Kitchen equipment - question for American persons
 

So I know because somone told me that Americans do not have electric kettles. What do you do when you want a cup of tea or coffee. How do you boil the water? I ask because we've just bought one of these and it's great.
Also, is it true that you all have toaster ovens? Is this instead of a toaster, instead of an oven? Is it where you do all your grilling ("broiling")?

I use the microwave for tea - I just put water and tea bag in mug and heat.

For coffee, I heat the water in a saucepan and then use this...

We've got all that shit tough guy. (Obscure American comedy reference)

We've got more gizmos and crappy little knick knacks (Obscure English comedy reference) than you can shake a stick at.

Toaster oven are really good at making open faced sandwiches with melted cheese, and reheating things that need to get crisp and or brown, like a small portion of lasagna, or a bagel with melted muentser cheese.

They pretty much suck when it comes to making regular old toast. In fact, most tosater suck at making toast. They lack the oomph with real bread. Cheap, commercial bread has a lot more sugar in it and it browns easily, but real bread w/o so much sugar usually gets dried out too much before it develops its proper browning.

The best toast, (toast tangent) is when there is a nice browning on the surface, but the interior is still moist. And lots of butter.

We don't own a toaster oven, because they suck now too. The old ones from the 70s kicked ass, you could burn down a house with one, and I think many people did. I expect that's why they no longer have the 'nads that they used to.

I boil water for tea in a kettle on the stove. With Gas. We have a coffee maker.

I use a stove top kettle and a bodum coffee press. It would appear that we use less energy efficient methods that are more flexible.

http://cellar.org/2010/kettle.jpg

I actually use this exact model although it is not me in the reflection

Toaster oven owners are a small but vocal minority. Most people just have a regular toaster, and only use it for frozen waffles and poptarts anyway. Some people who have a toaster oven also have a regular toaster, and everyone has a real oven, because 1.) they're built into the houses, and 2.) a toaster oven only holds about one sandwich. Some people also use a George Foreman grill, but we make fun of those people.

Ut, I was lol'ing so damn hard.

That's more or less how I make the coffee, but I use our new doofer for the hot water.
I'm with you there, sqrl.
So you do have kettles, just not electric ones.
Says U!

I have a George, too ...

It's true, limey, it's not his reflection... it's mine. :blush:

why were you naked in tony's kitchen?

Having a cup of tea.

I had an electric kettle in my college dorm room. Never used it because the water fountain down the hall dispensed hot and cold water.
I have a red tea kettle used on the stove, a Dunkin Donuts for coffee (french press in state of emergency situations), and a convection toaster over that kicks ass (still sucks at toasting actual toast), and a regular oven under the stove the tea kettle is on.

Yep. Here is mine.

I do have a toaster. And I do have an electric kettle (which I got after using one on vacation in Scotland). Two of my other friends also have electric kettles.

I just boil water in a saucepan.