Electric Kettle

Anyone use one? I make french press coffee every morning and currently use a built-in instant hot faucet. We’re about to undertake a 2 month kitchen remodel and will not keep the instant hot in the new kitchen (too unreliable - replaced twice in 10 years and plumber says avg lifespan is just about 5 years).

I don’t relish the idea of boiling water on the outdoor grill or a camp stove to make my coffee so I’m looking at electric kettles. I’m torn between a $20 Amazon Basics that would be replaced by a stove-top kettle post-reno, and something that I might continue to use. The better ones are not all that expensive - $50 - $100 - but I see no reason to spend the cost of a few bottle of Muscadet on a closet ornament.

What says the hive? Do you use one? Any brands/models/types to buy or avoid? ATK likes glass for ease of sight and favoerd Breville and Capresso.

Fellow Coffee

I bought my wife the Corvo EKG for her birthday and she likes it. She does pour-over every morning, usually two cups.

Wow, that’s cool looking (but pricey!) - the app control/bluetooth connectivity is a nice feature. Was planning on buying a Bonavita, which is less than half the price. This one looks like a pretty sick deal, too - https://www.amazon.com/Coffee-Kettle-Thermometer-Exact-Temperature/dp/B071FP42CJ/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1547570643&sr=8-2-spons&keywords=pourover+kettle&psc=1

I have a Hamilton-Beach in the office that was probably the cheapest I coudl find at Target 5+ years ago. It heats water and that is about all I can say about it. The French Press that I make in the office is inferior to what I make at home using the stove top kettle solely because the water temp. It just doesn’t get hot enough. We have anohter electric kettle at home that the wife bought that I used during our kitchen reno and it was way better and made way better coffee. I don’t konw the cost or the model but can check the model tonight if interested.

That being said, if you are only going to use this for a couple of months, I think you can survive with the cheap model and slightly inferiior coffee. Its still better than starbucks.

I have a Bodum with variable temperature control and is double walled that I love. I also have the matching burr mill, which helps with French press or really anything. For pour overs, the ideal temp is, 199-201 so it’s great to be able to set it to that instead of the boiling temp. Also I use lower temps for tea.

Thanks all. This is actually one of my questions for those that use one - might I be better off continuing to use it even when reno is done and I could use a kettle on the stove? Sounds like exact temp might be one argument for doing so.

My electric kettle boils water in probably 1/3 of the time as the stovetop kettles I used for years. Also there are times, albeit not often, that burner space is an issue and I need to boil water, so this is handy on those occasions.

I have always leaned to separate electric kettle. Whilst I’d usually have a spare (gas) burner free it just seems more convenient especially as the free burner is likely not one if the two high power burners if I need hot water when cooking.

If it’s only for two months go cheapest. But for longer term consider getting one with temp control and ‘keep hot’ options. I find those useful. I have kitchen aid (chosen for features and also color to match coffee maker) which is quite good but perhaps a tad slow to heat up. That doesn’t bother me but might bother some.

Paul that’s a really lovely kettle. I might have to buy one of those. I make a pour over or two each day, but more importantly, the kettle is on the counter all the time and that looks so nice.

Does it boil quickly?

We stayed at my brother’s house on the cape last summer and they had a Cuisinart CPK-17. My wife loved it so much I bought her one as soon as we got home. She’s still loving it.

I’m on my second Cuisinart. They seem to last as long as we own a house. Got a new one 20 years ago and we have one in each kitchen. The first one failed when a house sitter mistakenly tried using it on the gas cook top. It actually worked, but looked a bit ratty. [snort.gif]

Yes, faster than the electric stove … and with a much smaller footprint

We have this one: Cuisinart CPK-17

Replaced an older one that did not have temperature options. Temp options are great. $63 on Black Friday.

Never occurred to me to go down the rabbit hole of the fancy suggestions above…guess I saved some money as the above suggestions are certainly better looking.

Pro tip - don’t try to heat it on a gas stove!

Thanks all for all the help but mostly to DSgriwold for the image of the stoned house sitter trying to figure out where the smell of burning plastic is coming from.

lightning fast, holds at whatever temp you want, and really as you said, there’s value in that it’s on the counter all the time and looks good.

I have a Fino stovetop kettle. Used it for almost five years with no issues. Use it for French Press, V60 and Chemex plus oatmeal or whatever cooking needs hot water. Bought it on Amazon. Cheaper option to the Hario brand carried at many coffee shops. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000EVPGTU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_r2MxCbYPEXFGB

I’ve toyed around with the idea of an electric kettle but the hog of counter space hasn’t been worth it. Wire cutter has a good write up on them.

I have had a Bonavita for over a year now. Very happy with it. Surprisingly fast. $90 on Amazon.

https://bonavitaworld.com/products/17l-variable-temperature-kettle

George

This is what we have, lightly used for tea. Interior is still pristine, but the water is filtered through a zerowater filter. The CPK-17 was also lightly used but with unfiltered water and it met an untimely demise.
I started using zerowater after I killed a Behmor brewer. The tap water is like 200 ppm, big problem with a Behmor. Brita does zilch for solids.

Our tap water is pretty bad so water for coffee, tea etc comes out of a 5 liter bottle. Kettle looks brand new.

George

My cheap Hamilton Beach does a fine job every single morning with our Chemex pour over. Of note: I have not done a comparative blind tasting with boiled water and water that has been warmed to, but not past, that 199 - 201 range.