GE Electric Kettle

[jasonl]

As much as I like stove top kettles, there's not many of them that work to well on a smoothtop (shush Toggle), so I bought a GE electric kettle in stainless. It works perfectly. There's a little water level window in the handle and there's a red light that glows when it's running.

It is automatic, you fill it with the amount of water you need, set it on the base and push the switch down. You will hear it boiling and the switch will pop up. You can use it as a teapot in that it has a strainer in the spout, so I'm assuming you can boil loose tea in it as well. I use it to make coffee in the french press.

For what it's worth, it's made in China but it seems like a fairly well built appliance.

I almost bought a Farberware 8 cup percolator but there was none in stock and the box on the shelf looked like it been opened and the perc taken apart. How sad.

 

[gadgetgary]

I almost bought a Farberware 8 cup percolator

Jason,

If you can find an older Farberware(maybe at a Tag Sale) you will be better off. The older ones were made in NY. The new Farberware perks are made in China.

 

[appliguy]

I've got a GE Kettle too!!!

A 1956 GE Electric Speed Kettle. Mine has little brown bakelite feet and and a brown bakelite handle while the top half is copper and the bottom half is chrome. The neatest thing about it though is that it is also a whistling kettle just like you put on your stove. I love it and use it all the time and the name Speed Kettle fits because it will boil water in about 2& 1/2 minutes or less depending on the temp of the water you start with. PATRICK COFFEY

 

[gizmo]

Hi Jason

don't boil tea in the kettle, it will leave residue which will bake hard on the element. It will also make horrible over-stewed tea. Use a teapot.
The strainer on most kettles is an inlet strainer - so any "things" in the water don't get into the kettle. Also some people leave a marble in the kettle so it rattles during the boil which is rumoured to help keep inside the kettle clean - I have my doubts - and the strainer keeps the marble in the kettle instead of in your cup.

Chris

 

[jasonl]

Well, mine will get boiling in about 2 to 3 minutes.

In the time it takes to push the lever, grind the coffee and get the french press ready to go, the water's just about there. Click! Let the water simmer down just a little (you don't want to BOIL your coffee) and then pour it into the coffee pot.

I SO dig the french press. it's so easy to use and clean and makes the most WONDERFUL coffee. Perc is good but french press owns!

That Starbucks stainless steel press is rare. So if you see one, get it.

 

[gizmo]

What is a "French press?"

Is it what we call a "plunger?"

Glass container, mesh strainer on a stick, handle sticks up through lid... add coffee to jar, add water, fit lid/strainer, when coffee has sat long enough, gradually press down on plunger to strain coffee to bottom of glass, pour coffee into cup...

Is that it? (Bodum for example)

Chris.

 

[seamusuk]

Electric Kettles.......

Hey guys

How common are they in the US?- over here 99.9% of kettles are electric. Ive always been under the impression the maximum loading of a 120V outlet means they dont boil much faster than a stove top kettle??. Our highest wattage model is 3.2KW and boils a mugful in less than 30 secs!

Seamus

 

[gadgetgary]

Bodum French Press

I don't use this one often, but it makes great coffee.
The only bad thing is that you have to drink the coffee right away, unlike the perks that keep it hot indefinitely.

The grounds go in the bottom, you add boiling water and leave the plunger up so the coffee can brew(steep) for 3-5 minutes. When completed, you push the plunger down SLOWLY to the bottom, and then serve the brew.

 

[jasonl]

Seamus

Good thing y'all have 220v all over the house. Why don't we have that is a mystery to me. But yeah, electric kettles there are superfast. They sell electric kettles here and I think it's faster than the stove, but for a quick cup, nothing beats the microwave. Use a Pyrex glass measuring cup. The water will boil and not "superheat" causing the water to explode.

 

[gadgetgary]

For a quick cup, nothing beats the microwave.

IMHO, the microwave changes the taste of the water. Just look at what happens when you place the tea bag in a cup of water from the microwave....FOAM...what the heck is that from?

And if you 'reheat' a cup of coffee in the microwave, the flavor is different.

Better to use a teakettle on the stovetop to heat water.

 

[jasonl]

Reheated coffee is crap. There's NO point in doing that. 30 minutes after it's made, it's no good.

 

[dalangdon]

Jason, I couldn't agree more!

My partner, John, is happy to reheat coffee. If it weren't for me throwing out the old stuff every evening and setting it up so that he has fresh hot coffee in the morning (he gets up at 4am, and there's no way I'm joining him for breakfast ;-) he would milk a pot of coffee for as long as he could.

 

[jamiel]

If you can get over to Canada they've got a huge selection of electric kettles. The Bay or Sears or Zellers. Toastess still (I think) makes them in Canada. Interesting, the law is there that they must have 3 wire cords (not the case in the US). I bought a cute 4 cup yellow polypropylene Toastess from The Bay several years ago, but use more often an Oster cordless (made in New Zealand) which I found at the thrift store about 3 mos after buying the one in Canada.