In America this is the default method for small amounts of hot water.

I was fighting a cold recently so used the microwave to heat the lemon juice / honey / gin mixture I was self medicating with.

I use an electric kettle but remember that in the US outlets are 120V, so they take a lot longer to heat water than in countries with 240.

So the microwave isn't much less efficient than the electric kettle, mainly because some of the energy is heating the mug/container. The least efficient is a stovetop kettle on an electric stove.

But I'm curious, why are Europeans so horrified by the idea of heating water in the microwave? Is it related to power consumption, or is there some other reason?

Wait, you guys have microwaves?

Sincerely, Someone who does not own a microwave

Reminds me of a Technology connections on electric kettles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yMMTVVJI4c

And there was a followup on microwaving water: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpoXFk-ixZc

Its very enlightening from both US and European perspectives.

I used to at work. I would do a half filled mug, give it 2-3 minutes of heat so it didn't suddenly boil over, then drop in the tea bag and fill with regular water.

My boomer mom will put a tea bag in a mug of water then nuke that until it bubbles to make tea. (Yes, even when the tea bag has a staple).

But, if she is heating up a can of soup, she will dump that into a sauce pan and heat that up on the gas range, on the burner right next to the nice kettle I got her years ago.

Never we have a Quooker. (Instant boiling water out of the kitchen faucet)

I don’t drink tea or coffee, but my mom microwaves her water for tea.

I've used an electric gooseneck kettle for about a decade, before that I used a stovetop kettle or, if so was really desperate, a saucepan.

I do, water is water.

Always for coffee only sometimes for tea.

At home, I always heat the water in a saucepan on my stove. I only use a microwave when I’m making tea at the university, where it’s the only way I can get hot water. These microwaves are always a bit dirty because most students don’t clean after themselves, and I can’t fully enjoy my tea because it feels tainted.

Never tried it. Is it faster than an electric kettle?