Comments by "Ginny Jolly" (@ginnyjollykidd) on "Why don't Americans use electric kettles?" video.

I do have an electric kettle that I got after my old, very useful Hotpot was stolen when I was on vacation. According to your analyses and calculations, the plastic electric kettle was closest to the fancier electric kettle in boiling time. I'd wager the plastic electric kettle gives a much bigger bang for the buck, as I don't think the fancier electric kettle is less than 15 bucks, which I purchased my electric kettle for. Nope, it's not. The fancy induction hot plate is also expensive. Half of 4 minutes isn't going to bother me. 4 minutes plus 2 will. You still have to make the tea. It takes water time to boil even if you put it in your mug in the microwave for a minute and a half to 2 minutes. So you're still tapping your foot by the time it's finished. Then tea takes 3-10 minutes to steep (I prefer ten). So getting tea takes time. This is unlike a drip coffee pot when the coffee is ready when the drips finish. (Those smart people making Bunn coffee pots!) Cheap and quick beats most of them, but one thing I can do with a cheap electric kettle I can't do with a microwave is set it up on my bed nightstand. It is near an outlet such that I only need a surge protector to connect it to the wall. A surge protector has a much thicker wire such that electricity through it has very little resistance so energy can all go to the kettle. To me, energy efficiency, convenience, short boiling time, portability, automatic cutoff, and low price all behoove me to award my "Best appliance for the money" award to the plastic electric kettle. It's just one of those things the best since sliced bread!
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And about a half-liter of water (the size of an Ice soda bottle) does everything I need. Yes, that's a little higher than the minimum water line. That, and tea doesn't need boiling water. I can judge by the heat radiating from the kettle's side when it's hot enough to make tea. The water needs only to sing, not roil.
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