Kettle

A kettle waiting to boil

A kettle is a device used for boiling water, today mainly used for the making of hot drinks (tea or coffee), and some food items such as freeze-dried instant noodles, or powdered soup / sauce mixes.

Before homes had running hot water, kettles would be used to heat water for bathing.

There a two main types of kettle - those powered by mains electricity, and those powered by an external heat source (such as the top of a gas cooker, or an open camp fire). Kettles powered from a car's cigarette lighter socket also exist, as does a type known as a Kelly kettle, traditionally used by fishermen from the West of Ireland but becoming increasingly popular for outdoor use. The Kelly kettle is powered by its own self-contained fire inside the metal casing which fits over the top.

Fish kettle[edit]

A fish kettle is an elongated pan used for poaching fish.

Alternative uses of the word[edit]

• A "Kettle" is also a term used by Railway enthusiasts when referring to a Steam Locomotive.
• "The pot calling the kettle black" is an expression that notes a person is guilty of the same flaw he is pointing out in someone else.
• "Kettling" (from the verb "to kettle") is a form of crowd control employed by various police forces which involves corralling protesters into an enclosed space and holding them there for an extended period of time^[1]

External links[edit]

• The Kettles Blog
• The Kelly Kettle

References[edit]

1. ↑ http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/kettling.