An electric kettle includes a power supply base and a kettle main body. The kettle main body has a container, a heater provided on the container, a water amount sensor that detects the amount of water in the container, a water temperature sensor that detects the current temperature of the water in the container, and a first display part that displays information on the amount of water detected by the water amount sensor. The power supply base has a power supply cable to be connected to a utility power supply, an operation part that receives a user operation concerning the desired temperature of the water, a power supply circuit that generates a driving power for the heater from an electric power supplied from the utility power supply, and a second display part 46 that displays the current temperature and the desired temperature in a time division manner. The kettle main body includes a battery that drives the water amount sensor and the first display part when the kettle main body is separated from the power supply base.

The invention provides a heater arrangement and method for heating a liquid, wherein the heater comprises a heating element, wherein the method comprises (i) heating the liquid in the heater wherein the heating element is in contact with the liquid, and (ii) applying a potential difference between the heating element and a counter electrode, wherein the potential difference has an AC component whereby the potential difference varies with an AC frequency in the range of 0.01-100 Hz and wherein the potential difference is applied with a cycle time, wherein the potential difference has a sign during a first part of the cycle time that is opposite of the sign of the potential difference during a second part of the cycle time, and wherein during one or more of the first part of the cycle time and the second part of the cycle time, the potential difference temporarily changes sign.

An electric kettle includes a power supply base and a kettle main body. The kettle main body has a container, a heater provided on the container, a water amount sensor that detects the amount of water in the container, a water temperature sensor that detects the current temperature of the water in the container, and a first display part that displays information on the amount of water detected by the water amount sensor. The power supply base has a power supply cable to be connected to a utility power supply, an operation part that receives a user operation concerning the desired temperature of the water, a power supply circuit that generates a driving power for the heater from an electric power supplied from the utility power supply, and a second display part 46 that displays the current temperature and the desired temperature in a time division manner. The kettle main body includes a battery that drives the water amount sensor and the first display part when the kettle main body is separated from the power supply base.

A kettle comprising a base and a frame pivotally mounted relative to the base. The frame includes first electrical contacts connectable to a power source and a vessel is receivable in and removable from the frame. The vessel includes an internal element in connection with second electrical contacts and an opening from which liquid can be poured. When the vessel is received in the frame the first electrical contacts make connection with the second electrical contacts such that power is supplied to the internal element to heat water within the vessel. Pivoting of the vessel and frame relative to the base allows pouring of liquid, from the opening.