How to choose a thermopot

In the modern world, the place of the samovar is taken by a thermopot. The device is in great demand because it is a mixture of an electric kettle and a thermos. But an incorrectly chosen thermopot can only bring extra costs for power supply or inconvenience of use. Therefore, you need to know how to choose the right device.

Objectives, application and how it works

Thermopot is used to boil water and maintain its high temperature. Thanks to these properties, it is widely used not only for home use, but also in enterprises, catering establishments, etc.

A heating element, spiral or disk brings the water to a boil. The insulating flask maintains the high temperature of the liquid. When it drops, another heating element turns on to raise the temperature. Some models are equipped with a water purification filter.

What are there

Today there are a wide variety of models on the market that differ in size and functionality. Accordingly, the price of devices varies depending on functionality.

Models for 3 thousand rubles. They can only boil and maintain an indefinitely high temperature of water.

Thermopots for 12 thousand rubles. necessarily equipped with a filter, delayed start timer, functions for setting the required temperature, self-cleaning and sound notification. Therefore, you can choose a device to suit every taste and financial capabilities. The main thing is to decide on a suitable model so that there is no inconvenience in use.

Advantages and disadvantages

Among the main advantages are:

• the ability to have a supply of hot water;
• large permissible volume of water;
• convenient water pouring (the device does not need to be lifted and tilted to use hot water).

Among the main disadvantages are:

• the large dimensions of the device take up a lot of space in the kitchen;
• It takes a relatively long time for water to boil;
• there is a certain percentage of danger, since the device is constantly connected to the power supply;
• higher price than an electric kettle.

Therefore, thermopots are not suitable for everyone. In some cases, it is better to use a simple electric kettle.

Important: Some models do not have a low power lock feature. When heating occurs "dry", there is a risk of fire.

Basic parameters to choose from

Before deciding on the choice of model, you need to decide whether a thermopot is needed in the household at all. If you still need it, then you need to pay attention to all the design and functional features of the device. Otherwise, problems with ease of use, safety and energy consumption may only arise.

Volume

Also, the size of the device is directly related to the volume of the container. A device with a volume of 5 liters is unlikely to be suitable for a small kitchen.Thermal pots with a small volume have a lower mark on the minimum allowable amount of water, which simplifies the process of quickly boiling a cup of tea.

You should also take into account that the actual volume of the water tank is slightly less than that specified by the manufacturer.

Power

The power consumption of the device is significantly lower than that of an electric kettle. To boil water, the maximum power used is up to 1000 W. To maintain a high temperature - no more than 100 W/hour.

Power has little effect on the rate at which water boils. Therefore, it is not always appropriate to buy the most powerful device, because this means extra spending on electricity.

Volume liters

For a small family of up to 3 people, there is no point in buying a thermopot with a large capacity. This is just additional power costs. Also, the water will infuse, which can deteriorate its quality. A device with a flask volume of up to 3 liters is suitable for such a family. If the family is large and guests in the house are not uncommon, then you can get a device with a capacity of up to 7 liters.

A heating element

Most thermopots have two heating elements. One for boiling, the other for maintaining high temperature. There are 3 types of heaters:

• open: a spiral that boils quickly and quietly, but needs cleaning;
• closed: A heating element, which is hidden in the housing and is protected from scale formation;
• disk: a heating disk to which two electrical contacts are directly connected.

Reference: A device with an open coil must be cleaned regularly. Scale reduces the service life of the thermopot, makes water harmful to the body and increases the boiling time of the liquid.

Timer. Heating rate

The boiling time of water directly depends on its volume in the thermopot.The boiling time will be approximately 5 minutes per 1 liter. water, while a kettle requires 2-3 minutes per liter.

The timer allows you to set the water heating time, which is very convenient when you don’t want to waste electricity or wait for the water to boil.

Control Panel

Control can be manual or microprocessor. Manual allows you to pour water, even when the electricity is turned off. But using automatic water spill control is much more convenient.

Also, the control panel may consist of a display and buttons, or a touch screen in more modern models. It's hard to find a thermopot that's difficult to control. Typically, the type of control for all models is intuitive.

