Tea Kettles Article

Glass Tea Kettles

Tea is a popular beverage through out the world and it is also among the oldest. It is said to be of Chinese origin where the royalty discovered the Camellia Sinensis plant first and made it into a wonderful drink. Over the years many types of tea have been produced, apart from plain tea, like the ones with various flavors such as vanilla, chocolate, banana, cardamom, ginger, lemon etc to cater to various palates and also those made from herbs called herbal tea. Even the method of preparing tea has undergone considerable changes from letting tea leaves sink in boiling water to dipping tea bags in them. Irrespective of method of preparation or the type of tea there is one thing common to all of them which is the ubiquitous tea kettle.

Tea kettles also have different types in them depending on the material used in making them. There are tea kettles made of stainless steel, copper, brass, porcelain, glass, ceramics etc. We also have electric kettles which are more of recent origin and use electricity for boiling the water.

Why glass tea kettles?

Glass is the lightest of the various materials used in making tea kettles. It is also very easy to clean glass tea kettles as the surface is smooth and also it has non stick characteristics. If handled properly tea kettles made of glass can last for many years

Glass tea kettles are also available with stylish designs and great looks. The designs are modern and funky as well as traditional. They are indeed a welcome addition to most kitchen tables. Glass can be molded into various shapes and sizes and glass tea kettles have the inimitable character of blending easily with the surroundings. Glass tea kettles are also relatively cheaper in cost compared to tea kettles made of ceramic or other materials.

Concerns

Perhaps the greatest concern of having glass tea kettles is its fragility. They are delicate and require careful handling in order to prolong their life. Nowadays hardened glasses that do not break easily are available. They can withstand rough handling to some extent.

Precautions

When heating water in a glass tea kettle over a stove, it is advisable to have a metallic foil or plate or wire gauze inserted between the bottom of the kettle and the stove. This is to prevent direct contact of the glass surface with the stove flame or heating coils as it may lead to cracking of glass. Also glass tea kettles should not be allowed to dry up as heating an empty tea kettle may lead to cracking of the base. The interior surface of the tea kettle may also get stained which may be hard to remove.