As others have pointed out, the tea kettle I use has a copper bottom both
inside and out. The stainless steel is only on the sides. This type of
kettle is probably ubiquitous because of the Revere company, and they still
market it.
Why is it constructed this way rather than copper on the outside-bottom like
Revere sauce pans? Could it be they want some copper in the tea water? I
doubt it, but I have not asked them. I assume it is less expensive. I
presume a copper-bottomed stainless-steel sauce pan has stainless steel on
the inside to make it stronger (less easily dented) and also easier to
clean. If the tea kettle is just used for boiling water, this stainless
coating is not necessary. By the way, the copper bottomed tea kettle has
quite thin copper. I am on my second one after the first one wore through.
Michael D. Edmiston, Ph.D. Phone/voice-mail: 419-358-3270
Professor of Chemistry & Physics FAX: 419-358-3323
Chairman, Science Department E-Mail edmiston@bluffton.edu
Bluffton College
280 West College Avenue
Bluffton, OH 45817