Mihow

We Got a Little Teapot

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by

Mihow
in

We have a lot of kitchen appliances. Out of the appliances we own, the two that we’ve used the most over the years has been the KitchenAid mixer and the Cuisinart Electric Kettle. I use the KitchenAid at least three times a week. And Toby Joe makes tea almost every night. I often use our kettle for Em’s oatmeal as well. 

Sadly, our kettle died a few weeks ago, after years worth of daily use it just croaked. 

This is what we ended up with.

teapot2

My question is simple: do you like our new kettle? How do you feel about its design? Because one of the adults living under this roof doesn’t like the looks of it and has therefore pushed it way, way back into a corner. The other adult person living here purchased it and is quite pleased with it.

How do you feel about our new kettle?

teapot1

Don’t be shy. I sure ain’t been.

Comments

40 responses to “We Got a Little Teapot”

  1. Kizz Avatar
    Kizz

    I actually have a question about your new kettle. Does it require constant power? With a regular kettle you unplug when you’re done (or at least turn off). Do you have that option with this one? We have the black version here in my office but I don’t know a lot about it.

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  2. heathercoo Avatar
    heathercoo

    Honestly I thought it was a rice cooker at first. I thought the kettle was the stainless steel one beside it.

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  3. mihow Avatar
    mihow

    I think they make rice cookers, too.

    Kizz, I will ask the man.

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  4. Wendy Avatar
    Wendy

    Since you asked…it’s a little to white-plastic-y and boxy for me. :)

    We had a beautiful translucent blue kettle for 5 years that just up and died one day recently, so my husband bought me a stainless steel one with a blue LED light inside to show how much water (through the guage), and I adore it. So much so that I have to show it off to everyone who comes to my house.

    But if this one works for you, and fits your life, why not??

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  5. marymuses Avatar
    marymuses

    Wait…that’s a kettle? Things sure have changed since I was young…

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  6. NGS Avatar
    NGS

    I don’t see why kettles should be plugged in when you can set one of those non-electric ones that look all old-fashioned and adorable on the stove and they whistle and heat up just as quickly. But I’m sort of contrarian and against newfangled technology that way.

    A kettle shouldn’t have buttons.

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  7. PA Avatar
    PA

    I have to agree with your huz. Quite ugly. I would want it hidden in a cabinet.

    Sorry.

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  8. mihow Avatar
    mihow

    I’m sorry, but what gave you the impression my HUSBAND is the one in this house that thinks it’s ugly?

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  9. Milissa Avatar
    Milissa

    Um, yeah, so, I don’t like it. I feel a little odd passing judgment on other people’s stuff, but, OK, you asked, it’s ugly.

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  10. Amber Avatar
    Amber

    I think it looks vaguely medical, like something you’d see in a doctor’s office.

    I’ve also never had a plug-in kettle, just the regular stove-top kind. Do the electrical ones work faster?

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  11. erica Avatar
    erica

    man, we grew up with these things. i guess us asians need our hot water STAT. my brother and his family have that same exact one (and they do make rice cookers as well). it’s not the sleekest looking appliance, but you’re going to use it so much, you’ll start to think it’s cute!

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  12. Danielle Avatar
    Danielle

    I thought it was a bread maker, so in a word? No.

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  13. houpley Avatar
    houpley

    i also thought it was a bread maker at first. and since you asked … it is a bit cold/odd/medical looking.

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  14. nico Avatar
    nico

    I have the matching rice cooker. I keep it in a cupboard, so I hadn’t thought about the aesthetics.

    However, my rice cooker sings me little songs. If your kettle does the same it should stay.

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  15. jonathan Avatar
    jonathan

    I use my tea kettle daily…

    either for tea or French Press / Chemex coffee.

    I would kindly suggest you try one, rather than the Capresso… unless that is the MT-500, which I hear is the closest thing to a Technovorm you can get ( in terms of temp stability )

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  16. Egirl Avatar
    Egirl

    It looks like a trash can. Or a diaper pail. But maybe it works well?

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  17. Somer Avatar
    Somer

    If you’re going to use this thing all of the time, I guess functionality should trump looks. That being said, it does look a little like you bought this thing from Ron Popeil. I’m a fan of the old fashioned stove top tea kettle and I’ve always had one on my stove top, but some people are way too impatient to wait 3 whole minutes for boiling water so they end up with white plastic atrocities on their countertops :-D I adore you dear, but that thing is not fit to be seen in a working kitchen.

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  18. Krissa Avatar
    Krissa

    To the people who use stove-top kettles … man! You’re patient. I need my tea a lot faster than that.

    Also, um, I don’t like this, aesthetically. I think it looks like something from a doctor’s office. Also it seems like it’d be an energy hog, since some part of it is “on” all the time (at least the LED?) but I don’t know much about that stuff. I have an awesome Braun one that works fine and matches my other black/stainless-steel appliances.

