Is water on the outside of an electric kettle dangerous?
When filling our electric kettle with tap water, I’m carefully avoiding any water trickling down the side. Others in our household are less careful.
If we let water run down the side, will it damage the kettle and reduce its life? Is there any other reason it could be harmful?
Best Answer
Kettles often drip a bit when they pour, and that runs down the outside. So a kettle has to be designed for a little water on the outside (though clearly not for a complete soaking).
If you have a shiny kettle and like to keep it that way, limescale will be increased by getting it wet more often, but that's the only real harm, and anyway is easily fixed.
I prefer to turn the tap off before removing the kettle though, because it's convenient the way my kitchen is laid out. Otherwise I get a bit of splashing near the sink that I might not want.
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Quick Answer about "Is water on the outside of an electric kettle dangerous?"
So a kettle has to be designed for a little water on the outside (though clearly not for a complete soaking). If you have a shiny kettle and like to keep it that way, limescale will be increased by getting it wet more often, but that's the only real harm, and anyway is easily fixed.Can you wash the outside of an electric kettle?
Using Dish Soap to Clean the Outside of a KettleUse your favorite dish detergent to clean the outside of your kettle. Wash the outside with dish soap and then wipe it down with a damp cloth, being careful to not get soap inside the kettle.Is a leaking kettle dangerous?
A leaking kettle is dangerous as boiling water can cause serious burns. Plus electricity and water do not mix, this could cause electrocution or a power shortage. How do you fix a leaky plastic kettle? You can fix a leaky plastic kettle using food grade silicone sealant.Can a kettle electrocute you?
Avoid Naked Wires Even worse, electric water-heating kettles will often overflow when water reaches boiling point. Consequently, this can cause electrocution and cause serious harm to home dwellers.What is dangerous about a kettle?
Plastic Kettles: Are not recommended as they may leach endocrine disrupting chemicals such as Bisphenol A (BPA) &/or Phthalates into your boiling water. Phthalates can leave a slight change of flavour or odour. If you're using a plastic kettle and you leave it full of boiling water after you have poured your cup\u2026Electric Kettles: 5 Fast Facts
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Answer 2
I'm an electronic engineer who often was involved in mechanical design of products.
Such problems are thought of by engineers during design and manufacture. Any electronic and electrical situation, such as this, is thought of ahead of time and, if wishing to be UL listed, is tested for such situations. Electrical connections should be protected and sealed against water overflow and pouring since it's an expected problem. The consumer must be protected from electric shock.
Look for a UL sticker on the device somewhere; perhaps the bottom.
Complete submersion is a different issue, though, and more severe protection from that should not be expected and I'm sure the instructions warn against it.
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