How to choose electric kettle

Today on the market there are electric kettles made of plastic, metal, glass, ceramics. Most often, the choice falls on a material solely for design reasons.

The eye of any housewife rejoices when the walls, curtains and kitchen furniture match in style even with such a small appliance as an electric kettle. But the material also affects many other factors. Consider each option in more detail.

Plastic

Its biggest advantage is low cost. But plastic differs from plastic. Carefully read what kind of this material is used by the manufacturer. The fact is that some kettles are made of polypropylene (it can be recognized by the PP label), and it can emit toxic substances when heated. It is better to choose another type of plastic - polycarbonate. It is strong and at the same time light, has no sharp unpleasant smell. In any case, when buying, pay attention to the mark of conformity (a circle with the image of a sharp shamrock inside). This mark indicates that the product was manufactured legally and complies with standards.

Metal, stainless steel

This material is more expensive than plastic, but will last much longer. Of all the types of metals for the production of teapots, stainless steel is most often used. In the event of a fall, the metal appliance will suffer less, the surface will not be scratched or cracked. The disadvantages include a fairly large weight, which is not always convenient, and high thermal conductivity of the surface. The metal is heated on the outside too, so the kettle is easy to burn. If you have children in the family, it is better to choose a model with metal inside and plastic outside.

Glass

Glass is much more environmentally friendly when compared to plastic, it does not rust like metal, and does not give off unpleasant odors, even in the case of strong heat. Often glass teapots are made using plastic or metal - such models are less fragile. The kettle, made of clear glass completely, and even with lighting inside, has a very beautiful and expensive look.

Ceramics

These teapots do not rust, are available with different patterns and patterns, easy to clean, and some models come with cups with the same pattern. But ceramics are as fragile as glass, and are much more expensive. But ceramic kettles maintain a high water temperature for a long time after boiling. Power and volume The higher the power, the faster the kettle heats the water. Each volume has its own optimal power rating. For travel, you need a device with a capacity of 0.5-0.7 liters - this kettle will have enough power of 1000 watts. For a small office and a family of two or three people, a 1.2-1.5 liter kettle with a capacity of 2000 watts is suitable. Anything over 2 liters must have a power of at least 2200 watts. But you should be careful when choosing such a powerful kettle, if you have an old wiring in the house or possible voltage drops.

Heating element

This is the most important part of the kettle, which directly affects the service life of the device. There are two types of elements: open and closed. The first is a spiral on the bottom or wall of the kettle that comes in contact with water. It is very important that the water always completely covers this element to avoid burning, and this will require at least half a liter of water. Such models of teapots are a cheaper option. The disadvantage of this heating element is the slow heating of the water due to the small area of contact with the liquid. The closed element is a metal disk that completely covers the bottom of the kettle. In this way, the water heats up faster and such a kettle is easier to clean from scale inside. You can boil even a small amount of water in it, for example, for one serving of tea. Defects include noticeable noise during operation and a higher price.

Additional features

We have considered the main parameters that you should pay attention to when buying. But there are some additional features that can be very useful and important when choosing a model.

• ☑ Prolonged boiling. This function removes chlorine from the water, as it allows it to boil for 4-5 minutes, and does not turn off the kettle immediately after boiling.
• ☑ Timer. Convenient because it will allow you to heat the water for a certain time.
• ☑ Temperature regulator. It allows you to heat the water to the temperature you need, not just boil it. It is convenient for cooking baby food, coffee or instant food.
• ☑ Maintaining the temperature. Energy saving function - maintains the optimum temperature after boiling for a long time, eliminating the need to turn the kettle on again and again.
• ☑ Sound signal. Remember how many times you found yourself in a situation where you turned on the kettle and went to the room to watch TV or talk on the phone, and forgot about the kettle, then turned it on again and everything happened again. The signal will not allow you to repeat this error.
• ☑ Protection from work "in vain". The kettle will not switch on or stop working if there is no water in it.

Comments (0)