“Love Your Calculations”: Mzansi Appreciative as Man Reveals Cost of Boiling a Kettle

• Wes Reddy, a local content creator, shared the true cost of boiling water with South Africans
• The man shared numerous calculations, dividing and multiplying several numbers before getting to his answer
• Many local social media users appreciated Wes's explanation of how they could also reduce the cost of boiling water
• Briefly News writer Gloria Masia spoke to electrical engineering apprentice Thabiso Phetla, who shared practical advice on using electricity wisely and keeping households safe during winter

With cold temperatures indicating that they are here to stay, a local man showed South Africans how they could reduce the cost of electricity when boiling their kettles.

Known for sharing energy-saving tips, content creator Wes Reddy took to his TikTok account on 21 July with calculations on how much power it costs to use a 1.7l kettle using 2kw of power. He boiled four cups of water, which is approximately 1.2l.

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He told TikTok users:

"The kettle uses 2kW of power and takes three-and-a-half minutes to boil. If I divide 2kW by 60 minutes to get the kilowatts hours used for one minute, it is 0.03kWhs. I multiply that by three-and-a-half minutes, which is 0.1kWhs. Then, I multiply that by R4.50 per unit, and the cost per boil is 47c. Three times per day equals R1.41.

"When I multiply that by 30 days in a month, it gives me R42.30c."

Wes reminded people that boiling a full kettle would take nearly double the time at the cost and suggested they boil smaller amounts of water.

Thabiso told Briefly News writer Gloria Masia that choosing the right heater can improve both safety and long-term electricity savings.

"From what I've seen in residential homes, oil-filled column heaters are usually one of the better choices. They use less electricity once they warm up and don't get extremely hot on the outside, making them safer around children and pets. I always recommend buying a heater with a thermostat and overheat protection from a reputable retailer rather than opting for the cheapest option."

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Speaking about electricity use, Thabiso told Briefly News that many households unknowingly increase their bills and create fire hazards through common mistakes.

"I often see people using normal extension cords instead of heavy-duty ones, placing heaters too close to curtains or bedding, plugging several high-powered appliances into the same socket, and leaving heaters running while nobody is in the room or while they're asleep. These mistakes can increase electricity consumption and create serious safety risks."

Thabiso further advised South Africans to focus on simple ways of staying warm before relying on electrical appliances.

"Close curtains and doors early to keep the heat inside, wear warm clothing and use blankets instead of turning the heater up too high, and make sure your geyser is properly insulated because that can save more electricity than many people realise. Most importantly, ensure your home's electrical wiring is safe, especially in older houses that may not be designed to handle modern high-powered appliances."

SA loves electricity-saving method

Several local members of the online community took to the comment section in admiration of the cost Wes presented in his TikTok video. One person even shared their method of saving electricity costs for their kettle.

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@kandyfloss108 wondered in the comments:

"Why does it feel like Eskom is charging us more than the calculated figure?"

@adri10012 said to the man:

"Doing the Lord's work."

@kitten_797 shared what the did to save electricity costs:

"I boil a full kettle then pour the water into a flask. It stays warm for so much longer. I went from boiling my kettle eight times to two times per day."

An appreciative @sarie_g stated:

"Love your calculations. Thank you."

@dan.co.za humorously told Wes:

"Please post this on Facebook so my mother can see it. She must stop asking me to make tea three times a day!"

@johandup76 wrote in the comment section:

"You know your country is a dump when you have to calculate everything you use."

Wes responded to the TikTok user:

"The whole world is focused on energy efficiency to reduce the carbon footprint and save. Our country is not a dump."

Take a look at the TikTok video below:

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3 Other electricity-saving stories

• In another article, Briefly News reported that Wes showed South Africans how they could save money by leaving their geysers on and off throughout the day.
• Wes also shared the breakdown of the cost of using an electric blanket. Many local internet users appreciated the insight and shared their tips to stay warm on a budget amidst rising electricity costs.
• A South African woman tired of buying electricity every 10 days stopped using her geyser and showed a cheaper alternative that still allowed her to have a warm bath.

Source: Briefly News