Item: A kettle.

Established: 132. First appeared in the catalog in 1893.

Outer appearance: It’s gradually becoming less common.

I’m not sure where this is going. Get with the times. Young people in the UK seem to have moved away from using kettles for tea.

Are they boiling water in a pot? Not ideal.

You can’t mean… I don’t want to say this, but they might be using a microwave now.

Can you hear that? King Arthur is weeping. Or perhaps they have a point. Maybe they are tired of brewing tea with disposable appliances clogged with old lime scale.

But it’s a tradition! That’s irrelevant. A survey of over 2,000 UK energy bill payers conducted by Uswitch revealed that 58% of individuals under 30 use microwaves for their tea. One in six admits to doing this daily.

Why’s that? Is it quicker? Not really. Boiling water for a mug takes 48 seconds in a kettle and almost 3 minutes in a microwave.

So, is the drink quality any better? No, it’s not. Dr. Tim Bond from the Tea Advisory Panel states that microwaves heat water unevenly, causing inconsistent tea extraction and a stewed flavor.

Why use the microwave then? There are two main reasons. Some students are forced to use microwaves due to university restrictions on kettles.

What’s the other reason? American influence.

What do you mean? Americans typically don’t use electric kettles, making them more likely to microwave water. Those influenced by American culture may start seeing this as the norm.

Oh. First, they picked Trump, and now this? It’s alright. This means owning an electric kettle has become a badge of defiance. The UK may have its flaws, but at least we know how to properly boil water.

Indeed! Our national chant is, “Tea before the milk!” Speaking of which…

What now? Years ago, scientists from the University of Leeds found that adding milk before the tea can actually enhance the taste.

This feels like a betrayal of all I hold dear. Don’t worry, it’s understandable; your struggle to change a light bulb and your discontent with their political system are perhaps more concerning.

All this makes microwave tea seem trivial. Absolutely.

Say: “I’ll brew a kettle…”

Don’t say: “… Sell it on eBay. Who drinks a refreshing cup of microwave tea?”