Tea Kettle

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MtnKeeper

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We serve breakfast from 8:30 to 9:30 (many come right at 9:30 which is fine with us). However, I have a nice glass tea kettle so that guests can see the water bubbling to full boil. Just before guests start arriving hubby pushes the button to start the tea water. However, someone may not come to use it until 9:15 or 9:30. Many just walk up and pour the lukewarm water onto their tea bag because they assume the water is always boiled (obviously at home they have to push the button on their own tea kettle, but here they think it's magic). I put a small note to push the button down and it will take a couple minutes for the water to be ready for perfect tea but to no avail. They then throw out the tea bag that didn't steep and start all over again.
If you have a tea kettle, how do you stop this? I was thinking it might be better to just put an airpot of boiling water out but the tea kettle is used by lots of guests throughout the afternoon.
 
Same thing here. Because of our open kitchen I can see guests going for the kettle so I mention the water may not be hot.
I show them how to work the kettle when they check in. I explain it takes 4 minutes if the pot is cold. I touch the pot to show how to tell if it's cold. I push the button to show where it is.
(Funnier still are the guests who think that's the coffee and pour water into their cup.)
My dad says I should stop picking on people who don't function in the morning. ;-)
So, an easier solution is for you to rewarm the pot occasionally during breakfast as you're walking by. I'll reach over and say, "here, let me warm that up for you."
Or, if the pot is dead cold, I handle the tea making by putting the hot water in a hottle small carafe (can't think of what it's actually called) and bring it to the table with the tea bag caddy.
 
We have two of them. One is in the foyer as our 24/7 tea and coffee bar, which we explain how it works. The other is in our butler pantry which we use for ourselves and to warm the water up which we transfer to a kettle that sits on a double hot plate which keeps the hot water and coffee hot all through breakfast time. Not the most elegant thing but it does its job very well.
 
I've even said, "the water is not hot until you make it so."
Again, don't pick on people who aren't awake in the morning. ;-)
 
When Himself got to the point he could no longer pick up a teakettle (too heavy), I bought a Zojirushi 4 liter. It is a thermal "tank" for want of a better word that can be set to hold a 195 or 205 degree temp or hit reboil. He sets his cup down on the buffet, hits unlock button, then holds down the dispense button until the cup is filled. Lift finger water stops.
When we have tea drinkers in-house we keep it plugged in for them - Himself unplugs it when he is done for the day. It takes just a few minutes to heat up and plays a song when it is at 212 (we get a minuet but a friend once messed with it and it played Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair I think until somehow it went back to the minuet I prefer). Nothing to lift (or drop) and unless they forgot to put the cup under it, no mess.
Edited to add - there is a guide on the front to tell at a glance when it is full or in need of more water. Even I can see it at a glance.
 
I have a habit of hitting the button every time I walk by it. So it's usually always hot.
 
When Himself got to the point he could no longer pick up a teakettle (too heavy), I bought a Zojirushi 4 liter. It is a thermal "tank" for want of a better word that can be set to hold a 195 or 205 degree temp or hit reboil. He sets his cup down on the buffet, hits unlock button, then holds down the dispense button until the cup is filled. Lift finger water stops.
When we have tea drinkers in-house we keep it plugged in for them - Himself unplugs it when he is done for the day. It takes just a few minutes to heat up and plays a song when it is at 212 (we get a minuet but a friend once messed with it and it played Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair I think until somehow it went back to the minuet I prefer). Nothing to lift (or drop) and unless they forgot to put the cup under it, no mess.
Edited to add - there is a guide on the front to tell at a glance when it is full or in need of more water. Even I can see it at a glance..
I have a water boiler also. So much easier than worrying about it.
 
Zojirushi here too. Always available outside their room doors but in the kitchen I heat the electric kettle before breakfast service then hit the button again if needed before bringing their own individual china teapots and a selection of teas when I bring out the coffee for the coffee drinkers.
Serving trays are are a very good thing.
 
I have a habit of hitting the button every time I walk by it. So it's usually always hot..
thumbs_up.gif

 
Ours is Secura. I like the light that shows you where it will dispense.
 
When Himself got to the point he could no longer pick up a teakettle (too heavy), I bought a Zojirushi 4 liter. It is a thermal "tank" for want of a better word that can be set to hold a 195 or 205 degree temp or hit reboil. He sets his cup down on the buffet, hits unlock button, then holds down the dispense button until the cup is filled. Lift finger water stops.
When we have tea drinkers in-house we keep it plugged in for them - Himself unplugs it when he is done for the day. It takes just a few minutes to heat up and plays a song when it is at 212 (we get a minuet but a friend once messed with it and it played Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair I think until somehow it went back to the minuet I prefer). Nothing to lift (or drop) and unless they forgot to put the cup under it, no mess.
Edited to add - there is a guide on the front to tell at a glance when it is full or in need of more water. Even I can see it at a glance..
THANKS! I knew you smarties would have a great idea for me. I'm going on eBay to see if I can get one - got my Bunn coffee maker on eBay 10 years ago for a steal and it's still going strong!
 
When Himself got to the point he could no longer pick up a teakettle (too heavy), I bought a Zojirushi 4 liter. It is a thermal "tank" for want of a better word that can be set to hold a 195 or 205 degree temp or hit reboil. He sets his cup down on the buffet, hits unlock button, then holds down the dispense button until the cup is filled. Lift finger water stops.
When we have tea drinkers in-house we keep it plugged in for them - Himself unplugs it when he is done for the day. It takes just a few minutes to heat up and plays a song when it is at 212 (we get a minuet but a friend once messed with it and it played Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair I think until somehow it went back to the minuet I prefer). Nothing to lift (or drop) and unless they forgot to put the cup under it, no mess.
Edited to add - there is a guide on the front to tell at a glance when it is full or in need of more water. Even I can see it at a glance..
THANKS! I knew you smarties would have a great idea for me. I'm going on eBay to see if I can get one - got my Bunn coffee maker on eBay 10 years ago for a steal and it's still going strong!
.
I used to have that Zojirushi and it's great.
 
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