A Tale of Two Kettles

 Once upon a time, (1991), I moved out of my parents' home and went 500 miles away with DH, where we set up our own home.  I had a little stuff, he had even less stuff, and over the course of the first six months, we slowly accumulated some basics.  One of which was a tea kettle.  I don't remember if it came from Target, or Pamida, but it was one of those two, and it was definitely in 1991.  I only heated water for hot chocolate and/or instant coffee in a sauce pan a few times before a kettle became top priority on the purchase list.

The kettle I bought is enamel, with a handle that swivels, and has a wooden grip.  And, being 1991, it was a light blue.  Because in 1991 most everything was either light blue, or the shade of pink known as dusty rose.

That kettle served me well.  For years, and years, and decades.  And last year I had to face the fact that with cracked enamel on the inside starting to rust, and the swivel part of the handle about to break--hopefully not when I was lifting a boiling kettle of water from the stove--it was time to retire it.

Mistakenly, I thought with the magic of the internet, I would simply search online for one just like it, and have a new one in a few days.

Internet magic showed me that apparently I cannot get one just like it. 

I could get tons that weren't enameled.  But that's not what I wanted. 

I could get tons that had a different shape, but that's not what I wanted.  

I could get tons with a one-piece handle design that was integrated into the pot portion of the kettle.  But that's not what I wanted.  

I could get even more with a little metal cover on the end of the spout, to protect you from splashes while pouring.  But that's not what I wanted.

I wanted a brand new in 2022 tea kettle that looked and performed just like my 1991 tea kettle.  It didn't have to be light blue.  But it did have to be everything else my tried and true 31 year old kettle was.  I mean, that kettle lasted me from age 19 (about to turn 20) to past my 50th birthday.  My next kettle conceivably should last me the rest of my life, or at least the rest of my life that I'll most likely be able to live on my own boiling my own water.  It needed to be a kettle I liked, not just any old kettle.  Kettle shopping was not proving to be fun, and I certainly don't want to have to do it ever again.  I needed a good, durable kettle of the right size, shape, and design.

After two months of off and on searching, and tons of filtering during those searches, I finally found a tea kettle that, while not the same in all aspects other than color, was at least close enough for me to consider buying it. So I did.

DH hates it based on the floral design.  But his opinion doesn't count for much since he never used the old tea kettle anyway.  Not after getting a coffee maker in 1992. . .   I'll just keep this one out of sight in the cabinet next to the stovetop when it's not in use.  He doesn't have to look at it. 😁

As for my opinion on it now that I've had months and months to use it; well, it's okay.  It will do.  The knob on the lid doesn't stay cool like the wooden knob on the lid of my old one did.  And the ceramic grip on the handle heats up way more than the wooden grip on the old one, so much so that I have to use a hot pad between me and the handle grip.  But other than that it performs just as well as the old one, and I like the shape.  And I'd rather not search for a different one.

So now we'll see if this one lasts 31 years. . .