Frame

Thermopots are made in a metal, glass or plastic case. Some prestigious models are made from a wooden case. Metal ones are of higher quality and therefore more expensive. The housings of the devices do not heat up for safety reasons. Which body material to choose is primarily a matter of design choice.

Availability of filter

Water purification filters not only make it drinkable, but also eliminate the formation of scale in the tank. This functionality is present in models from the middle price category. Electric kettles are not equipped with a filter, which is a big advantage of thermal pots over them.

Equipment

Each thermopot must have the following components:

• outer casing (metal or plastic);
• liquid reservoir (metal or glass);
• heating element for boiling water;
• heating element for heating cooled water (not available for every model);
• thermostat to determine the need to heat water;
• pump for supplying liquid.

More expensive models are equipped with filters, light or sound alarms, timers and other additional elements for ease of use.

Automatic shutdown

To protect the thermostat from premature failure and ensure safety of use, an automatic shut-off function is used. After the liquid boils, the sensor reacts to the high temperature and turns off the device.

Some models are equipped with an automatic shut-off function if insufficient water is detected in the container. This allows you not only to protect the device from damage, but also to ensure fire safety.

Price

The price fluctuates in the range 3-12 thousand rubles. The price depends not only on the availability of additional features, but also on the efficiency of the model. The most expensive models are those with a glass bulb or body. Some Japanese thermopots have a flask coated inside with ceramics, which absolutely eliminates any change in the taste of the water after boiling.

A lot also depends on the brand. The most expensive models are from manufacturers such as Samsung, Panasonic and LG. But a high price is paid not only for the name, but for the correspondingly high quality and functionality of the equipment.

Durability

Glass is a fragile material. Therefore, such thermopots must be used extremely carefully. The most durable devices are those with a metal casing.

Thermopot belongs to durable goods. Panasonic sets the service life for its models to 7 years. Models in a more harmful price category are usually able to function fully for 5 years.

Attention: durability mostly depends not on design features, but on the conditions of use.If the device is constantly taken care of and used wisely, then a high-quality thermopot can easily last up to 20 years.

Shape and weight

The shape and weight of the device are personal preferences of the consumer. The housings can be made in the shape of a cylinder or a rectangle. Some models are concave under the nozzle for easy pouring of water. Most devices are equipped with a carrying handle.

The heaviest are thermopots made of stainless metal and ceramics. The average weight of devices becomes 2–3 kg. Weight directly depends on the capacity and the presence of additional functions. Automobiles weigh only about 600 g.

Which company is better for thermopots?

Of course, it is better to buy a thermopot from a well-known manufacturer, which has proven itself well in the electrical equipment market for decades. But it is difficult to find a model that is easily accessible financially from well-known brands.

The Supra company produces thermal sweaters in both the budget price category and premium products. After all, a device is most often chosen based on financial capabilities. Therefore, the companies are conditionally divided into price segments:

• Budget options – Fairy, Polaris, BRAND;
• Mid-priced options – Toshiba, Panasonic, Polaris;
• Premium Options – Zojirushi, Samsung, Bosch, Panasonic, LG.

Expert advice

It is hardly possible to find a thermopot that meets all the requirements for functionality and efficiency. When choosing a device, more attention should be paid not to its advantages, but to its disadvantages. These disadvantages may include:

• high electricity consumption;
• inconvenience of control;
• poor water supply (splashing);
• heating the case and others.

Before purchasing, be sure to ask for a demonstration of the device turned on.All locking systems must be as effective as possible. The lid must close tightly. The thermopot must stand firmly on the stand and table.

How to care for a thermopot

Instructions must be included with the device. It contains all the features for care and operation. Caring for a thermopot directly depends on its design:

• models with an open heater require regular descaling with acidic agents rather than mechanical action;
• models with a filter require replacement every three months.

Important: Models with a closed heating device also need to be descaled. For this purpose, weak acid solutions are used.

Very important! You cannot pour water into the thermopot from a running tap. Any containers can be used for this. When drawing water from the tap, there is a possibility that water will enter the electronic control unit, which will damage the thermopot.

On how to choose the right thermopot, see the video from the TV show “Test Purchase”: