Water in new teakettle smells.

January 2, 2008 5:10 PM

My sister got my Mom this teakettle for Christmas. Problem is, every few times we make tea, the water tastes terrible and smells funky- almost a wet chlorine smell.

Putting water with baking soda in the kettle fixes said problem, but that's a non-solution. Is there some sort of enamel teakettle etiquette that we don't know, or should we return the thing?

Note: our water is ludicrously hard, but our old teakettle never had a problem.

posted by potch to food & drink (6 comments total)

Are you putting tea leaves into the kettle?
posted by Eringatang at 5:31 PM on January 2

You've used warm water with baking soda and left it for a half hour, I take it... is it a "non-solution" because it just tastes gross again after a few days? Have you also tried ice water with salt? Or half vinegar/half water and let it sit for a while? Or what about a denture tablet?

I'm trying to channel my dead grandmother to answer this question as best I can, but that's all she's got. Sorry.
posted by miss lynnster at 5:59 PM on January 2

Does the rest of your water suffer from this problem? Do you notice a chlorine smell in the shower, for example? Perhaps there are chemical fluctuations down at the water treatment plant.
posted by chrisamiller at 6:26 PM on January 2

Copco has a pretty well-deserved reputation for making really shoddy tea kettles. I had one for two months and found it flimsy and poorly constructed. Might it simply be that you have a really horrible tea kettle? I'd suggest doing what I did: returning it and paying $10 more for a well constructed tea kettle that will last more than a few months.
posted by arnicae at 7:18 PM on January 2

How often are you making tea? and are you starting with fresh water each time, not leaving water in there?
posted by slightlybewildered at 8:18 PM on January 3

My father emailed Copco, and they already sent out a replacement kettle- they don't make this particular model anymore (maybe because it smells bad). They were very quick to respond and to replace it, so kudos to them. We'll be giving them another chance, and then looking elsewhere.
posted by potch at 3:09 PM on January 4