Actually the purchase wasn’t as impulsive as all that. I’ve been wanting an electric kettle for a couple of years, but just haven’t gotten off my lazy butt to get one.
The people I’ve known who have had them have typically been US military who’ve been stationed in the UK and fallen in love with the things. I can see why. They boil the water fast, then turn off. It’s simple. It’s so obvious and useful, I’m surprised they aren’t standard household equipment in the US.
Now, you Brits who read my blog can laugh, but up until a couple of years ago, electric kettles were difficult to find in the US. Now, they’re more common. You can find them even in rural areas like mine in the grocery store.
I like this over a kettle on the burner. Why? It boils the water fast, then shuts off. I love that. I know it sounds goofy, but I can’t think of how often I’ve grumbled at the kettle on the stove whistling away while I’m trying to get one more sentence written.
Yes, I’m a big-time coffee drinker, but not only do I enjoy my tea, it’s not unusual for me to make coffee a cup at a time with the cup-top brewer, especially on days when I’m the only one at home and don’t really want a whole pot of coffee. I’m enough of a spazz, thanks.
I’m curious. How many of my American readers have one of these, and what kind of UK influence have you been exposed to?
I got the UtiliTea kettle from Adagio about a year ago. I love it. Much more convenient (and faster!) than boiling water on the stove. You can also dial it down to below boiling (though only in a vague sense, no actual temps listed on the dial).
http://www.adagio.com/gifts/holiday_utiliTEA.html?SID=41fa63cad5aa7396ca789b41aaac134c
I have one, and love it. This is actually our second, and since part of it just broke I plan to order another before this one gives up the ghost entirely.
Funnily enough, I was exposed to the wonders of the electric kettle while my husband was in the Air Force and we had British friends. I’d read about them in my British books over the years, but had never been impressed with the whole idea until I actually saw one in action.
BTW, I also use a cup-top brewer cone with single-cup sized filters much of the time. My son and I are the coffee drinkers in the house, and sometimes we don’t feel like messing with making a full pot. When we do want to make more coffee at one time, we use a stovetop percolator and pour the extra coffee into a thermal carafe for later drinking.
I just found your blog after doing a Google search for people who blog and use Flylady’s system. I’m considering giving her method a try, since I’m hopelessly overwhelmed by the mess that is my home, and your blog was a happy find! I very much appreciate your perspective and your wonderful sense of humor, as well as your practical take on things.