We’re British. Tea for us is more than just a drink; it’s a defining aspect of our character. You’re not truly friends with somebody until you know by heart whether they take milk and sugar. If they prefer coffee, forget it. The one thing every tea lover out there needs is an efficient kettle. That’s where we come in.

Kettles may be small appliances, but they use a fair bit of energy. According to npower, boiling the kettle (which only takes a couple of minutes) costs the same as keeping the fridge freezer on for two hours or a light on for five! Luckily, all of the below tips won’t just help your kettle boil more easily but will save you money at the same time.

Limescale Will Cost You

Beware! If you’re in a hard water area limescale is the natural foe of your kettle.

Tackle limescale by:

• Filtering your water before boiling it so minerals that cause limescale are removed.
• Descaling regularly with a dedicated descaler (you can also descale your coffee maker at the same time).
• Removing and washing limescale filters on a regular basis.

Avoid Over-filling & Under-filling

Only making one cup of tea? Don’t fill the kettle to the max!

Most kettles across the board have indicators letting you know the least and most amount of water they should be filled with.

• Maximum -If you fill over the max line this can interfere with the temperature sensor and cause the kettle to keep on boiling even when it’s got up to temperature.
• Minimum – Too little water (filling under the min line) means your appliance may boil dry, which could damage it.

Just remember, the advice for colouring in and filling your kettle is the same – stay within the lines!

Consider Getting an Energy Efficient Kettle

There will sadly come a day where your kettle will give up the ghost and can’t be fixed. (Though of course we always recommend giving fixing a try before any appliance is condemned to the scrap heap.) An eco model could be the right replacement for you if you want to save on your energy bills in the future.

• Better insulation so less heat is lost during and between boils.
• The option to cut out at lower temperatures (as 100°C boiling water actually burns coffee grounds and some kinds of tea leaves, making them bitter).
• The ability to select the amount of water you want to boil. The rest of the water will be left cold – very clever!

If your next kettle is an eco kettle it’ll help you save money and the environment at the same time. Win, win.

Whichever side you fall on in the tea vs. coffee debate, follow our words of wisdom and you can enjoy your beverage of choice for less. For more tips on saving money on your appliance costs, don’t worry, we’re boiling over with ideas! (Yes, that was a kettle pun…)

Tags: Energy Efficiency, Energy Saving Tips, Kettle