How do you boil water for tea or coffee?

[GoneOffShore]

Since the 1970's I have used an electric kettle.

Fast, efficient and easy.

What do you use?

12 votes, 3 passes | Time left: Unlimited
	Electric kettle
	5 (42%)
	Stovetop kettle
	3 (25%)
	Microwave
	4 (33%)
	Old tin can on an open fire
	0 (0%)
	I never boil water for coffee or tea because I don't make it at home.
	0 (0%)
	3 DU members did not wish to select any of the options provided.
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[hlthe2b]

1. I so rarely use the stove top for anything...

Not sure I really need one...

But, especially tea, new electric kettles have all the different temperature settings--can't imagine doing it any other way.

[GoneOffShore]

2. Haven't seen any of those. Interesting.

Mine has two setting - on and off.

And it switches off once the water boils.

[hlthe2b]

3. Yup.. mine's the cuisinart model, but there are others...

If you are into green, white and oolong loose teas--all which are best brewed at their own temperature range, it makes a big difference.

My sister used to say she HATED green teas--until she had me make her some. She'd been "cooking" the leaves with boiling temps. BITTER...

[GoneOffShore]

5. Thank you. I'm going to investigate that kettle.

We had a Bodum electric kettle based on the Osiris stovetop design they sold at the MOMA shop but a houseguest put it on the gas stove and melted the bottom.

Loved that kettle.

[hlthe2b]

6. Bed Bath & Beyond has at least a couple models... n/t

[marzipanni]

21. If you look at Bed, Bath, and Beyond's website

or shop there, and they have your email address, you'll get a 20%-off-one-item coupon each month or so. Comes in handy once in a while.
I'm not sure if you told about the demise of your Bodum kettle on DU, or I read of a similar incident, but I remember thinking, "Oh, no!"

[Art_from_Ark]

13. I also used to boil green tea

and then wonder why it never came out well. Then, someone here in Japan told me that the best temperature range for it was 65-85 degrees Centigrade (150-190 F). My electric kettle does not have a temperature setting, but it does show the temperature of the water. So I had to wait until the water started boiling, then add enough cold water to bring the temperature down to the right range, and sure enough, the green tea actually started tasting like green tea.

[orleans]

4. microwave for tea; coffee maker for coffee

although i still have an old whistling tea kettle.

[noamnety]

7. gas stove

Since we use gas to heat the house anyway, it's basically free.

[pokerfan]

25. where in the world is natural gas basically free?

[noamnety]

30. Maybe I wasn't clear.

If you are already using it to heat your house, it's no extra cost to run part of it through the oven instead of the furnace; it all heats the house in the end.

Running an electrical heating unit in addition to the gas that's heating up the house is less efficient. (This according to my electrical engineer husband.)

It's the same basic theory as running the heat vents in your car in winter. The gas isn't free, no. But once you are running the car, there's no extra cost in using the engine heat to heat the inside of the car.

[Vashta Nerada]

8. Boil water? Who does that?

I use this for tea: http://www.teavana.com/tea-products/tea-appliances/p/breville-one-touch-tea-maker

[GoneOffShore]

9. Too many things to go wrong with that.

Kind of like a multi disc CD player.

Or similar.

[Vashta Nerada]

12. I've never had anything go wrong with it.

[Major Nikon]

44. Everything I've owned made by Breville has been good shit

[LadyHawkAZ]

10. Keurig and Keurig, these days

If I make a full pot of tea (which is rare these days) I heat the water on the stovetop.

[dawg]

11. Firebending.

[Rhythm]

14. Other: A saucepan on the stovetop

I do this is to make iced tea. I have a certain pot that, when filled to the bottom of the handle-rivits, makes a perfect gallon of tea when it's poured into the jug and diluted.

yes, i'm anal-retentive...
But this is ICED TEA, and nothing less than perfection will do.

[marzipanni]

22. #2 Other: A saucepan on the stovetop

One saucepan holds just the right amount to fill a 30 ounce stainless steel thermos, using a cone and paper filter for the coffee.
I let water go through the filter in the cone first, so it sticks to the sides and doesn't flop down when I'm pouring the hot water over the ground coffee.

[btrflykng9]

15. Stove Top Kettle

Typically, I just use the old fashioned method of the stove top kettle for all my teas (white, oolong, rooibos, green, black, mate, etc.). I had no idea that different teas were brewed best at different temperatures so I may change my method and purchase an electric kettle with temperature settings.

Is there a preferred brand by those on this thread?

[GoneOffShore]

20. We've had four different brands:

Russell Hobbs bought in 1989 - still works, mostly, so it lives in the closet. Replaced the element once and the cord twice. Semi retired in 2008. If the thermostat/auto cutoff wasn't so touchy we'd still be using it.
Hamilton Beach plastic kettle. Lasted about 6 years but only really used it for making tea in the morning in our home office. Meh.
Bodum Ottoni - we've had two of these. Loved them both. Boiled water super fast, high capacity. Dead now because house guests put them on the gas stove. Can't find replacements anywhere as Bodum has stopped making them.
Chefs Choice - got this when the second Ottoni went up in smoke. Meh.

[btrflykng9]

39. Thanks GoneOffShore

I will see if any of these are available at Bed Bath & Beyond.

[hobbit709]

16. coffee in my Mr. Coffee. Tea-I just nuke the water to get it hot.

[hrmjustin]

17. I don't drink coffee or tea.

[Neoma]

18. Our eletric kettle died. :(

[Earth_First]

19. Stovetop kettle > french press > enjoy!

My wife is still a traditional Mr. Coffee holdout, however I'm working on here to get that hideous appliance off the countertop!

