Why Get a Whistling Tea Kettle?
First, they can be cheaper. Second, they are a lot more durable – nearly indestructible even, made of heavy-duty metal that can be dropped and banged without sustaining too much damage. And since they’re usually made of stainless steel or similar, they’re also pretty easy to clean.
That’s not to say there is anything wrong with an electric tea kettle. It’s the classic ritual and routine of stovetop models that keep us coming back.
Features to Look for in Stovetop Kettles
Choosing a good tea kettle should be pretty easy, but as always, there’s a few things you want to keep an eye out for to make it does what you need it to do.
How Fast Does It Boil Water?
This should be one of your main concerns. A quality, thick kettle is nice, but if it takes forever to boil water, what good does it do?
Does The Handle Stay Cool?
The last thing you want is to reach for your boiling kettle on the stove, and find that the handle is as hot as the water. That’s painful, dangerous, and an easy way to ruin your morning. Pay attention to the spout cap, too; if it gets hot, you may not be able to open it.
Is The Whistle Loud Enough?
Cheap whistles are weak and quiet. Good whistles are loud and clear, allowing you to hear the water boiling from the other side of the house.
Does it Rust?
Lesser-quality kettles tend to rust, even after just a few uses. Better ones will last years and hundreds to thousands of uses before rust becomes problem, ensuring you don’t need to replace it – and aren’t consuming tons of unpleasant rust.
Do You Require a Built-in Infuser?
Some whistling tea kettles have smaller tea infuser. It holds tea in the water and easily lifts off the water after a certain time period. Some tea kettles have a well fitted tea infuser which works well with kettle. With simple design, stovetop kettles are often used by many people. These kettles may be whimsical or compact.
What’s it Made Of?
Glass kettles are cheap and easy, and sometimes even dishwasher safe.But they aren’t great options for putting on the stove; Glass is too fragile and not appropriate for direct, high heat. Look for something else.
Cast-Iron kettles are some of the cheapest, as well as the most durable. Cast iron is thick and heavy, but this makes it an excellent conductor of heat. It’s also heavy to carry around, and rusts quickly; you’d need to get all the water out and dry it off after every use to prevent it from rusting. To prevent this, they may come with enamel or other finishes.
Copper is a good option for tea kettles as it conducts heat well and heats up quickly. It’s very shiny and looks great. However, it’s not the most durable material, and tarnishes quickly.
Aluminum kettles are light and cheap, making them excellent options when you don’t want a hefty or expensive piece of equipment (like a cast-iron kettle). The downside is that they aren’t very durable and can be dented, scratched and tarnished.
Stainless Steel is generally an excellent material. It’s durable, conducts heat well, doesn’t dent or scratch, doesn’t rust, and is very easy to clean when you (occasionally) need to. It also comes in all sorts of cool finishes that can add some flair to your kitchen setup.
Other things to look for might include a wide lid, which makes them easier to fill and to clean; a gooseneck spout, which gives more control when pouring (useful for the coffee lovers among us who like a good pour-over and want our tea kettle to double for that too); and a heat-resistant handle. Metal handles can get quite hot very quickly, making it difficult or even dangerous to grab the tea pot.
Of course, don’t forget a whistle when choosing your whistling tea kettle. On vintage whistling tea kettle, this is nothing more than a small opening in the lid of the spout, causing the jet of steam to build up pressure and make noise as it exits the spout.
Source: Best Glass Teapot With Infuser