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A new meaning for 'red-hot'

Response color-changing kettle lets you know how close your water is to boiling

Jennifer Lowell
Jenn Lowell spent her time at the University of Colorado building robots and other toys before earning her graduate degree in mechatronics and mechanical engineering. She is a self-proclaimed lover of anything that runs off of electricity and has moving parts or motors. Currently pulling double-duty as a high school science teacher and freelance blogger, she has free time seldom enough to deeply appreciate the modern technological conveniences that give her more of it. She is a long-time recreational blogger currently living and working in Brooklyn, NY.
Jennifer Lowell
2 min read
From cool blue to red hot Kenwood

If you've ever owned a mood ring, chances are that you'll appreciate the Kenwood Response kettle. The brushed metal kettle changes colors as you heat your water from blue to red, letting you see how close your water is to being coffee-ready.

A cool feature of this kettle is that it can be set either to boiling or to 80 degrees Celsius. Why would we care about the temperature? Boiling is boiling, right? Well, not exactly. In college, I worked a brief stint at a tea shop, where I learned the hard way that using rapidly boiling water to brew a cup of green tea creates a severely bitter cup. The perfect temperature to brew a cup-o-green to go with your afternoon relaxation session is, conveniently, right about 80 degrees Celsius.

Another neat perk about the Response kettle is that it's energy efficient. Once your water has heated, the kettle can be set to keep your water warm, eliminating the need to waste the energy reheating when you go for your second cup. An orange light on the kettle will blink, letting you know that as soon as you're ready, your water will be waiting.

Want some toast with your tea? Kenwood also has a matching toaster. It doesn't have the same color-changing technology as the kettle, but does come with some other smart features like a variable width toasting slot and automatic rise and fall, so you don't have to push down any handles or twist any levers.

Now if only they'd make a closet that would change colors when the temperature is about to rise...