Heating Water - What Way Is Best, From These 2 Options?

[joko]

if you needed to heat a large pot of water using a small element dangling in the water,
which would you say is the quickest way to get to hand hot water.

to heat less water to almost boiling - then add cold water
or
heat the full amount of water until its at the lower temp you require

thanks :)

[Atheist]

I suspect that it doesn't matter. To heat a given amount of water from a start temperature to a desired temperature will require a certain amount of heat. End of (as TTT would say).

[joko]

?? well yes, both ways require a certain amount of heat.

my question is which one is the quickest and which takes less electric

[Hopkirk]

Marginally, the second would be better.

There will be more heat loss to the environment from the water heated to almost boiling than from water that never gets more than tepid.

[johnk]

Heat the lot up but the difference is tiny, so small you won't even notice.

[davebro]

//There will be more heat loss to the environment from the water heated to almost boiling than from water that never gets more than tepid.//

Yes - but the heat loss will be over a longer period? A simple experiment or some complicated sums. I think if you could eliminate heat loss by perfect insulation the 2 methods would be equal.