Kettles use a surprising amount of energy - on average about two-thirds as much as an oven in a year. Of course we should try to only boil as much water as we need, but this is hard to do in practice. It is estimated that, on average, we boil twice the volume of water needed every time. Which means twice as much energy, twice as much time. With a 3kW kettle that's the same as wasting the energy of around 50 light bulbs!
There are now two innovations that can help: the Tefal Quick Cup, and the Eco-kettle
The Tefal Quick Cup is a new and energy saving water dispenser that gives you hot or cold filtered water at the touch of a button. Press the red button and within 3 seconds 220ml of filtered piping hot water (about what you need for a mug of tea) is dispensed straight into your cup. If you want more you keep your finger pressed on the button. If you want less you just press the button again when you want it to stop. Tefal claim that this device can save up to 65% of the energy you use with a normal kettle.
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The Eco-kettle is also a good way to make sure that you only boil the water that you really need to, and is a bit cheaper than the Tefal Quick Cup. It has an internal reservoir that holds a full capacity of water ready for use, while the measuring button allows any quantity - from a single cupful to full capacity - to be released into the separate chamber for boiling. The result? Exactly the right amount of water every time you boil - and no more waste. The Eco Kettle has been approved by the Good Housekeeping Institute and is recommended by E.ON as a pioneering product in the battle to save energy in the nation's homes. During independent consumer trials directed by the Energy Saving Trust, the Eco Kettle used over 30% less energy than standard kettles.
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