Why do we need electric kettles ? The main reason to this question is because basically, they boil water more quickly than microwave ovens and stove-top kettles. Besides, unlike the stove-top types, we dont need to monitor our kettle to make sure the water is not over-boiled or even causing any serious case since it is related with fire.
You can find many types of electric kettles, the most types you can find are the corded and cordless ones. The cordless type is actually not without cord at all. They use a docking station base which is connected to the electrical main power. The cord is actually invisible as you lift up your kettle from its base to lift your tea, you will find no cord attached to your kettle since it is attached to the base instead of the kettle. The base normally has a 360 degree swivel type for the convenience of the users that you dont need to align it specifically to dock with the kettle. The only difference between corded and cordless kettles is at the base. Cordless kettle normally has no base and the electric cord is directly attached to the kettle.
So how to choose electric kettles that fit your kitchen needs?
First of all, think about your daily needs of hot water. You will want larger capacities if your household is a frequent tea or coffee drinker, or you have babies that you need to mix their food with hot water. Most electric kettles are built with water capacities range from 2 to 4 liters. So, if you wish to bring this kitchen appliance to travel, you might want the smaller size, while for your household larger capacities might be needed.
Second, pay attention to the wattage. This will determine how fast you will have the hot water ready and nicely boiled. The ones you can find in the market are ranging from 1000 to 1500 watt, as with this power, you can boil a full kettle of water in 5 to 10 minutes.
Learn about the features. Todays electric kettles normally have an automatic shut off after boiling your water. This will give you an ease to leave your kettle while it is doing its work without waiting right in front of it to avoid unwanted happenings. Some even have a feature which keeps your water warm for about 30 minutes. So if you have something to do after your water boiled or if you wish to get a second refill to your cup after finishing the first, you can directly pour the still hot water to your cup and enjoy another hot drink. The kettles normally provided with light indicator which informs you that your kettle is on and is now heating water or that the keep warm feature is activate.
As the kettle already has an automatic shut off, another feature you might like is a boil-dry protection. Although this feature is not always available in all electric kettles, having this feature will help you a lot in maintaining the condition of your unit. We know that as we boil water, some of the water evaporates. And if we accidentally forget to refill it with water, the kettle might get dry inside and damage could possibly unavoidable when this condition happen for a long time.
For easy cleaning, make sure that the kettles heating element is concealed. This is not only making your cleaning job easier, but also avoid you from any taste of metal or rust in your hot water. Regarding the cleaning, you will also want to consider the material which the body of your kettle is made of. The ones normally sold in the market are made of stainless and plastic. Stainless is practically easier to clean than plastic. Other than that, each of these two materials actually has their own advantages and disadvantages.
Plastic bodies are popular for they are cheap, light, and less hot to the touch when it contains boiling water. However, your water will likely have a plastic smell and some even believe that the chemical substance of the plastic may get mixed with the water and could cause certain health risks.
Stainless steel kettles are actually quite safe as it doesn’t raise any health issue. However, most stainless steel kettles are not made of all stainless. Many do have plastic part (though not much) that contact the water in the kettle, such as the lid, the water level window, and the maximum water level mark. Actually they are relatively safe, but in terms of heat, sometimes the body part may get quite hot (although some customers claim it is just slightly warm) and heavy when contained boiling water. Therefore if you have toddlers in your home, make sure you dont put this kettle anywhere near their reach. Since it is made of stainless steel, we can be sure that this kettle is strong enough to hold boiled water, unlike plastic which could possibly melt by overheating.
Considering the parts of kettles you will want:
* A nice shape and size of spout to allow easy pouring and refilling, and to release the steam as the water boiled.
* A nice side handle and free from heat also to allow easy pouring
* A wide lid for easy refilling and cleaning. Your hand should be able to touch the inside part to clean it easily.
* Water level indicator so you can see whether you need to refill your kettle or not.
Watch this is video to see how to choose electric kettle==>>