My Ikea Teakettle

Since I started a little self-disclosure yesterday, I am going to
continue that theme.  Very few people know this about me.
 The fact is, I have congenital amusia.  No, that
does not mean I am "easily amused."  It means I am tone deaf.
 



A couple of days ago, I heard a piece on NPR.  This was one of
those bits where they record people's stories.   The story was
about a woman who said that some old teakettles had harmonica reeds to
make the whistling sound more musical.  She was thrilled to
get a teakettle that had three holes in the cap, so that the whistle
was not just a whistle, it was a musical chord.  



They played a recording of it.  The sound drove me nuts.
 It also sounded familiar, because I have a teakettle that
does the same thing.  It is an Ikea kettle.  The
visual design is wonderful, but the noise is maddening.  I had
no idea it is supposed to be pleasant.  To me, it sounds like
a fire alarm.



In fact, when I first heard it, I was as bemused as I was annoyed.
 How could something with such an elegant
design have such an awful sound?



cellspacing="0" width="100%">
i-62f82cb1e3a58aba454a4de2071d39a0-Ikea-kettle.jpg
   

cellspacing="0" width="100%">
TRUDELUTT

class="lightorange4Bold">$9.90
(Price applies for this product as per description
shown)

src="http://www.ikea.com.sg/images/gray_line.gif" height="3"
width="50">

src="http://www.ikea.com.sg/images/arroworange4x7.gif"
border="0" height="7" width="4"> Whistles
when the water is boiling.


border="0" height="7" width="4"> Aluminum/phenolic
plastic


border="0" height="7" width="4"> Volume:
1.5 l

src="http://www.ikea.com.sg/images/gray_line.gif" height="3"
width="50">
Designer: IKEA of Sweden


height="3" width="50">

 


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I know CogDaily is supposed to be a psychology web site, but sometimes, you have a question you simply must know the answer to.
There was, if I am not mistaken, an episode of I Love Lucy wherein Lucy manages to get her head stuck in a metal teakettle. Ethel jokingly (I hope!) suggests that she put her head in the oven to heat up the metal so it will expand and she can fit her head out.
Of course, we don't really think the sprogs are dumb. Sometimes they just remind us that some of the things their parents find intuitive are not intuitive to them. Dr. Free-Ride: (arriving home after an evening seminar) How were the kids tonight.
I know that some of you are reading specifically to see how I am doing now that I am out of the nuthut, so I will provide you with updates every so often.

To me, it sounds like a fire alarm.

Hmmmm ... you do know that it is an alarm?? :-) "Take me off the heat and I'll stop screaming!!"

Sorry ... it's been a long day ...

By Scott Belyea (not verified) on 01 Mar 2007 #permalink

Mine has three holes but it never whistles. I've almost boiled it to bits on several occasions. If you'll excuse me, I have to look up "phenolic plastic" now.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bakelite

Phenol is just benzene with an hydroxyl group stuck on it. It is a chemical that forms the basis for many plastics. Compounds derived from phenol are called phenolics.

Phenolic plastic is plastic that is made using a phenol-type of compound, in which a bunch of little units are strung together.

The name "Trudelutt" means something like "small ditty" or "quick melody" in Swedish. A pretty clear clue (if you know Swedish, of course, but don't we all?).

A friend of mine is a super-taster -- another congenital type condition -- and he can't stand bell peppers.

That's hilarious -- my friend has one of these, and the first time I heard it I absolutely had to get one, I liked the sound so much. It sounds like a foghorn to me.

Only nine bucks new? Gee, I just bought this at the Goodwill for seven dollars. What a sucker I am.