 Good appliance, finally made of stainless steel |
| Review Date: March 8, 2006 |
| Reviewer: Leo, PA, not far from Phila |
While there is typically little difference between any two electric kettles, this one is at least at the top of the spectrum.
1. Being an extremely convenient home appliance "discovered" by the Europeans decades ago, and later in the USA, the electric kettle always left one concern: compared to its mundane predecessor it was typically made of plastic inside and out. Which could potentially mean various unhealthy substances emanating into the water from the plastic sides, especially at high boiling temperatures. This one is made of stainless steel and doesn't cause any such concerns.
2. The kettle can be rotated on its cordless base, which makes it easier to put it back on the base than some other models.
3. It has a transparent wall segment to measure water level. While this "window" is not located optimally (somewhat shadowed by the handle) and hasn't got a bright floating level marker, this design is sturdier than some others, and is less prone to leaks.
4. Blue back-light that goes on and lights this "window" when the kettle is switched on, is a nice touch. It both attracts attention and simplifies reading the water level.
5. It's easy to open the lid, and the opening is wide to add water with no problems or dripping. (In some models the handle partly covers the lid, making it hard to open and/or add water.)
6. Like in most up-to-date models, the heating spiral is NOT located inside the boiling case, but rather underneath it, which makes the design more relaible, and it is also much easier to wash the kettle inside if need be.
7. Time to boil is reasonable and not worse than average. |
Best high-end electric kettle for price.
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| Review Date: November 30, 2006 |
| Reviewer: apfb, Pasadena, CA |
We've had ours for one month after the cheapo plastic one died. I investigated multiple other high-end electric kettles, including Cuisinart, Chef' Choice, Krups, Braun by reading reviews on-line and comparing them @ the local bricks & mortar stores. The Breville is clearly the best designed one for the money.
Pros:
- clean, beautiful design which is also easier to clean.
- hefty, substantial base unit with place to wrap around the cord
- boils quickly in 4 min. for full 1.5 L
- more substantial kettle than more expensive models by Chef's Choice or Cuisinart. The Chef's Tools electric kettle @ the same price point looked flimsier. In fact, the floor model Chef's Choice kettle was no longer closing or opening its lid properly-- always a bad sign when a floor model falls apart.
- modest yet easily audible "ping" sound when the water has come to a boil, and the kettle shuts off automatically.
- the outlet is easy to pull due to the hollow center design
Cons:
- heavy kettle.
- occasionally, there's a metallic taste in reboiled water if the water was left inside the kettle for several hours. However, the water tastes fine if you boil a pot from freshly filled water.
Overall, clearly the pros outweigh the cons. We're heavy users of the electric kettle, especially in the winter, boiling water for teas, soups at least 4-5x per day. We'll report back again in a yr after the warranty expires.
UPDATE > 1 yr after post (4/6/08): The Breville Ikon is still going strong. The water seems to be taking a slightly longer time to boil. We still use it 3-4 times per day, and it works well. |
Excellent product; a "hit" at the office
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| Review Date: November 29, 2006 |
| Reviewer: A Reviewer, Oakton, VA United States |
Truly a top notch product. I was tired of lukewarm water "nuked" in the microwave for tea or hot chocolate at the office so, after consulting other customer reviews for products under the "electric kettle" search, I took the plunge. A bit expensive, but worth it.
Pros:
1. Stainless inside and out. No plastic taste or chemical worries.
2. Very comfortable handle, nice curve to it, and totally insulated.
3. Cord minder on the base bottom; allows you to tailor the cord length to your needs. Cord very sturdy.
4. Separate base contains the cord. The kettle itself reminds me, from the standpoint of heft and size, of an "old fashioned" stove top percolator
5. The removable kettle itself; also, you can turn the kettle around to any point on the base; it doesn't have a notch or fixed position
6. Construction appears to be quite solid. Push a button and the top opens up automatically (not just a cheap spring, either). Glass center insert on top so you can see in; top is also domed to direct condensation back into the pot; haven't had any problem with water dripping onto the counter (or hand!) when opened.
