Popular Electric Kettles

What electric kettles are, how they work, and which one to buy

Based on popular turns of phrase - a different kettle of fish, a fine kettle of fish - you could be forgiven for thinking that kettles were aquariums for cooking. It is true that kettle can be a confusing word because the uses of kettles vary from place to place. In some countries, kettles are used for boiling or stewing. But in America, an electric kettle is generally considered a kitchen appliance used to heat water for making tea or instant coffee.

All about electric kettles

If you think that's all a confusing kettle of fish, consider this: the word kettle comes from the Latin catillus, meaning bowl, deep dish, or funnel. Even the kettle's original name had multiple meanings!

There's some dispute about who invented electric kettles and where, but suffice it to say that they started appearing around the end of the 19th century. Until then, water was boiled on a fire or a stove and people used pots, kettles, or samovars for making hot drinks, or they drank their coffee cold and they liked it that way (or so your grandfather will say when he's in a bad mood).

American sales of electric kettles have been climbing lately thanks to a resurgence of tea drinking. Tea is second only to water worldwide as the beverage of choice, but in America, tea has languished near the bottom of drinking choices. Tea makes up 4.4% of beverages consumed in America according to the American Beverage Association.

But the health benefits of tea are helping it replace coffee as a primary caffeine source, and electric kettles are the fastest and most convenient way to get a cup of tea (outside of Starbucks).

The best electric kettles

It's difficult to say which electric kettle is the best. Not only are there hundreds of electric kettles from which to choose, but also the criteria can vary greatly from one person to another. Some electric kettles feature great colors or design, while others merely look functional but will boil water for you in less than 2 minutes.

If you think fast is best, then the electric kettle for you might be the stainless steel Bodum Calorius. This electric tea kettle sells for around $40 and will heat water for you in less than 90 seconds. The downside is that the Bodum Calorius electric kettle requires you to fill it through the spout rather than through a removable lid. It also doesn't have a water level indicator.

If best to you means an electric tea kettle that looks like it came off the set of a science fiction film, then check out the Bosch Porsche Designer electric kettle. Just think: if you dropped $150 for this electric kettle, you could get a bumper sticker for your beater Honda that says "My electric tea kettle is a Porsche."

The Bosch Porsche electric kettle was designed by F.A. Porsche and features a cold, brushed aluminum surface that will resist stains and fingerprints. Carry it around with you while wearing Bono-style wraparound sunglasses and everyone will think you were in the movie 2046.

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