Glass kettles have become increasingly popular kitchen appliances due to their many benefits, including being able to view water as it boils, and improved hygiene due to their see-through designs.
However, unlike stainless steel kettles that are known for their durability and safety, glass kettles are usually more fragile as they can break if improperly handled. Despite their obvious benefits, do glass kettles explode?
Glass kettles can explode if mishandled, but they are designed to withstand high temperatures. New designs use tempered borosilicate glass, which makes glass kettles a lot safer than they were before. Although glass kettles can break if poorly handled, the risk of explosion during use is minimal.
If you’re still reading, chances are you’re curious to know more about glass kettles and whether they’re safe enough for day-to-day use. Luckily, we’ve got you covered, so read on to learn more about glass kettles and their advantages and disadvantages compared to other types of kettles.
Are Glass Kettles Safe?
The use of glass in electric appliances has always been met with heightened skepticism, especially by people who question glass’s ability to withstand high cooking temperatures.
And while the risk of breakage will always be present when dealing with glass appliances, manufacturers have switched to using more temperature-resistant glasses in electronic appliances.
Most modern glass kettles come packed with several advanced features, including the use of high-quality tempered glass.
However, while most glass kettles use tempered glass, entry-level or poor-quality glass kettles are known to use poor quality glass, which explains why it’s crucial to check whether a glass kettle you intend to buy is certified and approved for usage.
Although the risk of explosion is usually minimal, poor quality glass kettles usually have more chances of cracking or breaking than their costlier counterparts made from quality glass and components.
Most glass kettles either feature tempered borosilicate or tempered soda-lime glass. These types of glasses are significantly stronger and temperature-resistant compared to other types, meaning you’ll be well protected from the risk of explosion when using glass appliances.
Let’s take a closer look at both types of glass to determine which is safer.
1.Borosilicate Glass
Borosilicate glass is a unique type of glass made by incorporating silica and boron trioxide in high concentrations. The use of these two environmentally safe chemicals makes borosilicate glass one of the best (and most durable) glasses.
Kitchen appliances made from borosilicate glass are certified to be safe due to borosilicate’s exemplary thermal resistance, which means that a glass kettle made from borosilicate will have close to zero chances of exploding.
Moreover, borosilicate glass is also less likely to crack when used to boil water compared to other types of glasses.
2. Tempered Soda Lime Glass
Soda-lime glass is also commonly used in glass kettles. Although tempered soda lime doesn’t have a high thermal resistance like borosilicate glass, it still can withstand the normal boiling point of water, meaning it’s safe for use.
Many glasses and electronic appliances also use tempered soda lime glass as it’s a lot lighter than borosilicate glass.
But despite their lower thermal resistance (compared to borosilicate), tempered soda lime glass is also a great fit for glass kettles. Chances of cracks or breakage due to high temperatures are usually low, which makes the glass type ideal for glass kettles.
Therefore, glass kettles usually use tempered glass to reduce the chances of breakage and eliminate the risk of explosion. Glass kettles are safe and ideal for use, provided you purchase high-quality products from trusted sources.
What Can Make a Glass Kettle Explode?
Despite being made of glass that can break when subjected to excessive force, glass kettles aren’t likely to explode. Manufacturers of glass kettles are constantly trying to integrate technological advancements in their designs to help enhance the durability and usability of electronic appliances.
Put simply, the odds of a glass kettle exploding are next to zero, especially if you purchase the kettle from a trusted manufacturer.
These kettles are usually made from tempered glass that’s designed to be temperature resistant, thus eliminating the chances of cracks or explosions due to high temperatures.
However, you’ll still need to take extra care of your glass kettle, ensuring it doesn’t fall or get mishandled as it can still crack despite the use of tempered borosilicate glass or soda-lime glass.
Advantages of Glass Kettles
Why should you consider buying a glass kettle? Let’s take a look at some of the reasons you might choose glass over metal or other materials.
1. Glass Kettles Are Transparent
Perhaps one of the greatest advantages of glass kettles is their transparency, as the use of treated glass allows you to view the contents inside the kettle.
While some might argue that viewing boiling water isn’t much of a great feature, it can come in handy as you can observe the interior of the kettle to determine whether it’s clean enough for consumption.