7. Quick; heating just one mugful of water to boiling is easily faster than the microwave (same time in microwave will leave you with hot, but not boiling water).
8. Easy to clean; the opening is wide enough to get your hand in, and the top opens up to 90 degrees. There is a rod that runs up the inside, part of the temperature sensing system, but there's room enough to get a soft cloth behind it, you'd just need to avoid too much force. Cleaning, however, is not a big deal overall if you use it for its purpose - heating WATER only (don't heat your soup in this; it's not made for it).
9. Looking at other reviews, it seems that some people like to fill the kettle via spout rather than main opening - spout is nicely sized to easily allow this, if you want.
10. The water gauge is big, well marked and very nicely lighted, thus easy to read.
11. Automatic turn-off at boiling temp, and also has a function to avoid boiling dry (The boil turn-off feature kicks in about 30 seconds after you can see the water boiling; I haven't personally tried to boil it dry, so can't comment on that feature). There's a nice, but soft, single "ding" that it makes when it turns off. You might not hear it from another room, but it shouldn't damage itself by boiling dry, so even if you miss the ding, it's not a big deal.
12. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but to mine its lines are clean, simple and elegant. Should fit with just about any decor. Fingerprints on the outside stainless haven't been a big issue; wipes clean with damp cloth.
Comments (not "Cons"):
1. Regarding another reviewer's comments about weight, it does have some "heft," but on the other hand, it has a good capacity! To heat one or two cups, it's handy enough. Stainless steel will be heavier than plastic, so if weight is an issue for you, you may wish to consider this point.
2. I wish the otherwise nice switch wasn't directly at the bottom end of the handle, but this really isn't a big deal.
3. I've seen reviews indicating that stainless steel pots get hot on the outside. This one probably does, too (if you put your hand near it after boiling, you can sense the heat). Well, the handle is perfectly insulated, and this is NOT an insulated device. I wouldn't put my hand on the outside of any "regular" metal pot or pan (steel or aluminum, like those found in any kitchen for daily cooking)that had a boiling liquid in it, so I wouldn't do that with this type of device, either!
4. Reviewers of other kettles have suggested that the device may leak if water is left overnight. Have not had that problem with this, but then again, we empty it at the end of each day.
5. Have not had any problems with rust, as has been noted with competing products, but see comments in #4, above.
Before purchasing, I looked at the competition in stores, and a friend has "another leading brand" competetor; this seemed superior to the others in virtually every way (particularly build quality, the others I'd seen seemed rather "cheap" despite their price). Definitely recommend; this is a winner in our office; several people have already bought their own! |
finally- a good looking kettle that works well!
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| Review Date: August 29, 2006 |
| Reviewer: K. Robertson, San Francisco, CA |
| This kettle looks, feels, acts and is expensive. So if you like "high-end" stuff, this is the kettle for you. It has a great weight to it and everything feels well made (this coming from someone who hopes to be designing products for the rest of her life). It's quiet and boils water quickly. The "ding" when it's done is a little quiet so I often forget I've been boiling water, but I'm sure that if it were louder, I'd complain as such. I was worried about regretting spending $70 on a kettle, but I'm glad I did. I have no regrets, and it's worth $70 to pay for a great kettle that I use every day! |
Excellent kettle, Excellent company
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| Review Date: July 3, 2006 |
| Reviewer: RM, Newport Beach, California |
I received this tea kettle as a replacement for a Nova teakettle (the former model) that I purchased in October 2005.
Part of the quality of a product is how the company stands behind it, and Breville is excellent in this area. My former kettle developed a short in the on/off switch. I notified the company by email, and I received an email response in 3 hours asking some questions and for more detail. In 3 more hours, I received an email with a fed-x label. They indicated they wanted to see the product, and they would either repair or replace it. Within a week, I had this new model as a replacement, since they no longer make the Nova.
