To be baffled by voice activated kettles

[lorettalemon]

Perhaps I'm just not keeping up with the times, but the voice activated kettles that are available nowadays are a bit lost on me. It's very clever, but they are expensive and I don't really understand the necessity when all you have to do is flick the switch on a kettle and it boils!

I'd love to know what other people think and if there's a point I've completely missed!

I didn't know such things existed

Yeah, what's the point when you can have a WiFi kettle and turn it on using an app?!

😄

It's very clever but is there really any point in these kind of gadgets? I'd have thought they probably play up and end up being more complicated than just pressing a switch in the traditional way!

Well I think they’d be useful for people with some disabilities

Presumably you have to go and fill it with water anyway so it's not like it saves you getting up from the chair/sofa. Unless you fill it to the max each time I guess.
Guess it's a gimmick.
Like the colour change ones.

You've still got to fill it, so what's the point? Just something else expensive to go wrong!

I don't see the need especially although I did think that about a robot hoover until I got one and now adore it!

Wouldn't be without a boiling water tap either.

I was going to scoff at this, but I guess it could be quite useful - you fill the kettle up in advance and then when you want tea, you can tell Alexa or whatever to boil the kettle.

That way, you only need to go to the kitchen once, to make the tea when the water is already boiled.

That said, I read something once that said it was the ritual of making the tea that was as therapeutic and calming as the tea itself, so query whether it takes something away from tea-making.

Plus, it means you are probably boiling more water than you need to if you're not checking the water level when you put the kettle on, so probs a bit worse for the environment.

I too adore my robot hoover but agree with pp that as you have to get up to fill the kettle up in any case that flicking the switch is no bother. I do however have a bedside tea wotsit that I just push a button for tea in bed in the morning.

What I really want is an indoor drone that uses some kind of rfid scanner thing that can pick all the kids crap on the floors and take it too their rooms, that would be far more useful!

Given you have to go to the kettle to collect the water, I can’t see how this helps disabled people? Surely pouring boiling water is what poses any difficulty. Not flicking it on.

Well I’m just guessing given the myriad of disabilities there are it might be a help to someone

I have issues standing for more than around 60 seconds. Being able to turn the kettle on from another room, wait for it to boil, and then just pour it would help a ton. I have several adaptations like this around my house, like the heating, light bulbs, fans, the oven, etc.

It helps me keep some independence.

@aLilNonnyMouse what you said. People without disabilities find it very hard to imagine what it's like to struggle with everyday tasks.

I do like having voice activated lights though. 'Lights on' and boom. Great so I don't have to move

I did think it would be good for people who have trouble standing, waiting for the kettle to boil, especially if they don't have a stool or somewhere to sit in the kitchen, but other than that, it seems like another expensive gadget to go wrong!