h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

With regards to the claim to fame of the Russel Hobbs stainless steel kettle mentioned by the editor. Has anyone seen this feature demonstrated? It seems to have some safety drawbacks to me for:
- The operator
- The 2 mugs sat awaiting the tea
- 2 splashes of milk in above
- The novelty pot cat tea caddy minding its own business in the corner

It has to be stated at this point that I have personally witnessed the aforementioned safety feature.

Fortunately, at the time it activated, the only artefacts to the rear of the device were a tupperware bowl, (non-breakable), and a wall.

In view of the feature of shooting a plug out the back at mach 2, an inteseting possibility arises. Since mach 2 is faster than a rifle bullet, and a plug would be a rahter good sized bullet, this Kettle good be used as a potential weapon. Imagine the armies of the future, all carrying overheated kettles, the enemies fleeing before invisible bolts of copper wire and rubber insulation. Perhaps this entry should be cross-referenced to an entry on unusual weapons.

I remember as a child my parents having a kettle with this alarming safety feature.I have a distinct memory of being scared sh... witless when it activated one time as it went off with a loud bang (possibly a sonic boom?).Miraculously as in the aforementioned cases there was nothing breakable behind the kettle.
Incidentally,the kettle entry has reminded me of a story I heard of a while ago where somebody replaced their grandma's kettle with a new 'plastic jug' type kettle.The poor bewildered old dear put it on the gas hob as she always used to with her old kettle.I forget what the exact outcome was but I bet it took something a bit stronger than Jif to clean the cooker afterwards.

My mother used to boil her water simply by breathing on it!!! At least thats what my hubbie says!

I believe the safety feature discussed was originally intended as a aid to shaving. The deviously cunning marketing department of Gillette needed an especially devious and cunning gimmick for their totally average disposable safety razor which was to be called the Mach 2. Clearly the kettle was only to be used for heating water but it was thought that the greater picture would be served by having a whole product range senario. The project was cancelled when a junior marketing design consultant engineer put three blades on the the razor and called it the Mach 3, which made no sense at all.

This indeed did happen and there were many deaths until the invention of tupperware armour. This armour was cheap, light and kept your soldiers in tip top condition - especially effective in cold regions.

Having once been the proud pilot of one of these marvellous pieces of engineering I can confirm that:
a) they were lethal to anything caught by the departing bakelite power connection. In our house that was a glass milk jug.
b) awfully loud. But now I know this is because of the velocity which the bakelite power connector departed.
and
c) incredibly dangerous when the hard of thinking try to force the little metal pin responsible for the ejection of the bakelite power connector back into its housing. While the kettle is still full of hot water.

I WANT THE SUPER DUPER RUSSELL HOBBS MACH 2 KETTLE! Aww, where can I find one of the marvellous devices? And will it run off the pitiful excuse for AC (110 volts, pah! Give me 240V any day) that passes for electricity in the US?

Steamin' guide entry, by the way (sorry couldn't resist...)

Simply pop along to your nearest car boot sale, (in England), and you are sure to find one somewhere... (Usually from the same guy who has actually got a *real* kitchen sink for sale too.)