An electric water boiler, also called a thermo pot or tea urn in

British English British English is the set of Variety (linguistics), varieties of the English language native to the United Kingdom, especially Great Britain. More narrowly, it can refer specifically to the English language in England, or, more broadly, to ...

, is a

consumer electronics Consumer electronics, also known as home electronics, are electronic devices intended for everyday household use. Consumer electronics include those used for entertainment, Communication, communications, and recreation. Historically, these prod ...

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-tops, counter-tops or oth ...

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 south-western China and nor ...

hot chocolate Hot Chocolate are a British soul band formed by Errol Brown and Tony Wilson. The group had at least one hit song every year on the UK Singles Chart from 1970 to 1984. Their hits include " You Sexy Thing", a UK number two which also made ...

coffee Coffee is a beverage brewed from roasted, ground coffee beans. Darkly colored, bitter, and slightly acidic, coffee has a stimulating effect on humans, primarily due to its caffeine content, but decaffeinated coffee is also commercially a ...

instant noodles Instant noodles, or instant ramen, is a type of food consisting of noodles sold in a precooked and dried block with flavoring powder and/or seasoning oil. The dried noodle block was originally created by flash-frying cooked noodles, which is s ...

, or

baby formula Infant formula, also called baby formula, simply formula (American English), formula milk, baby milk, or infant milk (British English), is a processed food, manufactured food designed and marketing, marketed for feeding to babies and infants ...

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

Japanese kitchen The Japanese kitchen () is the place where food is prepared in a Housing in Japan, Japanese house. Until the Meiji era, a kitchen was also called ''kamado'' (; lit. stove) and there are many sayings in the Japanese language that involve kamado a ...

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 is a device comprising a water reservoir equipped with a

heating element A heating element is a device used for conversion of electric energy into heat, consisting of a heating resistor and accessories. Heat is generated by the passage of electric current through a resistor through a process known as Joule heating. He ...

positioned at the bottom. While some models offer the convenience of multiple temperature settings, others are integrated into larger water systems capable of boiling water and dispensing it in various forms: hot, cold, or lukewarm. Dispensing methods vary and can include pouring, utilizing an electric pump, or pressing a large button that acts as a

diaphragm pump A diaphragm pump (also known as a Membrane pump) is a positive displacement pump that uses a combination of the reciprocating action of a rubber, thermoplastic or teflon diaphragm and suitable valves on either side of the diaphragm (check va ...

. Additionally, electric water boilers are typically equipped with a built-in thermostat that senses when the water has reached its boiling point of 100 °C (212 °F), automatically shutting off to prevent overheating.

Sedimentation

Sedimentation refers to the gradual accumulation of natural minerals within the water reservoir, typically found in trace amounts in municipal water mains. These minerals, predominantly

calcium carbonate Calcium carbonate is a chemical compound with the chemical formula . It is a common substance found in Rock (geology), rocks as the minerals calcite and aragonite, most notably in chalk and limestone, eggshells, gastropod shells, shellfish skel ...

, tend to settle at the bottom of the reservoir as the water is heated. Over time, this sediment buildup can lead to several issues. Firstly, it can generate various noises within gas boilers due to the disturbance caused by the sediment. Additionally, the accumulation can impair the efficiency of the unit, as the sediment acts as an insulating layer, hindering the transfer of heat. Moreover, the presence of sediment can result in the development of an unpleasant sulfur or rotten-egg smell in the water. To address sediment buildup in electric water boilers, descaling agents such as

vinegar Vinegar () is an aqueous solution of diluted acetic acid and trace compounds that may include flavorings. Vinegar typically contains from 5% to 18% acetic acid by volume. Usually, the acetic acid is produced by a double fermentation, converting ...

citric acid Citric acid is an organic compound with the formula . It is a Transparency and translucency, colorless Weak acid, weak organic acid. It occurs naturally in Citrus, citrus fruits. In biochemistry, it is an intermediate in the citric acid cycle, ...

are commonly used. These substances effectively dissolve and remove the accumulated minerals, restoring the boiler's performance and eliminating any associated odors.

Uses

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

References

External links

{{Plumbing Home appliances Boilers (cookware)

Components

Sedimentation

Uses

See also

References

Further reading

External links