Electric kettle v. Hob kettle?

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pops

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Our electric kettle has just broken again! We seem to go through them at a rate of one every 2 years and I'm sick of it. I am considering a kettle that I can boil on the (gas) hob. Does anyone have an idea which would be cheaper?
Our last kettle was 3kw which used up a lot of energy to boil, so would boiling a kettle by gas be cheaper?
 
Just because your old kettle was 3kw doesn't mean it uses more electricity than say a 2kw kettle, or a 1kw kettle.
A 3kw kettle uses more current, but it boils the water faster. The cost is the same regardless of how many kwatts.

Electric kettles are very cheap. I know in the UK where I am working temporarily, you can get one for £5 in tesco.

Boiling by gas is probably a little cheaper because gas is cheaper than electricity. However, not all the heat generated by the gas goes into the water (it heats the room too), so there would not be a whole lot of difference in cost.
Also you cant get an automatc gas kettle.
 
I bought one at Tesco - Clare Hall - for under 10 euros. The plus side is you don't have to watch the gas.
 
The Tesco electric kettle is great. I have one, and so does my mam. Highly recommended.

Maybe you need to look at why you are going through them so much! Limescale damages them badly. For me, I would always use an electric, as they heat up and boil quicker than it would on a gas or any other flame.
 
I lived in the US for a while and they generally have hob kettles and it takes MUCH longer to boil - drove me mad waiting for my cuppa. The other thing to think of is if you are cooking and need to boil water for something, then you are also using a spot on your hob which, if you only have four rings and are doing a family dinner, may be a problem. I wouldn't consider a hob kettle for those reasons.
 
General recommendation in energy saving literature is to use an electric kettle to bring water to the boil even when going on to use it in a pan on the hob.
Leo
 
Thanks for that. I really don't know why we go through kettles so quickly as we don't live in a limescale area.

Although boiling water on the gas hob is probably slightly less energy efficient there is also the environmental cost of yet another electric kettle to be produced which I want to take into account. So I'll go with the hob kettle, although I might get one that whistles!
 
pops said:
Thanks for that. I really don't know why we go through kettles so quickly as we don't live in a limescale area.

Although boiling water on the gas hob is probably slightly less energy efficient there is also the environmental cost of yet another electric kettle to be produced which I want to take into account. So I'll go with the hob kettle, although I might get one that whistles!
Click to expand...

The long term environmental cost of an electric kettle will be significantly lower than that of the hob variety!
Leo
 
pops said:
Thanks for that. I really don't know why we go through kettles so quickly as we don't live in a limescale area.

Although boiling water on the gas hob is probably slightly less energy efficient there is also the environmental cost of yet another electric kettle to be produced which I want to take into account.
Click to expand...

Well you'll be paying the WEEE contribution when you buy your new kettle, so be sure and bring your old one into the shop to be recycled.
 
Its a like for like, I'm not sure that you can swap an electric kettle for a hob one? Or maybe you can.

I still think that an electric one is best.
 
boiling a very small amount of water that does not cover the element causes an electric kettle to burn out .To avoide this always use a jug type instesd of a traditional type
 
I think you need to ask why are your kettles failing, your fuse in your plug is supposed to protect the Kettle element (you need to put the correct fuse into the kettle, I bet the one thats in it is probably 13 amps) then the fuse would blow and you could check whats causing problem. I know from my own home that a build up of lime covers elemenet acts as an insulator thus the element keeps trying to pull more juice(current) until the element burns out. So get proper fuse and perhaps have a water fiter for kettle water near by .... the Jug refill ones are good. Just my 2 pence worth...I mean 2 cents.

Puts the kettle on and leaves kitchen safe in the knowledge that it will switch itself off.
 
Thanks for that maximus, but we have moved house and the same thing has happened in the new house. I went and bought a Le Creuset whistling kettle today for €29 and I'm very happy with it - it's bright orange and it's a much more cheerful looking than any electric kettle I've seen!
 
Pops your welcome, a Orange whistling kettle I love it.....reminds me of when I was a child ....my aunt had a range., I can see/hear it now....wipes moist eye and breathes deeply.
 
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