kettle

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Kettle from a Korean tea house.

A kettle, sometimes called teakettle, tea kettle or the pot, is a small kitchen appliance used for boiling water in preparation for making tea or other beverages requiring hot water. Used only on stovetops. Often made out of copper. Or at least copper bottomed. Depending on culture and historical location, the word kettle can also have a variety of other meanings.

Stovetop kettles

The Salvation Army uses soup kettles to collect charitable donations.

In the United States, '"kettle" usually refers to a teakettle, a roughly pitcher shaped metal (or ceramic) vessel used to heat water on a stovetop or hob. Kettles usually have a handle on top, a spout, and a lid. Sometimes stove-mounted kettles also have a steam whistle that indicates when the water has reached boiling point. Kettles often resemble teapots, but are used to boil water, not to brew tea.

Elsewhere in the world (and sometimes in the United States) the word kettle can also refer to a soup kettle, a metal pot for boiling or stewing, resembling a small cauldron.

Electric Kettles

Electric water kettle designed by Peter Behrens for AEG in 1909.

In the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland , Canada and South Africa, a kettle is an electrical device used to quickly heat water for hot drinks, such as tea or coffee. It is normally constructed out of durable plastic or steel (with a plastic handle) and powered by mains electricity. In modern designs once the water has reached boiling, the kettle automatically deactivates to prevent the water boiling away and damaging the heating element.

Corded kettles generally use detachable IEC C15 and C16 connections.

"Cordless" kettles became popular in the 1980s and 1990s consisting of a plastic base that connects to the mains outlet and a separate kettle. They both have electrical contacts that connect to supply power to the kettle when it is placed on top of the base, and the kettle can be easily detached to allow movement to the sink and elsewhere.

Similar to the electric kettle is the electric water boiler, a vacuum flask with a heating element that boils water and maintains it at a constant temperature. These are particularly popular in East Asia.

History

The word kettle originates from Latin catillus, which in various contexts is translated as bowl, deep dish, or funnel. a kettle is probably the most ancient kind of metal cooking utensil. Common materials were wrought iron and pressed steel plate.

Development of the Electric Kettle

1880: During the period of the 1880’s to the 1920’s, people used cast iron kettles to heat water for hot beverages like tea & coffee. Cast iron kettles were cast from a mould and showed good thermal qualities. These kettles were heated on top of a stove.

1920s: During this period, of the 1920’s-1930’s people used kerosene kettles. These kettles were popular, as a stove was no longer needed to heat up water. Also this meant that people had no need to heat up the entire stove just for a cup of tea, plus less thermal energy was required to heat up the water. But there was a bad side to this kettle; there would be more fumes in the house, from the kerosene.

1938: In Australia chrome-plated steel kettles where popular in city areas, as they ran on electricity, and electricity was not available in the country. Electricity in the country at the time was rare. These kettles had no exposed coil, but rather one under a flat bottom inside the kettle. This kettle had some safety features like an overload cut out switch. The cord was cotton insulated, which was safe, when new. As it gets worn it would expose the coil and electrocutions would occur. The plug was a Bakelite plug.

1949: In 1949 ceramic kettles, which ran on electricity, were first released. They made it more efficient to boil water. These kettles where also called jugs as they resembled a jug shape. These kettles also have a cotton-insulated cord like its 1938 counterpart.

1950s-1970s: During this time the development of the ceramic jug continued. The kettles started to show more safety features like whistles and cut out features. They typically had Bakelite handles and their operations and aesthetics were improved. During this time it was still possible to buy stovetop ovens.

1980s: During this period polymer body kettles were first released. Some features of this new kettle’s materials were, they were more durable and conducted heat badly. These jugs new materials made them cheaper to produce on a mass production scale. These kettles also had safety features like whistles, cutout switches & had windows in the side to see how much water was in the kettle meaning never having to lift the lid off. Also the cord insulation was made of plastic, meaning wear on the cords no longer exposed wire.

1990s: In this period of time kettles were improved by having a base, which allowed the jug to swivel and be detached. This meant water could be poured farther away from the plug meaning less chance of electrocution.

2000: During this period kettles took a new turn, being made out of metal that heated & cooled better and a polymer handle, which didn’t conduct heat. The metal used was stainless steel & these kettles featured a cut out switch, which stopped heating the kettle after the waters boiled. It also had a cut out switch on the base so when the kettle was put on the back on the base, it wouldn’t start boiling again. Also it cut out power supply if lifted off the base. Making it safer.

Related Objects

Kettle Junction.

• A cauldron is a large kettle hung over an open fire, usually on an arc-shaped hanger called a bail.
• A fish kettle is a long slim metal cooking vessel with a tight fitting lid to enable cooking of whole large fish such as salmon.
• A kettle grill is a dome shaped grill with a rounded lid, resembling a cauldron.
• A kettle drum is a kettle (cauldron) shaped drum.

See also

• Electric water boiler
• Samovar
• Tetsubin
• Teapot

References

• Stevenson, Seth (Nov. 8, 2005). "A Watched Pot". Slate.

“Engineering Studies the definitive guide” By Paul L. Copeland, © Anno Domini 2000 Pty Ltd (publisher)