lower wattage kettles

[Rockingit]

Just had the Aussie (my better half) go looking for a replacement kettle online and I'm curious to see that the vast majority are now only 2.2kW yet described as 'fast boil'. Have I missed something?!

 

[Rockingit]

I think the lower rating is another EU idea.

Here is mine from the early 1930s. It is also lower powered, rated at 4.9Amps 200-210V Been using it several times a day for the last 5 years, boiling time isn't that slow.View attachment 63432

Mate, she's a beauty

 

[pc1966]

I think the lower rating is another EU idea.

No, unlike the directive on vacuum cleaners, the rating of a kettle has practically no impact on the energy used. That depends on the change in temperature and volume of water (so only fill as much as you immediately need).

I think the 2.2kW rating is so you can use a 10A IEC "kettle" connector on 230V and no overload it. The 3kW kettles are more a UK 13A thing.

 

[Moley]

Mate, she's a beauty

Oh no, we've got us a kettle spotter ? ?

 

[freddo]

I think the 2.2kW rating is so you can use a 10A IEC "kettle" connector on 230V and no overload it.

I thought that sort of kettle was a thing of the past! The flexes on most of the kettles I now come across are either hard wired or go to a 'cordless' base.

 

[freddo]

Mate, she's a beauty

I've been too busy to polish it this year so it now looks like this. ?

 

[pc1966]

I thought that sort of kettle was a thing of the past! The flexes on most of the kettles I now come across are either hard wired or go to a 'cordless' base.

Indeed, while a decade ago if you said "kettle connector" everyone would know the IEC sort, now it is usually one of those round bases (that often end up with flaky damaged connection).

If you have a desktop (e.g. gaming) PC you would recognise it, but otherwise they are not that common now outside of professional electronics where they are pretty universal as the only world-wide connector you have a sporting chance to buy locally for whatever local outlets they use.

 

[telectrix]

I've been too busy to polish it this year so it now looks like this. ?
View attachment 63453

shame on you. go to the naughty step and polish it.

 

[DPG]

shame on you. go to the naughty step and polish it.

I get put on the naughty step when I polish mine. It's a funny old world.

 

[Mark42]

I think the lower rating is another EU idea.

Here is mine from the early 1930s. It is also lower powered, rated at 4.9Amps 200-210V Been using it several times a day for the last 5 years, boiling time isn't that slow.View attachment 63432

That is absolutely beautiful! (I live in an old house and love old electrical kit - esp Belling heaters and bakelite phones) Do you really use it? I wonder if it would be possible to replace a blown element?

I doubt many modern kettles will last nine years, let alone ninety!

 

[freddo]

Do you really use it? I wonder if it would be possible to replace a blown element?

I doubt many modern kettles will last nine years, let alone ninety!

Yes it gets used multiple times a day, that's why it looks so tarnished now! If the element fails it can be easily repaired. I think it is simply a length of resistance wire wrapped around a rectangle of mica then insulated with mica either side, a cushioning pad of asbestos protects the element from the metal plate that clamps it to the underside of the kettle. Most of the workings inside is the boil dry shut off mechanism. I'm glad it is there as it's not an automatic kettle and I've accidentally let it boil dry more than once...

It started leaking recently so I intend to repair that at the weekend. The kettle is fitted with an etched brass plate saying it is property of the Woking Electric Co. I hope they don't want it back.