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tall_martin
Full Member
I’ve had a Google and get people with no science background alarmed by the idea of chemicals
And so you asked here instead… ?
Yes.
I was hoping someone could point me towards an actual answer.
That's the great thing about ST, amongst all the bickering, there are actual scientists, and an awareness of the work of scientists out there who may have the answers to a genuine question.
Joe Rogan is basically a quak, though, to be fair.
I don't think you understand what a quack is..
if your wife is worried about it, donate it to someone poor and get a nice metal kettle.
Because poor people are so pleased just to have a cup of tea they don't even mind that microplastics may or may not be "leaching into their tea".
Other than that, joshvegas has some good advice:
you need to research:
What are micro plastics
What is leaching
I don’t think you understand what a quack is..
Oh I do... the characteristic harsh sound made by a duck.
There is some real science behind this, assuming you accept the 'Zoe project' as real science. I can't find the article or blog post, but nothing gets heated in the microwave in plastic in our house anymore. This is second hand from the OH who reads the Tim Spector blog/Zoe stuff:
Is this OP's first baby. I can guarantee you'll be doing stuff very differently come number two child.
I wouldn't worry. Maybe ditch the 15 year old kettle for a better one.
First baby, drops dummy you then run it through the steam steriliser (also made of plastic). Baby two drops dummy, you pick up, wipe off fluff and stick back in baby's mouth.
It seems to me that both plastic and metal are problematic. Perhaps I should make one out of wood?
I would be worrying about MP contamination in drinking water from your tap and also from any bottled water you buy.
I don’t think you understand what a quack is..
I wouldn't call Joe Rogan a quack, although Having a conversation about who Rogan really is and admitting that his brand of conversation, which at times promotes some pretty dangerous conspiracy theories, cultural intolerance and blatant racism, is probably looong overdue. He attracts millions of listeners and advertisers after all. He's used of the n-word, There's the time Rogan deliberately misgendered a trans MMA fighter. He’s discouraged people from getting the Covid-19 vaccine, hosted guests who question basic science and given a platform to climate scepticism from Jordan Peterson, all hiding under the usual disingenuous disclaimer "I'm just asking questions"
I'm pretty sure the Alt-right think (probably correctly) that he's one of theirs.
You could get a non-electric metal kettle for proper STW environmental credentials.
Caesium seems a good choice.*
May be single use though...🤔
I think I saw a vid on YT years ago where somebody threw a lump of caesium into a river. Not sure how they held it to throw it though.
Creaking door science credentials -
O level physics and chemistry grade C
O level biology grade B
IANAS
* May cause injury, especially when bought from Temu (other low-quality shifters of $h!t are available)
Unless you make them from slices of WW1 warship dredged from the pentland firth any steel pot or kettle will be radioactive 🙂
It seems to me that both plastic and metal are problematic. Perhaps I should make one out of wood?
Laburnum maybe, or Yew.
Just wait until she discovers that most teething toys are made of plastic.
Or how much is offgassing from the new crib, cot mattress, new paint in the babies room, carpets, new car etc. Most new born babies are exposed to more pollution indoors than if they were outdoors on a busy city street apparently...
If you have an induction hob get a stove top kettle. That's what I plan to do when our (stainless steel) kettle finally dies.
If you have an induction hob get a stove top kettle.
Every time one of my North American rellys comes over, they spend an in-ordinate amount of time lusting over a 240V kettle, it's weird if I'm honest. If there's one positive that the UK can take to it's death-bed when we're weighed up as a nation is that we didn't **** about when it came to boiling some water for a hot drink.
The key environmental issue with a kettle will be longevity so I'd recommend picking the one you both like best and putting the (likely now slightly battered and stained) kettle either into the loft as a spare or into the shed/garage for diy jobs and a cup of tea in peace once new bairn becomes a 2 year old.
Personally I think that assuming the kettle is from a regular manufacturer (not wish, ali express, etc.) then the micro plastics issue will likely be tiny.
Just don't buy those posh 'nylon mesh bag' teabags if you have any concerns about microplastics. Stick to normal teabags or loose leaf tea.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-49845940
Short version: buy a new kettle that you both like 🙂
Do you think they don't have electric kettles in America because of their lower voltages?
Edit: should have used google
Unless you make them from slices of WW1 warship dredged from the pentland firth any steel pot or kettle will be radioactive 🙂
While true, I'm absolutely sure I don't need to lose any sleep over that amount of radiation 😃
@chaos thanks, that's genuinely helpfull 😃
@creakingdoor
If you want to see some very enthusiastic chemists get very disappointed the university of Nottingham tried dumping caesium into water with very pedestrian results the first time they tried.
@mattoutandabout
Yes, the nursery still smells of new carpet. It that the window open for 3 weeks. Maybe we should have forked out all the cash for a pure wool carpet.
