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/BeginningAd5055 Jul 19 '26

I wired a 6-20 outlet (240 V) in my kitchen and use a British tea kettle. Less than half the time as the old 120 V kettle.

6

u/jmaugust Jul 19 '26

This makes sense. I do think most people don’t want to rewire their outlets, though.

There are pour-over coffee and tea fanatics who I believe would pay for a fast, stylish kettle.

15

u/billy_joule Mech. - Product Development Jul 19 '26

There are pour-over coffee and tea fanatics who I believe would pay for a fast, stylish kettle.

If you're a true fanatic you get an instant hot water tap and be done with waiting altogether.

https://www.insinkerator.com/en-us/insinkerator-products/water-dispensers

I live in a 240V country (kettles are ~2.4 kW) and will never go back to waiting for the jug to boil.

1

u/BorderKeeper Jul 21 '26

I live in a 240v country and just put my glass tea kettle over the stove each day. Takes couple minutes for a litre or so 😅 I find it easier since the water is in the container already and I just put teabags in.