    But I’m fascinated that there are apparently translucent kettles out there!

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  19. Krissa Avatar
    Krissa

    Also in staring at it, I’ve realized my main objection is that I wouldn’t get to POUR the boiling water over my tea. That would really bug me. I apparently really like that action, since I had a really visceral reaction to just pushing a button for water. Maybe it reminded me of temping in all those soulless offices with machines like this.

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  20. tobyjoe Avatar
    tobyjoe

    Jon – the coffee machine is the venerable MT-500 and thus far the temp is right on.

    The kettle is a little gauche, but I really like tea and it lets you choose the temp you want (important for delicate and premium teas!), and, once heated, it provides constant hot water. Helps for other things for which you need hot water, too.

    It’s ugly, no doubt, but it works great.

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  21. Mihow Avatar
    Mihow

    Please note: it us not I who loves this kettle. It just showed up one day.

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  22. erin Avatar
    erin

    I vote yes on the tea pot even though it’s not a pot, not really, is it? yes, it’s uggo but if it provides continuous hot water that won’t cause you to burn your mouth then it really serves a great purpose and makes me wish i had one.

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  23. Emily Avatar
    Emily

    being asian, this is no biggie. i have the same exact hot water pot and it’s awesome! hot water without the wait! it’s a keeper!

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  24. Laura Avatar
    Laura

    It looks very European to me. Kinda cool, but I like simple things, so I wouldn’t have bought it.

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  25. Jonathan Avatar
    Jonathan

    Toby-

    Sweet!

    Can you toss me a link to your kettle on Amazon or elsewhere? It sounds like my next purchase! It would pair perfectly with my Chemex, and my lady is a big tea drinker.

    I’m all about function over form… and exact temperature stuff. I need to finish the PID + new water system retrofit on my old espresso machine soon!

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  26. peter Avatar
    peter

    Must be an Asian thing, like Erica and Emily said. My parents have the exact same model. That same brand and similar make is in almost every Asian family.

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  27. sam Avatar
    sam

    oh man i want one of those. they rule.

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  28. wendyr Avatar
    wendyr

    Well, first let me say that since I am married to an Englishman, kettles are important in this household. I am pleased to hear that purchasing one when we move to North America will not be as difficult as Mr wendyr feared. But that kettle. I apologize. It is not attractive.

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  29. mihow Avatar
    mihow

    Honestly, I think, other than the shape of it, what bugs me maybe the most is that every single font is a different size! The designer in me wants to slap it silly for such nonsense. :]

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  30. joanie Avatar
    joanie

    I was too chicken to say what I thought before there were other comments up, but it looks like a breathing treatment machine. However, I live with my brother, so I’m used to having ugly appliances thrown on my counter. Have you seen a food dehydrator?!

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  31. CanMama Avatar
    CanMama

    as long as it does its job it deserves a proper place on the counter:)

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  32. Mary@Holy Mackerel Avatar
    Mary@Holy Mackerel

    I’ve never seen such a tea kettle, but I think I like it. I like it a lot. I think.

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  33. andrea Avatar
    andrea

    we have a rice cooker from the same company, it’s awesome. :)

    but yeah, it does look like something that might also take your blood pressure for you.

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  34. kristy Avatar
    kristy

    as to design: yuck
    as to function: love fast hot water

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  35. anne nahm Avatar
    anne nahm

    As a novice tea drinker, I am curious as to why people don’t just microwave water to pour over their tea? I know the water is not hot instantly, but a minute doesn’t seem like that long to wait.

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  36. jenB Avatar
    jenB

    I believe it takes less energy to boil water this way than on the stove, but I could be wrong. It ain’t beautiful, but I like all its functions. :-)

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  37. Ian W. Avatar
    Ian W.

    I think the problem is in the name. It’s not an electric kettle; it’s an exotic Japanese hot water machine.

    It’s definitely the coolest looking Japanese hot water machine I’ve ever seen. (also, only.) But it sure is an ugly tea kettle.

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  38. haly Avatar
    haly

    it’s great for tea drinkers and heating up baby bottles. my parents bought us one after we had the baby. it is ugly though. but nothing in my kitchen matches anyway.

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  39. Cindy Avatar
    Cindy

    I agree about the fonts and overall labeling design – it’s a bit bold. I perfer stainless steel and black – but I have a white KitchenAid mixer, so I can be okay with white in some instances.

    Maybe you could design a tea-kettle cozy for the electric kettle like they have for other kettles?

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  40. Alyce Avatar
    Alyce

    Zojirushi makes awesome appliances. But I would have killed my husband for paying $120+ bucks to boil water.

    It is not attractive, but I could get past that in time. Maybe I’d knit a cozy for it.

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