It's child 2.
Just wait until she discovers that most teething toys are made of plastic.
Yes, I might be forging some birch twigs fresh from the forest. ( I hope I'm joking).
@WorldClassAccident
Free Member
It seems to me that both plastic and metal are problematic. Perhaps I should make one out of wood?
Maybe I should just heat everything on an open wood fire at the back in of the cave ☺️
The pipe conferring water into your house will be made of plastic.
Thats if its not lead.
Maybe you are better off digging your own well.
Yes Cougar, I know the coffeepot I’m about to use is a chemical as is the coffee it produces. I think you know that the chemicals the op s wife is concerned about are a different thing.
Point is, when someone has "concerns" do we address that by looking into those concerns and either learning something ourselves if they turn out to be correct or explaining why those concerns are unfounded, or do we pander to whatever hysterical twaddle takes their fancy?
I grant you though, this specific case may be an outlier for the sake of a kettle.
FWIW, our ‘Russell Hobbs 20460 Quiet Boil Kettle, Brushed Stainless Steel’ is quiet, metal and pretty quick to boil (at least compared to it’s predecessor) so may tick your wife’s boxes.
Exactly what I have. It's perfect (and I have gone through many crap kettles).
Bloody hell. Child 2 and still believing this crap. Wait till its vaping in 16 years (if lucky).
@wzzzz
Yep. I quite like drinking chemicaly treated water that is certainly not going to give me something horrible.
My folks had the lead pipes replaced when I was a kid. I always what the effect was on my grandparents. Both my dad's parents were one of 14. They were almost all killed by smoking related cancers.
Best not mention the microplastics already in the water from your tap, or the plastic used in many brands of tea bag……
had a kettle with different boiling temperature control
There is only one boiling temperature. 100C
There is only one boiling temperature. 100C
Try telling that to water up a mountain 🙂
Pendant alert. We know that he meant switch off at a certain pre determined temperature.
Anyway, the leaching of micro plastic will be long over , if it ever existed.
Don't buy a metal kettle. The kid will more likely burn itself in a couple of years as metal has a much high emissivity than plastic. So although both surfaces will appear to be the same temperature, the metal will transfer more heat faster than you can move your hand away.
I had a welt across the back of my hand as the metal kettle twisted out of my grip and stopped against my hand.
Just buy a Russell Hobbs filter kettle. It will make nicer tea and coffee
@singketrackmind
Yes that does concern me.
Our 4 year old is now tall enough to get stuff from the work top. I guess that's a concern for a few years down the line
Do "metal" kettles have bare metal walls, then - or might they have some sort of coating anyway ?
... as someone with a degree in materials science I very much enjoy reading these threads...
Try telling that to water up a mountain 🙂
Or any gas at let's say at room temperature.
The world is full of dangers from every angle. War, covid, bully XLs to name but a few. And now the humble kettle is getting in on the action.
Thread should be titled Should I argue with the sleep deprived human who has recently produced a child for me.
The world is full of dangers from every angle. War, covid, bully XLs to name but a few. And now the humble kettle is getting in on the action.
It is. Which is why a thing called "risk assessment" exists. And thus why we erect safety barriers due to concerns around falling out of the 14th floor but don't erect safety barriers due to concerns around zombie invasion.
Concerns about war, covid, inbred attack dogs, microplastics, leeching, scalding, zombies, the rapture, being hit by a bus, running out of biscuits etc etc are all very real concerns. The problem here is a catastrophic failure to recognise that appropriate mitigations for these concerns will differ.
In this case, as I said, the answer is "buy a new kettle" because plastic ones are shit anyway so it's not worth an argument with a new mum.
Dont mention to the Mrs you'll be taking the kids mountain biking any time soon
assuming you accept the ‘Zoe project’ as real science.
I've only recently become acquainted with the Zoe project and I'm conflicted. There does seem to be a good bit of knowledge in there but I'd also say it feels (collectively, across all the output) to be designed to 'educate' the predisposed to worry. To feed their concerns if you will. Which rather nicely fits in with a desire to fleece sign up people for bespoke food plans. Almost like there is ulterior motive to ramping up anxiety then reassure all can be resolved if you buy yourself a £199 membership.
Or am I too cynical?
@Kramer
Free Member
Thread should be titled Should I argue with the sleep deprived human who has recently produced a child for me.
I've already agreed, and bought, the kettle before asking on here. Because you reasons are sound 😃
@fossy
Full Member
Dont mention to the Mrs you’ll be taking the kids mountain biking any time soon
I'm taking the pair out now, with the 4 year old on his bike. Gloves on- because of the cold- not the crash potential 😉
Just buy the kettle, plenty of other things to spend time being concerned about with a new baby. Best wishes to you both.