I then received a follow up phone call from Breville to make sure I got and liked the new product, which I do. The warranty period for the new product starts again, so it has a full one year warranty. I also asked about the switch, since I was concerned that this could be a problem, and they assured me that this is a problem they just don't have with the applicances. The customer service rep indicated that in 10 years, he had seen about 6 of the type of problem I had. It seems that a customer service rep that has worked for a company for 10 years also says something about the company.
The new kettle heats quickly and to a full boil. It also has the sharp looks where you can use for entertaining. I am happy with the product, and very happy with the company's service. |
love it!
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| Review Date: August 28, 2006 |
| Reviewer: nj cook, east coast |
| I love this kettle! Seems the other reviewers have covered the reasons why. I will say that this kettle was a replacement for an older model whose lid broke. I contacted Breville about the broken lid, and had a replacement within 10 days. Now, that is great service! |
"Quality" Hot Water Kettle
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| Review Date: March 15, 2006 |
| Reviewer: W. Lecomte, |
| In our home we have used several kettles. This model is by far the best looking, build quality and functionality of the bunch. It's a little expensive, but well worth the price. If your looking for a high quality kettle, you can't go wrong with this choice. |
Beauty AND Brawn
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| Review Date: August 17, 2006 |
| Reviewer: Lynee Gore, Brooklyn, NY USA |
| For those who love form as well as function, this is an elegant, stylish appliance. The photo does not do the product justice. It's really beautiful and very well designed. The kettle is sturdy and works well while adding to my kitchen decor. I won't go into the perfomance specifics which are excellent, because the other reviewers convinced me to purchase this product and I am 100% satisfied. |
The Best Kettle for your Money
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| Review Date: March 15, 2008 |
| Reviewer: E. Allen, Wisconsin, USA |
I have struggled with bad kettles for years. Finally I have found a kettle I am happy with in every way. This kettle is elegant, with quality construction and materials and pleasing light blue incidental functions.It boils fast enough, has a very pleasant bell that signals when the water is done. I have not noticed that it invites burns. The handle is comfortable. The bottom is recessed so that the connection between the base and the kettle will not rust out.There is a a new rubber taste to the water initially, but it goes away very quickly. The top, which closes slowly and elegantly, is rimmed with a very soft real rubber gasket that takes a few boils to become tasteless. The kettle has an upper window that adds interest to the process of using it.
BREVILLE USES a very heavy RECYCLED PAPER PRODUCT FOR PACKAGING. The kettle was cushioned with a heavy molded cardboard..no big plastic landfill. I was able to reuse and recycle everything but the kettle itself. IT FELT GREAT!
I would just LOVE to see more reviews that rated manufacturers partially based on their standards for packaging their appliances. It tipped me off to the fact that I was dealing with a company who cared about the world they were sending this kettle into. I want to see more people and companies aware of this opportunity to make a difference. |
Great Product
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| Review Date: May 30, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Junket, Parsippany, NJ USA |
Have used this kettle daily for two weeks. I think it's great. It is meant to boil water easily, and it does this perfectly: simple to fill, quick to boil, easy to pour, easy to clean, shuts off automatically. It is a sturdy piece of equipment and has a great look and feel. I compared it to all similar items at amazon, and I'm glad that I bought this one.
It can be filled with one hand; the lid opens automatically. The spout is big, but not so big that too much heat gets lost during boil. It is easy to tell when the unit is on - the whole water gauge lights up brightly. There is hardly any plastic that comes into contact with boiling water, none at all if you fill to less than full capacity.
Here are the minor drawbacks (I don't consider any of these truly significant). The "ding" that signals a completed cycle is nice but almost inaudible. I don't find that this matters though, because you can easily tell if the unit is on or off just by looking, and you know when a pot of water is about to boil when the loud rumbling goes away. It shuts off automatically anyway, so a bell is not all that necessary. The pot is not insulated, so yes, the metal does get very hot. Only a problem if you have kids - no more dangerous than many other items in the kitchen.
