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CorporetteMoms

02/10/2023 25 Comments · by Ann

Weekend Open Thread

Weekend Open Thread

A Cuisinart Perfectemp Electric Kettle next to a white teacup with tea and a saucer

Something on your mind? Chat about it here.

Our electric hot water kettle is a game changer — we even take ours on road trips to make oatmeal, noodles, and hot chocolate in our hotel room. While ours is pretty basic, here’s an upgrade.

This hot water kettle has six preset temperatures so you get the perfect brew. It quickly brings water to a boil (faster than a stove) and keeps water hot for 30 minutes so you don’t have to wait for your second cup. If you’re not into tea, this kettle even has a French press preset.

Cuisinart’s Perfectemp Electric Programmable Kettle is $99.99 at Target.

This post contains affiliate links and CorporetteMoms may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. For more details see here. Thank you so much for your support!

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About Ann

Ann is a working mom, a longtime reader of Corporette and CorporetteMoms, and has been writing our morning fashion advice for working moms since November 2020! She has a daughter (born winter 2014) and a son (born fall 2019) and is a public interest lawyer in Washington, D.C.

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Comments

  1. OOO says

    02/10/2023 at 1:56 pm

    Have you transitioned from working in government to consulting? I have been working in state government on Medicaid policy for several years, and think consulting may be a next step for my career once LO is a bit older and I feel comfortable traveling more.

    Reply
    • Spirograph says

      02/10/2023 at 3:31 pm

      I rarely comment on the recommended product, but: I’ve had a few electric kettles in the last 15 years, and currently have one very similar to this — the “keep warm” button is a great upgrade over my previous models. I don’t have a big kitchen, but happy to give this permanent counter space because between instant coffee, tea, instant oatmeal, water to heat thermoses for kid lunches, jello, stain removal… quick and easy boiling water is infinitely useful.

      Reply
      • Spirograph says

        02/10/2023 at 3:34 pm

        threading fail!

        But in response to OOO: I wouldn’t transition *into* consulting after kids. Obviously ymmv depending on career goals, but I’m looking to make my life simpler with older kids. I don’t feel uncomfortable leaving them, but I do feel guilty leaving my husband with the logistics. One parent covering after school activities for multiple kids is… complicated.

        Reply
    • Anon says

      02/10/2023 at 4:46 pm

      I’m not familiar with policy work or consulting, but wanted to gently push back on the idea that travel is easier once kids get older. In my experience, it’s much harder (unless you’re talking about a kid who is 16+ and can drive but I didn’t read the post that way). It’s emotionally easier to separate from an elementary schooler than a toddler, but logistically much harder, at least in my experience.

      Reply
  2. Anon says

    02/10/2023 at 3:30 pm

    I agree an electric tea kettle is a game changer if you drink a lot of tea, but spending this much seems really unnecessary. We have a $20 one from Amazon that works fine.

    Reply
    • PJ says

      02/10/2023 at 10:32 pm

      I can endorse this exact one! Have had it for 7 years, going strong and we use it 10x per day including quickly boiling water for cooking, French press, teas at different temps. Also have given it as a gift.

      Reply
    • Anonymous says

      02/11/2023 at 10:10 am

      We had a $20 from amazon that worked fine for about a year, and then replaced it with a more expensive model (not this one but similar) and it’s been going strong for about 5 years, with constant daily use.

      Reply
    • GCA says

      02/11/2023 at 7:29 pm

      If you’d like to splurge a bit, i highly recommend a Zojirushi water boiler – I got DH a 3L one for Xmas 2021 and we’ve used it nearly every day since, and no waiting around for water to boil.

      Reply
  3. Anon says

    02/10/2023 at 3:40 pm

    When “No Gifts, Please” is on a birthday invite, do you comply? I do, and I have put it on invites. The Cut article on etiquette in the regular site’s news roundup said it should be ignored.

    Reply
    • Anonymous in MA says

      02/10/2023 at 3:45 pm

      I have never been to a no gifts party but my son’s first bday party last year was no gifts and 75% of people complied. Thankfully! We don’t need more stuff, I don’t want to spend time writing thank you notes, etc. I’ll plan to do the same thing for his second bday party this spring. If I were invited to a no gifts party, I would probably write out a nice card and have my son draw the other child a picture, but I wouldn’t bring a gift.

