Why don't Americans use electric kettles?

It's not really a mystery.

links 'n stuff
My video on 240V power in the US;

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[TechnologyConnections]

Hey! I deleted a couple of things from this script which I shouldn't have. I've made a follow-up video on Connextras which includes them and more! Here's a link, but you can also expand this comment for a quick run-down.

*Coffee makers.* That's what we use. And since they'll make hot water, too (so long as you don't put coffee in them) many people will also use them for making other hot beverages. Some coffee makers are better than others for that, though. I would imagine that as soon as the percolator became popular, we got hooked on coffee and never went back. Also;

Microwaves. That also works! It seems to offend the more British among you (and some other folks get freaked out by the slim possibility of superheated water) but if you want a single cup of tea, nuking a mug full of water for about two minutes will in fact bring it to a boil. Energy is energy, and water is water!

[dirkmohrmann]

Kettles may theoretically be faster, but I usually just boil a large pot of water on the stove top, and then freeze it for later use.

[bttlemastr]

For me as a German, those stove-top kettles look like an antique relic, something you might find at your grandma's house, while electric kettles are the modern equivalent.

[WizardAngst]

I haven't had tea in years, still use my electric kettle all the time for cup noodles and coffee and because i'm too lazy to wait for a saucepan to boil water for pasta so I put pre-boiled water.

[WanukeX]

12:29 - The Blue LEDs are very handy for my mostly deaf father whenever he’s making tea, couldn’t hear a whistle to save his life but he can see when the LEDs turn off.

[btaens]

For those wondering, being a European, owning a kettle, a sodastream, and an induction stove top, I thought I'd repeat the experiment with those.
Here are the numbers for reaching boiling point for a sodastream worth of water:
240V kettle: 2:13
3 phase induction stove top at max setting: 2:38

So in fact, a 240-land kettle is still faster than an induction stove top. I suspect not all those 3 phases are pumped into the stovetops themselves, but are rather used for the stove part.

[robertives]

This man literally watched water boil for us several times. He’s truly a man of the people

[felixmakesart]

“More power to them.” This is the kind of humour I come to this channel for.

[cootha]

In Australia, every house, every hotel room, every office, everywhere has electric kettles. They are a staple of everyday life. We use them mainly to make tea and coffee. First time I traveled to the US I was blown away by the lack of them. It is so so weird.

[thomasfleming]

I went to Europe about 8 years ago. All of the hotels had electric kettles with instant coffee and tea. When I came home to Montana, I went to Walmart and purchased an electric kettle. I was amazed at how fast they boil water compared to a stove-top kettle. I have one at work and one at home, excellent tool!

[adamknight]

I just can't imagine living without an electric kettle, and still don't understand how people in US can even live without it. It's not just for tea, also coffee, hot chocolate, instant noodles, instant oats, home bubble tea, for cleaning dishes (or softening hardened food in pot/pan, softening old mugs), for cooking pasta (add boiling water to the pot is quicker than waiting for the stove), etc. I can boil a litre in 1 min 40 seconds. It's just incredibly useful and versatile. The thought that I'd have to wait around 6 minutes for a stove kettle that doesn't even turn auto off is mind numbingly ridiculous.

[oneratdylan]

I'm Australian. Our main use of an electric kettle is not for making tea. It's just for boiling water. It can be used for everything. If you need to cook some pasta and are in a rush then just boil the water in the kettle before moving it to a pot on the stove, and so on.

Also, love your videos :)

[alpienari]

As someone from a tea-drinking country I must say that the speed is a good benefit, but the main from switching from stovetop kettle. When each member your family drinks tea 4-6 times a day, one of your stove burners is almost always occupied by the kettle. So it's just more convinient to have all four burners at your service whenever you need, no matter when someone wants to have a cup of tea. Especialy during family gatherings - the stove is occupied with pans and pots.

[THESP-rzhg]

I remember in college somebody had a "tea wand"- which was basically just the heating element from an electric kettle on a wall plug. You just stuck it in a mug and plugged it in. The water was hot almost instantly.
And yes- that means it was both a fire and an electrocution hazard at the same time.

Great video as always.

[robinday]

English here... glad you mentioned using the kettle to fill a pot to then boil for pasta etc. Yes we do drink tea... but... we use the kettle just as much for getting water hot for cooking and then transferring to a pan.

[ElementalMaker]

After a couple weeks in the UK I immediately added one of these to my kitchen when I got home. I also gave up coffee which jacked up my stomach and am now a yorkshire gold fanboy. Couldn't imagine not having an electric Kettle handy now.

[jdrew]

After watching this video I went out and bought my wife the lowest priced (cheapest) electric kettle I could find at Walmart. She likes her coffee from French Press carafes. So this has been a godsend. It works for anything that needs hot water and we use it all the time. Thank you for this vid. It was great.

[SlashZooka]

Dude from Germany here! Never thought of someone not having an electric kettle out there, boiling small portions of water using a stove is something you will usually never do here (needs more power and time). Boiling water with a kettle takes just up to an minute (230V mains voltage)

[Larry]

I have a kettle, but use it for stuff like coffee, pasta, ramen, hot dogs Etc. basically it gets to the boil far quicker than on a stove.

[aricberg]

I had some UK and Australian friends give me a hard time about the "archaic" way I boiled water in a pot if I wanted to make a cup of pour-over coffee or tea. After singing the praises of the simplicity of the electric kettle, I decided I'd get one for myself. My only issue is that I didn't make the decision to buy one sooner. It's SO easy and convenient! Boil the perfect amount of water for a hot beverage in about 2 minutes? Yes please! I got mine last fall and have used it almost every single day since. Plus it's great for certain foods that need boiling water. In less than 10 minutes, I can make a pot of couscous using the amount of water needed.

If you're even remotely on the fence, let me be the voice that pushes you to get one. You won't regret it!