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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not own a kettle?

36 replies

KathrynKampbell · 02/11/2013 16:17

I was just thinking this over. I don't drink hot drinks so don't currently have a kettle (old one broke and I didn't replace it). Family who come round have never made an issue of not having hot drinks but I'm starting to wonder if I should buy one for when they come over because they drink hot drinks all the time at home.

AIBU to not own a kettle?

OP posts:
Bettylafea · 02/11/2013 16:19

Why can't they have hot drinks anyway? Don't you have pans? Or a microwave?

littlewhitebag · 02/11/2013 16:19

No kettle? NO KETTLE??? Are you MAD. How do you exist without tea?

Weeantwee · 02/11/2013 16:20

If you don't drink hot drinks then no you are not BU but if you would like to accommodate for guests then a cheap one that can be stored in a cupboard most of the time would perhaps be a good thing. It's up to you though, it's your house!

AngelsLieToKeepControl · 02/11/2013 16:20

YAB totally U

The concept of living a life with no coffee is mind boggling Grin

clarinetV2 · 02/11/2013 16:21

Not strictly speaking unreasonable, if you don't use it and no-one has said they feel the need for a hot drink at your house - though they may of course be being polite, and may be gasping for a hot drink by the time they get home. Have you realised how cheap kettles can be? I've just had to replace mine, and I bought a perfectly good one for £11.96 at Argos. There were cheaper ones, starting at £5, but I paid the extra for 'rapid boil' as I find it worth it. If you don't use it much, the £5 version would probably be fine for you, and you'd be able to offer callers a hot drink which they might appreciate.

Pukkapik · 02/11/2013 16:21

My kettle is also used for boiling up water to pour over frozen veg etc!
Maybe you would find other uses for it, if you were to get one.
Up to you though!

OMFGShockHorror · 02/11/2013 16:21

My kettle has broken before and I used a small pan to boil water for cuppas. It took 7 months before I finally got around to buying a new kettle. The pan worked fine.

YANBU.

But you can get a really cheapo kettle for about £6.

Writerwannabe83 · 02/11/2013 16:22

Apparently I'm unreasonable because I don't keep coffee in the house. I don't drink the stuff, I think it's disgusting Smile. If I'm expecting a coffee-drinking visitor I tell them to bring their own from home if they will be wanting a drink Grin

YANBU - it's your house so cater for yourself Smile

YDdraigGoch · 02/11/2013 16:24

You can boil water in a saucepan.

OOAOML · 02/11/2013 16:24

You could use it to fill hot water bottles in winter. But if you don't feel the lack of one why bother? As a pp said you can always boil water in a pan.

nbee84 · 02/11/2013 16:25

I don't drink hot drinks either and dh drinks coffee from a tassimo machine.

I think it is a useful item aside from being able to offer visitors a cup of tea (especially in the winter). I use it for stock, cup-a-soups and my hot water bottle Smile

MrsRogerSterling · 02/11/2013 16:26

I'd have no visitors if I wasn't able to offer a cup of tea or coffee! YANBU I suppose but it would be nice to offer guests a drink would it not?

frogspoon · 02/11/2013 16:33

I don't drink hot drinks either (except hot chocolate very occasionally), however I do think you could buy a cheap kettle so you can offer guests a hot drink.

You could technically make it in a saucepan, but it would take longer, use more energy and money compared to a kettle. Kettles are usually plastic insulated so transfer less heat energy to their surroundings than a metal saucepan, plus you can fill them with less water than a saucepan.

When I was a student I always kept a kettle and a few teabags/ coffee sachets (usually from hotels) so I could offer visitors a hot drink.

FruOla · 02/11/2013 16:34

I'd find it very odd not to have a kettle! But if you don't want one - you don't want one.

But, TBH, I agree with PPs that you could buy a cheap one though!

Or do you have a AGA? Grin

Littlegreyauditor · 02/11/2013 16:50

But but but the tea! How do you make the tea !?

I'm no Mrs Doyle but there is tea or there is unfettered anarchy and seriously bad moods all round. There must and shall be tea.

Oof. I'm all in a spin at the thought of no kettle. Fair play OP, you're very brave Smile

runes · 02/11/2013 16:54

NO KETTLE??? Really?? I've heard it all now.

miffybun73 · 02/11/2013 16:56

I just can't imagine not drinking hot drinks.

I don't think that I personally know any adult in RL who doesn't drink tea or coffee.

I can't imagine life without tea!

Lizzabadger · 02/11/2013 17:00

Virtually no one has an electric kettle in the US and they all survive.

Heartbrokenmum73 · 02/11/2013 17:03

I don't drink tea, but I keep teabags in for my Dad.

I don't think you're being unreasonable but it IS a bit weird!

ThingsThatMakeYouGoHmmmmmmmmm · 02/11/2013 17:05

Do you regularly rotate where you sit on your furniture, OP? No? Just have one comfy chair, then. Your guests could sit on the floor. Hmm

RandallFloyd · 02/11/2013 17:05

No, I don't have one either.

XDH took it with him when he moved out 2 years ago and I've never replaced it.

I don't have a microwave either but it's not because I have any strong feelings about them. I can't get excited about any kitchen appliances either way, it's just not occurred to me to buy them.

It's not something I've given any thought to.

Then agsin, my kitchen is a woefully under-used and unloved place. I accidentally washed the numbers off the oven 4 years ago, I just cook everything at '25 to', it's not failed me so far.

mousmous · 02/11/2013 17:06

if you don't want one, fine.

I use the kettle

  • to speed up boiling water for pasta
  • tea
  • fiiling the hot water bottle
  • more tea
  • coffee for guest
MrsMook · 02/11/2013 17:07

I can't stand tea or coffee. If it suits you not to own a kettle then don't, especially if space is limited. We have a kettle as I find it quicker for boiling water for pasta and it gets used a few days a week. DH will drink some coffee if it's on offer, and not tea, and therefore never drinks hot drinks at home because they aren't on offer. We keep small boxes of teabags and jars of coffee in, but have to check every few months that's they're not out-of-date. (We don't get through 40 tea bags per year!). Guests are advised to bring milk if it's short notice, as I've been told that DS's oat milk is not good in tea, and we prefer it to cow juice anyway so it's rarely in the house.

Smoorikins · 02/11/2013 17:09

I don't have a kettle either. I do have a water heater thingy that the kids use for hot drinks. I don't care much for hot drinks either, although I do heat water for other things - like stock, to have warmer than tap water for baking bread etc. It comes in handy occasionally.

I think it depends on how hospitable you want to be. Do you want to offer your guests hot drinks?

I often forget to offer, because I don't drink them myself... but my friends will say or help themselves - they understand!

Heymacarena · 02/11/2013 17:11

YANBU op.

We do drink coffee and tea, but none of us have milk.

So if we are expecting visitors then have to go and buy milk.

Do you keep tea bags and coffee in, in case of visitors?

I have used a pan to boil water if the electricity has been off. It's no more effort.