The Truth About Electric Kettles
Tags: Kettles, Lighting, Oil
According to the UK Tea Council, as a nation we consume 165m cups of tea and 70m cups of coffee each day. When the Energy Savings Trust conducted a survey in 2006 they found that 67% of tea drinkers in the UK admit to overfilling their electric kettle each time. Although it may seem trivial, studies have shown the massive amount of energy and money we could save by only using as much water as we need each time. If we habitually boil twice as much water we need each time we use an electric kettle, we are wasting 3,525 tonnes of CO2 every day.
In the UK, 97% of households have an electric kettle. In recent years, 3Kw kettles have become available. These bigger kettles hold more water and boil faster than the older 2.2Kw kettles. Although more convenient, the downside is that people are more likely to overfill them.
The EST concluded that if we each boil the water we need to make a cup of tea instead of filling the kettle every time, we could save enough electricity in a year to run nearly half of all the street lighting in the country.
New products have worked their way into the spotlight including the Eco Kettle which claims to use 31% less energy than other kettles. The kettle is fairly simple involving a reservoir in the middle that is meant to be filled completely and a boiling chamber on the side where you can measure out the exact amount of water you need. If ecobuilding is in your future, or you just want to save time and energy, the Eco Kettle is the perfect "green" accessory for your kitchen.
It's the little things we can all do on a daily basis that will make the most impact. The next time you boil your electric kettle do your part to save energy; only use the amount of water you need.
