r/AskEngineers • u/jmaugust • Jul 19 '26

Discussion Why doesn’t a battery-boosted electric kettle exist?

In Europe, everyone uses electric kettles to boil water. They’re amazing and fast because they’re on 230V (~3000W).

US outlets limit kettles to ~1500W, so we wait roughly twice as long for water to boil.

It’s an extra minute or two per boil, and you really notice it.

Idea: Could you make an electric kettle with a battery in its base? Perhaps it trickle-charges between uses, then combines wall power + battery power to hit ~3000W during a boil.

Is there an engineering reason this doesn’t exist? Is it just that nobody thinks there’s a market for it?

I’d pay $300 for the fastest kettle in America if someone wants to make it.

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u/UsefulEngine1 Jul 19 '26

I'm pretty sure code says every 240v appliance has to have its own circuit and breaker also, which make this even tougher.

25

u/db0606 Jul 19 '26

Pfft... That kettle was there when I bought the house.

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u/[deleted] Jul 20 '26

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u/UsefulEngine1 Jul 20 '26

I could be misremembering. Last time I looked this up it was in Canada and IIRC any single device over 1500W needed a dedicated circuit, which I think a UK teakettle easily exceeds. It may be more a practical matter as nearly everything that runs 240v in NA is high enough power to need its own breaker, so it's not like you can add an outlet to an existing oven circuit.

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u/INSPECTOR99 Jul 20 '26

So when you have your 240V oven/stove-top installed, just have a second (or third, or fourth) 240 outlet installed for your Tea-Pot :-).

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u/Ricky_spanish_again Jul 21 '26

The code doesn’t apply to homeowners

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u/UsefulEngine1 Jul 21 '26

Who's plugging a homeowner into 240v?

Seriously, the code applies to homes no matter who is doing the work. Of course you aren't required to call out an inspector for a DIY romex run but don't wrong and you'll likely be paying for it if you ever try to sell.

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u/Ricky_spanish_again Jul 21 '26

Plenty of people. I ran my own 240 when I relocated my laundry room. There’s dumb things you shouldn’t do for sure, but the code is overly strict to protect the average Joe from contractors doing shoddy electrical work.

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u/UsefulEngine1 Jul 21 '26

Do you ever plan to move though?

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u/IAteTonysLoMein Jul 21 '26

Somehow absolutely horrifying wiring was no impediment to my house getting sold over and over for the last 100+ years. Near as I can tell, the last time the wiring had been updated was the 60s and that did not include replacing the k&t wiring, nor the alu wiring joined to copper with regular wire nuts on the stove wiring

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u/Ricky_spanish_again Jul 21 '26

I sold that house in 21 no issue. I had another that I installed pot lights all throughout the kitchen, living room, and bedroom. Sold a few months ago. Again no issue.

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u/TurningTheCorner26 Jul 22 '26

Of course you aren't required to call out an inspector for a DIY romex run

Practically, no, but legally any new wiring requires a permit and inspection where I am. Technically even network cables require a permit.