I came to the world of electric kettles fairly late. I was raised with a stove top kettle and thought it the best way to manage my hot water needs (plus, I’ve always liked the way they looked sitting out on a burner). But then in the fall of 2011, I went to visit my sister. She had a relatively inexpensive electric kettle that boiled water at miraculous speed. There was no ten+ minute wait for a pokey stove to heat and transfer its warmth. I was sold.
Soon after I got home, I ordered my first electric kettle. I got this
Soon enough, I was using it multiple times a day. It served up hot water for morning cups of coffee and tea. In the afternoon, I’d use the cooled water in the kettle to help feed my sourdough starter (boiling helps evaporate out any chlorine in the water supply that can harm or kill the sour bacteria. Just make sure the water is under 100F when you add it to your starter). During dinner prep, I’d heat water to hydrate spoonfuls of Better Than Bouillon or to speed up soup making.
I also found myself turning to the electric kettle during canning. As you know, I make a lot of small batches of preserves, and often I make three or four things in succession (I like to take advantage of a hot canning pot). These small batches range in size from two half pints to four or five. If I don’t plan well, I can wind up trying to process jars without having enough hot water to cover. Instead of adding hot tap water and hoping that the pot returns to a boil quickly, I can keep the kettle hot and top off the canning pot immediately. It has sped things up immeasurably.
This summer was also the first time I had the electric kettle during tomato canning season. I do the bulk of my tomatoes whole, peeled and packed in water (makes for a shorter processing time) and with an electric kettle, having that hot water takes no time at all.
Thanks to the kind folks at Hamilton Beach, I recently upgraded my electric kettle to their programmable model (my previous kettle was also made by HB, but I bought it with my own dollars, long before I started teaming up with them for giveaways). This guy allows you to select the temperature to which your water heats. That makes it particularly great if you have fussy coffee habits (I say this lovingly and as someone who regularly weighs her beans to ensure a close-to-perfect brew), drink green tea, or live at high elevations where water boils at lower temperatures.
It also has a outside fill indicator (the trade-off is that there’s a small amount of plastic inside the kettle to allow for this) and pours far more smoothly than my previous kettle. I also like the fact that it has a timer, so you can schedule the moment you want it to switch on to boil. With a fast boiling kettle, it’s not really entirely necessary, but I have been enjoying the luxury of walking into the kitchen each morning to a just-boiled kettle of water. It’s the little things.
Finally, the giveaway. Hamilton Beach has generously given me eight of these Programmable 1.7 Liter Electric Kettles to give away to my readers. Here’s how to enter.
- Leave a comment on this post and share your water boiling habits. Stove top kettle? Electric tap in the sink? Microwaved mug? If you don’t do hot drinks, what gets you moving in the morning?
- Comments will close at 11:59 pm on Friday, February 15, 2013. Winners will be chosen at random and will be posted to the blog over the weekend.
- Giveaway open US residents only.
- One comment per person, please. Entries must be left via the comment form on the blog at the bottom of this post.
Disclosure: Hamilton Beach gave me one Programmable Electric Kettle for review and photography purposes and they’re providing eight additional units for this giveaway. They did not pay for inclusion on the blog and my opinions remain entirely my own.
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I’d love to have an electric kettle. I’ve found that boiling water on the stovetop or the microwave takes about the same amount of time — forever!
I too am partial to the stove top kettle, but as of late have been introduced to the electric kettle and have been quite pleased when you’re in a pinch and need something easy and reliable.
I have to say I have never owned an electric kettle. I used to keep a metal one on one of the eyes of my stove on warm all day so when I go by to grab a cup’o tea all I have to do is pour nice hot water into a cup with the tea bag or little infusier I have but lately I have had to turn off the kettle as it is getting pretty old and afraid I am going to eventually burn a hole in the bottom. LOL
We use a stovetop kettle. We had a great little GE electric kettle but I think at one point we must have over-filled it because water got into parts it should not have and then it died. We have been planning to get another one for 2-3 years now… but just haven’t found the right one.
My favorite thing is hot constant comment with honey. MMM.
I use the old fashioned tea kettle on my gas stove.
