If you’ve ever owned an electric kettle, you probably know it makes a clicking or popping sound when boiling and turning off.
This sound or noise is perfectly normal, and there’s no need to worry about it. However, these sounds can be a little annoying for some people, especially if you don’t know why they happen.
Here’s Why Kettles Make Clicking and Popping Noises:
Electric kettles can click and pop depending on several factors such as a damaged heating element, debris, mineral buildup, the kettle’s shape, leftover water, rapidly boiling water, and possible mechanical issues. If your kettle begins to spark, it may need to be replaced.
Your kettle may click or pop for various reasons.
Several of the most typical explanations are as follows:
1. Damaged Heating Element
Your electric kettle might be clicking or popping because the heating element is not working correctly.
Consequently, you will need to replace the heating element.
2. Too Much Mineral Content
It’s also possible that your water has too much mineral content, which can cause your kettle to make noises as it boils.
If so, you should run enough water through your kettle several times so that all of the minerals are removed from the water before boiling again.
3. Debris Inside
Another possibility that your kettle makes noises when boiling is debris inside it.
Clean out all parts of the kettle before using it again, including around where water comes into contact with heating elements.
4. Steam Escaping
Kettles can make a clicking or popping sound because the water is boiling in the kettle, and the steam is escaping. Kettles have a lid and a spout, which both have holes that allow steam to escape.
When the kettle reaches a boil, the steam will escape through these holes with a click or pop.
5. Kettle’s Shape
Kettles can make a clicking or popping sound because of their shape.
The shape of the kettle can sometimes cause some steam to be trapped inside when it reaches boiling point, which can result in additional clicking or popping sounds.
6. Leftover Water
Finally, the kettles make a clicking or popping sound, and some water may still be left inside after you turn off your kettle.
If water is left inside when you turn off your kettle, steam will also be trapped inside. As soon as you open up again and start pouring hot water into your cup, there will be another round of clicks and pops.
Here’s Why Electrical Kettles Make Noise:
There are a few reasons that electric kettles may make noise. The first reason is that the water inside the kettle is boiling.
When water boils, bubbles form and rise to the surface. As these bubbles rise, they collide and create a sound called “cavitation,” which causes the kettle to make a noise.
The second reason is that some kettles have a whistle built into their design. The whistle lets you know when your water has reached a boiling point so you can take it off the heat. A whistle creates a small amount of air pressure when blown.
This then forces more air out through the tiny hole at the whistle’s top, which causes its characteristic sound.
Finally, some kettles don’t have whistles but still make noise when boiling because they use an electric heating element instead of gas or induction heating like most other appliances.
These heating elements can often be heard buzzing or humming if there’s nothing else in your kitchen or home.
The sound you hear when the kettle is switched off results from the electric current inside. This current causes the heating element to generate heat, which boils the water and causes steam to rise through the spout.
When this happens, a tiny amount of water will be left in the bottom of your kettle that hasn’t boiled. So, it will continue boiling at a much lower temperature.
When this happens, you’ll hear another click or pop as electricity is shut off and then turned back on again but only briefly before it switches off completely.
Do Electric Kettles Click and Pop When Boiling?
Though electric kettles are typically quiet, they make a clicking or popping noise when boiling water.
This is because the water is rapidly boiling and expanding in the kettle. The sound you hear is caused by the rapid expansion of steam bubbles within the water, which produces pressure.
Check out our other article to find out what electric kettles are made of!
Do Electric Kettles Click and Pop When Turned Off?
The sound of a kettle clicking or popping when it’s turned off is caused by the release of steam pressure.
When you turn off an electric kettle, the water continues to boil for a few seconds because it’s still hot and the steam pressure is high. As this continues, the pressure builds up inside your kettle until the lid releases with a loud bang.
This is normally called ‘venting’ and should only happen once when you first fill your kettle up with water, not every time you use it!
Are Popping and Clicking Sounds a Sign of Danger?
The popping and clicking sounds from your kettle are not indicators of danger.
Electric kettles make popping and clicking sounds as they heat up because they’re filled with water and metal parts that expand and contract as they heat up. Suppose you notice any disturbing or unusual noises coming from your electric kettle.
In that case, however, it’s probably time to get it checked out by an electrician or other qualified person who can diagnose the problem.
Can You Prevent an Electric Kettle From Making Sounds?
You can prevent your electric kettle from making clicking or popping sounds by taking the following measures:
1. Clear, Clean Water is Essential:
If your water contains impurities, it may cause your kettle to make a noise as it boils. This is especially true if your water supply contains hard minerals.
These minerals can cause bubbles to form as they boil, producing a sound similar to boiling over on an open flame.
2. Use Filtered Water:
If you filter tap water with a filtration system designed specifically for kettles, this should solve the problem almost immediately.
You’ll also reduce the number of contaminants entering your body from drinking unfiltered water from an electric kettle.
3. Make Sure the Lid is on Tight:
If the lid isn’t on tight enough, steam might escape and make a noise as it condenses on the sides of your kettle.
4. Clean Out your Kettle:
Make sure to clean the kettle every once in a while so that any rust or residue doesn’t accumulate inside and cause problems with heat transfer.
Do Stovetop Kettles Click or Pop?
Stovetop kettles do not click or pop. They make a whistling sound when boiling and a whistling sound when turned off.
Stovetop kettles are designed differently than electric kettles because they don’t rely on moving parts like an electric kettle.
The heating element in the stovetop kettles heats the water to the boiling point, causing steam bubbles to form inside the kettle and produce steam pressure, pushing the lid up and making it whistle.
When you turn off this type of kettle, you’ll notice that it continues to make a whistling sound until all of its water has evaporated from within it.