Designer hot water
December 6, 2024 9:17 PM Subscribe
Electric kettle or (induction) stovetop kettle?
My current electric hot water kettle was purchased in 1998. It still works fine but it’s plastic and I’m trying to move away from as much plastic as I can. I’ll be renovating my kitchen soon and replace my gas stove with an induction range. What are the benefits of either a new metal electric kettle or a stovetop kettle? I understand it would need to be metal or cast iron to work.
Either option could be automated if I wanted to start water from bed. I like the look of the cute Fellow tea kettles or something from Alessi—something design-y and minimalist. Of course all the designerish electric lack temperature control. I drink 80/20% tea/coffee. Coffee is either French press or aero press. Bonus points for any beautiful kettles available with a U.S. plug.
My current electric hot water kettle was purchased in 1998. It still works fine but it’s plastic and I’m trying to move away from as much plastic as I can. I’ll be renovating my kitchen soon and replace my gas stove with an induction range. What are the benefits of either a new metal electric kettle or a stovetop kettle? I understand it would need to be metal or cast iron to work.
Either option could be automated if I wanted to start water from bed. I like the look of the cute Fellow tea kettles or something from Alessi—something design-y and minimalist. Of course all the designerish electric lack temperature control. I drink 80/20% tea/coffee. Coffee is either French press or aero press. Bonus points for any beautiful kettles available with a U.S. plug.
I understand it would need to be metal or cast iron to work.
Just to be clear, some kind of iron based metal (like steel or cast iron), not copper or aluminum. If a magnet sticks to it, it'll work.
posted by LionIndex at 9:27 PM on December 6 [1 favorite]
Just to be clear, some kind of iron based metal (like steel or cast iron), not copper or aluminum. If a magnet sticks to it, it'll work.
posted by LionIndex at 9:27 PM on December 6 [1 favorite]
It is not as designer-y as the one you picked out, but I do live my Breville. I find it pretty quick, but I don't have an induction stove.
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 9:33 PM on December 6
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 9:33 PM on December 6
Will your induction stove turn off before a kettle boils dry? Main value of the Strix, IME.
posted by clew at 9:42 PM on December 6 [3 favorites]
posted by clew at 9:42 PM on December 6 [3 favorites]
We’ve got a classic metal teakettle and it boils in 60 seconds or fewer on the induction cooktop. It’s amazing.
posted by matildaben at 9:45 PM on December 6 [1 favorite]
posted by matildaben at 9:45 PM on December 6 [1 favorite]
You're probably already aware of it since you mentioned Fellow in your post, but their Stagg EKG kettle (and Corvo for non-gooseneck) immediately comes to mind when I think "fancy design-y temp control" electric kettle.
posted by btfreek at 9:57 PM on December 6 [4 favorites]
posted by btfreek at 9:57 PM on December 6 [4 favorites]
Um, what makes an induction cooktop “more efficient” than a resistive element in a plug-in kettle? Or did you maybe mean “faster,” which seems reasonable since the cooktop probably draws considerably more juice?
posted by Gilgamesh's Chauffeur at 10:08 PM on December 6 [1 favorite]
posted by Gilgamesh's Chauffeur at 10:08 PM on December 6 [1 favorite]
Best answer: My buddy next door has an electric stagg, and I have an induction burner and have regular stagg kettles. I was curious and we had a race. My low end induction burner heats the water much faster. We have a smaller kitchen, and counter space matters: I would not get a standalone appliance where I could have something that lives on the stovetop 80% of the time or more. I personally think that kettles as dishes, not appliances have and edge aesthetically, but ymmv.
Induction does not draw more power than conventional electric; they draw about 5-10% less power.
posted by furnace.heart at 10:39 PM on December 6 [1 favorite]
Induction does not draw more power than conventional electric; they draw about 5-10% less power.
posted by furnace.heart at 10:39 PM on December 6 [1 favorite]
Technology Connections went into excruciating detail about this whole thing. His plug-in counter-top induction cooktop was a little faster than a resistive kettle, but drew more power, and was overall less efficient. Both of them were way way way faster than gas or electric ranges.