As far as the bad smell/taste goes, I noticed it with the first 3 or 4 boils, then it went completely away. Not a reason to avoid this item - just dump your first few pots. Sometimes I wonder if other reviewers have used their purchases more than once before reviewing. |
So far ... Perfection
|
| Review Date: May 2, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Kevin J. Connor, Bellingham, WA |
| Finally, a decent electric kettle available in the US. It's more beautiful than the pictures show. Solid, nice grippy handle, a big lid with a smooth release, blue light behind the water level indicator and the piece de la resistance -- a tiny, musical ping when finished. Fast boiling, easy to see in and clean. I love this thing. No, I adore it. Only negative is that it's a shade big. |
Breville SK500XL electric tea kettle
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| Review Date: March 24, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Kindra W., Santa Clara, CA |
| My husband and I are very happy with our new Breville electric kettle. We purchased the Breville to replace a Delongi stay-cool kettle that only lasted two years. So far, we like the Breville much better. The design makes it very easy to add water. It heats the water to boiling quickly and I haven't noticed any unusual taste. We would highly recommend the product. Very well made. |
Excellent kettle
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| Review Date: September 10, 2007 |
| Reviewer: K. Runciman, Seattle, WA |
This is an excellent kettle, more than ample for what I need (in fact, I think I bought a larger one than necessary). Boils water superfast, easy to handle and view quantity of water with the lighted blue inidicator, and the ding when it's finished is a nice touch (most of my friends' electric kettles just shut off, but don't tell you they're ready). The dripless spout really is dripless, which I consider probably the best feature of all -- those of you familiar with a lot of other kettles know the experience if getting boiling water all over the place when you're trying to pour.
Honestly, some the complaints are very odd. If you're stupid enough to put your hands on a hot metal kettle, then you probably shouldn't have one in the first place. The handle is more than adequately placed away from the stainless steel exterior to prevent burned fingers. The push button cover release also shouldn't cause anyone to have to touch the exterior. And I noticed no bad taste at all, even though I'm pretty picky about water quality.
If you're thinking about an electric kettle (and you should be, since they're more energy efficient and faster), this is a great one to get. |
Great metal kettle
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| Review Date: November 29, 2006 |
| Reviewer: M. Koverdan, Alaska |
| This is a quality product. I also got a chance to check out the citrus press and was equally impressed. We previously had a Phillips kettle and the idea of plastic didn't sit well with us especially when fixing formula for a baby. This kettle is awesome! Water stays hot way longer than in the Phillips but the kettle is also very hot to the touch. Took just once to get used to that vs the Phillips. A kettle off of a stove is also hot and you don't go grabbing that by anything but the handle so no big deal. This kettle performs well and looks very cool too. It has a lit up water gauge which is easy to read even when steamed up because water is water and steam is steam. The only thing I might change is the placement of the gauge and switch to more in the middle of the kettle instead of hidden behind the handle but the design allows all of the connections to be limited to that area and probably decreases the chances of leakage by limiting the number of holes. Also not a huge deal. Highly recommend this product. |
I love it!!!
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| Review Date: January 26, 2007 |
| Reviewer: kalavo boy, Portland, OR |
| I have always wanted an electric kettle ever since the time I lived in England. The kettles there would boil water in a heartbeat. Kettles here, however, never measured up...until now! This kettle boils water as fast as the english ones and looks 100% better than theirs do, plus it's cordless! The Breville is superb! |
The best electric tea kettle on the market
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| Review Date: January 28, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Y. J. Beausoleil, New Jersey |
| I recently purchased two of these for my office. They work as advertised. Water is heated quickly. Lid opens all the way for easy filling. No odor issues as I have experienced with a less expensive brand tea kettle. Well thought out design and pretty good looking on the break room counters. I have another brand at home that will be replaced with one of these when it bites the dust. |
I Love This Kettle!
