Another Simple and Efficient Tea Water Heater

 

Here is an idea from Bill for using a drip coffee maker to heat water for tea efficiently. 

These are the kind of simple things that add up!

 

This is the email from Bill:

 

Hi Gary, 

I know this is a small thing, but you did have a little space devoted to the energy efficient tea kettle.   

I found a nice Gevalia (sp? The coffee company…) drip coffee maker which features an insulated pot at a thrift store for $4.  I now use it as my super duper tea maker.   

I prefer a fairly weak tea, so I use one tea bag to make a pot of iced tea.  Put one tea bag in the basket, run a pot of water through it and then put the tea in a plastic pitcher with ice cubes.  I then drink the tea straight right from the fridge. 

For hot tea, my SO prefers 2 tea bags to one pot of water…run it through and it stays hot all morning or evening in the thermos like pot.  We are not exactly tea experts, but both taste fine to us. J 

I am assuming that since the water never actually boils it uses far less energy than putting a kettle on the stove.  In the same way, a drip coffee maker can provide hot water for instant soups, cocoa, etc.  I used to have a little thing called a “Hot shot” which heated and dispensed one or two cups of hot water that seemed pretty efficient as well. 

I came across you page while I was researching story ideas on energy efficiency – and I think I will be using quite a few of your ideas.  I’ll be sure to plug your website when I do.

 Thanks!

 

Jan 2, 2007