Choosing a thermo pot for home

Content:

Purpose and device
Tank volume
Power
A heating element
Manufacturing material
Water supply method
Additional functions

The thermo pot is a hybrid of a kettle and a thermos that can perfectly replace a bulky cooler in the office. Its main task is not easy to boil water, but constantly keep it hot. Before choosing a thermo pot for your home or office, you should immediately decide - if you need boiling water to make 3-4 cups of tea or coffee a day, then you should not overpay, it will be enough to buy a regular Electric kettle, he can easily cope with such a task. Another thing is a large family, a small cafe or an office, in this case the thermopot fully justifies its purpose.

Purpose and device

Thermopot eliminates the main disadvantage of an electric kettle - it heats up quickly, but also cools down quickly. Therefore, you have to wait until it boils again. Experience shows that thermopots save electricity too... They not only constantly heat up, but also, thanks to special thermal insulation, do not allow the water to cool down too quickly. True, the device turns out to be much larger and heavier than an electric kettle; it requires a stationary placement and a constant connection to electricity. In addition, water must be poured into it using a special container / watering can; it must not be placed under the tap stream. Boiling water can be supplied either automatically or manually.

Important:

Immediately select a place where the device will stand and measure the distance to the outlet so that the length of the cord is enough. It is good if a special compartment is provided where you can hide the extra length of the cord.

Consider the main parameters that you should pay attention to when choosing a thermopot.

See also:

Tank volume

Now on the market you can buy a thermopot with a capacity of 2 (there is simply no point in taking less, otherwise you will have to very often add water, and the thermopot itself will be used ineffectively, in fact, working in the electric kettle mode) to 8 liters. The choice of capacity depends on how many people need to be provided with hot water. Usually the volume is chosen based on the norm of 1 liter (1.5 - for large lovers of hot drinks) per person. Then you can refuel at the beginning of the day and just use it the rest of the time.

Power

Power affects the heating rate, the more it is - the faster the water will boil, which is especially important for volumetric thermopots. The maximum recommended power is 1000 W.

A heating element

Now, only in cheap models of little-known manufacturers, you can find an open spiral in a tank for heating water. Almost all modern models of thermal pots have heating discs.

Separately, it is worth noting the models of thermopots with two heating elements (heaters). One is powerful, which allows you to quickly heat water.The second is for standby operation to maintain the set temperature. This design allows not only to maintain the required temperature, but also to additionally save energy.

Manufacturing material

The body is made of metal, plastic, glass, or combinations thereof. It is much more important what the tank is made of, in which the water is boiled. In cheap models, it is made of food grade plastic, so over time the water can acquire a specific flavor. In addition, the service life of such models is short. Particular attention should be paid to the temperature of the case - if the case heats up when checking in the store, then the thermal insulation is poorly done. Therefore, the thermopot will turn on more often to heat the water - and this is an additional power consumption. In good models, the case practically does not heat up during operation.

In high-quality models, the tank is made of glass (it is more suitable for water, but due to its fragility it requires careful attention) or metal.

Water supply method

In different models, the delivery methods differ - it depends on the type of installed pump (pump):

Automatic - an electric pump is installed in such a thermo-pot, and the water itself begins to flow after the cup is placed in a certain place.
Semi-automatic - an electric pump is also installed here, but the supply starts after pressing the button.
manual - water is supplied by a mechanical pump, the user himself needs to press the lever or handle several times. The advantage of this method is that the supply occurs even when the thermopot is disconnected from the electricity.

Additional functions

The set of functions in the models of thermo pots may differ, the more additional functionality, the more expensive the model will be:

Temperature selection - regulation allows the user to set the water temperature that will be maintained. The standard temperature range is 50 ° C to 90 ° C. The regulation can be either stepwise, setting only certain temperature values through a given number of degrees (most often - after 10 ° C), or smooth.
Adjustment of a portion of water - available in thermopots with automatic water supply, allows you to pour from 120 to 300 ml of water at a time (several values are available).
Locks - at least one (and it is available in almost all models) - switching off the device when there is insufficient water level in the tank. Another blocking is overheating protection. If the family has a small child, then a child lock is required. The top cover has a special latch that blocks its accidental opening during water heating.
Two tanks - one constantly contains boiling water, and in the second, the user can set the required temperature himself.
Digital display - in most cases displays information about the current temperature value. In addition, it can inform the user about what processes are currently taking place.
On timer - allows you to set the on time, for example, the water will boil when family members return home or when employees come to work.
Built-in filter - allows you to purify water from impurities, although this may reduce the pressure and increase the time it takes to draw a cup. In this case, the filter will have to be washed or changed monthly, and in some models it is structurally placed not very well, to get to it, you will have to disassemble a significant part of the device.
Self-cleaning - some thermo-pots have an alarm function for the need to descale. As in the case of electric kettles, you can use special means, or you can do with folk methods.