Glass kettles also allow you to view particles or items that might have made their way inside the kettle during storage, which gives you the chance to remove any foreign items before heating the water.
You can also easily measure your quantities when using a glass kettle due to its transparency.
2. Glass Kettles Are Classy and Stylish
Similar to stainless steel kettles, glass kettles also stand out due to their stylish and classy appearance. As a transparent material, glass can add to the aesthetics of any countertop and compliment your other appliances, allowing you to achieve that contemporary look that you so badly want.
3. Glass Kettles Don’t Impart Odors or Tastes
Glass kettles have become increasingly popular due to their ability to boil water without giving off a burning odor or taste. On the other hand, plastic kettles have gradually been phased out because they impart tastes, especially if used to boil or heat tea or coffee frequently.
But with a glass kettle, you won’t need to deal with recurrent tastes or burning odors, making it a great fit for households that need to heat water every now and then.
4. Glass Is Non-Toxic
Unlike plastic and other types of low-grade metallic materials, glass doesn’t emit toxic fumes or chemicals that can prove harmful to humans. The non-toxicity of glass has made glass kettles hugely popular, especially as people become increasingly aware of the health hazard associated with using unsafe electronic appliances.
5. Glass Surfaces Are Easy to Clean and Maintain
When using a glass kettle, you won’t need to worry much about keeping the exterior neat and glossy. Other materials like stainless steel will need regular maintenance to maintain the shiny gloss that’s commonly associated with brand new stainless steel appliances.
Moreover, cleaning glass surfaces doesn’t require much work. All you’ll need to do is wipe the surface with a damp cloth and remove stains whenever you spot them, which enhances the durability of glass kettles, ensuring they remain and appear good as new despite being frequently used.
6. Most Glass Kettles Feature Quality Materials
Glass kettles are usually costlier than plastic and most stainless steel kettles because glass kettles are considered premium products as they’re mostly made from high-quality tempered glass that won’t break easily.
Due to the relatively high cost of glass kettles, manufacturers more often than not prefer to use high-quality components like handles to ensure the kettle is worth the cost.
Disadvantages of Glass Kettles
While you might be sold on the idea of buying a glass kettle, let’s take a look at some of the things that might dissuade you from doing so. After reading these disadvantages, you might decide to buy a stainless steel kettle instead.
1. Glass Kettles Can Break Easily
Just because most glass kettles use tempered glass doesn’t mean they won’t break if improperly handled.
Dropping a glass kettle might end up breaking the glass and thus permanently damaging your kitchen appliance. Therefore, if you opt to purchase glass kettles, it’s best to handle the appliance with extra care, especially when washing or during storage.
2. Glass Kettles Are Usually Heavy
The use of tempered glass comes at a cost since, unlike stainless steel or plastic kettles, glass kettles are usually a lot heavier. Although the extra weight doesn’t affect the usability of the appliance, it increases the chances of damage through falls.
This means you’ll need to get used to the extra weight when switching to glass kettles from stainless steel or plastic kettles.
3. Need to Clean Frequently
Since glass kettles are transparent, you’ll need to do a thorough job when cleaning both the inside and the outside of the class. While this feature promotes overall hygiene levels when using the appliance, it can be exhausting, especially when you need to clean up the glass every now and then.
4. Glass Can Chip if Not Well Handled
Unlike plastic and stainless steel kettles that can take a bit of rough handling, you’ll need to be extra careful when using glass kettles. Granted, glass kettles don’t break easily unless they’re severely mistreated.
However, this doesn’t mean that they won’t chip when cleaned or stored improperly. Not only is a chipped glass kettle unattractive, but it also hastens the wear and tear process, consequently reducing the useful life of the appliance.
Wrapping Up
Glass kettles made by well-reputed manufacturers must satisfy industry regulations before being released to the market, which means that provided you buy your glass kettle from a trusted retailer, there won’t be any risk of explosion as the glass used is usually tempered and designed to resist high temperatures.
You can enhance the durability of your glass kettle by storing it in safe locations. Additionally, handling the kitchen appliance with utmost care will help reduce the risks of falls, which can result in cracks or even permanent damage.
Hi all! I’m Cora Benson, and I’ve been blogging about food, recipes and things that happen in my kitchen since 2019.