I almost always drink coffee - although D-d occasionally makes tea when she is home, but then we only drink filter coffee when we have time, like now. Like most Brits we drink instant much of the time - which shocks my American friends, but of course just needs me to put a spoonful of granules in the mug while the kettle boils.

I would always put the kettle on to heat the water to rinse cooked rice, or cooked pasta, or even just to get the water to boiling quickly to put into a pan to boil the rice in the first place. A fast-boil kettle should get a pint from cold to boiling in about a minute.

I have one friend who heats water in a mug in the microwave - but it always seems a waste of power to me!

It's just one of those odd cultural differences - like top loading washing machines...