you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] 26 points 1 year ago (23 children)

I'm British the entire conversation is deeply offensive to my people. Microwaving??? Putting mugs on a stove??? I am appalled!

  • source
  • hideshow 23 child comments
  • [–] 9 points 1 year ago (4 children)

    I don't even understand how that could work, surely a standard mug would break one way or another if you just stick it on the stove?

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 4 child comments
  • [–] 5 points 1 year ago (2 children)

    Porcelain has very good temperature shock resistance, stoneware quite good, earthenware bad. Your standard mug should be stoneware and take it just fine. There's even stoneware pots.

    The issue is rather that you shouldn't use standard electric stoves with too small pots, on gas I guess that's half-sensible but you'd be left with a charred mug that's way too hot.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago (5 children)

    One reason that some Americans microwave water rather than use a kettle is that our electricity is half the power of UK electricity. It takes a lot longer for an electric kettle to boil here. That said, I do use a kettle when boiling water for tea.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 5 child comments
  • [–] 3 points 1 year ago (2 children)

    When I went, if I ever saw one it was the equivalent of those cheap travel kettles. I think the average person there just doesn't use it enough to justify getting a good one.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago (1 child)

    We have a Zojirushi. 120V does limit it somewhat, but it's fine.

    The water in our area of country is also hard as shit. We have undersink RO now, but before then, mineral buildup in the kettle was bad. Crusted like concrete if we didn't stay on top of it.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 1 child comment
  • load more comments (-1 replies)
  • [–] 1 point 1 year ago (1 child)

    What a bullshit excuse. I'm in Canada with exactly the same 110v power, and it takes very little time to kettle water. People say this all the time as some sort of justification, but it just isn't.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 1 child comment
  • [–] 1 point 1 year ago*

    Wow, that was a little strong given the subject. I'm not sure what I did to deserve being cussed at when I was just talking about electric kettles. Especially since I said I do use a kettle myself.

  • source
  • parent
  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago (9 children)

    Our electricity is 120v here in the US, so kettles take forever

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 9 child comments
  • [–] 1 point 1 year ago (4 children)

    Do microwaves have some magic efficiency trick that lets them produce heat faster from the same exact energy? Like, how do they manage to be more than 100% efficient?

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 4 child comments
  • [–] 1 point 1 year ago

    Microwave magnetron efficiency is around 65%. Since a kettle turns electricity directly into heat, it's basically 100% efficient.

    A caveat is that microwaves will heat water directly and won't lose as much to its surroundings. This is similar to why induction stoves are more efficient; they're less efficient on paper than direct electric heating or burning gas, but they heat the thing you want in a more direct way.

    Even so, a microwave isn't great for this task. If you're short on space and don't want even a small travel kettle, I can see why you'd take this option. Otherwise, no.

  • source
  • parent
  • [–] 3 points 1 year ago (2 children)

    US outlet is 120V@20A = 2.4kW UK outlet is 230V@13A = 3.0kW

    It's a 15% difference based on possible power draw.

    Anecdotally the stove will still take many times longer. Even compared to induction my kettle is faster.

    My guess is that in the UK/EU it's not common to have powerful microwaves?

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago* (1 child)

    Most residential outlets in the US are going to be a 15A limit. You also have to reduce that by 20% for a continuous draw.

    UK might be able to get away with the full usage because their plugs are designed to have a fuse built in. Not entirely sure on that, though.

    That said, kettles are still a better option most of the time. Technology Connections has real world tests of this.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 1 child comment