A quick and convenient appliance to boil water. An electric kettle shuts off once the water comes to boil. With a base that houses the power contacts so you can move the kettle about without a wire attached.

Origins of the electric kettle

An electric kettle has a self-contained heating unit for heating water and usually switches off when the water comes to a boil. A lot faster than the stove it does consume more power unless the stove is also an electric one. Developed over roughly a 60 year period it was in 1922 that Leslie Large, an engineer working at Bulpitt & Sons of Birmingham who designed an element of wire wound around a core and sheathed in a metal tube. As this element could be immersed directly into the water it made the new electric kettle much more efficient than stovetop kettles, with the current design being closest to the stainless steel K1 model produced by Russell & Hobbs in 1955. The electric kettle is a great convenience when hot water is needed fast, stoves generally take more than double the time. A quick fix for your needs whether it is for tea or for a hot water bottle.

Efficient usage and power consumption

It is inefficient to fill the kettle more than the recommended amount as it slows down the heating process and wastes energy, there has been research into electric kettle usage suggesting it is one of the most misused appliances as a lot of people admit to overfilling the kettle. In comparison to a lot of other electric appliances, it is one that spikes the electric usage the most. Combine that with it being one of the most common household appliances it shows how important it is to use correctly.

Designs and build

Available in many design variations some are short and stubby others are taller, most today rest on a small base where the electric connection is made internally. Once removed from this base the unit cannot be electrified and is thus safer for users to pour and move without an attached wire. Some are built with a transparent gauge to see how much water you are filling into the jug portion. Containing boiling water it is important to handle these with care. Produced by many brands the more common ones include Moulinex, Black & Decker, Braun, Russell & Hobbs, Westpoint, Phillips and Seimens.