How to Boil Water (& How Long It Takes)

Boiling water is a common task that everyone does from time to time. Cooking dinner? Hiking on a mountaintop? If so, you may need to boil water. This article covers how to boil water for cooking or drinking using your stove, microwave, and more. Plus, we'll share some tips for how to speed up the boiling process!

Boiling Water in a Pot on Your Stovetop

Fill a 12-quart (950 mL) pot ⅔ full with cold water.
Place the covered pot on a burner set to high heat.
Wait 5-10 minutes for the water to come to a full boil at 212°F (100°C).
Watch for the quiver, sub-simmer, simmer, & rolling boil stages.

Section 1 of 7:

Boiling Water on the Stove

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1
Use cold tap water to fill a 12-quart (950 mL) pot about ⅔ of the way full. Hot tap water can pick up lead from your pipes and is not recommended for drinking or cooking. ^{[1]
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United States Environmental Protection Agency
Independent U.S. government agency responsible for promoting safe environmental practices
Go to source} Don't fill your pot more than ⅔ full— a full pot can splash you as it boils. Plus, you need space to add the food if you're cooking. ^{[2]
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Research source} .
- Don't believe the myth: cold water does not boil faster than hot water. ^{[3]
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  Research source} Cold water takes slightly longer to boil, but only a few minutes.
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Place the pot on the stove and set the burner to high heat. Use the highest heat setting to start. Once the water comes to a boil, lower the temperature to keep it boiling without splashing or boiling over. ^{[4]
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- Don’t forget to put the lid on the pot to help hold in the heat.
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Wait for the water to heat to the desired boiling stage. There are 4 main stages water goes through as it heats up to boiling temperature. ^{[5]
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- Quiver: Tiny bubbles appear at the base of the pot but do not rise. The surface quivers slightly. This happens at about 140–170ºF (60–75ºC), a temperature good for poaching eggs , fruit, or fish.
- Sub-simmer: At this stage, a couple of little streams of bubbles rise, but most of the water is still. The water temperature is around 170–195ºF (75–90ºC), and can be used for stew or braising meat.
- Simmer: At the simmer stage, small-to-medium bubbles break the surface often, all across the pot. A simmer ranges from 195–212ºF (90–100ºC), making it perfect for steaming veggies or melting chocolate, depending on how healthy you're feeling.
- Full, rolling boil: At this stage, you see steam and constant movement that doesn't stop when you stir the water. It takes about 5-10 minutes to reach a rolling boil on high heat. This is the hottest your water gets: 212ºF (100ºC). Cook pasta at this temperature.
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Alternatively, use a kettle to boil water. Fill the kettle at least halfway full. Too much water may boil over and spill out of the kettle. If you don’t put enough water in, it may boil away and damage the kettle. Then, place it on the stove and turn the burner on high heat until it reaches a full boil (usually about 5-10 minutes). ^{[6]
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- If you have a whistling tea kettle, wait for it to make a high-pitched whistle to let you know the water is boiling.
- If you have an electric kettle, simply fill it about half-full, place it on the base, and flip the switch or turn the dial to “on.” The kettle automatically turns off once the water starts to boil.

Section 2 of 7:

Boiling Water in the Microwave

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Put the water in a microwave-safe cup or bowl. Choose glass or ceramic cookware that does not have any metallic paint if you can't find a dish labeled "microwave safe." To test whether a dish is microwave-safe, place it in the microwave, empty, next to a cup of water. Microwave for 1 minute. If the dish is hot after the minute is up, it is not microwave-safe. ^{[7]
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- For increased safety, use a container with a scratch or chip (in scientific terms, a nucleation site) on the interior surface. This helps the water bubble, reducing the risk of an (already unlikely) "superheated" explosion of hot water. ^{[8]
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  Science Direct
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Add a microwave-safe wooden chopstick to the water. This also helps the water bubble because bubbles form on the chopstick. No chopsticks? Try a wooden spoon or popsicle stick. If you don't mind flavoring the water, even a spoonful of salt or sugar should be enough. ^{[9]
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- Avoid using a plastic object, which may be too smooth to allow bubbles to form.
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Heat in 1-minute intervals, stirring the water regularly. After each interval, stir the water with a spoon. Then, remove the cup from the microwave. Test the water’s temperature by holding your hand over the top of the cup. The water is ready when it's steaming and too hot to touch. Put it back in the microwave for another minute if it’s not hot enough. ^{[10]
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- If the water is still cool after the first couple minutes, increase the length of each session to 1½-2 minutes. The total amount of time depends on your microwave's power and the amount of water you're boiling.
- Don't expect a "rolling boil" in a microwave. The water still reaches boiling temperatures, but it’s less obvious.
- For maximum safety, look up recommended water heating times in your microwave's manual.

