• Stovetop@lemmy.world
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    1 month ago

    Honest truth is that people in the US don’t need to use kettles as much, so for a lot of households it’s just a question of why buy an extra appliance when the cheap $10 kettle from Target or a small saucepan will do for the few times a year a kettle becomes convenient.

    • mbirth@lemmy.ml
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      1 month ago

      Also: Microwave. Apparently, lots of people heat their water in the microwave. (See pinned comment here.)

      • Stovetop@lemmy.world
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        1 month ago

        I will admit as a kid when I wanted tea I used to just fill a mug with water and stick it in the microwave for a minute.

    • xmunk@sh.itjust.works
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      1 month ago

      You ever eat instant ramen? You enjoy boiling things? Do you drink tea multiple times a year?

      The kettle is worth it.

      • Stovetop@lemmy.world
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        1 month ago

        That’s the thing, the answer for a lot of people in the US is no.

        After coffee, the most common need for boiled water in US households is probably for pasta, and a kettle’s not really the tool for either of those.

        People that do eat a lot of instant ramen or drink a lot of tea in the US are more likely to have electric kettles (as some people I know do) but most don’t eat ramen often enough and tea just isn’t as big here.

      • ZephrC@lemm.ee
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        1 month ago

        Ramen is most commonly sold in sealed plastic bags in America. We just cook it in a pot like any other pasta. Lots of people I know don’t own any kind of kettle. If they need to boil water a pot or the microwave both work just fine.

        Personally, I like tea, but I also have an induction cooktop, so I just have a kettle for that. It’s great. All the advantages of an electric kettle without having to put an electrical appliance by my sink.