Asian hot water dispenser? Check out Zojirushi or Panasonic. I've seen them in department stores. Not inexpensive, but they're supposed to keep the water at your choice of one of 3 or so specific "hot" temperatures.

I just use a Sunbeam Hot Shot:) It takes less than a minute to boil 1 cup of water.

Here is a link that might be useful: Zojirushi hot water pots

krustytopp.....I was completely unaware of this type of device. Willl certainly consider. Thanks!

If you are only heating two cups of water - would your microwave do the trick?

Thanks about the microwave. Thought good idea at one time but will not maintain at-temp after heating. Have found inconvenience factor remains because of additional button-pushes and having to be there when its ready.

Russell-Hobbs gets my vote.

Thanks cpovey. However, encountered this:

" Russell Hobbs Status Update: Please note, the manufacturing facility in the UK has closed..........Please note that quantities are limited and when they are sold out, there will be no more."

We've had our GE electric kettle for over a year, use it every day (sometimes more than once), and it's absolutely one of the best items in our kitchen. DH and I enjoy our ritual cuppa in the evenings. He was skeptical when I brought it home, grumbling about the fact that we already had a stovetop kettle so why did we need this. Fast forward ~ it is hands-down his favorite kitchen "toy". He uses it to make tea, water for oatmeal, and water for a drip one-cup of coffee. I use it for all the above plus adding water to recipes or for the oven bottom water tray when I'm baking bread. Love, love, love that thing.

Here is a link that might be useful: GE electric kettle

I started with a Russell Hobbs electric kettle 35 years ago, when I noticed my Canadian relatives using theirs for tea. Since then I've worn out two Russell Hobbs and now use a Dualit.

I can't imagine going without an electric kettle. It's fast, efficient and doesn't take up a burner. What I thought would be a nice little luxury has turned out to be one of my most-used appliances.

Amazon offers a wide range of brands and you get to read all the reviews. Even if you don't buy from them, it's helpful.

Carol

I think Russell Hobbs is now owned by Salton. They probably just closed one factory. I can't post a link for some reason, but if you go to saltoninc.com and click on "brands", you'll find Russell Hobbs.

Thanks....will check it out.

Had an interesting experience at Williams-Sonoma Sunday. They offer two alternatives. Both had two-page description sheets. In the combined four pages nowhere did either vendor answer the two most-basic questions: 1) Do the devices have some whistle or other indicator to tell when the water is hot? 2) Do they keep it hot after initial heating? As much as was said is that they both bave "automatic shut-off"....but that was about it. Attendant was, likewise, clueless.

Seem like simple enough questions to me, but that's what I'm running into. Kind of annoying, but I'll figure it out.

Thanks to all for various recommendations.

asolo,

The electric kettles you've been looking at bring the water to a boil and then shut off. I've never seen a kettle that has a "keep warm" feature.

We've had an electric hot water dispenser for years now (at first a manual pump dispenser (not an air pot), and now the model I just linked to), and we would never consider using anything else. Great for tea, coffee (I use an AeroPress), instant cereal and soup, etc.

While I feel that they are better than a permanently-mounted hot water dispenser you can install at the sink, some people feel that they are bulky, ugly, and contribute to clutter on the counter. Whatever.

It's cheaper than an in-sink hot water dispenser (we paid $110 for our 5 liter model), you have a choice in water temperature, you don't have to drill another hole in your countertop, it's portable, you can put away when you're not using it...

Thanks Joe....However, disappointed to learn this: "I've never seen a kettle that has a "keep warm" feature." From poking around the web, I'm not seeing one either.

Something I do frequently is keep a pot hot on the stove so I can add near-boiling water to roasts, stews, or soups in-process. Would prefer to be able to pick up the container and pour where needed. That's why I'm kind of hung up on the kettle idea as opposed to a dispenser.

Not the end of the world, but I surely would like to find one that does what I need. Thanks for responding. I'm learning.

The absolutely BEST electric tea pot (actually a tea kettle) is made by Chef's Choice. The design is brilliant! It has a round disk that plugs into the wall. You sit the pot on the disk and turn the pot on by flipping a switch located just below the handle of the pot. Once the water comes to a boil, the pot shuts itself off. It does not whistle, but just quietly switches off. You can then pick it up by the easiy to grip large handle (the disk remains on the countertop and BTW, never gets hot - nor does the handle), and pour your hot water into any kind of teapot you want to.

I bought mine at Sur Le Table, but you can get them all over the net. They run about $70. For sources, just search under "chef's choice."

Here is the URL to a good picture of one. It is called the Chef's Choice Tea Kettle/Hot Pot. I have also included the link, if you don't want to copy and paste the URL into your browser.

http://www.everythingkitchens.com/chefs-choice-water-kettle-685.html

L

Here is a link that might be useful: Chef's Choice

Here's a Zojirushi at Amazon: Zojirushi Electric Dispensing Pot

As I said, devices that just shut off after heating and devices that cannot be picked up and poured from don't solve my problem. Devices that give no indication -- whistle or light or whatever -- when the water is heated seem to me to be especially useless.

We got a Cuisinart electric kettle after our first visit to England. It began to leak after 10 years, and we now have a Krups. It shuts off automatically with no whistle, asolo, you wouldn't like it. I think tea needs to be made with fresh, barely boiling water. A hot pot would not work for us, nor does it keep the water hot enough for tea.

Here is a link that might be useful: Krups

We're talking about tea, right? The water temperature to make the tea depends on what type of tea you drink (ie, green, oolong, black, etc.) In general, like Cotehele mentioned, you want barely boiling water to brew your tea. Overheating the water reduces its oxygen content and causes the tea to taste flat.

This is the reason that these devices shuts off once reach a near boiling temperature. That is if the device is manufacturer to make/brew tea. It is also a thermo and able to keep the tea warm for a long period of time.

An inexpensive way that my family uses for years is we brew tea a bit stronger in a teapot and keep hot water in a thermo on the side. During the day, we pour some tea in the cup and add hot water to it. The combination would make the cup of tea at the right temperature throughout the day.

As for choosing a teapot, chose ones that is made from material that retains the heat for long hours. One such is the Yixing teapot. These teapots are made of a special purple clay that only exist in Yixing, China. This special clay retains heat well for hours. My sister had given me a beehouse teapot that I found it retains heat for hours also. Using a tea warmer is effective too.

Oops, I meant a tea cozy to keep the tea warm.

"This is the reason that these devices shuts off once reach a near boiling temperature."

Just to clarify, all of these electric water kettles and dispensers reach a full, rolling boil. That is how you kill pathogens, and that is why tea consumption is so popular around the world -- it's a safe method of consuming water.