A full-on induction range won't draw more power compared to a comparable electric range, but either type of range is often wired for more than 1500W, which is about the most that a resistive kettle with a standard wall plug can safely draw in the US.
posted by aubilenon at 12:33 AM on December 7 [7 favorites]
A full-on induction range won't draw more power compared to a comparable electric range, but either type of range is often wired for more than 1500W, which is about the most that a resistive kettle with a standard wall plug can safely draw in the US.
posted by aubilenon at 12:33 AM on December 7 [7 favorites]
I have both an induction stove top and a temp control kettle. I prefer the kettle by a very wide margin. Induction boils the water fine but I prefer the better precision of a kettle since I drink a side variety of teas requiring a wider range of temperatures beyond boil. Also, the temperature control for pour over coffee was better.
My induction cooktop (Siemens) does not work with Chinese pots though those pots are magnetic and rated for induction. The Chinese kitchen goods store showed me how Chinese pots and pans work fine on Chinese induction units and that a common issue was European cooktops. And older Japanese cooking pots had issues, too. But I am hoping new Japanese pans will work.
Anyway, electric temperature control kettle for me.
posted by jadepearl at 1:41 AM on December 7
My induction cooktop (Siemens) does not work with Chinese pots though those pots are magnetic and rated for induction. The Chinese kitchen goods store showed me how Chinese pots and pans work fine on Chinese induction units and that a common issue was European cooktops. And older Japanese cooking pots had issues, too. But I am hoping new Japanese pans will work.
Anyway, electric temperature control kettle for me.
posted by jadepearl at 1:41 AM on December 7
Induction stove and whistling kettle fan here. Efficient and cheery.
posted by pipstar at 2:54 AM on December 7
posted by pipstar at 2:54 AM on December 7
Electric kettle and induction hob owner here - UK. Some local recipes suggest using the kettle to boil water before using it to make rice/pasta etc. In fact the hob is faster at doing that kind of task. The electric kettle comes into its own for tea: designed for pouring, automatic cut off and marked to show the volume of water inside. Induction hob compatible kettles, in stainless steel and with a whistle to indicate they are boiling are available; or perhaps a Japanese cast iron tea kettle. Their only limitation, to my mind, is that they lack a means of showing how full they are from the outside.
posted by rongorongo at 2:57 AM on December 7
posted by rongorongo at 2:57 AM on December 7
For tea drinkers, an electric kettle with different temperature settings is the way to go in my opinion. I'm a somewhat recent convert to this via my partner and experimenting with different temperatures for different kinds of tea has been really nice--I actually gave away my stovetop kettle. Aesthetically I prefer the glass electric kettles to the all metal ones--mine has a colored LED that lights up when it's read which is cool.
posted by needs more cowbell at 3:30 AM on December 7 [3 favorites]
posted by needs more cowbell at 3:30 AM on December 7 [3 favorites]
We aeropress and tea, and we had an electric kettle that just ... didn't get used after we got an induction stove with fast boiling. One less single-purpose thing out on the counter, I think, for us. Plus, there are some attractive stovetop kettles, which is less the case for the electric kettles. Your aesthetics may vary.
posted by Dashy at 4:59 AM on December 7 [2 favorites]
posted by Dashy at 4:59 AM on December 7 [2 favorites]
I have the Stagg Corvo electric kettle and love it. It heats noticeably faster than the electric kettles that came before it and temperature control is a must for me because I brew a wide variety of teas. Another less obvious benefit vs a stovetop kettle is that if you forget about it, it will eventually turn itself off without causing any collateral damage. And it’s the prettiest of the electric kettles.
The Stagg gooseneck kettle pours notoriously slowly, which makes it much better for pour over coffee than for tea, which is why I have the Corvo.
posted by A Blue Moon at 5:01 AM on December 7 [1 favorite]
The Stagg gooseneck kettle pours notoriously slowly, which makes it much better for pour over coffee than for tea, which is why I have the Corvo.
posted by A Blue Moon at 5:01 AM on December 7 [1 favorite]
Ok, I take that back: induction and electric kettle are basically tied for energy efficiency according to this scholarly research, they find that mismatching the pot size to the element makes the induction less efficient than the electric, but with the right size kettle, the induction wins by a smidge. This also varies by manufacturers, so probably best not to use energy efficiency as an important distinguishing characteristic between these two.
posted by SaltySalticid at 5:44 AM on December 7 [8 favorites]
posted by SaltySalticid at 5:44 AM on December 7 [8 favorites]
Um, what makes an induction cooktop “more efficient” than a resistive element in a plug-in kettle?