      Reply
    • Anonymous says

      02/10/2023 at 3:51 pm

      Yes. And when I put it on invites, I mean it. Cards – especially handmade cards – are always welcome. My kids usually draw a birthday card for their friend for no-gift parties.

      Reply
    • ElisaR says

      02/10/2023 at 3:57 pm

      i comply. no gifts means no gifts! (agree that a picture is ok)

      Reply
    • Boston Legal Eagle says

      02/10/2023 at 4:17 pm

      Yes, I comply, and also have put it on our invites. I would say 25% still bring gifts, likely because they skipped reading this part. Cards are always welcome! I just don’t get why you would ignore this – is it cultural (like no gifts is offensive)?

      Reply
    • Anon says

      02/10/2023 at 4:28 pm

      Yes, I comply, although I’d bring a homemade card, and I don’t think putting some stickers or something like that in there is violating the spirit of the rule. We had a no gifts birthday for my 4 year old last year. 75% of people brought nothing, 25% of people brought a homemade card. No one brought a physical gift.

      Reply
    • Anon says

      02/10/2023 at 4:50 pm

      I got flamed for saying this once before, but to me there’s a difference between “no gifts please” and something like “your presence is present enough” or “no gifts necessary.” The former is a directive and I would comply. I think it’s rude not to. The latter wording is simply relieving you of the obligation to bring a gift, not saying you must not bring a gift, and I’d probably bring one, although I think I’d lean towards doing a gift card inside a card rather than a boxed gift because I wouldn’t want to be seen as showing up other guests who didn’t bring gifts.

      Reply
      • anonM says

        02/13/2023 at 9:33 am

        +1. I also just tell grandparents I know you’re bringing a gift and it is ok, I just don’t want all our friends and aunts/uncles feeling the need to do gifts. Most comply, some do not. I usually comply but also ignore if they say “your presence…” but also still include a link to a target wish list because that confused me.

        Reply
    • Coffee/Tea says

      02/10/2023 at 7:04 pm

      We comply, but bring a homemade card with a candy attached

      Reply
    • AwayEmily says

      02/10/2023 at 9:03 pm

      If someone says no gifts, I don’t bring a gift (but do bring a card with a sticker in it). We say “no gifts” on our party invites and thus far have had 100% compliance. In our area, about three-quarters of parties are no-gifts. That being said, I don’t mind bringing a gift and have a big stack of them in the basement!

      Reply
    • Anonymous says

      02/11/2023 at 9:54 am

      We stopped having friends birthday parties because of the people who ignored that request.

      Reply
    • Anonymous says

      02/11/2023 at 10:02 pm

      I hope the Cut gets flamed for this! They are WRONG, full stop.

      Reply
      • Anonymous says

        02/12/2023 at 8:51 am

        That entire article read like it was written by someone having a bad acid trip or something. ‘Never wake your significant other on purpose’ even if you’re getting murdered…? Apparently straight people can’t use certain words, and white people can’t use certain words…and it’s forbidden to ‘cut them off at the rack’ when shopping with a friend. I don’t even know what that means, like we can’t go around them or…? And this is supposed to be how to function in polite society…
        I think I’ll stick to Emily Post .

        Reply
  4. Anon says

    02/10/2023 at 6:17 pm

    Please tell me you don’t RSVP to parties ASAP even if you’re coming? We sent home invitations to my kid’s party late last week and no one has RSVPed yet. Rationally I know there’s still plenty of time (it’s two weeks away), but my anxious brain is going to the place of having to tell kiddo the party is canceled because no one is coming.

    Reply
    • OOO says

      02/10/2023 at 6:54 pm

      I usually wait until close to the RSVP deadline, just to make sure illnesses or other last minute things don’t come up. Most other parents in our class wait, too

      Reply
    • Anonymous says

      02/13/2023 at 8:20 am

      I have found lately that a lot of people just don’t RSVP anymore. Annoying but real.

      Reply
      • Anon says

        02/13/2023 at 11:49 am

        People don’t RSVP if they’re not coming. But in my experience it’s not normal to show up without an RSVP.

        Reply
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