It’s Foodie Friday, and with the weather all crisp and cool, my mind is my favorite daily drink–tea.  Not the leaves themselves, though, but the vessel in which we boil the water to make this healing, warming beverage.  What is the best balance of safety (ie no-boiling-water-in-leach-y-plastics, please!), beauty (tea is a pretty drink, after all), and maintenance (oy with the mineral and rust buildup already!)?

I was sad to part with my last kettle, this all-glass stovetop piece from Adagio.  Priced at a reasonable $34 (at Amazon), this was a find.  Watching the water slowly perk up and get a’bubbling was a simple morning joy.  It was dishwasher-safe, not at all risky in terms of chemicals from either metal or plastic leaching into the water, and an all-around winner. 

The problem is, after about a year and a half, it cracked around the “stay-cool” handle, and sometimes if I didn’t grab it just right, my pinky got too hot for my taste.  And despite its dishwasher-safe status, it eventually got grimed up with stovetop spatter that was impossible to get off.

Next stop on the tea train was an electric kettle, bought as much out of necessity (our kitchen renovation is only now near-complete…in week 13) as by a desire to keep the stovetop free and clear.  Nostalgic for my old glass friend, I got a Capresso H2O Plus ($59 at Amazon).  It’s great in many respects–quick, quiet, and with an auto-shut-off feature.

The problem is that even after several boil-and-rinse cycles, plus a soapy wash, the thing just reeks of plastic.  The tea doesn’t really smell, but come on.  One must be able to trust one’s teapot, non?  Good thing I kept the receipt.

I’ve spent too much of this morning looking into what my next kettle should be (this Braun stainless-electric one looks promising….stop!  Step away from the search engines!), so it’s time to turn to you, Fresh Living readers, and ask for your wisdom. 

Do you have a kettle that you love?  One that you feel is safe, chemical-wise?  One that makes you happy when you look at it?  Help!  It’s getting chilly in here!

(images via Amazon.com)

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