Alternative to kettle for solar panels 2 December 2021 at 5:52PM in Green & ethical MoneySaving 22 replies 508 views

2nd_time_buyer

I have been considering one of these as an alternative to a kettle.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B017WIFFQ6/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_J9PZRAD75K51HSCSH7AM

It is 600w when heating water from cold which would generally be met from the output from the solar panels, if it was filled during the day.

Once up to temperature the consumption goes down to as low as 2w (although one of the reviewers measured an average of 45w).

Having hot water ready for a cuppa on the morning is another big bonus.

Any thoughts?

Meatballs

Can you wire it up to a solar iboost? 🤣

Magnitio

In their advert, Addis say "20 pence per kWh every boil" and "13 pence per kWh first boil only". They also claim "35% energy saving cost". No basis given for these claims and they don't appear to make any sense.

2nd_time_buyer

Yes, more of a poor man's iboost

Exiled_Tyke

My 900w travel kettle cost me about a tenner and holds enough to make a pot of tea.  I can't see this device ever paying for itself. 

2nd_time_buyer

Yes Magnito, I found those claims confusing.

Reading through the reviews, one person measured the energy consumption and found it be equivalent to 5 kettle boils over 24 hours.

Even if that is the same as currently. The difference is that the vast majority should be generated from solar rather than imported.

QrizB

2nd_time_buyer said:

I have been considering one of these as an alternative to a kettle.
...
Any thoughts?

If you want a fancy kitchen gadget for £75, go for it.

If you just want to save money on electricity, something like this for £15 is probably a better bet
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/390772002428

Or if you don't mind something a bit more hands on, one of these (I have one, it does what it says):
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/392994277008

2nd_time_buyer

Maybe the travel kettle is the answer - thanks. My experience has been that the boil times are quite slow but that is not a show stopper.

Exiled_Tyke

Magnitio said:

In their advert, Addis say "20 pence per kWh every boil" and "13 pence per kWh first boil only". They also claim "35% energy saving cost". No basis given for these claims and they don't appear to make any sense.

The advert suggests a standard kettle uses leccy at 20p per kWh - which is fair enough.  the 13p figure is, agreed, nonsense. The 35% cost saving I suspect is claimed because it is insulated so less waste - but as you say no basis is given.  So it still seems like a waste of money to me. And then there's all the complaints about the build quality....

Exiled_Tyke

2nd_time_buyer said:

Maybe the travel kettle is the answer - thanks. My experience has been that the boil times are quite slow but that is not a show stopper.

I have also found it make me better disciplined at only boiling the amount of water I need.  Mine takes 6mins to boil a litre. Usually not a problem but if it ever is I get the 'big one' out. 

2nd_time_buyer

... I reckon boiling the kettle accounts for more than £70 per year of our consumption (we boil the kettle upwards of 10 times a day). So there are decent savings to be made.