Induction cooktops can be marginally more efficient than resistive electric cooktops under some circumstances because there are lower heat losses to the environment. There's no heating element per se, and the cooktop essentially turns the cooking vessel into a heating element. The efficiency advantage is greatest with smaller, closed cooking vessels--like a kettle. So I'd say this claim holds up, but it's only going to be a few percent greater efficiency, not enough to swing the decision either way.
My take on this is that hardwired induction cooktops are the one way North American users can match or even beat the 240V European kettles. Boiling water is so fast I'll never go back to a 120V US kettle.
posted by pullayup at 5:54 AM on December 7 [3 favorites]
Induction cooktops can be marginally more efficient than resistive electric cooktops under some circumstances because there are lower heat losses to the environment. There's no heating element per se, and the cooktop essentially turns the cooking vessel into a heating element. The efficiency advantage is greatest with smaller, closed cooking vessels--like a kettle. So I'd say this claim holds up, but it's only going to be a few percent greater efficiency, not enough to swing the decision either way.
My take on this is that hardwired induction cooktops are the one way North American users can match or even beat the 240V European kettles. Boiling water is so fast I'll never go back to a 120V US kettle.
posted by pullayup at 5:54 AM on December 7 [3 favorites]
I think the ability to precisely set the water temperature and automatic shut-off make the standalone electric kettle worthwhile as long as you aren't severely space-constrained.
I had my eye on a Fellow kettle a while back, but ultimately chose this Oxo. The Oxo isn't quite as "designer-y" as the Fellow, but it's fair bit cheaper.
posted by sriracha at 6:00 AM on December 7
I had my eye on a Fellow kettle a while back, but ultimately chose this Oxo. The Oxo isn't quite as "designer-y" as the Fellow, but it's fair bit cheaper.
posted by sriracha at 6:00 AM on December 7
This is tangential to your main question, but if you didn't know, diffuser plates for induction ranges exist, which allow you to use normal cookware with them.
I'd personally go with another electric kettle, so that you can parallelize if necessary (ie, making eggs and tea for breakfast, grilled cheese and tea for lunch). The overall "no unitaskers" philosophy of kitchen gadgets is a decent one (ie, food processor over a panini press), but certain tasks are routine enough that a good unitasker is still worth the space in the kitchen, and a good "boil water fast-a-tron" counts.
posted by The Master and Margarita Mix at 6:30 AM on December 7
I'd personally go with another electric kettle, so that you can parallelize if necessary (ie, making eggs and tea for breakfast, grilled cheese and tea for lunch). The overall "no unitaskers" philosophy of kitchen gadgets is a decent one (ie, food processor over a panini press), but certain tasks are routine enough that a good unitasker is still worth the space in the kitchen, and a good "boil water fast-a-tron" counts.
posted by The Master and Margarita Mix at 6:30 AM on December 7
I frequently put on the kettle and forget about it, so unless the induction cooktop has an auto-off feature, my electric kettle is the safest option.
posted by theora55 at 7:03 AM on December 7 [1 favorite]
posted by theora55 at 7:03 AM on December 7 [1 favorite]
I live in the UK where nearly everyone, regardless of kitchen size, has a standalone electric kettle, so I can't speak to the induction hob vs kettle debate. Mine is this one which I bought in Costco for a lot less than $200 and it's held up well over several years now. Minimal plastic, it looks great, and it's relatively quiet.
posted by altolinguistic at 7:08 AM on December 7
posted by altolinguistic at 7:08 AM on December 7
Clever, temperature managing, electric kettles will probably not be ones you can automate from bed. You can turn the outlet on but for those devices you would also need to press a button on the device.
Which is a shame, because otherwise I have a 1L temperature setting kettle that I find nice and quick because I typically boil precisely one cup in it.
