vacuum insulated electric kettles ?

In winter the kettle adds to the net heat input to the house. Also, many appliances have plastic or insulated bodies which cuts the heat loss.

err, because you don't get a nice cup of tea from lukewarm water.

When I started at college I started making a full pot of coffee in the morning and keeping it in a flask so I could drink it throughout the day. This does keep the coffee piping hot for about 6 hours, so I can have a nice hot brew when I get home too. When I realised this I started doing this even on days I wasnt at college, which saves on my electricity, which is great cos im poor :D

When I do ever boil a kettle (which isnt often as I have a coffee machine) I usually only boil what I need (ie 1 cup). I cant see any reason why you would have to boil 5 cups of water to make one cup of tea.

Unfortunately most electric kettles need to boil 2 cups or more, (would be a crap kettle that needs 5) to stop the element overheating. I sometimes heat a single cup of water in the microwave, but haven't bothered to calculate whether there is any cost benefit, or deficit.

MrT.