- http://www.amazon.com/Chefs-Choice-Cord ... roduct_top This one looks nice, but it has some very bad reviews for a particular defect that makes it leak.
- http://www.amazon.com/Chefs-Choice-677- ... roduct_top This appears to have the same problem. Looks nice though.
- http://www.amazon.com/Breville-SK500XL- ... roduct_top This one looks very good and I'm leaning toward this one at the moment, but it still does have a few horror story reviews.
- http://www.adagio.com/teaware/utiliTEA_ ... 2748f7a929 Of course, I have to mention adagio's utiliTEA. This is perfect except the volume is just a little too low. If I could have this with about twice the capacity, it would be perfect.
Electric Kettle Advice Needed
My old electric kettle finally wore out after over a decade, and I need a new one. I'm looking for one that ideally is stainless steel, as it would fit in best with the decor in my kitchen. I also would like a temperature control on it, as I make a lot of green tea. My price range is $50 - $100. Also, I'd like a capacity of >= 1.5L. Here's what I've been looking at so far:
Re: Electric Kettle Advice Needed
Hey have you thought about getting a hot water dispenser?
For someone that likes greens it turns out especially useful since you can keep it set at the lower temps like 170-180. If your not worried too much about electricity you can leave it on all day and save time by not having to heat up water each tea session.
These 2 are pretty good and fit your price range.
Panasonic NC-EH22PC 2-2/7-Quart Electric Thermo Pot $64.98
Zojirushi CW-PZC30 Micom 3.0-Liter Electric Air Pot $79.44 (amazon.com)
I had a Zojirushi before and it worked very well. I assume both would be high quality though. I personally wouldn't go for the china brands masking themselves as japanese (Tayama) because they have not been thoroughly reviewed yet.
Hope this helps, sorry I haven't tried any of those kettles you mentioned above.
For someone that likes greens it turns out especially useful since you can keep it set at the lower temps like 170-180. If your not worried too much about electricity you can leave it on all day and save time by not having to heat up water each tea session.
These 2 are pretty good and fit your price range.
Panasonic NC-EH22PC 2-2/7-Quart Electric Thermo Pot $64.98
Zojirushi CW-PZC30 Micom 3.0-Liter Electric Air Pot $79.44 (amazon.com)
I had a Zojirushi before and it worked very well. I assume both would be high quality though. I personally wouldn't go for the china brands masking themselves as japanese (Tayama) because they have not been thoroughly reviewed yet.
Hope this helps, sorry I haven't tried any of those kettles you mentioned above.
Re: Electric Kettle Advice Needed
I reccomend my favorite the PINO Digital Kettle Pro. It is great, hasn't added any unwanted flavors to water for me in the 3 months I've had it and heavily used it. It is versatile for different teas and keeps the water at a set temperature. Its $70 on Amazon and has a capacity just on the borderline of 1.5L.
Re: Electric Kettle Advice Needed
I have the breville,
currently it only running on two "speeds"
off or boil.
So, I'm back to the thermometer.
Just checked, it's still under one year so I'll see about a replacement.
currently it only running on two "speeds"
off or boil.
So, I'm back to the thermometer.
Just checked, it's still under one year so I'll see about a replacement.
Re: Electric Kettle Advice Needed
Hi,
This week on a TV Cooking show, They compared 8 or 9 electric kettles.
They didn't like the cheap plastic ones. The cheeper ones would stay on until they boiled away all the water.
Here's the winner:
Chef's Choice Cordless Electric Glass Tea Kettle.
The base is stainless and the glass kettle lifts off for easy pouring and washing. And it would hold the water at what ever temp you set it on.
The bad news $69.95
I like my old cast iron pot. $15.00 It's supposed to ionize the water making the tea taste better. Who knows.
As long as you have enough hot water to preheat your cups & pot & the first 10sec. rinse and of course the pot of tea.
This week on a TV Cooking show, They compared 8 or 9 electric kettles.
They didn't like the cheap plastic ones. The cheeper ones would stay on until they boiled away all the water.
Here's the winner:
Chef's Choice Cordless Electric Glass Tea Kettle.
The base is stainless and the glass kettle lifts off for easy pouring and washing. And it would hold the water at what ever temp you set it on.
The bad news $69.95
I like my old cast iron pot. $15.00 It's supposed to ionize the water making the tea taste better. Who knows.
As long as you have enough hot water to preheat your cups & pot & the first 10sec. rinse and of course the pot of tea.
