OT Electric kettle question

[Adrian]

Modern? Ours is about 15yo, and has one. Every now and then, it gets clogged with a buildup of scale, which needs cleaning off.

[Bob Henson]

Straight from the Brita tap, it's fine, and there's no taste. Boiled water has no taste either. If you re-boil the same water repeatedly, a taste builds up eventually but it's more like TCP than Chlorine. The fellow from the water company reckons that is due to the effect of chlorine on rubber of plastic piping, thus it ain't their fault - but I'm thinking it may be something else they add to the supply. However, so long as you start the morning with clean water in the kettle, there is no problem. This morning, my other half made tea before leaving for work, I re-boiled the same water for my breakfast tea, and I've just re-boiled the same water again for lunchtime tea, and it's still fine. Standing overnight seems to be the snag, but only on re-boiled water - I have a bottle of filtered water by the bedside, and it stays OK for days.

[sm_jamieson]

Coventry seems to be right in the middle of soft or hard water. Nothing like how you describe Birmingham's water. Very soft water is horrible. Mostly experienced when you go on holiday and you just cannot get the soap off you in the shower. Simon.

[F Murtz]

To stop your socks from blocking the spout.

[Mike Barnes]

As others have said, in hard water areas it filters out the scale.

We don't get scale around here so I've taken the filter out. I've heard it said that doing that delays the automatic switch-off, because steam escapes more easily.

[polygonum]

Have similarly known numerous different waters. More often than not, hard. Despite that, I am not entirely convinced of the explanation for the mesh, though perhaps it has become true over time.

My thought is that all the comments I have so far read are looking at the issue entirely the wrong way round. It ain't to stop stuff coming out, but to stop things going in. We used to have kettles with narrow, pipe-like spouts. When large spout kettles started to arrive, in both jug and more conventional designs, we made it much easier for various insects to fly into them. The mesh stops them getting right down into the kettle and they will usually wash away in moments. Indeed, I suspect most will have a look and go elsewhere.

Could be completely wrong, but that is my theory which is all mine.

[damduck-egg]

Quote from the Tefal website for our household kettle,

"It has a removable, washable limescale filter to preserve the longevity of your kettle",

Not sure how it could actually preserve the longevity though, it catches bits before they go out the spout which is useful in this area where it needs descaling every 6 months but it doesn't filter water on the way in. Would be painfully slow filling through the spout and the filter is only a mesh anyway, not filter in the sense of a Brita one.

G.Harman

[Bod]

I'm afraid you are wrong. It's to help stop the limescale in hard water areas getting into hot drinks.

[Chris Hogg]

Thanks for all the replies. To catch the scale that occasionally flakes off the insides of kettles in areas of hard water it is, then.

Dunno why they don't just use one of those magnetic devices!

[Bob Minchin]

I have such a filter and needs cleaning about once per month otherwise the water dribble out the sides. Our water is as hard as nails. Two stainless steel "brillo pads" inside to attract the worst as well.

[Dave Liquorice]

Agreed, anyone fancy giving the ASA a poke and getting Tefal to back up their claim?

[Chris French]

In message , charles writes

Persoanlly I find the filters annoying and remove mine. They slow down filling through the spout and gradually scale up.

A bit of scale going in the teapot or mug doesn't bother me, but doesn't seem to be a problem unless slack with the descaling.

[Chris French]

In message , charles writes

I've tried a couple of hard water specific teas, and can't say I felt that the tea was any nicer (though I'm sure some people do, there isa such a variety of teas)

Then again, I suppose I wouldn't drink a tea that didn't taste ok with our water

[dennis]

They fit filters because modern kettles tend to have the scale fall off. It does so in little flakes and the filter catches them. I live in a hard water area and can tip the flakes out on a weekly basis. The filter does need de-scaling occasionally in a bit of citric acid. The kettle and element remain pretty well scale less as they are designed to do.

[whisky-dave]

How would a magnetic device work calcium carbonate isn't magnetic.

[Chris Hogg]

Perhaps I should have added a smiley.

See

Has caused loads of sarcastic and critical comments here in the past. I expect you can get one at Russ Andrews establishment.

[whisky-dave]

yep appears so, but I am intresting in finding out the theory, as I first found them when orderign magnetc for a maglev project.

They definantly condition water it seems although whether the condition of the water is any differnt and in what way is something not mentioned. :-)

[whisky-dave]

found them when ordering magnets for a maglev project.

of the water is any differnt and in what way is something not mentioned. :- ) I asked and have just had an email back from

---------------------- Thank you for your email.

Water conditioning magnets are an interesting subject - we began supplying these a number of years ago on the back of receiving a number of customer r equests. Since then, we have had much feedback from our customers stating h ow well they work. Despite this, we do not have any scientific evidence to back up their performance.

It is thought, although not proven, that these magnets work by magnetising calcium carbonate ions preventing them from clumping together and thus prev enting build-ups. They don't reduce limescale levels, simply prevent a furt her build up.

I hope this helps.

-----------------------------------------

So an honest anwser...

I wonder if the claims can be proved, shouldn't be too difficult to set up and test over a period of time.

[Ian Jackson]

In message , whisky-dave writes

Magnets only work on the water they use to dilute homeopathic medicines.

>

[Davey]

The lack of any such evidence so far speaks for itself.