I also have an induction hob, and it is much faster at boiling water generally - its max single burner output is 3kW, versus 1500W for anything that goes into a normal outlet - and while I use it for big quantities of water, I have never thought to get a kettle for it. If you're going to turn it on from bed, you'd better be ready to turn it off. I just did a quick test: one mug of water boils in 50s.
posted by How much is that froggie in the window at 8:00 AM on December 7
Which is a shame, because otherwise I have a 1L temperature setting kettle that I find nice and quick because I typically boil precisely one cup in it.
I also have an induction hob, and it is much faster at boiling water generally - its max single burner output is 3kW, versus 1500W for anything that goes into a normal outlet - and while I use it for big quantities of water, I have never thought to get a kettle for it. If you're going to turn it on from bed, you'd better be ready to turn it off. I just did a quick test: one mug of water boils in 50s.
posted by How much is that froggie in the window at 8:00 AM on December 7
I switched to an electric countertop kettle with automatic shut-off, after too many times of putting the kettle on the stovetop, wandering out to the garage to check on a project, and forgetting about the kettle while it boiled dry...
posted by xedrik at 9:32 AM on December 7 [1 favorite]
posted by xedrik at 9:32 AM on December 7 [1 favorite]
Electric kettle all the way, for two reasons: 1) it shuts off after boiling, you never have to think about it (on an induction element, a kettle will go from a simmer to boiling very vigorously in a matter of seconds) and 2) you can locate your electric kettle right beside the sink, making it more convenient to fill without having to walk back and forth to the stove.
And as far as energy efficiency, the advantage of induction over a conventional range is it heats the pot bottom directly — which is exactly what an electric kettle already does. So there shouldn't be any significant difference. Induction might be a little faster because the element is higher wattage, but for your typical 0.5-1L of water, the difference is so small it really doesn't matter.
posted by ssg at 10:45 AM on December 7
And as far as energy efficiency, the advantage of induction over a conventional range is it heats the pot bottom directly — which is exactly what an electric kettle already does. So there shouldn't be any significant difference. Induction might be a little faster because the element is higher wattage, but for your typical 0.5-1L of water, the difference is so small it really doesn't matter.
posted by ssg at 10:45 AM on December 7
I got the stainless steel version of this stovetop kettle the day my induction range was delivered and I love it. All steel inside, comfy handle, and it's really easy to clean.
I am also mega ADHD. I don't forget to turn it off when it boils because it is SO FAST on induction that I don't have the chance to wander away.
Where I do run into problems is when I leave it on the rear element as I do other cooking. Because I use that rear element several times a day, I often twist the rear element knob instead of the front knob. It can take some time before I realize that the big pot of water isn't boiling yet. This means I've scorched the bottom of the kettle a few times. It cleans up easily with barkeepers friend, but it's a pain.
I'm trying to develop the new habit of keeping the kettle on a non-element sector of the stovetop. If I turn on the wrong element but it's empty, the stove will yelp a warning, then turn that element off after a few seconds. I have learned to accept that my stove is smarter than me.
posted by maudlin at 10:48 AM on December 7
I am also mega ADHD. I don't forget to turn it off when it boils because it is SO FAST on induction that I don't have the chance to wander away.
Where I do run into problems is when I leave it on the rear element as I do other cooking. Because I use that rear element several times a day, I often twist the rear element knob instead of the front knob. It can take some time before I realize that the big pot of water isn't boiling yet. This means I've scorched the bottom of the kettle a few times. It cleans up easily with barkeepers friend, but it's a pain.
I'm trying to develop the new habit of keeping the kettle on a non-element sector of the stovetop. If I turn on the wrong element but it's empty, the stove will yelp a warning, then turn that element off after a few seconds. I have learned to accept that my stove is smarter than me.
posted by maudlin at 10:48 AM on December 7
Electric kettles don't boil as fast in the US due to our power system. I have personally had an electric kettle since the 90s but I always buy the ones with the normal spout. Wanting to get into pourover, I decided to just get a Hario knockoff for my stove top rather than buying a new electric kettle with a pourover spout. After years and years of convenient water boiling, I found dealing with a stove top kettle to be obnoxious. The temperature gauge wasn't particularly accurate, I had to stand over it to monitor the process to get somewhat accurate temperatures, and (not a factor for you) I still used my electric kettle to add just boiled water to the kettle to speed things up. In short, I hated the entire experience and now the kettle is in a donation box. If you care about water temp for brewing different types of tea or for differentiating between dark roast and light roast coffees, the stove top situation is a no-go imo.