Section 3 of 7:

Boiling Water in an Emergency or without Electricity

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Use a camp stove to boil water without electricity. To use a gas camp stove , first attach the fuel source. Then, carefully light the stove with a match or long lighter. ^{[11]
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Research source} Fill your pot ⅔ full with water and place it on the stove's grate. Adjust the knob to the highest setting—look for a blue flame with yellow tips. Wait for the water to come to a rolling boil.
- Gas camping stoves require a small canister of propane or butane .
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Try a gas grill to boil water in a pinch. Light your gas grill and place a pot ⅔ full of water on the grill or a side burner. Side burners are better for use with pots than the main grate. However, these burners are less powerful than your kitchen stove’s burners, so it may take more time than usual for the water to boil. ^{[12]
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- Cover the pot with a lid to hold in heat and help it boil faster.
- Boiling water on a grill isn’t the most efficient method, but it gets the job done when you don’t have any other options.
If you don’t have a grill or camp stove, use a campfire to boil water . Allow the fire to burn to hot coals to heat the water more evenly. Use a stick or fire poker to form the coals into a circle. Fill a metal pot ⅔ full with water and place it on a grate over the fire or directly on the coals. Wait for the water to reach a rolling boil, and let it boil for 1-3 minutes to make sure it is safe to drink or use for cooking. ^{[13]
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United States Environmental Protection Agency
Independent U.S. government agency responsible for promoting safe environmental practices
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Section 4 of 7:

How do I boil water so it’s safe to drink?

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Bring drinking water to 212ºF (100ºC) to kill bacteria and other pathogens. Heat kills microorganisms, not the boiling action. Almost every harmful microorganism found in water dies when you boil the water for several minutes. If you don’t have a thermometer, use a rolling boil to know the water is hot enough to kill germs. ^{[14]
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United States Environmental Protection Agency
Independent U.S. government agency responsible for promoting safe environmental practices
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- Boiling will not remove most chemical contamination. ^{[15]
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  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services
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- If the water is cloudy, filter the water first to remove dirt.
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Continue boiling the water for 1-3 minutes. To be extra cautious, leave the water at a rolling boil for 1 minute. (Count to 60 slowly.) If you are more than 6,500 ft (2,000 m) above sea level, let it boil for 3 minutes. (Count to 180 slowly.) ^{[16]
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United States Environmental Protection Agency
Independent U.S. government agency responsible for promoting safe environmental practices
Go to source}
- Water boils at a lower temperature at high elevations. This slightly cooler water takes longer to kill organisms.
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Let the water cool and then store it in closed containers. Boiled water is safe to drink even after it cools. Keep it in clean, closed containers to prevent re-contamination. ^{[17]
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services
Go to source}
- Boiled water tastes "flat" compared to normal water because some of the air in it escapes during the boiling process. Pour the water back and forth between two clean containers to trap more air and improve the taste.

Section 5 of 7:

How long does it take to boil water?

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It takes 5-10 minutes for water to boil using high heat on a stove. However, the time it takes depends on how much water you’re boiling compared to the size of the pot. A large pot filled with water takes longer to boil than a smaller one. ^{[18]
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- Your altitude also makes a difference. The higher the elevation, the thinner the air. With fewer air molecules holding the water down, water molecules can break away and enter the air more easily. The water boils sooner, but the low temperature makes it harder to cook food.
- You don't need to worry about this effect unless you're at 2,000 ft (610m) or higher.

Section 6 of 7:

How can I boil water faster?

