Life in a modern home and office is hard to imagine without an ordinary electric kettle. This is almost a key household appliance, without which it is difficult to heat or boil water for coffee, tea or anything else. The main parameters of any electric kettle are power and volume.
With an increase in volume, the time and consumption of the consumed energy increases. If the family is small, 2-3 people, then a kettle with a volume of 1.2 - 1.5 liters will do. If you have a large family and guests often come, it is better to choose models with a volume of about two liters.
It depends on how powerful the kettle is, how quickly it boils the ox. For compact teapots with a volume of a liter or less, a power in the range from 650 to 1000 watts is characteristic. For larger models, where the volume exceeds 1.5 liters, the range is usually in the range of 1.5 - 3 kW. The more powerful the device, the more electricity it consumes, but if you value literally seconds, you should choose the highest power.
A heating element
The basis of any electric kettle is a heating element, the type of which determines not only the speed at which the water boils, but also the noise level. In modern teapots, either open spirals or disc elements are installed.
Open heating elements - coils - are usually made of stainless steel, and the water is in direct contact with the coil. Kettle models of this kind work quite quietly and are relatively inexpensive. Some models are equipped with a so-called "gold" spiral, which has a titanium coating. This coating protects the heating element against scale and corrosion. The main requirement for kettles with a spiral is that the water must completely cover the heating element.
In more modern models, a hidden heating disc is used as the main element, to which the electrical contacts are directly connected. They are similar to models with a flat heating element, but they are quieter and heat the water faster.
Body material
Perhaps the most popular are still teapots made of durable plastic (a material that is inert to chemical attack and heat is chosen). These kettles cool down slowly, are lightweight, safe to use and do not heat up too much during use. An additional plus is a variety of shapes and colors, as well as a low price.
In addition to plastic, the case can be made of metal, ceramics or impact-resistant glass. And although the glass teapot is the most elegant, scale is especially noticeable through its walls, so the glass requires constant maintenance.
Additional features and security
Absolutely all modern models are automatically turned off when water boils or the kettle is removed from the stand. In some models, shutdown is realized with too little water or opening the lid. This is done primarily for the safety of use. Some models of electric kettles can melodiously alert about boiling water by giving a sound signal.
When boiling in water, scale forms, and a special mesh filter will prevent solid particles from entering the cup. The most common filters are synthetic fine nylon mesh. However, metal filters last longer, and less scale settles on gold-plated filters. The removable filter is more convenient to wash; this should be done under running water. Some models of electric kettles are equipped with a built-in filter, which is not bad for coarse cleaning of the water used.