this post was submitted on 24 Nov 2025
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British Problems
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British Problems
Complain about problems only a Brit would understand, the weather, trains, the people on the telly...
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If you want your tea to actually be drinkable and not taste like just bitter water, you don't use boiling water. A proper electric kettle allows you to set the water temperature to 85, 90 or 95°C.
Never heard of that. All the electric kettles I've ever seen just turn off once the water is boiling.
I can confirm they exist, as one of the places I sometimes work has one - the base unit has a button for 70°/80°/90°/100°.
However, despite probably drinking in excess of 50,000 cups of tea in my life, I've only ever seen one of these kettles. The others have all been either "normal electric kettles" as you described, those always-on-water-boiler things you get in offices, or very occasionally, a traditional "put it on the hob or camping stove" kettle.
More to the point. Most kettles intentionally do not use temperature to do so. But instead use water pressure from the boil to turn it off.
Because water boils at different tempraturs at different altertudes etc. iE at higher altitudes the kettle will turn off at lower temperatures but the water is still boiling,
Yeah, I've heard about that story!
Yeah it matter way more to folks who like darker tea.
Water that is boiled allows the tanning to release more effectively. Hence tea made without boiling water thens to look whiter and even when colour is forced out with a spoon. Lacks the same flavour.
Tanning is also why tea has a calming effect. Mached with caffeine. It places the mind in a good state for problem solving. Hence the UK reputation of turning to it for all problems.
Well that and both tanning and caffeine are addictive.
True for coffee and green tea.
UK taste insist black tea must be boiled. And that dose not mean 100c but diff temps at different altitude. Hence most of our kettles use the physics of boiling water. Rather then temp to turn off.
The effect of boiled water releases certain flavours in the tea. Those who like darker tea (more tanning released) tend to be the most fussy about this.
Tanning is also the chemical in tea that calms the mind. Hence why Brits have a tradition of turning to tea in stress etc. the tanning and caffeine work well together to clear allow a relaxed but active mind.
Tannins.