fernJun 19, 2023

What are your favourite and/or most used kitchen items?

https://beehaw.org/post/637986

What are your favourite and/or most used kitchen items? - Beehaw

For me, it would probably have to be my Bialetti moka pot and Dualit toaster. I make a pot of coffee and toast almost every morning. I also hope to replace my old pans with a cast iron one soon, and I look forward to using that a lot.

Show threadskip0110Jun 19, 2023

Appliance: Electric kettle. (they are uncommon in the US) It's well worth the counter space and easier to get boiling water than a pot on the stove, or to pre-heat water I add to a pan.

Non-appliance: Cheapo but sharp chef's knife, spatula, and kitchen tongs (great for grabbing hot lids too!).

Show threadinspectorst
As a Briton, the lack of electric kettles in US kitchens astonishes me - I can't imagine getting by without one. But I remember hearing somewhere that it was related to the lower mains voltage in the US, meaning that they take longer to boil in the US?
Jun 19, 2023 at 10:05pmWeb
Show threadskip0110Jun 19, 2023
I've heard that too...of course, I can't compare to 240V but it takes me probably 2-3 minutes to boil about 2 cups of water and probably 5-6 for a full kettle at a rolling boil (rough estimate from memory). It's not much faster than the stove but theres no wasted heat, and no hot pan sitting on a burner after I'm done. Another theory I've heard is that in the US people opt for a drip coffee maker instead of a kettle (for their one spot on the counter? Why not both?), since we don't drink tea that often.
Show threadiphaJun 19, 2023

Only slightly longer than a 240v kettle, but still much faster than a kettle over a gas range.

Real reason is that most people in the US don't drink tea and don't have a need for quick hot water on demand.

Show threadfidodoJun 20, 2023
I don't think they're that uncommon in the US. They're not ubiquitous like they are in Europe but I feel like the majority of people have them. As mentioned, it's probably more to do with whether you drink tea than anything else, and not as many people drink tea all the time here. Come to think of it, I've never seen anyone boil water for tea on the stove in the last decade. They either use a kettle or they don't drink tea at all.
Show threadSpookyMarieJun 20, 2023
I didn't realize this was a thing many American homes lack or are perceived by other countries to lack? I'm in the US and have one, my teenage stepson loves it for getting water up to temp faster for his cooking. I don't use it that often but I think it's worth having anyway.
Show threadFylkirJun 22, 2023
In my house I have a coffee maker that probably just keeps enough water for a single cup warm. Otherwise it takes a minute to heat.