What silent-boil kettle do you use?

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Davy

196 posts

Master Geek

#251287 17-Jun-2019 15:34

Do silent-boil kettles actually work, and (if they do) how do they work?

We bought a Breville one at home, and initially it was marvelously quiet when boiling water, but after a few months it stopped being silent and now sounds like a steam engine is operating in the kitchen. I'd be very interested to know if there any any brands that stay reliably silent.

Kraven

729 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2259608 17-Jun-2019 16:02

Have you tried cleaning it with a de-scaler? They get a build-up of all the dissolved minerals in water over time and this makes them loud.

Davy

196 posts

Master Geek

#2259621 17-Jun-2019 16:20

Interesting - no I have not!

Fred99

13684 posts

Uber Geek

#2259636 17-Jun-2019 16:58

A kettle on the gas range (a bit slower than an electric kettle) - or the hot tap from the boiler on the espresso machine (if it's on - then that's instant).

I assume that if you had an induction cooktop, cast iron/enamel kettles would be just as fast or faster than they are on gas - and just as relatively noiseless.

Geektastic

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#2259655 17-Jun-2019 18:00

What is a silent boil kettle? Water makes noise when it boils.

Aredwood

3885 posts

Uber Geek

#2259722 17-Jun-2019 20:35

Geektastic:

What is a silent boil kettle? Water makes noise when it boils.

The kettle needs to be fitted with an element that has a much larger surface area exposed to the water (low watts density element). This is so that the surface of the element doesn't exceed 100deg (until the water is very close to boiling temp). The noise that cheaper kettles make, is caused by tiny steam bubbles forming then collapsing on the surface of the element.

Scale buildup insulates the element, and causes it to run hotter than normal. Which is why you need to descale your kettle to keep them quiet.

The other way to boil water silently, is to keep it pressurised while you are heating it. Even normal household hot water cylinders will make bubbling type noises if used at very low water pressures.

jonherries

1395 posts

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#2259735 17-Jun-2019 20:53

Aredwood:
Geektastic:

What is a silent boil kettle? Water makes noise when it boils.

The kettle needs to be fitted with an element that has a much larger surface area exposed to the water (low watts density element). This is so that the surface of the element doesn't exceed 100deg (until the water is very close to boiling temp). The noise that cheaper kettles make, is caused by tiny steam bubbles forming then collapsing on the surface of the element.

Scale buildup insulates the element, and causes it to run hotter than normal. Which is why you need to descale your kettle to keep them quiet.

The other way to boil water silently, is to keep it pressurised while you are heating it. Even normal household hot water cylinders will make bubbling type noises if used at very low water pressures.

Thanks @Aredwood I always wondered about those - that is a well written explanation.

Jon

linw

2849 posts

Uber Geek

#2259753 17-Jun-2019 21:22

All commonly available kettles make a hell of a noise (except perhaps for a couple of weeks).

If you can invent a truly silent kettle that wasn't butt ugly or impracticable, you would make a fortune. Cavitation is the enemy as Aredwood says.

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Geektastic

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#2261605 20-Jun-2019 18:55

Our kettle is a KitchenAid. It has a flat bottom with no exposed element at all.

Is that what you mean @aredwood