271–280 of 528 posts
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Where's the energy loss from the kettle that's not present in your proposed method? Legit asking, I don't see it. Just heat radiating from the body of the kettle for longer cuz of longer time to make it boil?
The claim seems dubious in Europe, but in North America the stove has access to twice the voltage potential as the kettle, so can heat faster. Then with equal losses the stove wins.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
> I also steam rather than boil vegetables like potatoes or carrots -- you get away with half of a cup to a cup of water at the bottom. Steaming does take a bit more time but I think it is still more efficient than poring huge amount of water into the pot. Pressure cooker my friend! Chemical reactions at 115C will by ~3-4 faster than at 100C. In my opinion, electric grids should give away free instant pots as a part…
What? This much, really? TIL, thanks! I never use ours (too large), but will try to adapt using it.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Alec, of the Technology Connections YouTube channel, shows it's not just energy saving, but faster and cleaner. Even with US outlet power limits a kettle will boil a volume of water much more quickly than a gas stovetop, and my indoor CO2 sensor won't spike by hundreds to a thousand PPM of CO2. While the time savings is modest, if you have an electric kettle it's a no brainer to prefer that over gas. Though induction…
Your gas stove will likely dramatically outperform an 1800W electric heater if you use a proper pot: https://turbopot.com/ I would still rather use a nice induction range, but it is possible to get decent efficiency out of gas.
According to Kenji, you don't even need boiling water to cook pasta: https://www.seriouseats.com/how-to-cook-pasta-salt-water-boi... https://www.seriouseats.com/tips-for-better-easier-pasta "Want to get even more crazy efficient? Try soaking pasta in water as your prep your other ingredients. By the time your sauce is ready, you can just add the pasta (along with some of its soaking liquid) to the pan and, with a min…
I always wondered if you could just put spaghetti in your Nalgene while backpacking and it would be ready by the end of your hike. People always look at me weird when I suggest it but I am down to drink starchy water all day and then eat spaghetti when I get there haha.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
While traveling through Europe, most AirBnBs had electric kettles and they all had gross scale deposits in them so I ended up boiling water in a pot.
It's calcium. It won't hurt you, and you can't taste it.
If you care about energy efficiency, you should descale your kettles every so often.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
It's calcium. It won't hurt you, and you can't taste it.
Will it also make my bones stronger? Where does it come from? Was it in the water to begin with?
Earlier quoted context omitted.
While traveling through Europe, most AirBnBs had electric kettles and they all had gross scale deposits in them so I ended up boiling water in a pot.
Adding a little vinegar and water and boiling it will often remove most of the scale. Maybe hard when you're travelling, but at home it works fine.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
>every American has a microwave in their home Of course we do! Europeans don't all have microwave ovens? How do you warm up leftovers? And yes, I drink tea daily with microwaved water.
I'm American, and I often heat up leftovers with a toaster oven or on the stove. For some foods it gets better results.
According to Kenji, you don't even need boiling water to cook pasta: https://www.seriouseats.com/how-to-cook-pasta-salt-water-boi... https://www.seriouseats.com/tips-for-better-easier-pasta "Want to get even more crazy efficient? Try soaking pasta in water as your prep your other ingredients. By the time your sauce is ready, you can just add the pasta (along with some of its soaking liquid) to the pan and, with a min…
On the vitro, I leave rice and noodles boiling for six minutes, other pasta ten, then turn it off and wait ten minutes for the water to be completely soaked.
The really useful trick is to measure the water (or broth) needed relative to the rice or pasta, so you can leave it unattended, just using a couple of alarms of the phone.
My dirty little secret I've only dared to shared with my closest friends (fearing social ostracism) is that I cook by pasta by putting it in cold water and then turn the heat on. Roughly when the water starts to boil I start periodically checking the doneness of the pasta. Works just fine for me. Would never dare to it when cooking with friends however (only slightly /s). However, it would be neat with a device simil…
I see this in lots of 'how to boil an egg' guides, where cooking time matters. When explaining it on the internet, the best way is to dump the egg into boiling water, and drain and cool with cold tap water after X minutes, because it removes other variables. Buuuuut, if you learn your pot and water volumes and starting water temperatures and heating rate, you can cook your egg faster by starting with cold water, and…