Top 2 Reasons Why Your Kettle Water Tastes Metallic

Reclaim your tasty tea! Here is why your kettle pours metallic flavours and how to solve the problem for good.

When kettle water has a metallic taste, two things are usually responsible. The taste can occur when a new kettle is being used for the first time. In that case, the kettle is causing the flavour. But tap water with high metal content, like copper or zinc, can also make tea taste metallic.

There is no need to suffer through another cup of coppery tea. Here are the two reasons why kettle water tastes metallic and how you can fix them.

The Reasons Why Water From Your Kettle Tastes Bad

If you are reading this, then you are probably tired of getting a mouthful of horrible-tasting water. And if it came from your kettle, you probably wonder why your tea suddenly hates you. Two things can cause the water inside a kettle to brew metallic drinks. Both have easy fixes.

So what causes this?

1. Your new kettle is giving off metals when being used for the first few times. This is pretty normal.
2. There is a higher-than-normal metal content in the tap’s water supply.

Why Does A New Kettle Make Water Taste Metallic?

Most factories do not clean kettles before they package them for the supermarket shelf. Sure, kettles are made presentable and look good. But few, if any, factories have the time to properly rinse and dry kettles after they are made. For this reason, kettles give off plastic and metallic flavours when they are used for the first time.

How Long Will My New Kettle Foul Up The Water?

There is no hard and fast answer here. It depends on the individual kettle, manufacturer processes, and perhaps how often you use it. The good news is that the metallic taste is not permanent. Not if your kettle is responsible.

How Do I Know If My Kettle Is Responsible?

You can do a simple test to find out. Boil a small amount of tap water in a pot on the stove. If the water also tastes metallic, then the problem lies with your water supply. But if the water from the stove tastes fine, then your kettle is the bad guy. Well, temporary bad guy!

How Do I Make My Kettle Stop Making The Water Taste Metallic?

The good news is that you do not need to go and buy a commercial cleaner. Nor do you have to mix up something at home like a vinegar-water mixture (although this mixture can help). All you have to do is to boil your new kettle a few times.

Top it up with water just below the maximum volume allowed. Switch on and discard the water once it has boiled. How many times you need to repeat this depends on the individual kettle. A quick taste test should let you know when the metallic taste is gone.

How Can The Vinegar Mixture Help My Kettle’s Metallic Aftertaste?

Experienced homeowners know that vinegar is a magical ingredient when it comes to cleaning spots and smells. It can even remove limescale from a kettle. But in the case of a new appliance, vinegar can also help to get rid of the kettle’s unwelcome metallic aftertaste.

Step 1: Get a bottle of natural vinegar. It does not matter if it is brown or white vinegar, as long as it is the real deal and not imitation vinegar.

Step 2: Mix equal parts of water and vinegar until you have enough to fill the kettle just below the maximum water level that is allowed. If you are not sure about the maximum volume, look closely at the water indicator. The limit is sometimes marked at the top. You can also find the limit in your kettle’s instruction booklet.

Step 3: Let the kettle boil once or twice. Twice might be better.

Step 4: Discard the vinegar mixture and rinse the kettle until the vinegar smell is gone.

Alternatively, you can let your kettle stand overnight with the vinegar mixture. In the morning, discard the mixture and rinse the appliance thoroughly.

Learn how to make distilled water in a kettle .

How Does The Water Supply Cause A Metallic Taste In Water?

Let’s say you boiled some water on the stove and tasted it. Should it also have a metal tang, then the problem is with the water supply and not the kettle. Realizing that there is something in your water that tastes like metal can be alarming. So what is going on?

What Causes The Water Supply To Taste Like Metal?

Several things can cause your water supply to go “metal.” Here are the most common causes.

1. Low pH levels.
2. The iron level in the water is very high.
3. There are other metals in the water supply.
4. Old pipes are tainting the water.

How Safe Are The Metals In My Water Supply?

When your tap water suddenly develops a metal taste, it is essential to call an expert to test for the presence of dangerous metals. Iron, in general, is harmless but metals like lead and zinc are highly dangerous. Testing for metals in your water is so important that once you determine that the taste is coming from your tap water, you must contact a testing company before you do anything else.

What Else Can I Do To Get Rid Of The Metallic Taste In My Water Supply?

Once you have determined that there are no harmful metals in your tap water, you can tackle the terrible taste by getting a filtration system. The system might differ depending on what is causing the metal taste. But most filtration systems are easy to install and will rectify the problem.

A simple test kit should tell you the pH of your water . If the pH is below 7, then your water is acidic or low pH. In this case, a neutralizing filter is the best choice. Such filters hold calcium carbonate, magnesium oxide or calcite to make the water taste normal again.

Getting rid of a metallic taste caused by old pipes also involves a filtration system. However, you need to contact a reputable water treatment company to assess your home situation and offer the best solution. Very often, they will install a powerful filter at the point where water enters your home to ensure that all the taps in the house provide filtered water.

Find the best under-the-sink water filters .

A Quick Summary On Why Kettle Water Tastes Metallic

• A metal taste in water is not normal. The cause should be discovered as soon as possible.
• The two main reasons include a new kettle and a tainted water supply.
• When the problem is a new kettle, solutions include boiling the appliance several times. Either with plain water or a vinegar solution.
• When the water supply is the source of the metallic taste, it could be caused by a high level of metals in the water, old pipes or low pH.
• A metallic water supply can be solved with the help of special filters and water treatment companies.