[hedgehog]

23. I'd swear my black tea tastes better with boiling water from a kettle

than it does when I boil water in the microwave.

[pokerfan]

24. Science!

The clear winner is the electric kettle, at 81% efficient, followed by the microwave, at 47% efficient, with the stove being the Hummer H2 of the bunch at 30.5% efficient. Assuming that you currently use the stove to boil water, switching to an electric kettle for your morning tea will reduce your daily electricity use from 0.11 kWh to 0.04 kWh. Over the course of a year this daily 0.07 kWh savings adds up to 25.5 kWh. Depending on where you live, you could potentially save between $2.50 and $5.00 per year. Of course most of us boil more water than just for making tea. If you extrapolate these savings out to every time you make soup, pasta, home-brew or boil a lobster it can add up.
http://www.treehugger.com/clean-technology/ask-pablo-electric-kettle-stove-or-microwave-oven.html

[yortsed snacilbuper]

26. Armored Tea Making Facility

Every British tank manufactured since the 1945 Centurion, and most armoured fighting vehicles (AFV), have a boiling vessel (BV) also called kettle or bivvie. It could provide boiling water for beverages, washing or other purposes and, at the same time, heat up tinned or decanted food for the crew. It’s a square,watertight container which holds a gallon of water. It has heating elements and a tap.

British really do take their tea time seriously!

The boiling vessel or BV is required on all armoured vehicles of the British Armed Forces.

[Major Nikon]

27. I use an electric kettle, but I don't boil the water

I stop the kettle prior to the boiling point for both coffee and tea. Boiling removes aeration from the water which aids in extraction. The sweet spot for coffee is between 195-205F and for tea it's somewhat lower depending on what type of tea you are making.

I use my electric kettle at least once per day and often several times per day for things other than coffee and tea. My current one is a Breville which has lasted longer than any I've had previously. When it gives up I'm going to get this one which allows you to set a predefined shutoff temperature:

http://www.sweetmarias.com/sweetmarias/miscellaneous/kettles/bonavita-electric-pour-over-kettle.html

[raven mad]

28. I was gifted a lovely electric kettle, a stainless steel Cuisinart.

In our cabin, to cook on the stove, you must go outside, turn on the propane, boil the water, fix your tea or coffee or cocoa, go back outside, turn off the propane............. easy enough at 50 above, but kind of tough at 35 or 40 below zero!

Speaking of which, I got a great new mug from my sweetie for our anniversary. This isn't me, but it IS the mug!

[GoneOffShore]

35. Wonderful cup - where did you get it?

I want one. Maybe several to give to friends.

[raven mad]

37. I have no idea - I think a friend of his posted on FaceBook

and it went from there! I imagine any local ceramics shop could make one, though! In the meantime, I'll try to find out and will let you know what I find!

[raven mad]

38. Hah! Talked him into it!!! Get your mug here:

http://lostdoge.com/have-a-nice-day-flick-off-funny-troll-mug.html

[GoneOffShore]

46. Thank you so much!

I know three people, at least, that could use one of these.

[grasswire]

29. saucepan

That way you can see when the water is just about to boil. That's when you pour the water over your grounds, in either a drip cone or french press. Just before it boils.

Always start with COLD, FRESH water from the tap. Run the water for a minute to make sure it isn't stale in the pipe. Water that has been sitting in the pipe has a different mineral content than fresh running water.

[sir pball]

42. I saw a really fancy electric kettle a while ago

That had a thermostat with all the settings from white tea (lowest) to coffee (highest). It was kind of epically cool and I would have bought it were it not over $100.

[LiberalEsto]

31. Most electric kettles contain plastic parts

I avoid using plastic in connection with heat and food or drink.

You never know what kind of stuff is leaching out of the plastic.

We use a metal kettle on a gas stove and try not to overfill because it wastes energy.

[GoneOffShore]

33. I've given up worrying about the plastic stuff.

When I was growing up I used to play with lead fishing sinkers, use mineral spirits and turpentine to clean brushes and used an asbestos patching compound. Oh yes, and painted with oil based paint, real shellac and lacquer and varnish.
That along with the Testor's airplane glue and a chemistry set.
Plus I used to smoke. And drove a car that required leaded gasoline.

I doubt that the plastic is going to kill me now.

[Major Nikon]

45. Can't be worse than licking frogs

My plane still takes leaded fuel and I still smoke Prince Albert from the right handed can.

[GoneOffShore]

47. Never tried licking frogs.

Sounds, I don't know,

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Kinky.

[Major Nikon]

48. Never tried it either

Although I can't really say for sure that I've never been in a state where I wasn't stupid enough to do it, but the opportunity just never presented itself at the right time.

http://www.erowid.org/animals/toads/toads.shtml

[NightWatcher]

32. Other: Telekinesis

Sure it takes a long time for it to boil....


Actually use a glass measuring cup in the microwave for my 16oz pour over coffee funnel full of two scoops of Cafe Bustelo.

[GoneOffShore]

34. I tried the telekinesis route when they shut off the power one time.

The water got lukewarm but only in the summer.

[handmade34]

36. ...

[Kali]

40. I usually make sun-tea, and usually have drip coffee.

otherwise for actual hot tea, a kettle (though we are lazy and have been known to nuke a cup of ice tea, please don't shoot me )

[sir pball]

41. Heat it to 100C nt

[Xyzse]

43. I have a water dispenser

It does both hot and cold. So, I never have to use such a thing.