Hot Water (Shabbos) Urn

chestnut

Sun, Jan 30 2011, 3:00 pm

Do you leave yours on the whole week? If yes, do you think/know it costs much more in electricity?

How often do you clean it?

Mrs. XYZ

Sun, Jan 30 2011, 3:20 pm

Yep, leave it plugged in all week because we use it all week for coffee, baby bottles.... No idea how much it costs. Clean the inside twice a year, outside every week.

chanahlady

Sun, Jan 30 2011, 3:47 pm

I only use it for Shabbos. I have a small electric hot water pitcher that I use during the week. I bought it last Pesach and I haven't cleaned it yet, although I have noticed hard mineral deposits inside.

chocolate moose

Sun, Jan 30 2011, 3:58 pm

No because it'd have to be emptied every day. It's expensive when it has to be replaced, too.

I have a Blacker and Decker One Shot which heats water pretty fast and fits our needs. Like a coffee maker, but without the coffee.

Mrs Bissli

Sun, Jan 30 2011, 8:20 pm

We only use it for shabbat/yomtov, not during the week. After shabbat, some of the water goes into our regular kettle. I use remainder of water for regular cooking (boiling veggies or pasta) Sun/Mon.

Mine needs to be cleaned a few times in a month as we have hard water that gives limescale buildup. We use general descaler liquid (which I think is just citric acid) which cleans all the yucky white scaley thing.

nicole81

Sun, Jan 30 2011, 8:26 pm

I used to have mine on all of the time. after pesach I decided to shut mine off and only put it on (sometimes) over shabbos. my electric bill during may and june went down a bit more than $30. there were no other changes in my usage, as our schedules are quite fixed.

similarly, 2 months I plugged it back in 24/7 and my bill went up about $32.

chestnut

Sun, Jan 30 2011, 9:37 pm

wow, $30/month is almost half of my bill now!!!

that's it, turning it off and will see what happens to the bill.

chestnut

Sun, Jan 30 2011, 9:39 pm

JAWSCIENCE wrote:

As an add on question: What is the best way to clean the urn? I've been wondering about this.

I read somewhere (imamother? LOL

) about adding vinegar to water and boiling it. that's what I do. after that I clean it with the wet paper towel and boil plain water a few times (I'm paranoid of the vinegar leftovers)

Last edited by chestnut on Sun, Jan 30 2011, 9:39 pm; edited 1 time in total

chocolate moose

Sun, Jan 30 2011, 9:39 pm

Mrs Bissli wrote:

We only use it for shabbat/yomtov, not during the week. After shabbat, some of the water goes into our regular kettle. I use remainder of water for regular cooking (boiling veggies or pasta) Sun/Mon.

I thought everyone discards the water after Shabbos. It's a din that you can't use water that was standing overnight.

chestnut

Sun, Jan 30 2011, 9:41 pm

chocolate moose wrote:

Mrs Bissli wrote:

We only use it for shabbat/yomtov, not during the week. After shabbat, some of the water goes into our regular kettle. I use remainder of water for regular cooking (boiling veggies or pasta) Sun/Mon.

I thought everyone discards the water after Shabbos. It's a din that you can't use water that was standing overnight.

never heard of this - is it a lubavitch thing? maybe water in an open cup?

nicole81

Sun, Jan 30 2011, 9:41 pm

I have the electrolux big and fancy model, with the 2 lights that light up depending on what the urn is doing... it could be that mine just costs more than yours or my electricity is just messed up Smile

however, I'd unplug it if it's not necessary. you'll definitely save something! we've been sick non stop over here and I alone drink about 40 oz of tea a day so I like to keep it on. but the second it gets a little warmer and we get a little healthier, I'm pulling the plug.

Mimisinger

Sun, Jan 30 2011, 9:50 pm

chocolate moose wrote:

Mrs Bissli wrote:

We only use it for shabbat/yomtov, not during the week. After shabbat, some of the water goes into our regular kettle. I use remainder of water for regular cooking (boiling veggies or pasta) Sun/Mon.

I thought everyone discards the water after Shabbos. It's a din that you can't use water that was standing overnight.

Only if it was uncovered. And it's a sakana because they were afraid that snakes would drink from it and put their venom in the water.

chestnut

Sun, Jan 30 2011, 9:58 pm

nicole81 wrote:

mine is also big (ok, maybe not as fancy Very Happy

), with 2 lights - LeChef company. the truth is, I don't even drink tea every day, but whenever I do, I find it comfortable. didn't think it could cost this much!

Mommy3.5

Sun, Jan 30 2011, 11:29 pm

chocolate moose wrote:

I thought everyone discards the water after Shabbos. It's a din that you can't use water that was standing overnight.

Only water that was left uncovered. If you could not drink it after leaving it in the urn overnight, you would not be allowed to have coffee shabbat morning.

chocolate moose

Mon, Jan 31 2011, 10:23 am

There are dinim that we aren't strict abut b/c of Shabos or yomtov. Like, we all brush our teeth before tevilah, right? But not if it's Shabobs or yomtov.

Mimisinger

Mon, Jan 31 2011, 11:08 am

chocolate moose wrote:

There are dinim that we aren't strict abut b/c of Shabos or yomtov. Like, we all brush our teeth before tevilah, right? But not if it's Shabobs or yomtov.

Please ask a Rav instead of insisting on a din (that you're wrong about) that's A SAKANA! And, it's only hen it's left uncovered. And, I have heard Rabbeim say that it's not even applicable anymore.

If you think it's unhealthy, fine, but please show some scientific evidence. This is ridiculous.

moonstone

Mon, Jan 31 2011, 11:14 am

chestnut wrote:

JAWSCIENCE wrote:

As an add on question: What is the best way to clean the urn? I've been wondering about this.

I read somewhere (imamother? LOL

) about adding vinegar to water and boiling it. that's what I do. after that I clean it with the wet paper towel and boil plain water a few times (I'm paranoid of the vinegar leftovers)

That's what we do- boil vinegar and water. We're in Israel where the water is very hard, so we have to clean it every other week or so.

Don't worry about vinegar residue- I just rinse it out once or twice with regular water and there is absolutely no vinegar taste.

We only leave ours on Shabbat and Yom Tov- the urn make my counter seem too small and crowded.

Mrs Bissli

Mon, Jan 31 2011, 11:38 am

We usually have about 4litres of water left after shabbat. With 52weeks, not including yomtov, that would amount to 208litres of water. It' a lot of water just to throw it away, especially considering how we should preserve water.