Electric Water Kettle Talk – Could Only Happen in America!
by Corey Heller

When I was young, we heated water on the stove, with a pan.  When I got older, we still heated water on the stove, with a pan.  Then I spent a year in Ireland and two years in Germany and I wondered why Americans hadn’t come to understand the beauty of the Electric Water Kettle!  Is it because we have our electric coffee makers?  What about the tea drinkers out there? What do you do?

Many people have electric water kettles now but the trend still hasn’t taken off.  At work, I use the electric water kettle to boil water for my tea.  We have a water cooler next to the refrigerator that provides cold and hot water but, for a few reasons, I prefer to use the electric water kettle.  The kettle is familiar to me after having lived abroad and, of course, being that I am married to a European, we also have one at home.

Ultimately, most Americans still have no idea what an electric water kettle is and why someone would use one.  What follows are actual conversations that have taken place in my workplace between me and some of my coworkers while waiting for the water to boil for my tea…

Furrowed Brow
Coworker #1: “What is that thing?”
Me: “It’s a water cooker.” 
Coworker #1: Oh.  [Blank stare and a slight furrowing of the brow.]
Me: “Um, ok, well, see, you pour water into it here and then turn it on and it boils the water.”
Coworker #1:  “So, how do you know when it is done heating?”
Me: “See this little button here?  It pops up when it is done.  See, like this.” [as I push it up and down]
Coworker #1: “Hmmm, interesting.”

A Trailer in Iraq
Coworker #2: “Oh, neat, is that one of those water-heating-things?”
Me: “Yea.”
Coworker #2: “Wow, I used one of those while living in a trailer in Iraq.”
Me: “Oh!”

Too Much Information
Coworker #3: “Why are you using that thing?”
Me: “Well, for a number of reasons, the hot water out of the water cooler just doesn’t seem to be hot enough to seep my tea and have you noticed how slowly it comes out?  It drives me crazy having to hold down that button while only a tiny trickle of barely hot water comes out.”
Coworker #3: “Oh.  Ok.”

Kindred Soul
As I am at the sink adding water to the water cooker:
Coworker #4: “Can you add some extra water for me while you are filling it?”
Me: “Yes, definitely.”
Coworker #4: “Thanks!  Have you seen those water cookers in Japan?  They heat the water to boiling and then have a warmer to keep the temperature steady until you are ready to use it.”
Me: “Oooh, really?  I want one of those!”
Coworker #4: “Super expensive here.  In fact, it’s only recently that you could find an electric water kettle here, have you noticed?”
Me: “Oh yea.  Tell me about it!”

Broken Water Cooker
The electric water kettle has broken.  I press down the button and nothing happens!  I have to use the hot water via the water machine.  Sigh.
Me: [To the office administrator a few days later] “Um, you know, the electric water kettle is broken.  I press down on the button and nothing happens.”
Office Administrator #1: “The what is broken?”
Me: “You know, that water-heating-thing over there on the counter.”
Office Administrator #1: “Oh, right.  Is that what that is?  I never really noticed it.”
Me: “Yea, it’s to boil water.  Anyway, it is broken.”

Replacement Arrives
A brand, new electric water kettle has replaced the previous one! 
Me: “Wow, this new water kettle is great!  I really like the wide opening at the top and the pointed spout really pours well.  And look at this wide window on the side, it is great for seeing how much water is in the kettle!  Great water kettle choice!”
Office Administrator #1: “Oh, right.  Actually, the other office administrator ordered it.  But glad you like it.”
Later that day….
Me: “I wanted to let you know how great this water kettle is.  Great choice!”
Office Administrator #2: “I’m so glad you enjoy it but, you know, it was the only one they had in the catalog so I didn’t have anything to choose from.  I actually wasn’t even sure what it was and had to search for a while to find it!  But I’m glad you are enjoying it.”

Catching On
As I wait for the water to boil for my tea:
Coworker #1 (again): “Making tea?”
Me: “Yep.”
Coworker #1: “Cool.”

Postscript:
We recently had a brand new coffee maker installed at work from one of the local coffee companies to replace our old ones.  Very nice!  Included on the new machine is a lever to get very hot water!  So, as I was in the kitchen talking with one of the other electric water kettle users we agreed that the water from the new coffee maker was hot enough to really seep a tea well – thus the end of the need for the electric water kettle.  However, as I sat back at my desk, tea in hand made from the coffee machine water, and took that first savory sip, all I could taste was aluminum!  Ugh.  The water took on the aluminum flavor from the machine!  So, looks like the electric water kettle is still in the running for use.  Good old water kettle, sticks with me through thick and thin.

© Corey Heller – Bilingual/Bicultural Family Network – www.biculturalfamily.org