There are a bunch of variable temperature kettles out there now that have all glass and metal except for the handle. For looks alone, I like the Stagg EKG or Corvo, Oxo pourover, Smegg, and Kitchen Aid Precision. Most of these have knockoffs available. Having extensively researched the options, I've found a few factors were helpful for me in deciding which kettles to buy. Admittedly, appearance is not much of a factor for me.
1. The lid must come completely off for cleaning. No fidgety flip lids with plasticky mechanisms.
2. Must be variable temp.
3. The walls of the carafe must be 100% smooth. I once bought a ridged glass kettle because it was cute and found that I had to remove the lid completely after using the kettle so that the ridges could dry out--otherwise the moist environment encouraged mold growth.
4. Base control mechanisms are good for simplicity of carafe cleanup but handle control mechanisms are space saving. I went with space saving, but my next kettle will be base controlled.
posted by MagnificentVacuum at 11:04 AM on December 7
There are a bunch of variable temperature kettles out there now that have all glass and metal except for the handle. For looks alone, I like the Stagg EKG or Corvo, Oxo pourover, Smegg, and Kitchen Aid Precision. Most of these have knockoffs available. Having extensively researched the options, I've found a few factors were helpful for me in deciding which kettles to buy. Admittedly, appearance is not much of a factor for me.
1. The lid must come completely off for cleaning. No fidgety flip lids with plasticky mechanisms.
2. Must be variable temp.
3. The walls of the carafe must be 100% smooth. I once bought a ridged glass kettle because it was cute and found that I had to remove the lid completely after using the kettle so that the ridges could dry out--otherwise the moist environment encouraged mold growth.
4. Base control mechanisms are good for simplicity of carafe cleanup but handle control mechanisms are space saving. I went with space saving, but my next kettle will be base controlled.
posted by MagnificentVacuum at 11:04 AM on December 7
It is BC Greece-level technology, but I always use a teakettle with a whistle. Very hard to forget that for long.
I frequently put on the kettle and forget about it, so unless the induction cooktop has an auto-off feature, my electric kettle is the safest option.
I appreciate all the discussion about induction. Maybe when my current gas range bites it I’ll get an induction one—we’re already wired for an electric range. Though I do love my huge commercial aluminum stock pot when it’s time to make fudge and caramels for Christmas, and it is nice to think I can cook if the power is out, but I guess I can still fire up the wood stove. And the last extended power failure here was … maybe fifteen years ago?
posted by Gilgamesh's Chauffeur at 11:29 AM on December 7
Induction cooktop every time! We have this gooseneck kettle for pourover coffee and it’s great. Put the smallest burner on max, go grind the beans, get the cone and filter set up, and your water is boiling. There’s nothing to break because it’s a hunk of metal with a lid!
I love how fast it is and, because it’s an induction cooktop, I’ve let myself get in the bad yet convenient habit of just taking it off the burner and letting it auto-shutoff. Having the stove sense when the kettle is boiling would be next-level, maybe the next time I need a new stove we’ll have the technology!
posted by Brassica oleracea at 3:27 PM on December 7
I love how fast it is and, because it’s an induction cooktop, I’ve let myself get in the bad yet convenient habit of just taking it off the burner and letting it auto-shutoff. Having the stove sense when the kettle is boiling would be next-level, maybe the next time I need a new stove we’ll have the technology!
posted by Brassica oleracea at 3:27 PM on December 7
You are not logged in, either login or create an account to post comments
I ditched my electric kettle for this Chantal when I got my induction stove and I am happy with it, and they have a whole line of somewhat designy/minimal kettles.
posted by SaltySalticid at 9:25 PM on December 6 [1 favorite]