I got turned onto electric kettles when I moved to Canada back in the ’80s–so quick! so easy to make tea. I have just gotten a new one at home, actually–hadn’t thought about what a boon this will be to home canning, too.
I became a die-hard drinker of tea after living in London for a semester in college, a habit that has stayed with me the last fifteen years. Green tea, black, white, red, herbal–I love them all and drink a minimum of three cups a day. My existing electric kettle has certainly seen better days, and my husband and I keep talking about replacing it, but haven’t gotten to it…yet!
I microwave or stovetop mine. My hubs and son use the Keurig to heat their water.
Sadly, I’m microwaving my tea. Can’t begin to say how many tea kettles I’ve burned in 30+ years. This would be amazing to have for tea & for cooking.
Thanks for the giveaway!
I use a stovetop kettle everyday as part of my loose leaf tea addiction! A programmable electric kettle would save me a lot of time when preparing my tea on the go!
I bought an electric kettle at Aldi supermsrket and loved it until the automatic shutoff failed. Resigned myself to using the Keurig or the hot water dispenser on the spring water machine-these are not comparable to boiled water. Would be nice to have a new electric kettle.
We are also an electric kettle household, formerly stovetop. (Man, I’ve ruined two teapots, and scared everyone, twice now—falling asleep waiting for the water to boil!) We use it all the time now: tea, french press coffee and -yep- while I’m canning!
This baby looks awesome, 100x more professional than the janky one we have hanging around. I’m crossing my fingers!
I love love love my electric kettle. It’s pretty basic though, and six years old, so it’s only a matter of time before something breaks. This one looks great!
I’ve got instantly hot water through our water dispenser. But it’s no convenient for larger volumes. This would be perfect!
i make sun tea.great!!
Ahh . . . electric kettles seem so very British. I typically heat my water in a mug in the microwave. If I need a bigger quantity, I use a saucepan on the stove. I’ve wanted an electric kettle for years!
I use the stove-top kettle, but have been coveting my mom’s Hamilton Beach kettle.
I used an electric kettle and would never go back to the stove!
I have an electric kettle also. I started out with it at the office and used a stove top kettle at home. But then we moved and I no longer needed a kettle at the office (I now work at home). So I started using the electric kettle for my coffee & tea at home.
My husband resisted for awhile, till he realized how much quicker it is to get that cup of coffee in the morning! We both now use it for our hot beverages and in cooking – making up bullion, when a pot needs more hot water for any reason, etc.
It would be absolutely marvelous to be able to roll out of bed, walk into the kitchen and pour my freshly heated water into my tea cup!
I learned about electric kettles when I lived in Europe – everyone has one! At home, I have sadly succumbed to the quick mug in the microwave, but at the office we have a HB kettle that I love and use to make water for my AeroPress coffee or tea. I would love to move away from the less than healthy microwaved cup of water to the more elegant kettle!
When I am in a hurry, I use the microwave. If I have time, I boil water on the stove, in a pot, yes I said, in a pot. HA HA We had to throw out our tea kettle, when you would pour the water would go everywhere. I sure could use this electric kettle. Thanks for the giveaway
This looks like a great idea!
Sometimes I use a microwave. But I prefer to use a kettle. At home I use my little silver kettle on the stove. But at work I’ve been using my microwave….. This would be great in my office.
Stove Top Kettle, is my hot water source. But I have always admired the electric kettles, since my first trip to the U.K., at least 20 years ago.
Great give away, thank you!
I still use a Paul Revere stovetop kettle, although last year I did purchase a very basic electric kettle so I could make tea in the bedroom on lazy Sunday mornings.
I use the microwave mostly.
I have a stovetop kettle, and no microwave. I drink tea by the potful, and an electric kettle sounds so very handy.
I still use the good ole stove top kettle for my tea each morning, I love hearing that whistle!
I’m firmly an electric kettle person. When I lived in England, we had an electric kettle. The day after I flew home, I went out and bought a new kettle. I have been coveting a programmable kettle for a year now.
