The modern electric kettle has its roots in the late 19th century, but it was nothing near the efficient and convenient appliance we have today. Before the invention and wide accessibility of an electric kettle, people used to use stovetop kettles to boil their water.
Although it is convenient to use, it is actually not that widespread in American households. It may be that some people haven’t even heard of such a contraption, at least you get that impression after seeing a New York Times article titled, A Swift And Easy Way To Heat Water Without Using A Stove. People online are very amused by what the title implies. They didn’t miss a chance to mock the American daily newspaper and were curious to know if it was true Americans heat their water in the microwave, starting a hilarious thread on Twitter.
The title seems to imply that New Yorkers might not know that there is another way to heat up water that doesn’t include a stove. In the introduction of the article, they proceed to suggest considering the electric kettle, as nowadays they often even include a temperature regulator. The title made it seem like a kettle is some sort of a new innovation that Americans might not know about