Old-fashioned tea kettles boil water and that’s it. Electric cooking kettles expand that to include cooking food. They also boil a liter of water in less than 5 minutes.
The kettles offer settings to boil and to cook. “Boil” on some brings water to temperature and shuts off to save energy. “Cook” keeps liquid at a steady boil for noodles, vegetables and soups.
The kettles include detachable cords to make pouring easier. Note that they do not have long spouts. Pouring hot water into a small cup can be sloppy. Some models offer strainer tops.
Expect to pay less than $60 for cooking kettles. Makers include Oster, West Bend, Breville, Cuisinart and Adagio.
The Repository
