Is this true....????

[GeorgieQ]

I've just read that most Americans don't use/own kettles. Is this true?
If it is true, how do you make a cup of tea?

 

[elizat]

I can only speak for myself, but I don't have one.

I did have one to make hot water for iced tea. But it seemed wasteful. So now I just boil water in a pot for the iced tea.

I only have herbal tea in the winter or if I'm sick. I just microwave a cup of water.

I don't drink coffee either. The only time I drink hot tea is when it's cold, rainy and/or I'm sick.

 

[tyty333]

I've just read that most Americans don't use/own kettles. Is this true?
If it is true, how do you make a cup of tea?

Its true in my house...is this shocking news @GeorgieQ ? You'll probably be aghast at the way I make tea.
Cup, water, microwave, add tea bag, wait, remove tea bag...add creamer, enjoy!

Do you have an automatic coffee maker?

Edit...BTW, I dont really drink hot tea unless its at night and I want something to help me sleep. I drink Iced tea all day
long. I buy Arizona Green sugar-free tea so its already made.

 

[mary poppins]

My husband uses a kettle.

At home, I use the microwave. At work, the water cooler dispenses hot water.

 

[737liz]

I've just read that most Americans don't use/own kettles. Is this true?
If it is true, how do you make a cup of tea?

Haha, I can always tell if a hotwl review is by a Brit if they mention the absence or quality of a kettle. My partner is a Brit and he was aghast that I had an ice cream maker, several juicers, a slow cooker, blender, food processor, two coffee machines, etc but NO KETTLE! I used to use a pot on the stove.

 

[chrono]

I boil water in a pot. When I was growing up, I did have a kettle that we used to boil our daily hot water that is stored in 2 large dispenser type thermos.

 

[GeorgieQ]

@tyty333 I don't have a coffee maker, though most people I know do (I don't drink coffee) but I think that probably just about every household in Australia has a kettle. Huh, there you go hey, just a cultural difference I guess!

 

[Mamaofmany]

@tyty333 I don't have a coffee maker, though most people I know do (I don't drink coffee) but I think that probably just about every household in Australia has a kettle. Huh, there you go hey, just a cultural difference I guess!

Curiosity, what's the best kettle?

 

[ItsMainelyYou]

I have a kettle and I use it everyday along with my French press. I also have a microwave and Keurig that also makes hot water on demand.
I will mostly use the micro though if I decide on tea because I don't drink much of it.

 

[GeorgieQ]

Well now @Mamaofmany that's possibly a contentious issue in many households! I have to say I'm not fussy, so long as it boils enough water for a few cups of tea then I don't mind!

 

[seaurchin]

Yes GeorgieQ, I'm afraid it's true lol.

I've had a couple of kettles through the years but ended up getting rid of them because I never used them. My usual hot drink is coffee and I use my (electric) coffee maker daily for that. I rarely drink hot tea and if I do, I just microwave a cup of water for it. I do drink a fair amount of iced tea, which I hear is considered an abomination in the UK lol but I live in the south where it's hot and basically consider iced tea a healthier/cheaper/more earth friendly substitute for cola, since it does have some caffeine. I make sun tea though, so no kettle there either.

 

[bludiva]

we have an electric kettle b/c my husband drinks tea regularly and is picky about the quality but before that it was an occasional thing for me and even though i had a stovetop kettle i would more often boil water in a pot or use the microwave

 

[Mamaofmany]

Well now @Mamaofmany that's possibly a contentious issue in many households! I have to say I'm not fussy, so long as it boils enough water for a few cups of tea then I don't mind!

Lol! I ask because I got a cute Pioneer woman one and it's already flaking enamel. We're in the process of moving and my brand new induction/convection/air fry oven isn't hopping on the moving van . New house is gas so I'm thinking of a new kettle that can handle the heat... It'll be used daily for oats/grits and often tea. Ideas?

 

[GeorgieQ]

@seaurchin I think Aussies, like the Poms, are a nation of tea drinkers and that's probably where the difference is. If you don't drink tea then I guess you don't need a kettle. Which is fair enough.

