4 ms·
Maybe the other 20% own non-electric kettles You mean those old fashioned kettles that are little more than a pot that you put on the hob? Nope. No way do 20%
by rmc 13y ago
Maybe the other 20% own non-electric kettles
You mean those old fashioned kettles that are little more than a pot that you put on the hob? Nope. No way do 20% of UK houses have that sort of old fashioned system. That's like claiming 20% of UK houses still have outhouses and don't have indoor toilets.
It always amazes me how the ridiculuous old fashioned non-electric kettles are still popular in USA.
- petercooper 13y agoI did also mention boiling water systems like one touch "Quick Cup" type jugs or even boiling water taps as are popular in posher houses now. Nonetheless, I don't find it so farfetched. We are a wellish-to-do gadget heavy household and we're content with a gas kettle. Other people continue to drive manual transmission cars. Some people even use Internet Explorer! It's a funny old world.
- glomph 13y agoFunny you should mention transmission. Something like 80% of cars in the UK are manual transmission.
- seabee 13y agoDon't forget they have 110v but the same current limits on their plugs, so at best their kettles will use 1.5kW. The speed advantage isn't there. If you have a hot water-based appliance the coffee maker offers far greater convenience. Now you have even less reason for a kettle.
- laurencerowe 13y agoI've not found coffee makers terribly convenient for making tea.
- seabee 13y agoI know you are kidding but the pod/cup 'coffee' makers support tea too, now that is certainly convenient :)
- unethical_ban 13y agoWait, a kettle[1] that you put on the stove and whistles when it's boiling isn't the standard in the UK? It's what I use for preparing hot water, and I have no issue with it. That's when I want tea or french-press coffee [2]. Sometimes I use an electric percolator[3] for coffee, and what a cup it can make! [1] http://www.amazon.com/Stainless-Teakettle-Litres-Whistling-XM009/dp/B00ANZZKYI/ http://www.amazon.com/Stainless-Teakettle-Litres-Whistling-X... [2] http://www.amazon.com/Bodum-Brazil-French-Coffee-34-Ounce/dp/B000KEM4TQ http://www.amazon.com/Bodum-Brazil-French-Coffee-34-Ounce/dp... [3] http://www.amazon.com/Presto-02811-12-Cup-Stainless-Coffee/dp/B00006IV0Q/ http://www.amazon.com/Presto-02811-12-Cup-Stainless-Coffee/d...
- chewxy 13y agoNope. In UK and even in Australia where I am, electric kettles are the norm. My grandmother did use a stovetop kettle though.
- simonw 13y agoI have never seen a stove-top kettle in use at someone's house in the UK, and I lived there almost all of my life.
- DanBC 13y agoStove top kettles are used but they are less efficient than electric kettles. 240v 13a is handy for things like kettles.
- rmc 13y agoWait, a kettle[1] that you put on the stove and whistles when it's boiling isn't the standard in the UK? Nope, it's a hilarious anacronism. Like seeing a washboard to hand wash your clothes. :)
- scrumper 13y agoWell here's one data point: my building includes gas in the rent, so there's no incentive for me to buy an expensive and costly to run electric kettle when a stovetop model can boil an unlimited amount of water for zero marginal cost. (I'm originally from the UK, but I adapted pretty quickly when I moved to the US and saw the price of electric kettles).
- rmc 13y agoProbably due to their popularity, eletric kettles can be gotten for very cheap in the UK (<£5).
- stevekemp 13y agoI've seen precisely one stove-top kettle in my life, here in the UK: My grandmother owned one before she died, but she spent most of her life on a farm with outdoor toilets and no electricity, and never really adapted from that mindset. Having said that I've bought only two kettles in my life, once in 1998 when I bought my first flat and realized I didn't own one - all prior rental properties came with one - and one last year when that died. I remember spending far too much time picking up kettles in John Lewis, and other "fancy" stores, because I knew I'd be using it multiple times a day for many years and wanted something that looked and felt nice.
- HeyLaughingBoy 13y agoHow often does the average Briton drink tea?
- stevekemp 13y ago> It always amazes me how the ridiculuous old fashioned non-electric kettles are still popular in USA. One thing that I find genuinely amazing is that power-companies can spot when there are commercial-breaks in TV programs by people in the country making tea en masse: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TV_pickup http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TV_pickup
- rmc 13y agoNot only can they see the spike, they have to plan for it. I've heard for some popular programmes/events (like a sports event or popular episode), they'll employ someone to watch the TV show and press a button the second the adverts come on, to turn on the power generators that can spin up quickly. There's a power generator that can come fully into operation in 12 seconds[1] [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dinorwig_power_station http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dinorwig_power_station