Tea Kettles Buying Guide
It has been suggested by the British that America is way behind the curve when it comes to teakettles.  Seth Stevenson of Slate.com, points out, "Like Bob Dylan walking onstage at Newport in 1965, kettles are poised to go electric." So if you are ready to venture away from the standard stove top kettle that takes 8 or 9 minutes to boil water as opposed to the 4 to 5 minute boil time achieved by the electric kettle, I refer you to the electric kettles article. But if you are willing to wait a few extra minutes and brave handles that Stevenson explains are, 'quite painful and injurious to grab,' (he must have very sensitive hands since I have found this to be a problem only with the extremely low end kettles) then a stovetop kettle is for you.
Tea Kettles: Features to Keep in Mind- Whistle or no whistle-Some people prefer to have a whistle to indicate when the water has boiled, but you can also buy silent models. Keep in mind, some kettles have special whistles, so the noise is sonorous rather than a siren. Usually the higher end tea kettles have 'whistle options,' but the sound of the whistle is really a matter of personal preference.
- Removable lid-Some kettles do not have a lid, and you must fill the kettle through the spout. These kettles are good if you are likely to lose the lid, which makes the tea kettle kind of useless or a very elaborate and impractical pot.
- Material: Tea Kettles come in a variety of materials:
- Carbon Steel : Carbon steel kettles are generally coated and resemble the cast iron kettles. They tend to boil water a faster than the cast iron kettles.
- Cast Iron : Cast iron tea pots usually come with an enamel coating, so they are not only durable, but an attractive addition to your range. Visit Le Creuset to learn more about enameled cast iron.
- Cermamic : These kettles tend to be coated with porcelain or enamel, which makes them a lovely addition to any stove. Ceramic is durable and heats water quickly and evenly.
- Copper : Today many companies blend copper and steel, since copper requires special care such as polishing, but if you want the traditional look of an all copper kettle there are still many modern and antique version available, but keep in mind that copper is expensive.
- Hand-Anodized Aluminum : These kettles are fairly expensive, but they are stain and scratch resistant, which makes them an aesthtic addition to any stove top.
- Stainless Steel : These kettles range from expensive to very inexpensive. You should be careful when purchasing a cheap kettle because they tend to use less steel, which causes the handle to be very hot when touching the kettle without an oven mit.
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