Gas Or Electric Kettle?

[Minxy]

It’s probably just me - doesn’t a mug of tea taste better from a gas kettle?

Yup. There's something about kettles that you boil on a hob that makes a difference to the water when it's boiled, no idea why in reality however it could be partly due to an electric kettle continuing to boil for longer in order for the automatic switching off to work. Perhaps someone who has experience of chemistry etc can advise on this.

Yes, it's just you...

Oh no it isn't!!!

 

[shawn&emma]

How long does it take to boil that 1.7litre on a gas hob? Fairly sure even a 2.3kW would be faster.

In my opinion do avoid the cheaper plastic based kettles. No idea why but every one I have had ends up after a while seeming that the water has a slight tainted taste. The metal kettle is a better bet.

On the hob it takes around 4 minutes, the same time as it takes to do my porridge in the microwave

 

[shawn&emma]

Does it really matter, it will boil for free and no bottles to lump about.Just get up a minute earlier or put it on a timer.

Ps trust you cook with electric? Microwave, electric hob? Toaster? Etc.

We use the microwave very occasionally, porridge some mornings and maybe my dinner if I’m late home. We hate having to much clutter so wouldn’t want to be carrying extra things around so use the gas oven and hob. Always think the toast is far better done under a grill instead of toaster.

Shawn

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

We use the microwave very occasionally, porridge some mornings and maybe my dinner if I’m late home. We hate having to much clutter so wouldn’t want to be carrying extra things around so use the gas oven and hob. Always think the toast is far better done under a grill instead of toaster.

Shawn

No further comment required,enjoy using your gas and lumping the bottles around.

 

[L' Hobo]

If you are a warden and have free electricity, have you thought about investing in an adjustable electric ern?

while it may be expensive to purchase initially, (there sometime on fleabay) you could have 2gall of water in the awning, just under boiling so as not to produce too much steam, with which you could fill your kettle and wash with.

it used to work for me when I was winter site-sitting.

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[Pausim]

Currently we are on a lovely Dorset site with 10A hook ups. Our 1.7kW kettle is fine so long as we are not using electric heating at the same time. Our friend‘s 3kW kettle pops the breaker every time even if she is using nothing else. With the price of electricity soaring I can see a few more sites changing over to 10A hook ups. 10A limits you to a maximum total of 2.3kW. Perhaps not relevant to the OP’s current (oops unintentional pun) enquiry but may be something for the future.

 

[chaser]

I would think if you have free electric it's a no brainer that you use it for everything, you don't need a gas bottle at all.

 

[L' Hobo]

I would think if you have free electric it's a no brainer that you use it for everything, you don't need a gas bottle at all.

Except if there's a power break!

 

[chaser]

Except if there's a power break!

Pretty much like here, we don't have gas in this house.

 

[TOT]

How long does it take to boil that 1.7litre on a gas hob? Fairly sure even a 2.3kW would be faster.

In my opinion do avoid the cheaper plastic based kettles. No idea why but every one I have had ends up after a while seeming that the water has a slight tainted taste. The metal kettle is a better bet.

Metal with 2 mugs of water at a time.

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[L' Hobo]

Pretty much like here, we don't have gas in this house.

I'm lucky, I have both and that might come in handy if the Russia thing escalates??

 

[Hoovie]

The gas cooker in my Motorhome has 3 gas burners and an electric hotplate. So it would be a simple matter of using the same hob kettle and using it on the hotplate instead of the gas burner if on EHU.
In fact, I tend to use an portable Induction hob instead of the hotplate as more efficient and faster. Again, use the same kettle, or for that matter, same pans for cooking on either.
Also .... You can boil water in a Microwave and save buying a kettle. Once you know how long it takes to do the required amount of water, you have the timer feature of the microwave available.

 

[chaser]

I'm lucky, I have both and that might come in handy if the Russia thing escalates??

