I’m not saying a microwave is better or not to get an electric kettle. I’m just saying folks never seem to even consider a microwave. In the US it is more likely that a microwave is present than an electric kettle and it is much easier to use than a stove top kettle (unless maybe you have an induction stove).
I think another part of it is that in the US hot tea is often seen as a more quaint sort of ritualistic thing than hot coffee is. Yeah, some folks like to do fancy pour over coffee but it’s rare. I think stove top kettles just feel more whimsical than a microwave. I think many US hot tea drinkers would view someone saying “why don’t you use a microwave” the same way an audiophile listening to vinyl might react to someone asking why don’t they just use Bluetooth with Spotify. That’s all fine and good, I don’t see a problem with it, but even apart from those folks people just never seem to even realize they can use a microwave to heat water.
Yeah, I’m an American tea drinker, always have used an electric kettle. It still just takes a couple minutes or something, nothing major. I think it’s just fewer tea drinkers, maybe.
I got a Breville kettle that only boils a cup worth at a time. Game changer, meant I could brew up between games of COD back when I played it. I’ve never gone back to a regular kettle.
I don’t think I’ve ever been in a house that doesn’t have a kettle, is this not a common applience in all kitchens?
More folks need to realize the microwave is great for heating water.
It’s great for heating a thing but the kettle is faster I think. Also to properly extract a teabag you need to pour over it.
You don’t own two cups? Just heat the water in one thing and pour over another lol.
Two cups?!
Look at the queen of England over here, drinking outah cups…
What if you’re making tea for multiple people. I can do about 5 good mugs with a couple of minutes boil in the kettle.
I’m not saying a microwave is better or not to get an electric kettle. I’m just saying folks never seem to even consider a microwave. In the US it is more likely that a microwave is present than an electric kettle and it is much easier to use than a stove top kettle (unless maybe you have an induction stove).
I think another part of it is that in the US hot tea is often seen as a more quaint sort of ritualistic thing than hot coffee is. Yeah, some folks like to do fancy pour over coffee but it’s rare. I think stove top kettles just feel more whimsical than a microwave. I think many US hot tea drinkers would view someone saying “why don’t you use a microwave” the same way an audiophile listening to vinyl might react to someone asking why don’t they just use Bluetooth with Spotify. That’s all fine and good, I don’t see a problem with it, but even apart from those folks people just never seem to even realize they can use a microwave to heat water.
To my knowledge, they’re not very common in the US because their low voltages in households means that kettles take ages to boil.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mains_electricity_by_country
Relevant Technology Connections-video on the subject: https://youtu.be/_yMMTVVJI4c
iirc, the power thing made a slight difference but probably doesn’t explain the issue entirely.
Yeah, I’m an American tea drinker, always have used an electric kettle. It still just takes a couple minutes or something, nothing major. I think it’s just fewer tea drinkers, maybe.
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I got a Breville kettle that only boils a cup worth at a time. Game changer, meant I could brew up between games of COD back when I played it. I’ve never gone back to a regular kettle.