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| Review Date: March 12, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Melissa Lim, Portland, OR |
| I'd been looking for an electric kettle for a while and finally decided on the Breville Ikon. I liked the stainless steel, simple design, and stylish looks of this particular kettle. When I actually received the kettle, I was surprised by the actual heft of the kettle and the handle-it felt good in my hand. As mentioned in other reviews, there is a taste of plastic in the water (from the lid?), but with regular use over the weekend, that seems to have disappeared. The blue backlight is also very handy, but the chime that signals the water is done really can't be heard over the boiling and the switch turning itself off. Overall, I think this kettle was worth the money as I use it several times a day. |
Very Pleased
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| Review Date: August 15, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Robert L. Gillette II, Portland, OR |
It is not often that I write product reviews, but I have been so please with this kettle which we have owned for about a month or two. I use it every morning to make french press coffee. Like some of the previous reviewers, I too upgraded from a cheap plastic water boiler and I couldn't be happier. The best things about this product:
1. It works great. No problems so far with functionality.
2. It looks perfect in a kitchen with stainless steel, just like it belongs there.
3. Exceptional design. I love that its cordless (my old one was not). Good rubber handle. When pouring a lot of boiling water, the steam will never come burn your hand. The auto-shut off is really nice too.
Just a well made product. |
Beautiful Design, Flawless Operation
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| Review Date: March 9, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Brian J., Bel Air, MD |
We've had this kettle for almost 2 years now and could not be happier. It is a beautiful, very sturdy appliance, though like all stainless steel, the outside needs to be maintained properly. I can think of no faults with its design or function. We bought this to replace our old stove-top kettle and are glad we did. It is incredibly fast, so fast we even use it to boil water to cook large pots of pasta (obviously, we pour the water into a pot, it's a kettle, not a Hotpot).
The best features are probably the cordless design and the swivel base. It will work in any position on top of the base and is very convenient to move around, fill up, and pour out without the cord dragging from the kettle itself.
The water level indicator is behind the large handle but I've never had a problem reading it. I really don't use it that much except to make sure it's not overfilled when boiling large quantities of water. The "cushion-controlled" lid also still works perfectly and always opens with a push of the button and seals tight when pressed back down.
I've never tested the boil-dry protection, and I don't ever want to, but the auto-off function always works, with the little 'ding' of the bell to tell you it is done.
Now if only Breville made an auto-drip coffe machine to replace my now leaking 8 year old Krups ProAroma... |
Awesome high quality kettle!
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| Review Date: June 12, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Susan J. Harris, Connecticut |
After searching high and low for a kettle that had little or no plastic in it, exhausted, I finally chose this one. Honestly, I wasn't sure what I was going to find but there were so many good reviews I thought I should just take my chances. So far, it was a great choice.
As far as the plastic goes, there is very little. Just the two small holes that allow the water to go into the level indicator window on the handle side. This does not seem too bad to me. The lid has a plastic window too but just gets condensation so no problem. I usually remove the filter so I don't have to worry about that plastic either.
Love the blue light which illuminates the switch and the level indicator, actually does help to see easily where the water level is any time of day without having to squint close at it. Also, the lid is huge so cleaning or wiping the inside is really a breeze...other kettles had tiny openings that only a brush could fit inside...didn't want that! The ding when it is done boiling is quiet enough to not be obnoxious but load enough that if you are in the room or its fairly quiet and you're in a different room you can still hear it. The plug was a cool surprise! It has a ring design so when you pull it, its very secure to pull on, nice touch, love that too!
So far so good but I haven't used it too much so I will update this after it gets more use. Overall though, I would highly recommend this kettle as it seems to be very good quality and is very functional and well thought out in the details. |
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