I have an immersion coil heater which is great for single cups. However, my Bodum travel press is 16 oz. Because it and my Nalgene bottle are tall, water gets hot and bubbling at the top while the water at the lower level remains cool. Using a 2-cup measuring cup makes the water evaporate, it takes that long to bring to a boil.
Some rooms include a coffee-maker which stinks of coffee when available and doesn't address the issue if not. Microwaves will do the trick (with a stick for safety), but aren't always available, either.
How do you cope while on the road? I'm looking for a solution that doesn't have me depending on closed restaurants and filling thermos bottles and such.
Try using a ceramic mug. Those immersion coils are okay in a 1-cup ceramic mug, but I suspect if you use them in a glass or nalgene bottle or cup, the heat loss from conduction will make it much slower to boil.
Also, what is the rating on your immersion heater? I have seen 110V ones as high as 500W, but I have seen lower powered ones as well.
I make sure to have a room with a microwave whenever possible, and always try and track down a microwave when I am working in another facility. I used to carry an immersion heater but I stopped when microwaves became so popular.
Two small but not optimal solutions that I use are either a Sunbeam brand Hot Shot, or a Proctor Silex Electric Kettle. The Procter Silex on I have is fairly compact does about a liter of water. Neither are perfect and do not have fine controls, but what they do well is actually heat water to a real boil quickly. But I have adapted to them, I'll let water sit for a specific time after a boil in the hot shot to cool properly or on the kettle it has a little switch and I'll go by sound... I can hear it nearing a boil and manually flip the switch to off for greens or I can let it boil or boil and then cool if need be.
Both of these solutions are under $20 and are fairly small so they travel decently, but they could be too big for some instances. I have seen really small electric kettles and "hot pots" that might work, or you could maybe find a small single electric burner like they use in dorm rooms. Sometimes tea demands that you break out the inner McGuyver in each of us :)
Dom> I have an immersion coil heater which is great for single cups. However, my
In my last job I traveled extensively. I flew out on Monday and flew back on Friday, always limited to a single suitcase. Not being willing to settle for the meager offerings typically found in average hotels I tried many things. What I finally settled on was the Bodum "mini-Ibus" kettle. (
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), you can save a few bucks if you shop around for it. It is small enough to pack easy, will bring 24oz of water to a full rolling boil in less than 5 minutes, and worked perfectly for a couple of years until I finally got off the road. I found that you could place a cup, several baggies of loose leaf tea, and a packet of those fill-it-yourself empty tea bag envelopes inside of the kettle for easy compact packing. Alternatively a gaiwan wrapped in tea towel and several baggies of loose leaf also packed well inside of it.
The bottom line was I always had the makings for a proper cup of tea no matter how far from home I was.
Nowadays I have a much more extravagant traveling tea service in a small suitcase, albeit only suitable for driving, too bulky for flying.
Two won't fit in the tea press or Nalgene bottle, but I believe they'll fit in the measuring cup. I know they'll fit in a larger Lexan mug that I have. I'll try and see what happens.
I prefer something new instead of used and I don't do eBay.
This has possibilities. Because it isn't round, it's easier to pack and I can put my tea things, or socks or something, inside so the space won't go to waste.
I'm okay with heating 8 oz., it's 16 oz for which I need help.
I never thought to check...it's 125W.
And if it's not possible? I'm currently on an extended road trip and while I can do without internet access for a couple of weeks, doing without a civilized beverage especially during these cold spells, can drive me nuts at night.
Thanks for the product recommendations. I have an instant read thermometer to check water done by microwave so an electric kettle that goes from off to boiling if not switched off is fine by me.
My inner MacGyver's exhausted what I've got on hand. I'm at the point where I have to go buy something or die of thirst (fortunately, not literally).
Yes, that's the exact objective. That makes two votes for the Mini Ibis, now.
Classy setup! Since I've gone from my DIY tea traveler (I didn't like the "mouth-feel" of the mug over the long stretch) to a tea press, maybe I'm headed in that direction albeit very slowly.
While it is not useful in a microwave, I carry an insulated 12oz stainless steel cup. It is unbreakable, by mere mortals, and about the right size for a morning cuppa. They are available from 'sporting' type stores - REI, Eddie Bauer, Cabelas, etc.
I got my Lexan mug at REI in San Francisco last month. Lovit. Lightweight, withstands high temperatures, not breakable, no nasty metallic taste, microwavable, etc. Not insulated, though, but for mornings, I don't need it. OTOH, my new Bodum travel press isn't microwavable, but the thermal qualities have been perfect for me at night.
I didn't think a hot plate would be the best because one place I stayed specifically banned cooking (the front desk knew I was heating water with a coil for tea at night and I kept it in a drawer during the day) and a maid might think the worst upon seeing one - some places don't have drawers, just open shelving, and I don't want to pack it away everyday just to avoid complications.
I tried using two immersion heaters:
The 2-cup measuring cup now has stress cracks. I don't know of what it's made - some sort of plastic or acrylic; it's not glass.
In the big Lexan mug, the temperature reached 200 degrees F after about
20 minutes. I didn't wait for boiling because a) I didn't need it and, b) I wanted to drink already. I had to use more than 16 oz to get the water level high enough to submerge the coils.
I went to Target where the Bodum Mini-Ibis was the only option. I bought it for $20 and am very happy with it except, being used to plugging in the immersion coil and walking away ("A watched mug never boils"), keep forgetting to flip the switch "on." It's so fast, however, that it's a minor irritation which I should overcome with practice. I like the auto-shutoff and the switch is just loud enough for me to hear in my motel room and return, even with the TV on. The maid has seen it, as well as the coil before it, and I've not been summoned by management so all is well in that regards.
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