An electric water boiler, also called a thermo pot, is a

consumer electronics Consumer electronics or home electronics are electronic ( analog or digital) equipment intended for everyday use, typically in private homes. Consumer electronics include devices used for entertainment, communications and recreation. Usuall ...

small appliance A small domestic appliance, also known as a small electric appliance or minor appliance or simply a small appliance, small domestic or small electric, is a portable or semi-portable machine, generally used on Table (furniture), table-tops, C ...

used for boiling water and maintaining it at a constant temperature in an enclosed reservoir. It is typically used to provide an immediate source of hot water for making

tea Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by pouring hot or boiling water over cured or fresh leaves of ''Camellia sinensis'', an evergreen shrub native to East Asia which probably originated in the borderlands of southwestern China and north ...

hot chocolate Hot chocolate, also known as hot cocoa or drinking chocolate, is a heated drink consisting of shaved chocolate, melted chocolate or cocoa powder, heated milk or water, and usually a sweetener like whipped cream or marshmallows. Hot chocolate ...

coffee Coffee is a drink prepared from roasted coffee beans. Darkly colored, bitter, and slightly acidic, coffee has a stimulating effect on humans, primarily due to its caffeine content. It is the most popular hot drink in the world. Seeds of ...

, instant noodles, or baby formula, or for any other household use where clean hot water is required. They are a common component of

Japanese kitchen The Japanese kitchen ( ja, , translit=Daidokoro, lit=kitchen) is the place where food is prepared in a Japanese house. Until the Meiji era, a kitchen was also called ''kamado'' (; lit. stove) and there are many sayings in the Japanese language t ...

s and the kitchens of many East Asian countries but are found in varying use globally. Smaller units are portable. Some thermo pots are designed with a feature that can purify water.

Components

An electric water boiler consists of a water reservoir with a

heating element A heating element converts electrical energy into heat through the process of Joule heating. Electric current through the element encounters resistance, resulting in heating of the element. Unlike the Peltier effect, this process is indepen ...

at the bottom. Some models offer multiple temperature settings. Other models are part of larger water systems that boil water and provide hot, cold, and lukewarm water. Water may be dispensed in various ways, e.g. by pouring, an electric pump or by pressing a large button that functions as a diaphragm pump. Electric water boilers have a built in thermostat that detects when water has reached its boiling point of to automatically shut off.

Sedimentation

Sedimentation is the accumulation within the water reservoir of natural minerals that exist in trace amounts in municipal water mains, mainly calcium carbonate. Heating the water causes the minerals to separate and fall to the bottom of the reservoir. This buildup can eventually create a variety of noises in gas boilers, reduce the efficiency of the unit and give rise to a sulfur (or rotten-egg) smell.

Vinegar Vinegar is an aqueous solution of acetic acid and trace compounds that may include flavorings. Vinegar typically contains 5–8% acetic acid by volume. Usually, the acetic acid is produced by a double fermentation, converting simple sugars to eth ...

citric acid Citric acid is an organic compound with the chemical formula HOC(CO2H)(CH2CO2H)2. It is a colorless weak organic acid. It occurs naturally in citrus fruits. In biochemistry, it is an intermediate in the citric acid cycle, which occurs in ...

can be used to descale electric kettles.

Uses

Some electric water boiler models enable tea to be steeped at a desired, adjustable temperature.

References

External links

{{Home appliances Home appliances Boilers (cookware)

Components

Sedimentation

Uses

See also

References

Further reading

External links