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to boil water in the kettle before putting it in the pan to make pasta? I always boil in the kettle first, but I'm wondering if its just habit and I'm not saving anything. I also boil in the kettle before cooking rice in the microwave.
What do you think?
I think it depends on a few things:
Is your kettle electric or stove top? If stove top, is your stove gas or electric?
Gas stove top w stove top kettle is more energy efficient than boiling an electric kettle (strange but true!) if you fit the burner size to the base of the kettle, ie small kettle on big burner is a no-no.
If you have a gas stove top and you put a lid on the pot, match the burner size to the pot size and use the same amount of water you would have put in the kettle anyway, doing it in the pot will be equally as efficient as using the kettle.
There is absolutely no need to boil the kettle prior to making rice in the microwave, that is excessive :)
Electric cordless kettle and electric stove - I wish I had a gas stove! Ok, so when I get the gas stove I'll put the kettle away.
I think I've heard that electric kettles are big energy users so electricity wise it's probably better to just boil the water on the stove. If you're just talking about time saving then using the kettle is probably quicker (if your stove is anything like mine!).
Use the microwave to boil the water - more energy efficient than the stove & electric hotplate :) Plus quicker!
I just use hot water out of the tap, and then put a lid on the pot as it boils faster with a lid on. It usually only takes 5 mins or so for the water to boil, and if the water is cold, not too much longer than that.
wish i had has stove too lol. i just put it on the stove n wait
I'm a huge fan of stove top kettles on gas. Never owned an electric kettle. They don't last very long (compared to my stove top kettle who lasted 15 years before becoming damaged) and would be a big drain on electricity. HERE are my kettles btw. Bought a new one recently because old kettle got a burnt (unsafe) handle.
To answer your question: boiling water before using the microwave is excessive... maybe not for the stove top pasta.
My grandma had a wooden stove, and there was always a kettle on the hob :)
When we build our dream house, it'll have an Aga :)
I just use hot water from the tap - it boils quick enough
Mind you , in a situation like mine, where I don't actually have a kitchen, just a bench that I have a portable electric hotplate duo on, it is more energy efficient (and faster) to use a kettle or microwave to boil the water.
I was watching one of those "green living" shows and it said that individual appliances like rice cookers, electric frypans are more energy efficient than using the (electric) stove-top.
I always boil the water if I want a quick dinner, not sure about energy efficient but time efficient DEFINITELY :) And if it gives me 10 more minutes to spend with DH & Kids before dinner that makes us all happy :)
Just a general service announcement: Please be very careful boiling water in the microwave, clean cups/containers cause the water to overheat and it can expload after removing from the microwave. And you can check on snopes to read about it (yes I know fancy reading about a truth on a myth site ;))
not sure where i saw it, maybe mythbusters, but they reckon room temp water (e.g. tap water) boils faster on the stove than hot water??? didnt make much sense to me but hey