How to buy Kettle?

Overview

Contrary to what most people believe, a tea kettle can serve more than one purpose. You can not only make tea and coffee in it but also warm water for your green tea or instant noodles.

Tea kettles are available in a number of options. Here we get you acquainted with a few types.

Types of Tea Kettles

1. Stove Top Tea Kettles – Stovetop tea kettles are of traditional style, which can be directly placed over a gas or electric stove and water can boil easily inside them. They come with spouts and handles that help to pour hot water easily into a cup or other container. Their main appeal is their simplicity, but there are few features worth knowing, like when the water is boiling and steam passes through the kettle’s spout is makes a whistling noise. Also, some tea kettles come with a small tea infuser accessory. It is a metal mesh basket designed to hold the tea in the water to steep but can be lifted out easily after a certain amount of time. Stovetop tea kettles are affordable compared to their electric counterpart and if you do not plan on using it much the price difference can be worth it.
2. Electric Tea Kettles – They are similar to stovetop kettles except for the fact they generate their own heat through the electric heating element that is located in the kettle itself or on its base. These kettles have a temperature control feature. They usually have 3-4 pre-set temperatures for water, corresponding to the specific temperature necessary for brewing different types of tea. Electric tea kettles are also equipped with special tea infuser baskets that lower automatically when the water is ready and raised when the tea has steeped for a certain time. Price-wise, they are a bit on the expensive side. But if you want to use it regularly then you should go for it.

Factors to Consider While Buying Kettles

1. Size and Design – Kettles come in different sizes. They also have different body materials like stainless steel, glass, and plastic. Some electric kettles have marked water level indicators that show the amount of water inside the kettle.
2. Capacity – Choose a kettle depending on the quantity of water required. If you are boiling water for 1 or 2 cups of tea or coffee, then 1-liter capacity is enough. If it is more than 3 cups, then opt for a kettle with more capacity.
3. The speed of Boiling – Boiling speed is the most looked into factor while buying a kettle. Most of the kettles boil the water within 2-3 minutes.
4. Cord or Cordless – All the electric kettles are equipped with cords, but some come with a detachable cord that you can remove while pouring water from it. Since it is cordless and lightweight, it is portable.
5. Keep Warm – Some kettles have the feature to keep the water warm, even after it is done boiling the water. It allows you to keep water warm for about 30 minutes to 1 hour at your desired temperature.
6. Automatic Shut-off –This feature helps the kettle to automatically shut-off after the task is done and prevents any hazard.

Tea kettles may be small but is a multi-purpose appliance. These pointers may let you decide your perfect brewer.