Why do Americans rarely use super speed kettles?

Not long ago, the New York Times published an article titled 'The Best Electric Kettle', with the content surrounding the introduction to readers of a type of home appliance. new use: super speed kettles. 'New'? Are you wondering what is 'new' in those vases? As it turns out, the indispensable thing in every family's kitchen in Vietnam (and many places around the world) is not common in the US at all.

In the US, some people would rather spend money to buy a home coffee machine than buy a super speed kettle.

According to Business Insider, some Americans prefer to use the microwave to cook water, or boil water the old-fashioned way with a regular kettle or teapot. Others would rather spend money on a home-made coffee maker than a super-fast kettle! However, there is a good reason why this household item is not popular in the US, and the reason comes from Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla.

In the 1880s, two famous inventors Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison were competing fiercely to see if direct current (DC) and alternating current (AC) systems would become the universal standard. U.S. Edison was the inventor of the DC system, which ran in only one direction, but was not suitable for transmission over long distances. Tesla, on the other hand, believes that AC is the better solution, because it is more efficient when transmitting over long distances. In the end, Tesla won, and Westinghouse Electric (one of the largest electric companies in America at the time) chose AC as its electrical standard.

So what does this have to do with the kettle? Turns out to be very related. Most households across the US use 100 - 127V, which is the voltage level in Edison's DC system. However, UK and other countries use higher voltage, from 220 - 240V. This means that the kettle in the US will not boil water as quickly as it does in other parts of the world.

The biggest reason why you want to use a super speed kettle is because it saves electricity. According to Insider Energy, the kettle uses up to 80% less electricity than other home appliances used to boil water.

Another reason is that it boils water extremely quickly (obviously!), namely twice as fast as a microwave or stove. Besides, if you just want to boil water to make a cup of tea or coffee, using a kettle is still better and safer. Why? This device has an automatic shutdown feature when the water boils, so you don't have to wait to turn off the stove!