The Vent and Rant Thread

[Rumpelteazer]

For a really long time we used the old fashioned kettle on the stove. But my mother convinced my father that an electric kettle is more user friendly. I've had one upstairs in my workroom's tea corner for years, before that I had one in my room at university in the UK (even though that wasn't allowed).

The bungalow my sister and I booked for September has a Qooker; one of those kitchen taps that, beside the regular cold and hot water, can provide you with boiling water.

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by Rumpelteazer

Yesterday I had a customer complaining about the price of a light bulb for his daughter's bedside lamp: €2.00 (since he didn't want to pay €4.50 for an LED light bulb). Whilst waiting for me to get and test the light bulb he saw the light bulb shaped outdoor light fixture we have. He wanted one, I told him the price €99.95, excluding light bulb. But he wanted it and also bought a €9.00 LED light bulb for it.

It isn't uncommon, customers complaining about the price (usually a couple of euros) of something they need, but when they see something they want the price isn't an issue.

Who's to say it isn't money well spent if it makes someone happy?

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe

Who's to say it isn't money well spent if it makes someone happy?

The one is simply maintenance/necessity. The other is a new "toy". The first gives one no pleasure -- the second is a bit of retail therapy. I totally get it. I'll work to reduce that maintenance cost to a minimum to allow me to occasionally do a bit of the second.

I just agreed to spend $11 CDN / Lbs for local, ethical, organic pork. I can do that, supporting a local farmer, because I've learned the very Canadian virtue of a bit of frugality in the day to day things. (Something perhaps not exclusive to Canada, but certainly not often visible in my birth country/city that invented the phrase "planned obsolescence".)

[ApK]

Originally Posted by Hitch

I've been to that event!

I spent my teen years in Flemington, which is 15 minutes, +/-, from the Delaware, New Hope, etc. If memory serves, we went in the late 60's and a few times in the very early 70's. LOL.

Hitch

NJ! Represent!

[ApK]

Originally Posted by Uncle Robin

I was under the impression that the relative paucity/uncommonness of electric kettles in Nth America was related to the 110 volts making them less useful?

Ours seems to work fine. I assumed the US/UK difference was because Americans are more into coffee. Does the voltage make a difference? Or did it in the past, 'cuz ours seem seem to work just fine.

Originally Posted by Tarana

I'm switching from a cheap electric kettle (my brother's) to a Hot Shot. Water is ready in under 2 minutes for 1 cup of tea or cocoa.

Our Hot Shot lives on our counter and is used almost every day. Our kettle (and also the Breville Tea Maker) live on the shelf below and get grabbed when needed.

The only problem with the Hot Shot is the horrific lack of quality the company who bought the brand applied to their 'updated' design. As I've said elsewhere, my mom's original Hotshot lasted for over a decade of daily use. We have gone through three of the newer ones in the last few years because of the poorly designed, fragile dispense button connection. They are cheap enough to replace, but it sucks that they are made so cheaply as to be disposable.

When they work, they work wonderfully well, so we'll replace them as they break, since our plans to get a true insta-hot water system installed were thwarted--see a previous rant. I think it's a lot quicker than two minutes to do a single cup (which is about half capacity).

[badgoodDeb]

I believe the voltage difference means that 220V countries' electric kettles work faster. So starting tea can be very quick.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by badgoodDeb

I believe the voltage difference means that 220V countries' electric kettles work faster. So starting tea can be very quick.

Since I knew that the voltage itself should not make a difference, a little Googling taught me that typical UK household appliance circuits are 230v at 13 amps, allowing them to deliver around 3000 watts, which is a LOT more than a typical US 110v 15A or even 20A household circuit, so typical kettles can be made a lot more powerful over there, and thereby heat faster. There's my new thing I learned today. I had assumed UK circuits would be fewer Amps, yielding a similar total power as the US. You guys must have great power tools over there.

ApK

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by ApK

NJ! Represent!

Yup, my baby sister lived there, yet, in Flemington, until a few short weeks ago.

Hitch

[Uncle Robin]

Originally Posted by ApK

Since I knew that the voltage itself should not make a difference, a little Googling taught me that typical UK household appliance circuits are 230v at 13 amps, allowing them to deliver around 3000 watts, which is a LOT more than a typical US 110v 15A or even 20A household circuit, so typical kettles can be made a lot more powerful over there, and thereby heat faster. There's my new thing I learned today. I had assumed UK circuits would be fewer Amps, yielding a similar total power as the US. You guys must have great power tools over there.

ApK

Thanks ApK - so it was the amperage not the voltage that makes the difference. Appreciate the clarification.

[PeterT]

I think it's both of them; Watts are Volts * Amps

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[Uncle Robin]

Originally Posted by PeterT

I think it's both of them; Watts are Volts * Amps

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And now you know why "electrician" was never a career option for me.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by ApK

Since I knew that the voltage itself should not make a difference, a little Googling taught me that typical UK household appliance circuits are 230v at 13 amps, allowing them to deliver around 3000 watts, which is a LOT more than a typical US 110v 15A or even 20A household circuit, so typical kettles can be made a lot more powerful over there, and thereby heat faster. There's my new thing I learned today. I had assumed UK circuits would be fewer Amps, yielding a similar total power as the US. You guys must have great power tools over there.

Another big difference is that UK household wiring is usually in the form of ring circuits.

BTW, although UK voltage is nominally 230V, it's actually 240V. The UK historically used 240V, the continent used 220V. And that's really still the case. But nominally, the continent now uses 230V -10%+6%, and the UK uses 230V -6%,+10%, so modern equipment is designed to handle 230V +/- 10%.

[ApK]

[QUOTE=pdurrant;4132403]Another big difference is that UK household wiring is usually in the form of ring circuits.

Wow, and there's my thing I learned today. That's pretty cool. Only read the summary, so maybe it explains later on, but I wonder why we don't do that in the US. Seems it would save a lot of money and resources on wiring.

BTW, although UK voltage is nominally 230V, it's actually 240V. The UK historically used 240V, the continent used 220V. And that's really still the case. But nominally, the continent now uses 230V -10%+6%, and the UK uses 230V -6%,+10%, so modern equipment is designed to handle 230V +/- 10%.

Yeah, and US isn't 110, it is, I think, 120 +/-6%, and we call it 110/120 interchangeably. But for tea kettle purposes that's irrelevant. Being able to drive a heating element safely with nearly 1000W more power is VERY relevant.

So how long DOES it take those UK kettles to boil, say, 500ml of water?

[ekbell]

Given that electric kettles were THE gift to give to university students in Ontario, Canada, a few decades ago, different electrical systems can't be the main determining factor.

(I've wondered how American students heated water for their cup-o-noodles or instant soups without a electric kettle)

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by PeterT

I think it's both of them; Watts are Volts * Amps

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Volts'll jolt ya, but amps will kill ya.

Hitch