Your Very Own Personal Shopper

I couldn’t heart getting rid of the kettle. Either electric or stovetop or a pot. Pot or stovetop can live on the stove. And I used to do french press but now I do a mocha pot which lives on my stove and makes me look sophisticated (while I use my $2 espresso or various gift coffees G rejects). Pour over would be easier to put in a cupboard and you get more of a diner coffee taste. Either way I’d just open pods to use them

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I’m uncertain about getting rid of the kettle. There is a little bit of identity as a tea drinker involved, I think. Years ago I switched to an electric kettle for safety reasons - putting the kettle on then walking out the door is a worry of mine. But I can’t imagine there is any practical difference btwn hot water from the microwave and hot water from a kettle. I think that has become a bit of a meme bc the electricity in
English kettles is at a higher voltage than in the US and Canada, so their kettles are twice as fast as a microwave, whereas there isn’t much a difference here. So using a microwave seems bizarre and inefficient there, compared to their kettles.

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Smacks and Elle, I should clarify, do you use electric kettles or kettles on the stove?

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I use a stovetop kettle but in the past I’ve used electric.

There is some snobbery on my part about microwaving water. It feels wrong in a way I can’t articulate or justify. It’s culturally inappropriate in my context, I guess.

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same here. microwaved water doesnt seem like it gets as hot as kettle water, even though i am pretty sure that doesn’t make sense.

also i have to put the tea bag in first, then pour actively boiling water on top, or else the tea doesn’t taste right. this is logistically easier using a kettle. i use an electric kettle now but used to use one on the stove.

for coffee, we use an aeropress. super easy and tasty and doesn’t take up much room.

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I believe that microwaved water tastes differently. There is no scientific basis for this.

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Microwaved water tastes bad. Fine if I’m in a hotel, but clearly worse. I use electric but prefer stovetop. Electric is faster than the stove and maybe the microwave? IDK. I don’t want a mug of lava on my head as a test. Anyway I use electric because seizures give me brain damage and so sometimes for a day and sometimes for a month it is super dangerous for me to use the stove and tea is a necessity. I am enjoying the speed and convenience. It holds the temperature.

Oh! And then my stove top has a special keep warm element for my teapot so everything is perfect.

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oh!! how does this work?

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Ooooooo. I have a warm element on my current (but not my new stove). I’ve never used it but I guess I could put a teapot on it. I have a teapot but have never used it.

There is a great book series by Faith Hunter called Jane Yellowrock. The character is a huge tea snob and loves her $200 teas that she likes to top with a dollop of Cool Whip.

The Aeropress looks very nice but I’m trying to be frugal - and quality coffee is not a passion of mine.
I’ll consider a kettle on the stove, though.

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You put the teapot in this circle and push warming centre on and choose your level. You can use it for food or plates too! It is absolutely my lifestyle inflation/mandatory when this stove dies thing. It does low, medium and warm.

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I mean, if you’re really not particular there’s always instant…

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Is that how that works!

We have one since we moved. I don’t think we’ve used it once.

Now that I know it’s purpose, that’ll change

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Instant is rarely free. I am not picky, but I am cheap! K-cups and ground coffee are free. I don’t dislike instant, although I know it is supposed to be disgusting. But if Dollar General stops throwing away coffee, I’ll be there!


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Gonna have to start checking the dollar general dumpsters.

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Can you use the keurig for either tea or coffee?

When the boys were small and not yet trusted with a kettle, they’d use the keurig to make a cup of hot water without a k cup, and use that water for tea or Hot Chocolate

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I make ground coffee in the reusable basket for my Keurig.

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The Keurig knock off has a filter for regular ground coffee. I’ve just gotten lazy. I literally only have 6 months of K-cups only bc I have given so many away. That said, my favorite dumpster for coffee has recently put up no trespassing signs so I am avoiding it. The signs aren’t well attached and I’m hoping they fall down in a rainstorm and they forget to put them back up.

An annoying thing about dumpster diving is that some of the people doing it are functioning at a pretty low level and leave big messes. I understand why a store would become frustrated by that. I leave those areas cleaner than when I found it, but that’s not everyone. Plus even just a raccoon can make a serious mess.

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I forgot to say, Star, good point. Maybe I should just keep the Keurig and drop the kettle.

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What if the kettle lives somewhere else? I used to keep an electric kettle at my desk and it was such a treat to have access to tea right there.

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I hearted that post but I didn’t like it. I hope your future holds better, more satisfying connections. More reciprocity.

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