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Choose a lidded pot that’s large enough to hold the water. Choose a pot that is large enough to hold the water but not so large you’re heating water you don’t need. Make the water boil faster by trapping the heat inside the pot with a lid. Shallower, wider pots have more surface area in direct contact with the burner, which may help the water boil more quickly. ^{[19]
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- Choose a pot made of thinner, lighter materials like aluminum or copper for faster boiling times.
- When cooking, cold or room-temperature food lowers the water temperature and might reduce the boil to an earlier stage. That's fine; just leave the heat on high or medium until the water returns to the correct stage. ^{[20]
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Use the highest heat setting to help the water boil faster. Use high heat when you want the water to reach boiling temperature quickly. Once it’s at the right boiling stage, reduce the heat to medium (for boiling) or medium-low (for simmering). After the water is at a rolling boil, more heat only makes it boil away faster. ^{[21]
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- Check on the pot occasionally for the first few minutes to make sure the water is stable at the stage you want it to be.
- When making soup or another dish that must simmer for a long time to cook, leave the lid slightly ajar. Closing the lid completely raises the temperature too high for these recipes.
- Salt has almost no effect on the boiling temperature. Add it only to flavor the food – especially pasta, which absorbs the salt along with the water. ^{[22]
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- You might notice a bunch of bubbles rise up as soon as you put the salt in. It's a fun effect, but it doesn't change the temperature.

Section 7 of 7:

Boiling Water at High Altitudes

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Liquids evaporate faster at higher altitudes, so add an extra cup (240 mL) of water to compensate. If you plan to cook food, add even more water – between 2 cups (580 mL) and 1 quart (950 mL). The food takes longer to cook, so more water boils away before it’s done. ^{[23]
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Food Safety and Inspection Service of the USDA
Food safety information provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
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Boil water for longer to cook food or kill pathogens. More time boiling makes up for the lower boiling temperature. To purify water for drinking, boil it for at least 3 minutes when you’re above 6,500 feet (1,980 meters). ^{[24]
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US National Park Service
Agency responsible for the maintenance and promotion of national parks and monuments
Go to source} Use this simple rule to figure out how much time to add: ^{[25]
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Food Safety and Inspection Service of the USDA
Food safety information provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
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- If the recipe takes less than 20 minutes to boil at sea level, add 1 minute of cooking time for each 1,000 ft (305m) above sea level.
- If the recipe takes more than 20 minutes to boil at sea level, add 2 minutes for each 1,000 ft (305m) above sea level.
At very high altitudes, cooking in boiling water takes a long time. Speed up the process by boiling water in a pressure cooker instead. Pressure cookers trap the water under an airtight lid and raise the pressure so the water reaches higher temperatures. When you cook with a pressure cooker , follow the recipe as though you were cooking at sea level. ^{[26]
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Trustworthy Source
Food Safety and Inspection Service of the USDA
Food safety information provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Go to source}

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Tips

If you are boiling something other than water, such as sauce, turn it down as it reaches boiling to avoid scorching the bottom of the pot.

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When boiling water, try balancing a wooden spoon over the top of the pot to stop the bubbles from foaming over.

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Traditionally, pasta is added to a giant pot of boiling water, about 4 to 6 quarts water per pound of pasta (8.4–12.5 liters per kilogram). More recently, some chefs have begun to use a small pot of water and even start the pasta in cold water. The second method is much faster.

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Warnings

Steam will scald more than boiling water due to the extra heat energy it contains.

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Boiling water and the steam coming off of it are hot enough to burn you. Use a potholder if you need to, and handle it with care.

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Distilled water is more likely to superheat in the microwave since it contains no impurities that help the water bubble. ^{[27]
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Research source} This is still not a common occurrence, but it's best to stick to tap water.

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How to Boil Water (& How Long It Takes)

Boiling Water in a Pot on Your Stovetop

Steps

Boiling Water on the Stove

Boiling Water in the Microwave

Boiling Water in an Emergency or without Electricity

How do I boil water so it’s safe to drink?

How long does it take to boil water?

How can I boil water faster?

Boiling Water at High Altitudes

Expert Q&A

Video

Tips

Warnings

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References

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