Alternative to Cast Iron Kettle for humidity

[Amin1992]

Hey guys. I know ultimately the kettle of water on a wood stove doesn't greatly increase room humidity, but we have found it helps in our tiny little room and when the winter is especially dry. We have typically used a small cast iron kettle, as we only have a wood stove insert with a top that sticks out only about 4". Works great except for the fact that kettle is completely rusting out. I am simply filling and refilling and don't want to have to maintain a cast iron kettle.

What do you guys use for humidity on top of your stove? I was thinking of finding a small stainless kettle but didn't want something shiny that sticks out like a sore thumb - I like how the black cast iron blends in.

Any ideas? I've scoured thrift and antique stores but haven't seen anything that will work. Thanks guys.

 

[begreen]

We don't anymore. The amount of humidity it will put into a room is negligible.

 

[Eman85]

We gave up on the black cast iron kettle when the novelty wore of years ago. Especially after it going dry over and over. Anything iron and black will rust since you're putting water in it.

 

[xman23]

As said, the pot on the stove is a novelty. I normally don't burn hot enough to get much humidity. But nice for the cinnamon we put in it.

The solution is an evaporative type humidifiers. It uses a fan at very little electric consumption. It puts gallons of water in the air over nite. Only issue is it needs to be filled often.

 

[Davidram]

I have cheap cast iron kettle from Tractor Supply. Not much humidity. Wood heat is much better than the forced air from the furnace. The whole house is more comfortable when the fire gets going.

 

[Manly]

The air care wicking style humidifier. Everyone in our household has sinus issues and we keep the humidity on the higher side. Simple, clean and reasonably quiet. Need to add water and disinfectant every few days.

 

[kborndale]

As said, the pot on the stove is a novelty. I normally don't burn hot enough to get much humidity. But nice for the cinnamon we put in it.

The solution is an evaporative type humidifiers. It uses a fan at very little electric consumption. It puts gallons of water in the air over nite. Only issue is it needs to be filled often.

Evaporative humidifiers use quite a bit of electricity (250 watts and up). The cool mist ultrasonic type are the ones that use very little electric (just a fan) but they also put anything bad in your water into the air.

 

[30WCF]

You can find a kettle or pot that fits your space and get a cheap can of stove paint a make it black.

I use a smudge pot.

 

[Eman85]

But nice for the cinnamon we put in it.

That brings back memories of why the kettle became a planter. Put some things in the kettle for that nice scent and let it run out of water. Nothing like that smell to kill the kettle idea.

 

[MongoMongoson]

I used to use a stainless buffet tray that covered an entire step on a step top stove. We could boil off 3 gallons of water per day with it. If you want to add water to the air, you need to maximize surface area. That means wide and flat with an open top. Yes, it is ugly.

The blower on our new stove blows across the stove top so we no longer use anything on the stove top. Now we use the same pan to boil maple sap down to syrup, on an outdoor sap boiler.

This is not the pan we use, just something similar to give you a visual.

 

[KDubU]

Humidifiers here.

 

[old greybeard]

We’re off grid so having constant hot water is key. We use a old Revere kettle, holds maybe 1/2 gallon. Its chrome plated copper. Handles our stove top temps just fine. Btw we use a old Wagner cast iron kettle to heat French press coffee water on our gas range, works great and doesn’t rust as long as we don’t store water in it, and air dry it every time with heat.

 

[kcmclellan]

This is my basement setup. The air exchanger hanging in the background provides condensed water in the bucket below, which I periodically use to keep the pot filled on top of the stove. Otherwise I'd have to transport the water upstairs for disposal out the backyard. The metal "trivet" keeps the pot from boiling over and from burning out the pot bottom.

I use cool mist humidifiers upstairs to keep the house ~40-45% RH.

 

[Echo Parking Lot]

I went from cast iron kettle ( meh) to chemex that I found at the dump (made the hearth room feel a bit like an alchemist’s lab) but that cracked so now I’m on to a 16 quart aluminum pot that was just taking up room in the back of a cabinet, the kind you’d cook lobster or a whole ton of ears of corn. Probably more hassle than it’s worth, but definitely it’ll increase the surface area for the evaporation.

 

[JamesGuido]

i have an oval roasting pan kinda like this one... and it works pretty good.
it's about 5 inches deep, 8x13 ... holds alot of water.

 

[30WCF]

I think I have officially moved on. I haven’t used the steamer at all this year. A little less clutter.