> >What do you use to heat water in ? Thanks Terry

I waited years to find a decent, cheap little Krups 4-cup electric. It's
perfect except for having the level-indicating tube on the wrong side - must
have been designed by a lefty. It carries sound well enough that I can gauge
the right temperature for greens and oolongs by the bubbling. (OK, the
decavitation parasitic oscillations, but let's not split molecules.)

Re the microwave: since we tea drinkers are all sensitive as s*** (John
Lennon line), people might be amused to know that a microwave is only about
40% efficient at turning electricity into hot water. A kettle's about 100%.
Add in Carnot-cycle limits and distribution losses, and the
coal-to-hot-water energy transfer efficiency is only about 10%. Why I like
to keep a kettle on the wood stove...

-DM