Fun Tea Kettles

I don't know about you, but I sometimes need a little time to wake up fully at the start of my day. I can't imagine looking at one of these tea kettles first thing in the morning and being grumpy -- can you?

Not that I'm grumpy when I wake up. I'm just a little . . . how shall we say it . . . fuzzy, maybe? Filling up a kettle with a giraffe handle or maybe holding onto an elephant's trunk as I pour the water in from the faucet could only make me smile a little, if not break out fully into the giggles. 

Now that you're convinced that I am a silly woman -- which, after all, I haven't denied -- I can also say that I enjoy welcoming young people into my kitchen. I know many children who would be charmed to see an animal kettle whistling away on the stove. In fact, I may have to get one of these kettles for myself, as my grandchildren will be visiting me this summer, and my old metal kettle has become a bit battered and dingy.

I haven't yet decided which of these kettles to choose. Read along with me as I consider the options. Maybe one of them will find a home in your kitchen, too.

Animal Kettle 2.5 Quart Whistling Enamel on Steel Giraffe Tea Kettle

This giraffe tea kettle is really cute. Look at that face, will you? He almost looks as if he's about to say a word or two. The brown and cream colors would go with many kitchen color schemes. And why are those green leaves coming out of the spout?  They are fun to look at.

Mallard Duck Whistling Kettle

This tea kettle is a great choice for someone who loves ducks, though some customers have complained that their duck kettle didn't seal properly, and so they had trouble either with the kettle's ability to whistle or with difficulty pouring or, as one customer complained, with the beak actually melting. Other customers had no such problem and loved the mallard duck kettle.

The lesson I learned from these comments is that you should probably give the item a careful look over before settling with it, as sometimes this type of product can have irregularities in the manufacturing. I would also be careful what type of stove I used this kettle on, being careful to only use it on a stove top that limits the heat to a limited ring. In other words, it would be inappropriate on a woodstove or some other heating surface that would cause the head and beak to heat up too much.

It is a pretty tea kettle, however, especially for a person who is a bird lover or a duck lover in particular.

Rooster Whistling Tea Kettle

Lots of people like the chicken or rooster theme in their kitchens. This rooster whistling tea kettle would make a fun gift for a neighbor I know who has several roosters on her tea towels and pot holders. She may get a hoot -- or a cock-a-doodle-doo -- out of this rooster tea kettle. The colors -- brown and white with red and yellow accents -- are subtle enough to fit with many kitchen color schemes. The kettle itself is enamel with plastic handle.

Cow Whistling Tea Kettle

This teapot reminds me of a children's song I used to teach to families with young children. Come along and sing it with me. Ready?

"When cows get up in the morning,

When cows get up in the morning,

When cows get up in the morning,

They always say, 'Good day!'

They say, 'Moo, moo, moo, moo,'

That's how they say, 'Good day.'"

Alessi Michael Graves Kettle with Bird Whistle, Blue Handle

This tea kettle is a really sleek option. It has a broad base, which means it won't take as long to heat the water. It also has a sweet bird that whistles to you when the water is fully boiled. This would be a good choice for someone who prefers a more sophisticated style, but who still holds out for a little whimsy.

Both the whistling bird and the lid can be replaced.

Which tea kettle to choose depends on many things. I'm not one to replace things often, and so I know that whatever I choose will have to last me several years. 

One of the factors I consider is color and whether the kettle will fit in with what I already have in the kitchen. Another, maybe more important, consideration is durability and safety. 

But then, that fun factor matters to me, too, especially when I think of which of the choices will make my granddaughters laugh. I'm still thinking, but I'm getting close. Can you make a guess as to which I may choose?

Is there one of these tea kettles that would look good in your kitchen?