Last edited by nonc_ron on Aug 1st, '09, 20:41, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Electric Kettle Advice Needed
http://www.amazon.com/Braun-WK600-Impre ... 197&sr=8-3
This is by far the best kettle I've ever used. I've been using it almost daily for 5 years, and it's still in excellent shape and show no sign of damage.
It's expensive, yes, but it's durable and handy, and pours well.
This is by far the best kettle I've ever used. I've been using it almost daily for 5 years, and it's still in excellent shape and show no sign of damage.
It's expensive, yes, but it's durable and handy, and pours well.
Re: Electric Kettle Advice Needed
You talked me into ordering one.
The only good news, Free shipping.
And Friday was my once a month payday.
It's burning a hole in my pocket.
The only good news, Free shipping.
And Friday was my once a month payday.
It's burning a hole in my pocket.
Last edited by nonc_ron on Aug 1st, '09, 20:54, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Electric Kettle Advice Needed
I used the Breville with much satisfaction until I began venturing more into green tea. I got a Zoji for Christmas, and now that's all I really use at home. I take my Breville along for travel.
That Chef's Choice glass/stainless variable temp model looks really nice, though! If I didn't have a Zoji, I'd really be tempted. And it's about the same price I paid for my Breville. Very appealing IMO.
That Chef's Choice glass/stainless variable temp model looks really nice, though! If I didn't have a Zoji, I'd really be tempted. And it's about the same price I paid for my Breville. Very appealing IMO.
Re: Electric Kettle Advice Needed
I recently had to purchase a new kettle, and checked out several.
I absolutely DON'T recommend the Breville (in fact warn against it) variable temperature model - I checked it out at Williams-Sonoma, and I found two significant issues with it: 1 - there is a proposition 69 (or is it 65? can't remember) warning inside - which means there are toxic substances involved with your water - and when boiling water, ie, high temps, then you are gonna get leaching of those toxins into your water (BTW, many of these substances you cannot either smell or taste); 2 - and perhaps this is related to #1, there were, I think, two different types of plastic that would be submerged in the boiling water - both related to the water level indicator window - the window itself is plastic, and then there is a different type of plastic (or maybe silicon?) in there somewhere, I don't remember (maybe gaskets involved with the indicator window). I wonder if those plastics are the reason for the prop 69 warning sheet? At WS, the salesperson attempted to call Breville (in Australia) to get an answer to this, but after we were on hold for 30 min, we gave up.
If you check out EWG.org (environmental working group, an independent group of scientists that test for harmful substances in the products we use; a group not on the payroll either directly or indirectly with any corporate interests) it is clear that there are many, many harmful substances not flagged by the FDA, and thus allowed into the products we use (especially plastics - and if you poke around on the EWG site, you can research the potential harmfulness of different plastics - many of these kettle plastics are polypropelene - toxic/carcinogenic).
In addition I have read about a few studies where in depth pathology studies were done on cancerous tissue, and these harmful, carcinogenic substances were found in the tissues.
So, personally, I will avoid these substances leaching into my food and drink or skin. I'd hate to be the person who poo-poo's this kind of information only to wake up years later to cancer, and wondering how did this happen - or how could I have avoided this catastrophe?
I ended up with the Chef's Choice International 685 - I saw one at Sur La Table and was able to check it out physically - no plastic submerged in the boiling water (even the lid is stainless - although there is a plastic nut that holds on the external plastic lid-handle; BTW, most of the lids on kettles are plastic - so steam interacts with the plastic and then drips back down into your tea water
); also there is a 'max' fill indicator that is plastic inside, but you are not supposed to fill above it (and it comes off, but there's a hollow stainless tube that is revealed underneath - as soon as I figure how to close that adequately, I'm going to remove the plastic 'max' indicator).
I hope this doesn't come across as anything other than concerned and informative. My sweetheart is a cancer survivor, and I've learned a lot through that trial in our lives, and the extensive research we did.
Back to the kettle - we've had it for a few weeks now, and we love it.
I think it's the only one on the market without lots of plastic involved with the water.
I have to say I'm wondering about that glass Chef's Choice though - it looks like it could be good - but I'd have to be able to inspect the insides (it does look to have a plastic lid).
Oh, and also - many of these kettles have 'scale' filters - completely plastic. Both the Breville models do - and they are made of polypropelene (look for the little number in the little triangle - that identifies that type of plastic for recycling reasons - then you can look it up on EWG).
