An American woman has caused a transatlantic stir after using a microwave to make herself a morning cup of tea, leaving horrified Brits clutching their teapots in disbelief.
Penny Kmitt, a CBS News reporter from Boston, USA, has become the internet’s fixation after a recent TikTok video shared with her 200,000 followers on her @pennylikeacoin account.
In the controversy shortenPenny demonstrates her early morning tea routine, which, to the dismay of many Brits, involves heating water in a microwave rather than using a traditional teapot.
The video, titled: “The only negative thing about microwave tea is that my cup is hot”, has sparked outrage among tea purists across the pond.
The footage shows Penny filling a Starbucks cup with cold tap water before placing it in the microwave.
US’s Penny Kmitt has caused a transatlantic stir after using a microwave to make her morning cup of tea, leaving horrified Brits clutching their teapots in disbelief.
The footage shows Penny filling a Starbucks cup with cold tap water before placing it in the microwave.
After a couple of minutes, you take out the hot water and drop an Earl Gray tea bag into it, and your cup of tea is ready to drink.
Penny further discusses the drawbacks of using a kettle, insisting that she doesn’t have time to wait for it to boil, unlike her microwave, which she claims can boil water much faster.
She said: “I bought a teapot and I’m here to tell you they are overrated.” Microwaving tea literally takes me two and a half minutes.’
To prove his point, he starts a timer on his phone and then shows that his kettle takes more than six minutes to boil; six minutes and 13 seconds, to be exact.
Penny also mentioned that the water in the kettle is often “too hot” and that she prefers the cooler temperature achieved by using a microwave.
The reaction from British viewers has been swift and scathing, with more than 200 distraught people taking to the comments to share their disapproval of Penny’s use of the microwave.
One person wrote: “This is the most American thing I’ve ever seen,” while another said: “Just buy a kettle plug.” ‘My English heart can’t stand this, those poor little tea bags!!!!!!!!’
The footage shows Penny filling a Starbucks cup with cold tap water before placing it in the microwave.
The reaction from British viewers has been swift and scathing, with more than 200 distraught people taking to the comments to share their disapproval.
Another viewer noted: “If the microwaved tea is cold enough to drink right away then it’s not hot enough to steep the tea, the tea should be brewed at 212°F,” while another said: “That’s an old kettle, buy an electric one. It’s like 1 min.’
One horrified Brit wrote: “Sobbing and vomiting in English,” while a fourth said: “I’m not even British but this offends me.”
However, some Americans defended Penny’s time-saving method, with one person writing: “Wait… I thought microwaving was normal… Was I wrong all this time?”
Another said: “Honestly, microwave is the most effective method as it wastes less energy compared to others.”
It comes after another American, who lives in the UK, sparked a transatlantic divide among foodies after criticizing how Brits prepare a classic staple for lunch and dinner.