The kettle debate

Astria

One thing that people always miss when using the kettle is never wait for the kettle to "auto off", as soon as you hear it start boiler switch it off! It can take anything upto 5 seconds for the kettle to "notice" it's boiling, and this is wasted energy and water just turning to steam. Don't bother with flasks, just boil what you need when you need it.

Also, if making coffee it tastes better if it isn't boiling water, so turn it off before it starts boiling.

Benny2020

Flask is for when you have instant free power from solar panels.

Section62

maxmycardagain said:

"Only boil what you need(1 cup/2 cups) of water as needed...."

But what if...........say our kettle could hold 10 cups of water, boiled from cold at 8am, 2 cups filled then a cosy keeps the remaining 8 cups warm for 2hrs then boil (from warm) at 12 -which would be quicker from cold, at 2pm boil the 6 cups of warm water (fast), ditto at 5pm (4 cups) 8pm (2 cups)

Would need a proper road test...lol

Forget the kettle. (sell it online to raise some cash)

Put the cold water in a jug/cup and microwave it.  (take care when removing from the microwave as the water will be hot).

Experiment to find the exact number of seconds required to get a cupfull to the precise temperature required.

Trim a second or so off the time in the Summer to allow for warmer ambient temperature.

(No, I don't do this myself)

Benny2020

Boiling water will be hot?

Rodders53

Section62 said:

Forget the kettle. (sell it online to raise some cash)

Put the cold water in a jug/cup and microwave it.  (take care when removing from the microwave as the water will be hot).

Experiment to find the exact number of seconds required to get a cupfull to the precise temperature required.

Trim a second or so off the time in the Summer to allow for warmer ambient temperature.

(No, I don't do this myself)

Pretty sure microwaves aren't 100% efficient at transferring electrical input energy into the heated object. My 800 W output microwave consumes 1200 Watts when heating at full power.  (Magnetron cooling fan and turntable motor use a bit of that but most will be losses within the device producing the radio waves).

I use it heat up a mug of cold milk to make an instant milky coffee - to save dirtying a saucepan.  ! minute 40 seconds to 2 minutes worth is optimum for that usually.

Ye cannae change the laws of Physics, Jim

Ultrasonic

Section62 said:

maxmycardagain said:

"Only boil what you need(1 cup/2 cups) of water as needed...."

But what if...........say our kettle could hold 10 cups of water, boiled from cold at 8am, 2 cups filled then a cosy keeps the remaining 8 cups warm for 2hrs then boil (from warm) at 12 -which would be quicker from cold, at 2pm boil the 6 cups of warm water (fast), ditto at 5pm (4 cups) 8pm (2 cups)

Would need a proper road test...lol

Forget the kettle. (sell it online to raise some cash)

Put the cold water in a jug/cup and microwave it.  (take care when removing from the microwave as the water will be hot).

Experiment to find the exact number of seconds required to get a cupfull to the precise temperature required.

Trim a second or so off the time in the Summer to allow for warmer ambient temperature.

(No, I don't do this myself)

No, a kettle is better because microwaves are only around 50% efficient in turning electrical energy into microwave energy. By contrast kettles are about 100% efficient in turning electrical energy into heat.

wild666

maxmycardagain said:

"Only boil what you need(1 cup/2 cups) of water as needed...."

But what if...........say our kettle could hold 10 cups of water, boiled from cold at 8am, 2 cups filled then a cosy keeps the remaining 8 cups warm for 2hrs then boil (from warm) at 12 -which would be quicker from cold, at 2pm boil the 6 cups of warm water (fast), ditto at 5pm (4 cups) 8pm (2 cups)

Would need a proper road test...lol

I boil 1.3 litres on a morning and fill a flask then put in a couple of teabags that does me for most of the day.

Mstty

So the initial question posed no that's not efficient. Boil what you need each time.

However our delonghi bean to cup coffee machine must be fairly efficient only heats what is needed for the cup size you select?

Ultrasonic

Mstty said:

So the initial question posed no that's not efficient. Boil what you need each time.

However our delonghi bean to cup coffee machine must be fairly efficient only heats what is needed for the cup size you select?

I think so on the water front yes, although the I suppose the grinder and water pump will mean it uses more energy than some other options I suppose. I'll not be swapping from my own Delonghi bean to cup machine to potentially save this electricity though! 

Section62

Ultrasonic said:

Section62 said:

maxmycardagain said:

"Only boil what you need(1 cup/2 cups) of water as needed...."

But what if...........say our kettle could hold 10 cups of water, boiled from cold at 8am, 2 cups filled then a cosy keeps the remaining 8 cups warm for 2hrs then boil (from warm) at 12 -which would be quicker from cold, at 2pm boil the 6 cups of warm water (fast), ditto at 5pm (4 cups) 8pm (2 cups)

Would need a proper road test...lol

Forget the kettle. (sell it online to raise some cash)

Put the cold water in a jug/cup and microwave it.  (take care when removing from the microwave as the water will be hot).

Experiment to find the exact number of seconds required to get a cupfull to the precise temperature required.

Trim a second or so off the time in the Summer to allow for warmer ambient temperature.

(No, I don't do this myself)

No, a kettle is better because microwaves are only around 50% efficient in turning electrical energy into microwave energy. By contrast kettles are about 100% efficient in turning electrical energy into heat.

I wasn't being entirely serious... but if we are, then I'd point out my kettle is less than 50% efficient when making my morning cup of tea.  I suspect the same applies to many other people.  (I still use it rather than using the microwave though)