Presto Electric Tea Kettle

I am one of those people that like hot cocoa, instant cappuccino and hot tea in the winter but hated having to use the microwave for heating the water.

When using the microwave I found that I could never get the cocoa or cappuccino to dissolve all the way and would always find a lumpy mess some place in the cup. In order to not have that problem I would have to use another cup to boil the water then pour over the beverage. I didn’t like that as I was working outside at the time and wanted to warm up as quickly as possible.

I was in Albertson’s doing my weekly grocery shopping and saw that they had the Presto Electric Tea Kettle for sale for $15.00 and decided I would give it a try.

Well the next morning (4:30am) when I got off from work I came home and preceded to make myself a cup of hot cocoa before I went to bed. I really needed to thaw out and thought this would do it.

I took the Presto Electric Tea Kettle over to the sink and lifted the little stainless steel lid that covered the spout and added about a cup and a half of water to the kettle. I plugged it in and waited. In about 5 minutes the water was boiling strong and the little whistle was relentless in letting me know. I didn’t want to wake up the whole family.

I unplugged the Presto Electric Tea Kettle, poured the water over my cocoa and stirred. There wasn’t any of that lumpy stuff in the cup any longer. Yeah, I didn’t have to eat my cocoa I could drink it.

That afternoon when I got up I decided to see how the little Presto Electric Tea Kettle would work with more than a cup and a half of water in it. So I filled it and waited for the water to boil. It takes approximately nine minutes for a whole pot of water.

When it starts boiling the whistle does go off but there is a little problem with that. Water does come splashing out onto the counters because it is boiling. Steam does come out the top and tends to get on your cabinets so I do recommend that when using to keep away from anything that has a finish on it.

Also when using the Presto Electric Tea Kettle make sure you place it on a heatproof surface as it does tend to get hot and with enough heat your countertops will start to buckle. While using the pot please keep it out of the reach of small children as the steam can get in their little faces and cause scarring also they can burn other parts of their little bodies.

The Presto Electric Tea Kettle is supposed to have a built in thermostat that will turn it off when the kettle boils dry. I have never experienced that because I unplug it as soon as the water starts to boil. That feature does make it nice when you are going down the road and think did I turn it off or didn’t I.

I don’t place a whole lot of trust in those kinds of things as that can malfunction.

The inside of the Presto Electric Tea Kettle is made of an anodized metal that is supposed to help eliminate mineral build up. I have not had this problem but then once a month I do slosh a little vinegar water around the inside to make sure.

Cleaning the outside is a breeze. Just wipe down and go. When I finish with the pot and it has cooled down I usually try to turn it upside down and drain the water out so that a film doesn't develop on the inside. Never place the pot in a sink of water. The electric elements are inside the pot and that could either cause it to short out or you being electorcuted.

I do not find this way of boiling water any faster than using a standard teakettle for the top of the stove. It seems that my gas cook top and the electric kettle are about the same in boiling time.

The Presto Electric Tea Kettle is a nicely shaped pot that looks almost like a bubble. The handle does get a little hot to the touch so I recommend using a potholder when picking it up.

When you want to just heat enough water to make one or two cups of something then this isn’t a bad little pot. If you tend to forget hat you have something on the stove then this is also a help because you do have the whistle to help in reminding you.

When purchasing the Presto Electric Tea Kettle it’s just a matter of personal judgment as to whether or not you want to spend the money.

Thanks for reading.