Electric Kettle

Hello there from the kitchen counter. My name is the Electric Kettle, and I have a warm hello for you. Before I came along, making hot water was a very slow job. Imagine waiting and waiting for a big pot on a hot stove to get warm. It took such a long time just to have a cup of tea. But I have a special secret that makes water bubbly and hot in just a few minutes. I hum a happy little song while I work, and before you know it, everything is ready for a yummy drink. I love watching the sleepy morning kitchen wake up with my help. I get to see smiles when someone sips a warm drink I helped make.

My story starts a long, long time ago, way back in 1891. I was first created in a busy city called Chicago by a group called the Carpenter Electric Company. I have to admit, I was a little clumsy back then. My heater, the part that makes me warm, was in a totally separate spot underneath me. It still took a while to get the water hot. But then, a very clever man named Arthur Leslie Large had a brilliant idea in 1922. He thought, 'What if I put the heater right inside where the water is?'. And that’s just what he did. It was amazing. Suddenly, I could heat the water so much faster. I felt so proud because I could finally do my job the super-speedy way I always wanted to. I wasn't clumsy anymore; I was quick and helpful.

My best trick came a little later, in 1955. A company called Russell Hobbs gave me a special superpower. They helped me learn how to turn myself off all by myself. When the water inside me gets perfectly bubbly and steamy, I make a little sound. Click. That click is my way of saying, 'I’m all done.'. It also means I won't keep getting hotter and hotter, which makes me very safe to have in your kitchen. No one has to worry about me. Today, I love my job more than ever. I help make warm tea for cozy mornings, hot cocoa on chilly nights, and even quick oatmeal for busy breakfasts. I am so happy to be a helpful friend in kitchens all around the world, making things a little warmer and a little easier for everyone.