a small flat’s kitchen) is more cumbersome when heating water for several guests, The solution is simple and elegant – the cordless electric tea kettle.

For those who have not seen one, its design is pretty remarkable. A kettle resembling a plastic water pitcher or coffee percolator sits on a small, circular base. The base plugs into the outlet. In a country where there are many ways of killing ones self, the models I’ve seen (mostly by Bosch) have a remarkable number of safety features. You can not shock yourself on the base with the kettle removed; it shuts itself off automatically when the water boils, or if you attempt to operate it dry. At 1500 watts, it will bring 8 cups of water to a rapid boil in 2-3 minutes. Pretty slick, I think. But then, sometimes I am distracted by small, shiny objects also.

I would have bought one in Russia, but as everything there is 220V, and 120V here in the US, I purchased one here. I figure that soon there will be several tea drinkers in our home, and that I would eventually be told we needed one anyway. I purchased a model made by Braun (Bosch's poorer younger cousin?).

Posted by: Ray50

Conner, thanks for posting this.

Sounds like something I could even take to work since they shut
down the coffee pots at 10am.

As if no one drinks coffee after 10am

Posted by: Woody

Connor,

these contraptions are better known as Jug Kettles and unsurprisingly widespread in the UK.
For reviews click this link.

Clive

Posted by: Khashyar

Hi guys...

Electric tea kettles are a wonderful idea

I have only seen one in the United States: an old roommate of mine had an electric kettle that plugs into an outlet and boiled water VERY quickly. But, this one was not cordless, but it seemed wonderful and worked very well...

I don't know where this old roommate of mine bought this kettle, but I am thinking that perhaps a good kitchen store might sell one, and I am pretty sure you could buy one online...

....I just found a website in Rhode Island (U.S.A.) that has a variety of electric tea kettles for sale.....

Here is the link: http://www.kitchenemporium.com/info...ric_kettle.html

They had a few listed... let us know if you buy one, and how well they work for you...

Khashyar

Posted by: andrei

To me heating water for tea in a microwave oven is like hiring a monkey to paint your walls. I never even realised that in America you do it in such an odd way.

I drink never less than 3 cups of tea a day. I cant work if I havent drank a tea cup in the morning.

Posted by: Rockydog

Hot Water Instantly!

My mom uses this thing and it IS damn hot!

Coffee or Tea or Blistered Fingers.....don't try this at home!!

Rockydog.....

Posted by: ConnerVT

Are these the same employees that need a warning on McDonald's coffee cups to tell them the coffee is hot? The lawyers and insurance companies will homogenize America into the bland, protected, and politically correct society we are becoming.

Darwin had a really good theory. Why do we insist on stirring up the primordial gene pool, and rewarding the slow and the weak? Perhaps that's why the Russians (and many other cultures) consider America weak.

(Andrei, do they have a warning on McDonald's coffee cups in Russia, warning that the contents may be extremely hot?)

Posted by: golek

I bought an electric tea kettle at WalMart. I have to plug it in and it doesn't automatically cut off when the water starts to boil like the ones in Europe do, but it works OK. It's made by GE.

If I google search for electric tea kettle, I find lots of US vendors selling them, auto switch off and all!

Posted by: ConnerVT

No, I believe he chose who should be raised to a greater stature. Kind of what the lawyers do. Darwin decided that nature should be the one to arbitrate. BIG difference.

(PS -- In the future, I would suggest you choose your words more carefully, before making any comment linking someone with people and things that are very inflamatory. I can imagine doing this could cause quite a response. Those who know me on other forums are probably shaking their heads right now, unable to imagine my calm reply at the moment...)

Posted by: Jim_FL

Posted by: andrei

Quote:

Originally posted by ConnerVT

(Andrei, do they have a warning on McDonald's coffee cups in Russia, warning that the contents may be extremely hot?)

Hell no!

All those warnings make us laugh. It's the same as if on every sidewalk there would be a sign "Warning! Moving vehicles on the road! Think twice!"

If I see such a comment on ANY product I will laugh and buy another product instead. I'm not a Neanderthal to be told that the tea is hot and that the roads are full of cars.

Posted by: Laters

Yep! Used this nifty contraption a lot while I was there. Cool.

Posted by: Khashyar

Fred... I applaud your gentlemanly composure

Andrei... I agree that American's file lawsuits to the extent that they make people afraid of offending anyone...

Regarding microwaving water... I actually would rather boil water on the stove than microwave water for tea... But, some American innovations encourage laziness

I might buy one of those electric kettles one day soon... But, in the meantime, I use the stove and a half-full tea kettle to make my tea water...

Khashyar

Posted by: Ray50

Both apartments in Kiev had electric kettles and the heating elements inside the pots were extremely dirty. I had tea and coffee from water heated in the first kettle but not the second one, with all the mineral deposits. I don't think the kettles had been cleaned out in months. I'm going to take a look in some of the shops in my area and online catalogs for a kettle to purchase.
Check out the link it looks just like the kettle I was using in Kiev.

Posted by: klawsite

What in the world are you guys talking about?? All you need to do is put some water in a glass, add some instant tea and mix. Then add ice if you wish!!!
Now t-h-a-t's tea!!!!!!!

It's the number 2 most ordered drink behind.. uh Number 1 Coffee!!

-Kevin

Posted by: andrei

Quote:

Originally posted by klawsite
Then add ice if you wish!!!

What a massacre for a tea cup

Next time you're gonna boil Coca Cola or something

Posted by: anna

The reason more and more warnings appear is insurance. Soon a notice will be posted in maternity wards.
Beware!! Life may be hazardous to your health,
Enter at your own risk.

Posted by: ConnerVT

Thanks, Anna!

I always thought I'd write a book. "How to Exercise, Eat Right, and Still Die". It would be a best seller!

Posted by: anna

Hey Conner, You could include advice on safety issues like hot coffee and traffic, eh?