For making hot tea, I use my stovetop kettle. Sometimes I do use the microwave when I need boiling water for a recipe, but I never use microwaved water for tea! I’d love to win one of these electric kettles – it would let me make a pot of tea so much faster and would also be so helpful with canning.
We’ve been using the Keurig lately for coffee, tea, iced tea (just add ice), and daily drinks. would love to have this for canning. Can’t add water and keep it hot enough fast enough so this would really help.
Just using the microwave or stove top…been eying an electric kettle for awhile now. Would love to have one.
I am an electric kettle convert. I’ve always used stove-top kettles, but when we moved into a house with an underperforming electric stove, my partner refused to use the kettle. He convinced me to try an electric kettle, which is very convenient for french press and single cup coffee, tea, and topping off the canning pot. Haven’t looked back!
for tea – I microwave a cup of water
If I am making tea or hot cocoa for multiple people, I whip out my electric kettle, and if it is just me, I normally use the microwave
Oh, this would totally make my mornings. I’m a french press coffee girl in the morning, and tea throughout the rest of the day. This would help me to have my coffee ready faster in the morning, which would mean more dissertation writing…right?! Thanks for the chance to win.
I lived in the Netherlands and had an electric kettle and loved it. Switching back to the stovetop when we moved back to the states was tough. We inherited an electric kettle from a grandparent but it doesn’t even have an on/off switch – you have to literally plug it in to turn it on and unplug it to turn it off. I think an upgrade might be in order…
I use both a stove top kettle and my microwave for tea. Coffee in the am for a HB grind coffeemaker
I use a stove top kettle. It is shaped and painted like a strawberry.
Currently, I use a stove top, whistling tea kettle. I’m a little nervous about this, however. My dear Granny G (God rest her soul) put the proverbial kettle on, but didn’t take it off. Yes folks, this is a fairly quick way to permanently mar the top of your brand new electric range. (Just to be clear: her earthly departure had nothing to do with the incident.) I’ve been paranoid about folks boiling the kettle dry ever since. An electric kettle would relieve me of this worry.
I heat water up in the microwave. Just 2 minutes and its hot.
I have a boring old stovetop kettle but honestly I’ve gone through that least five of them in my life time – busted handles, poor design, inability to clean them properly & general funk. Recently though I’ve started trying to brew better coffee at home and this would be so helpful in my desire to be incredibly fussy in the quest for the perfect cup!
I have an older electric kettle. I use an instant-read thermometer to get the temperature right for green and oolong teas. Would love a kettle that stops at the right temp!
I have an electric kettle and I love it, but I have been wanting to find a better one for a long time. I use it to boil water for tea (every morning), oatmeal (most mornings), pasta, broth, oden, and, of course, canning! It has made my life so much easier.
I think, however, that after ten years, it is time for a new one because:
1. It is a hand me down from my ex-boyfriend’s mom (he left me with an electric kettle and plenty of bad memories).
2. It is plastic inside, and a funny color from age.
3. I am a passionate oolong drinker, and the kettle only goes to boiling.
I cannot tell you how much I would love a programmable electric kettle! I have been dreaming about one for years, but most of the ones I found had bad reviews on line, so I never took the plunge. I just realized that my favorite thing about my electric kettle is that the water is boiled near-instantly. How quick is this one?
Kettle on the stove. Curious as to what the fuss is all about. Daughter #1 desires one for her studio at art school.
I use my good ‘ol Revereware stovetop kettle. Its a wee bitty thing, but it heats my water. If I’m feeling fancy, or there’s a crowd of small children, I use my steam carousel kettle. Rather than a whistle signaling the boil, the horses dash ’round and ’round.
Stovetop kettle, but this would be so cool!
We do a porcelain kettle on the stove top, but it is so very much on its last leg. Micro cracks. The hubbs and I are coffee drinkers and he’s a tea drinker. Programmable temperature sounds nifty for such things. Thanks for the post!
I’ve always used a stove top kettle for tea, cocoa, or pour over coffee. I’ve always assumed that an electric kettle wouldn’t get the water hot enough. It’s good to know that it will!
I have an electric kettle that I use all the time, but a pre-programmed one sounds great!