Yes can't see the gas job getting any better, what with Russia and the greens attacking it from both ends

 

[L' Hobo]

The gas cooker in my Motorhome has 3 gas burners and an electric hotplate. So it would be a simple matter of using the same hob kettle and using it on the hotplate instead of the gas burner if on EHU.
In fact, I tend to use an portable Induction hob instead of the hotplate as more efficient and faster. Again, use the same kettle, or for that matter, same pans for cooking on either.
Also .... You can boil water in a Microwave and save buying a kettle. Once you know how long it takes to do the required amount of water, you have the timer feature of the microwave available.

what's all this worry about how long it takes to boil, I'm away in the van and my collapsible kettle takes forever but do I care? No! it gives me longer to something else.
What's 5mins here or there when your relaxed??

 

[funflair]

Electric for us running off inverter and solar with gas kettle in the cupboard as a spare and just in case the sun doesn't shine for a few days, electric is 2kw as anything less would be like watching paint dry, the advantage is that we can leave the glass down over the hob and with a cover on it makes useful additional work space.

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[GibAvon]

We bought a cheap plastic low-wattage electric kettle from a camping shop a few years ago. Without checking, its capacity is about 1 litre and it has an 800 W heating element. It’s still going strong. The capacity is fine for our two mugs of coffee, and we don’t mind the time it takes to boil. If we are cooking rice or pasta, or boiling spuds, we always boil the eater in the kettle first - saves on gas! Our gas kettle is stored in a cupboard, just in case.

 

[Taff015]

Being that it’s only 1kw how long do it take to boil a full kettle?

Off topic I know, sorry!

I was doing research on this as I am trying to save money!!!

Regardless of size of kettle or type of fuel used, 1ltr or water uses the same amount of energy to boil. Clearly a higher Kw kettle will boil it faster, however it will cost the same in fuel usage.

You can however save money in the long run if you frequently re-boil a kettle for that second brew etc. (there are a lot of brews consumed in my house!!) if you use an insulated kettle which keeps the heat in and then uses less energy the next time it is boiled. Only drawback is that the insulated kettles (Vektra for instance) cost a lot of money so you would need to have a lot of use to offset the cost and if you are using the full contents every boil, its pointless as any savings are now gone!

I suppose the best thing about using a lower kw electric kettle is that it wont blow the 16amp in the van!!

If I was having free electric, I wouldn't use gas at all!!

 

[Hoovie]

what's all this worry about how long it takes to boil, I'm away in the van and my collapsible kettle takes forever but do I care? No! it gives me longer to something else.
What's 5mins here or there when your relaxed??

If you look at the original post, you would have noticed that the idea of the kettle turning itself off was desirable to THEM. so using a Microwave with a timer would be useful to THEM. (not sure if anyone asked you what you wanted? )

 

[L' Hobo]

Off topic I know, sorry!

I was doing research on this as I am trying to save money!!!

Regardless of size of kettle or type of fuel used, 1ltr or water uses the same amount of energy to boil. Clearly a higher Kw kettle will boil it faster, however it will cost the same in fuel usage.

You can however save money in the long run if you frequently re-boil a kettle for that second brew etc. (there are a lot of brews consumed in my house!!) if you use an insulated kettle which keeps the heat in and then uses less energy the next time it is boiled. Only drawback is that the insulated kettles (Vektra for instance) cost a lot of money so you would need to have a lot of use to offset the cost and if you are using the full contents every boil, its pointless as any savings are now gone!

I suppose the best thing about using a lower kw electric kettle is that it wont blow the 16amp in the van!!

If I was having free electric, I wouldn't use gas at all!!

or buy a cheap large flask that will keep the excess water warmer for longer especially if you warm it first, pour the water back into the kettle to re-boil before, once more, filling the already warm flask!

 

[Taff015]

or buy a cheap large flask that will keep the excess water warmer for longer especially if you warm it first, pour the water back into the kettle to re-boil before, once more, filling the already warm flask!

Oh bugger, why didn't I think of that before I dropped over £100 on a sodding thermos kettle....doh!

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[John Barrett]

Now at 48 posts over a choice of kettle. Must be because the Ukraine news is going off the boil...

 

[Taff015]

Now at 48 posts over a choice of kettle. Must be because the Ukraine news is going off the boil...

well the way things are going, gas, electric and fuel will be worth more than gold soon!!