 

[VRBeauty]

We have an electric kettle and a proper tea pot, both of which are used to make tea more days than not. It’s a Cuisinart perfect temp cordless kettle. It seemed like a bit of an extravagance when my sweetie bought it, but now I love the convenience. (When we were first dating I expressed my - uhm, was it dismay, or contempt? I don’t recall - that he was using a saucepan or the microwave to prepare water for tea. I suggested a stovetop kettle, he countered with a fancy electric kettle, and we haven’t looked back!)

As for coffee, though... we gave up our French Press in favor of the stovetop percolator we used to use only when camping!

 

[GeorgieQ]

@Mamaofmany that's so annoying that the enamel is flaking off! I use an electric kettle rather than a stove top, plus I dare say our brands are possibly different here than in the States, so I'm probably not much help, sorry

As an aside, what are grits?

 

[Mamaofmany]

@Mamaofmany that's so annoying that the enamel is flaking off! I use an electric kettle rather than a stove top, plus I dare say our brands are possibly different here than in the States, so I'm probably not much help, sorry

As an aside, what are grits?

I knew the grits would be mentioned!! I'm from the south and they're ground corn oddly enough. Down south we put butter and salt in them with cheese at times but up north they put sugar in them. Super american food I guess. I'm in Colorado now and natives are clueless about grits.
That said, I'll look into an electric kettle! My coffee maker is a Moccamaster and I cannot recommend them enough!! Add a burr grinder and it's the best dang coffee ever.

 

[tyty333]

Grits with butter, or cheese grits...yum! They are made from cornmeal. Similar to polenta and other ground corn-based dishes.

 

[GeorgieQ]

Grits sound quite delicious!

 

[Mamaofmany]

They really are! We make shrimp and grits often as a dinner meal. Just make sure you clean up after them quickly!! We joke they're Gods mortar....

 

[YadaYadaYada]

I don’t drink tea much but up until a week ago we had a Keurig. You could just touch a button and instantly 8oz of hot water would appear! Well we had that machine for a while and it was time to send it on to appliance heaven.

Needless to say no kettle here.

 

[Diamond Girl 21]

I always use a kettle for tea, just like my mom and grandmom.❤

 

[lissyflo]

I've just read that most Americans don't use/own kettles. Is this true?
If it is true, how do you make a cup of tea?

There must be comments on social media about kettles at the moment - my son told me this last week and I didn’t believe him! I googled when he told me and it’s apparently voltage driven as much as cultural. U.K. voltage is 220V which makes electric kettles time efficient, but the US is much lower and means kettles take much longer to boil. I guess Australia is a higher voltage like us in the U.K.?

I use the kettle more times in a day than I care to think about - cafetière for coffee at lunch (morning is nespresso machine and frothed milk so no kettle needed), for fruit teas in between caffeine and for reasons I’m not sure about I always boil a kettle of water to pour into a saucepan to cook veg (rather than boiling it in the pan), maybe it’s quicker?

 

[ringbling17]

I use an electric kettle for tea. But we usually drink coffee here.

 

[MrsBlue]

I own an electric kettle only because I received it as a gift. Best thing ever.

 

[Spring Day]

I live in the US but I use a kettle for most of my hot water needs. Using a microwave to boil water is an abomination! How do you guys live with yourselves?

I feel like microwaved water has a weird taste to it. But then again, I’m very sensitive to the taste of water. I know some people aren’t. Plus, the mug gets too hot! At least we’re not talking about drinking refreshments in designated cups. I have a pet peeve where when eating or drinking, every food or beverage has its assigned place. My cousin on the other hand, loves to drink cold water out of mugs and it drives me insane. She will be holding a mug and I’ll assume she’s drinking tea or coffee. NOPE. Ice water. Just kill me. Lol.

 

[missy]

We have a tea kettle and use it often.
I use it not just for tea but also to make my stinging nettle tea leaf infusions.
I love my tea kettle.

 

[missy]

I have a pet peeve where when eating or drinking, every food or beverage has its assigned place.

Haha same here. It's just not right drinking a cold beverage from a hot mug.

 

[lovedogs]

I have an electric kettle and use it all the time.

 

[missy]

I have an electric kettle and use it all the time.

We have one too. I used to use an electric kettle at school and work for my tea and other hot water needs.