Old Style Kettles (whistling hob ones)

Badgergal

I've got my eye on a lovely blue retro looking kettle that goes on the hob...I just love they way it looks so I'm looking for excuses...!

My current electric kettle is rather grubby and also takes up space on the counter and an electrical socket, both of which are in short supply in my ickle kitchen. A hob kettle would live on the hob with no wires or plugs etc - joy!

But do these hob kettles take much longer to boil/any more power/cost any more? I have a gas hob - how quickly would a kettle boil on one of these?

Apologies if this should have been on another board, but I thought Old Stylers were the most likely to know! Thanks

henhog

I love these too, but just like the convenience of my electric kettle (I've got an Eco Kettle!)

I would say that kettles you put on the hob would take longer to boil, they would be cheaper on fuel and they might be more expensive to buy (because you can buy really cheap electric kettles) especially if you want a nice retro one.

BTW - They sometimes discuss things like this in the In My Home section of the site.

HTH,
HH

P.S - To justify buying one, do what my little boy does - he never wants anything - he NEEDS it!!

sarah0404

Apparently boiling an electric kettle is one of the most wasteful household appliances.

I'm not sure how quickly the gas ones come to the boil. If you've only got one or two cups worth of water in them it shouldn't take too long.

My mum and dad used one in their caravan. I don't remember it taking ages to boil.

I think they look really nice. Love the whistle when they're ready! But I won't be buying one. I never drink tea or coffee so it would be a bit of a waste of money for me.

garret1

I have a whistling kettle on my wish list too. It is definitely cheaper to run and more environmentally friendly. If you make sure you only fill it with the water you need it shouldn't take too long. I fancy an enamel one but they are just too pricey. If you are set on enamel try ebay as they can be quite cheap. The steel ones look quite smart too and ikea have one at £3.99

B

Bogof_Babe

My parents have always used one - they half fill it and it seems to boil on the gas hob really quickly.

The only thing to bear in mind is that you kind of get used to the convenience of knowing the leccie one will turn itself off when it's boiled, so if you get sidetracked or the phone rings or something then you can't ignore the whistler like you can with the modern ones.

Debt_Free_Chick

hhmmmmm..... trying to remember my school physics here but, surely, it takes the same amount of energy to raise the same amount of water to the same temperature?

garret1

Debt_Free_Chick wrote:

hhmmmmm..... trying to remember my school physics here but, surely, it takes the same amount of energy to raise the same amount of water to the same temperature?

:think:Yeah but leccy is more expensive than gas

Spendless

I remember these type of kettles from my childhood and the days before they used to whistle;) .

As someone has said they will continue to whistle and turn the water in the kettle into steam until someone removes it from the heat. If you have been caught answering the door/phone, gone to toilet, gone to get washing in cos it's raining annd the kettle boils, it will whistle a high-pitched noise, and you may walk in to find a room full of steam and not as much water as you originally put in there, cos it's now in steam form in your kitchen. It could even boil dry depending on how much water you put in and how long you leave it when it whistles.
As to how costs compare, I've no idea. My memory is that the gas kettles always took far longer to get to boiling point than electric kettles do.

Gers

I've got both - a lovely big black whistling kettle which I use day-to-day. There's no real difference in speed, depending on the water put it, and certainly it's cheaper by gas. I heard that it takes the same amount of electricity to boil a kettle as to light an average room all evening! :eek: :eek:

I LIKE the idea of the whistle bringing me back to the kettle cos so often I'd put on the electric kettle and get sidetracked and end up not having a drink for hours and hours! The whistle forces me to deal with the kettle and so get my drink.

Go for it!!

juno

My dad often puts ours on to boil, but doesn't "flip" the whistling bit down. Or he'll light the gas that isn't under the kettle!

Our gas kettle leaks anyway. But it only leaks when it's just boiled.

savingpennies

I['ve been wondering about this - got our electric bill recently :eek: . I've often put the electric kettle on and then forgotten it and then when I have remembered boiled the water again. The whistle at least would serve as a reminder.