 

[Riverbankannie]

If full timing, then a rapid boil, quiet boil is more important for daily use. These Russell Hobbs ones really are quieter
Broken Link Removed

 

[L' Hobo]

If you look at the original post, you would have noticed that the idea of the kettle turning itself off was desirable to THEM. so using a Microwave with a timer would be useful to THEM. (not sure if anyone asked you what you wanted? )

My comment was made at random, not you specifically but I did look again at the original post and can see no mention of them having a microwave (that came later) and my collapsible kettle does turn itself off but I don't want to get you anymore upset so I suggest you put me on 'ignore',
There really is no need to shout, this is a Fun thread after all?

 

[eddie]

If full timing, then a rapid boil, quiet boil is more important for daily use. These Russell Hobbs ones really are quieter
Broken Link Removed

3000w

3000w divided by a nominal 220 VAC is over 13 amps!

All of us would condemn anyone overloading an extension lead like this

Knowing that it could result in a situation like this

Yet we forget that we are running our camper vans on "extension leads" in some cases quite long, extension leads!

OK We called them "Hook Up" leads, but it's an extension lead. Then stop to think of what will work inside the camper before we even plug anything in?

Typically:-

Battery charger
Fridge
Freezer
Heating
Water heater
Hob?

All this potentially on before you even think about anything else. Don't forget that is the site (as ours is) is rated at 10 amps it doesn't mean that the supply is "regulated" at 10 amps, it means that the Micro Circuit Breaker (MCB) is rated at 10 amps. A MCB is in essence a "fuse" In the old days the fuse was a bit of wire between to terminals, now its the MCB which will allow a lot more than 10amps through if the load is built up slowly.

Add to this the stuff that people take and dismiss with a wave of a cavalier wave "Oh its hardly anything" the iPad charger, the eBike chargers, the hair drier, the Remoska, the fan heater, the electric blanket, Microwave overs, Air Fryers, the CPAP machine, the Sky box, the vacuum cleaner plus multiple chargers and devices (an I guarantee even now some will be reading this see something on this list and think "not me" and dismiss the whole list lol)

You wouldn't plug in anywhere near as much stuff to an extension lead, so please for your own safety's sake be aware the load of anything you use. It is written on every single electrical device sold in the UK so you know

Which is why I use one of these :-

And I am luckier than most as my camper was designed with a 40 amp "hook up" in mind

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[Richard n Ann]

3000w divided by a nominal 220 VAC is over 13 amps!

Don't fall into that old trap. The wattage rating of the device is only 3000w at 240v. If you supply it with less voltage it will take less current and be less wattage..
I know what you mean though, it's still a lot.

 

[Hoovie]

Don't fall into that old trap. The wattage rating of the device is only 3000w at 240v. If you supply it with less voltage it will take less current and be less wattage..
I know what you mean though, it's still a lot.

depends on the device on what happens at lower voltages... Some may pull the same current and the power reduce (a Microwave is typical of that), but many devices would pull MORE current to make up for the lower voltage in order to provide the same wattage.

 

[Hoovie]

My comment was made at random, not you specifically but I did look again at the original post and can see no mention of them having a microwave (that came later) and my collapsible kettle does turn itself off but I don't want to get you anymore upset so I suggest you put me on 'ignore',
There really is no need to shout, this is a Fun thread after all?

not upsetting me at all, just pointing out I am answering the question asked, where mention WAS made about nice to have something that switches ITSELF off, and that is what a microwave will also do, but a kettle running off a gas ring will not.
As you quoted my post, it would be fair for me to assume you were replying to my post. If you were making a random comment, maybe make more sense to not quote a specific reply?

PS. capitals can be used for EMPHASIS. if I was typing in ALL CAPITALS, then THAT could be called shouting, but I was not

 

[John Barrett]

Don't fall into that old trap. The wattage rating of the device is only 3000w at 240v. If you supply it with less voltage it will take less current and be less wattage..
I know what you mean though, it's still a lot.

Agreed. It's the resistance of the element that remains constant and not the output power. Less volts = less amps drawn.

 

[eddie]

Don't fall into that old trap. The wattage rating of the device is only 3000w at 240v. If you supply it with less voltage it will take less current and be less wattage..
I know what you mean though, it's still a lot.

I was making the sums easy, make it too variable and people see This LOL

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