Cheers to all our lasting health!
And to pure tea!
I absolutely DON'T recommend the Breville (in fact warn against it) variable temperature model - I checked it out at Williams-Sonoma, and I found two significant issues with it: 1 - there is a proposition 69 (or is it 65? can't remember) warning inside - which means there are toxic substances involved with your water - and when boiling water, ie, high temps, then you are gonna get leaching of those toxins into your water (BTW, many of these substances you cannot either smell or taste); 2 - and perhaps this is related to #1, there were, I think, two different types of plastic that would be submerged in the boiling water - both related to the water level indicator window - the window itself is plastic, and then there is a different type of plastic (or maybe silicon?) in there somewhere, I don't remember (maybe gaskets involved with the indicator window). I wonder if those plastics are the reason for the prop 69 warning sheet? At WS, the salesperson attempted to call Breville (in Australia) to get an answer to this, but after we were on hold for 30 min, we gave up.
If you check out EWG.org (environmental working group, an independent group of scientists that test for harmful substances in the products we use; a group not on the payroll either directly or indirectly with any corporate interests) it is clear that there are many, many harmful substances not flagged by the FDA, and thus allowed into the products we use (especially plastics - and if you poke around on the EWG site, you can research the potential harmfulness of different plastics - many of these kettle plastics are polypropelene - toxic/carcinogenic).
In addition I have read about a few studies where in depth pathology studies were done on cancerous tissue, and these harmful, carcinogenic substances were found in the tissues.
So, personally, I will avoid these substances leaching into my food and drink or skin. I'd hate to be the person who poo-poo's this kind of information only to wake up years later to cancer, and wondering how did this happen - or how could I have avoided this catastrophe?
I ended up with the Chef's Choice International 685 - I saw one at Sur La Table and was able to check it out physically - no plastic submerged in the boiling water (even the lid is stainless - although there is a plastic nut that holds on the external plastic lid-handle; BTW, most of the lids on kettles are plastic - so steam interacts with the plastic and then drips back down into your tea water
); also there is a 'max' fill indicator that is plastic inside, but you are not supposed to fill above it (and it comes off, but there's a hollow stainless tube that is revealed underneath - as soon as I figure how to close that adequately, I'm going to remove the plastic 'max' indicator).I hope this doesn't come across as anything other than concerned and informative. My sweetheart is a cancer survivor, and I've learned a lot through that trial in our lives, and the extensive research we did.
Back to the kettle - we've had it for a few weeks now, and we love it.
I think it's the only one on the market without lots of plastic involved with the water.
I have to say I'm wondering about that glass Chef's Choice though - it looks like it could be good - but I'd have to be able to inspect the insides (it does look to have a plastic lid).
Oh, and also - many of these kettles have 'scale' filters - completely plastic. Both the Breville models do - and they are made of polypropelene (look for the little number in the little triangle - that identifies that type of plastic for recycling reasons - then you can look it up on EWG).
Cheers to all our lasting health!
And to pure tea!
Last edited by Seeker on Aug 7th, '09, 16:19, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Electric Kettle Advice Needed
I like that pot too, and I was thinking of getting something other than my electric kettle. Mind if I ask where you found it?nonc_ron wrote:
I like my old cast iron pot. $15.00 It's supposed to ionize the water making the tea taste better. Who knows.
As long as you have enough hot water to preheat your cups & pot & the first 10sec. rinse and of course the pot of tea.
Re: Electric Kettle Advice Needed
Are you sure about using it as kettle? I have one lodge cast iron pan, which is pre-seasoned with vegetable oil. The seasoning layer will eventually slowly disappear upon cooking involving water. Once it's completely disappear, the cast iron surface is highly susceptible to rust.
Re: Electric Kettle Advice Needed
depravitea wrote:
I like that pot too, and I was thinking of getting something other than my electric kettle. Mind if I ask where you found it?
I found it on ebay, Amazon.com also has them.
The prices were running between 9.00 & 15.00
With my luck I ended up paying top dollar.
Re: Electric Kettle Advice Needed
The Chef's Choice electric kettle came today.
Oops, got some things wrong from the TV review.
I was wrong about an adjustable thermostat (aint none)
The thermostat shuts off the kettle when the water comes to a boil.
(thats good) The TV review didn't say anything about
the stainless screen\filter behind the spout to catch anything floating in your water. It snaps out for easy cleaning or replacement.
It's still good quality and worth the 69.95 we paid for it.
Should last & last.