Breville Kettles are unique ones. 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 is 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 reliable, 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.
I’ve had this Breville Electric Kettle for just about a year now, putting it to use at least a few times almost every day. I use it for tea in the morning/afternoon/evening and preheating water for any stove top boiling. It’s still holding up very well. There was a very slight manufacturing plastic smell in the beginning, but that quickly faded out unlike the others I was using before (noticeably strong plastic smell, even after two years of use!). My only complaint is that the cut-off sensor lags a little. I’d expect that once boiling is achieved, the kettle would shut off immediately. It seems to take anywhere from 20-45 seconds to do this, depending upon the water level. It’s no big deal as there’s no danger involved, but the underside of my overhead cabinets get a good steaming! I now make sure that the spout is directed away from anything within a few feet above it. The Breville Kettle is a magic.
