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Original poster

Why would anyone buy a stove top kettle?

124 replies

Workreturner · 01/12/2018 07:26

Staying at a lovely holiday home. No kettle, just a stove top kettle.

At this time of day I’m usually becoming coffee / tea / coffee / tea and repeat.
But takes so bloomin’ long to boil!

Just wondering if there are any advantages to a stove top over a plug in kettle? Genuinely curious!

OP posts:
Sunseed · 01/12/2018 07:27

If it's a gas cooker then kettle will still work in a power cut.

exLtEveDallas · 01/12/2018 07:28

Depends on the stove.

We've got an Aga, so a stove that is permanently on. Makes no sense to plug in and use electricity when we are already paying/using the gas Smile

recently · 01/12/2018 07:30

I know! I know! I have a stove top kettle for two reasons. 1) Tiny kitchen so I need the counter space for food prep - and a kettle would take up half that space! 2) I live abroad and if you turn on a kettle at the same time as another high consumption electrical appliance, it shorts out the system. I don't want to have to think about whether the washing machine is on when I make a cup of tea.

Vitalogy · 01/12/2018 07:31

You get the old fashioned whistle Smile
Putting in just enough that you use each time shouldn't take too long? Do a bit on meditating while you're waiting, you're on holiday after all. Smile

ragged · 01/12/2018 07:31

Boiling water in plastic feels WRong.

Wingbing · 01/12/2018 07:32

Yes I have one. It takes a little longer for cups of tea, but takes up less space for nbthe counter tops.

We have a small kitchen and a nice stove top kettle looks better than an electric one on the side, which takes up more space.

Wingbing · 01/12/2018 07:32

on the counter tops

LooksBetterWithAFilter · 01/12/2018 07:33

Takes ages to boil but easier to keep warm for multiple cups in the morning if it’s gas.
When we start house I want an aga or a stove I can keep a kettle on. Electric kettles pull a lot of electricity so may as well heat water with something I’m already using anyway.

dogzdinner · 01/12/2018 07:34

Americans use them rather than electric don't they? I have wondered why

DirtyNell · 01/12/2018 07:35

I use a stovetop kettle as I have an Aga, which is permanently on.
The Aga came with the house, but I’m conscious of their environmental impact, so in order to mitigate that, I dry all clothes on a pulley above it, do most of the ironing by piling folded laundry on the lid, and don’t use the electric toaster or kettle.
The odd time I get the plug in kettle out, it is soooo much faster!

witchmountain · 01/12/2018 07:35
  1. I have very little worktop space.
  2. If you get a decent one and use it on a gas (or presumably also induction) hob it boils the kind of amount you need for a cup or two of tea in not much more time than an electric kettle.
DianaBlythe · 01/12/2018 07:37

Pretty fast if you’ve got induction. And they look so cheery!

(I have an old fashioned looking but still electric kettle though!)

witchmountain · 01/12/2018 07:38

dogzdinner because they have lower voltage power supply there so electric kettles are slow. Also they don’t understand tea.

Letshopeitsallok · 01/12/2018 07:39

I think American wattage is different so their electric kettles aren’t as powerful as ours. Also I was shocked that a kettle is not considered essential kitchen equipment in America!

We have both. Electric for every day use and a stove top for breakfast at the weekends. DH likes the theatre of the slow boil and whistle while breakfast is cooking and we use the teapot and milk jug instead of making it in mugs like we do in week.

Sitranced · 01/12/2018 07:42

Because it can't break and isn't made of plastic.

ParisNext · 01/12/2018 07:43

In our old house (overseas) our electric would blow if you used the kettle and the oven together! So I got a stove top

FitzChivalryFarseer · 01/12/2018 07:48

Another Aga owner here. Boils much quicker than an electric kettle as it is permanently warm on the side plate.

MarinaMarinara · 01/12/2018 07:50

Looks so much nicer.

We are consciously reducing our use of plastic and even a nice electric kettle has much more plastic than a stove top one.

Can’t really break it (we do not have a good track record with electric kettles)

Can use it in a power cut.

OxanaVorontsova · 01/12/2018 07:55

I love our stove top kettle, it is a design classic with a nice wide bottom so boils pretty quickly and retains heat well. I’d never go back to electric.

recently · 01/12/2018 07:56

Can the people who love their stove tops, give me a recommendation? I need a new one!

TigerMonkey · 01/12/2018 07:58

As others have said, it saves counter space for me.

INeedNewShoes · 01/12/2018 07:58

I had one until I had DD and worried that baby brain would see me forget putting it on.

My reasons for having a stovetop:

Small kitchen so having one less appliance taking up surface space was good

I'd rather boil water in a stainless steel vessel than in an electric kettle mixing the water with plastic and an element

YouAndMeAreGoingToFallOut · 01/12/2018 07:59

We've got a stove stop kettle (it's Le Creuset and I got it second hand on ebay) because I got fed up with electric kettles always breaking. I also found it difficult to find an electric kettle that poured well.

OxanaVorontsova · 01/12/2018 08:01

Alessi bird kettle

NewYoiker · 01/12/2018 08:01

Have an aga there's no point in paying for electricity when the aga can boil a kettle quickly, and it stays warm all day! Best bit of an aga is the fact your tea or coffee can sit on the top all day and not go cold!