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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.
UPDATE 12/19/11: Kettle still going strong. We still use it 2-3x/day, and it still works great. Wow. Worth every cent.
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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 Deals for Breville SK500XL Ikon Cordless 1.7-Liter Stainless-Steel Electric
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!
Honest reviews on Breville SK500XL Ikon Cordless 1.7-Liter Stainless-Steel Electric
First off, Amazon's part in this was excellent. The product arrived in good shape and ahead of schedule. The kettle itself was well-designed and of excellent quality. There, however, is where the problem started. On opening it, there was a heavy, oily smell. This is not unusual for steel items, so I went about boiling a couple of kettles as recommended in the instructions. After the sixth time, the oily smell was still present, and was strong enough to contaminate the tea. I even tried boiling a water-white vinegar solution and leaving it overnight according to the instruction to no avail. Finally sent it back a process which was painless and quite easy, by the way.
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Breville SK500XL Ikon Cordless 1.7-Liter Stainless-Steel Electric
I recently bought this product, which has performed flawlessly so far. But two things I've noticed are valuable pieces of information for those planning on buying an electric cordless kettle, I think: First, the water gauge is behind the handle, which means you can't see the water level as you're filling the kettle, since you're holding it by the handle. This problem is not unique to this kettle, but it is an annoyance. I've learned about how much water it takes to fill my 16 oz. mug (a count of five), so I don't need to try to look at something that's underneath my hand as the water is running from the faucet. Maybe they're assuming you're going to be using bottled water and won't need to be holding the pot as you're filling it! My other caution is the very large, dripless spout. The dripless part is great, and it is truly dripless. However, it's also very large, so that a TREMENDOUS amount of hot steam escapes as the pot heats up. You really need to move the pot out completely away from any walls or cupboards or the steam will quickly ruin the finish. But if you move the pot out toward the edge of the counter, the hot steam may burn you, you spouse, your child, or your cat who suddenly decides to jump up on the counter. You really need to stand by the pot as it is heating up if you have pets. I have also noticed that our hard water is already leaving deposits on the bottom of the pot in just a few weeks, but that is my cleaning problem, not a problem with the pot. Another reviewer pointed out that the beautiful brushed finish does not stay beautiful very long no matter what you do, and I have to second that, but it doesn't bother me that much.
Interestingly, I bought another cordless kettle at Target about the same time, a cheap chrome one by Aroma, for my office. That pot, though smaller, does just as good a job for 1/3 the price, and the finish has stayed nicer. The smaller spout does not release as much steam. But it doesn't LOOK nearly as cool. Ha.
And here's a comment apropos of nothing: why can't the makers of these kettles make one with a stainless steel LID? If we don't want a plastic pot, why would we want a plastic lid? It boggles the mind. But try to find a decent pot with a stainless lid.
