To boil or not to boil, a kettle cost and running cost question.

RG2015

grumbler said:

Section62 said:

RG2015 said:

The water needs to be boiling but is it boiling before the steam starts forming? I guess I could try making the tea with water that has just started bubbling and see what is tastes like.

Water is weird stuff.

I don't see anything weird in terms of boiling/evaporation. Pretty much the same as other liquids.

Regarding steam, it's how kettles are designed. Most need big amount/flow of steam produced to trigger the OFF switch.

Indeed, not around boiling / evaporation. The weirdness of water is at 4 degrees Celsius.

Water shows an anomalous behaviour, during freezing. Water has a maximum density at 4 ° C . When the temperature changes from 4 ° C to 0 ° C , the expansion of water happens (instead of contracting) and hence, water becomes less dense.

I believe that this property is unique to the old H2O stuff.

Nelliegrace

Our £20 stainless steel stove top kettle with a whistle is going strong where several electric kettles would have reached their built in obsolescence. The gas hob is still cheaper than electricity. We boil just the amount we need. 
My parents’ kettles were made to last a lifetime, and with Welsh water they didn’t get limescale. Their wood for the kitchen range was free so there was just the fraction of the water rates for the cost of boiling a kettle of water.
I have a Kelly kettle for emergencies. It boils water quickly with just a few twigs for fuel. That might be your best option for boiling water up yon mountain. I suggest you take a vacuum flask, or it would be cold again by the time you got back down to make the tea. 

victor2

We had a stove top kettle until the OH left it boiling on the stove while chatting with a friend on the phone. It boiled dry and melted. Guess it didn't have a whistle!
Electric kettles boil water in about half the time a gas one does - the cost difference is tiny, even at today's rates.

GValue

@GDB2222 Good points on varible water tempratures for warm and quality brews 
@MACKEM99 Good point on using a flask for excess and using it for a wash-up  
@Section62 5 temprature automatic kettles (50c/70c/80c/90c/100c) are not always very expensive and would pay for themselves, if you wanted choice, flexability and wanted safety with hot-water bottles. 
Last month, I purchased one from Currys for £19.99 (now back to its £34.99 price ) and it comes with a two year warrenty too.