Enameled teapots: types and subtleties of choice

Making tea, coffee, cocoa and some other drinks, dishes is unthinkable without hot water. But a pleasant leisure with a cup of tea depends not only on the capacity of the kettle. Of no small importance is what its appearance is. Enamel-covered vessels are quite popular and deserve attention.

Many people believe that enameled kettles are hopelessly outdated and do not meet modern requirements. This opinion is fundamentally wrong. It can be attributed only to single models, which are really old-fashioned and irrelevant. But it’s very easy to find a kettle with an internal enamel coating that satisfies any design and practical needs. Special coating differs in such characteristics:

• does not spoil the taste of the prepared drinks;
• does not provoke allergic reactions;
• does not pose a risk of food poisoning.

However, all this is guaranteed only with proper care. If you have to pour hard water into an enameled kettle, you will have to systematically clean it from the resulting scale. The coating must maintain its integrity. When the smallest cracks appear, the dishes will have to be changed. However, this circumstance is somewhat smoothed out by affordable prices.

Enamelled kettles appeared in the 1960s. But earlier versions were distinguished by dubious merits. The only serious advantage of those models was the beautiful color. The soot stuck very actively, and because of the poor quality, the enamel cracked extremely quickly.

The decisive role is played by the rational choice of a specific instance. Design options are largely individual. It is only advisable to think about whether it is convenient and practical to use a particular product. You should also choose a kettle that matches the style of the set of dishes for tea drinking. However, in any case, it will be necessary to systematically clean the soot and fat droplets. The easiest way to choose products for a gas stove. You can buy absolutely any product to your liking. There are a number of models equipped with plastic handles. You need to check whether they are located correctly. If these elements are not correctly placed, one may fear melting on fire.

But a particular brand of product should not be given special importance. "National origin" also does not play a role. Much more important is the material from which the kitchen utensils are made. You should also pay attention to such nuances:

• electric or simple fire heating method;
• product geometry;
• the size of the kettle.

The classic colors of enameled utensils were gray, green and blue tones. Fortunately, modern technology allows you to achieve a much wider color gamut. Coloring gray metallic (which can have dark and light shades) is considered the most practical solution. It can be used in almost any interior. The exception is kitchens and dining rooms, decorated in the style of country, Provence, Scandinavian, exotic national styles.

If there is no such problem, metallic gray will add modern notes to the kitchen composition, diluting stiff and strict motives. This product will look especially good together with a set of similar household appliances in color. But the black kettle is considered a practically universal solution.

The dark item of kitchen utensils needs to be complemented with similar-in-tone accessories, as well as diluted with white or red. But it is worthwhile to understand that very dark, like pure white teapots, can easily get dirty. Especially a lot of problems arise when they have a glossy surface. If the need for constant care is not scary, you can give preference to the white version.

Connoisseurs do not recommend purchasing all culinary equipment in white only. This will create a blurry and blurry composition. Sometimes products of bright colors are also used - yellow, blue, violet and other saturated tones. You must consider how a certain paint affects the overall mood of the interior. This is sometimes even more significant than one’s own preferences, as the setting should satisfy guests as well.

The handle should not be above or close to the nozzle opening. Putting your hand there is easy to get burned. It can even come from splashes that occur when the lid falls into the water. Because the wider the cover, the better and more practical the product. It is even more correct to choose a kettle with a valve: when it is closed, the lid will not fall down at any tilt.

Some firms offer models with very low spout placement. Pouring water from there is convenient, but too little is placed inside. This design in addition leads to the appearance of a mass of scale. Best placed nose is just above mid-height.

It is quite possible to ensure that the new kettle lasts as long as possible. To do this, before the first use, perform the following steps:

• the kettle is washed;
• fill to the upper limit;
• boil the collected water;
• let the kettle cool.

Do not leave a heated kettle on a gas stove. However, it is unacceptable to place hot dishes on a wet, cold surface. The best option is a special stand made of heat-resistant material.To cope with the scum, an aqueous solution of citric acid is boiled in a teapot. If improvised means do not inspire confidence, you can pay attention to branded compositions (they are used strictly according to the instructions).

Kettles can distinguish with their parameters and some additional details.

• Whistled kettles are very convenient. Thanks to them, there is no need to constantly wait when exactly the water boils. But models without a whistle have another advantage - they are the cheapest.
• Models with a wooden handle look more interesting than those that are equipped with a plastic handle.
• As for the volume, then everything is very individual. Chasing excessive capacity should not be. Because of it, you will have to overpay for gas or electricity. However, too small an option for 1 liter is completely impractical. It is useful only for people who are at home alone and, moreover, occasionally. Therefore, in most cases, the optimal choice would be products with a capacity of 2.5 - 3 liters.
• An important role is played by the comparison of domestic and foreign products. Russian firms apply spraying techniques. It is less practical than the immersion technology used abroad. Therefore, imported products, even despite the increased price, fit much better. In favor of domestic developments, there is only one argument - the collections that are familiar in execution.

As an alternative, you can consider another type of metal kettle - made of stainless steel. This option has its own differences. This material is more prone to deformation. On the surface of such a teapot, stains and contaminants that are difficult to remove can appear much more often. While enamelware is much easier to clean. The service life of stainless steel and enameled dishes may or may vary.

Since quite a few people prefer products made in Russia, it makes sense to start with Russian-made dummies. Good position was won by the products of the Magnitogorsk plant "Enamel", which has been operating since the late 1950s. During this time, production lines and technologies have been substantially updated. The company managed to achieve an excellent balance between cost, practical characteristics and design moments. The products of the Cherepovets Steelmal LLC are consistently included in the ratings of enameled cookware.

From foreign brands, good characteristics stand out:

• Belarusian Omelia (this company actively uses modern technology);
• Chinese Mayer end boch (distinguished by the use of first-class steel and reliable coatings);
• Japanese concern Ejiry (his engineers developed a technology for the production of glass enamel mixed with powdered sugar).

Agness products may be, however, no worse than Japanese-made products. This concern uses excellent reliable steel. Glass-ceramic enamel is made using completely safe coloring components. The handle is mounted motionless and made of bakelite. This type of plastic is distinguished by low thermal conductivity, and therefore a burn during normal use is excluded.

Agness enameled kettles are suitable for any (except induction) stoves. But they are guaranteed to be suitable for washing in dishwashers. The company makes every effort so that the details are worked out clearly and competently, so that there is a flawless design.

In the next video, you will find a review of the enameled Mayer & Boch “Mini” teapot.