Kettles!

[Kram]

Which probably explains why it's so hard to find a non-Chinese kettle. Lots would love one...but lots don't want to pay lots.

Its not the country of origin that bothers me. These early engineered failures, I suspect more likely in the big brands of western design than unbranded imports.

 

[OJCar]

Moved away from electric kettles, use the induction stove and old fashioned kettle. I have a coffee machine though so that's what I use.

I work in IT and as a consequence I want as little tech and software as is humanly possible in my gagdets. It's just more that break.

Induction hob!
Get a proper element under the kettle

 

[OJCar]

Its not the country of origin that bothers me. These early engineered failures, I suspect more likely in the big brands of western design than unbranded imports.

The vast majority of heating elements , where ever in the world the kettle is made, are made by one company under its various different guises.
https://strix.com/
With the various "brands" they use, they have differing levels of quality/cost.

I will make no comment about them other than;
I worked for them briefly - I left as soon as possible.

 

[bourbon]

We get kettles in the repair café nearly every session. IF we can get into them. It's usually a tiny bit of plastic holding the rocker mechanism for the switch either worn away or broken off, At that point it's scrap. we don't have time to rebuild the plastic up.

 

[Morrisman]

They *never* die from the element blowing
Our Breville is 11 months so will be getting refunded or replaced tomorrow, the switch has gone limp and questionable if it'll always turn off.

The cheap tesco spare one boils for ages before it goes off, and the pouring spout is far too fast - it takes some care if your not used to it, almost dangerous.

We are thinking to get an adjustable temp one. Heating water to boiling, makes a lot of unnessasary steam. Save a bit of energy too. However, the cost of them! You'd never see a return on the purchase cost.

65-70c would be ideal to be ready to drink.
I believe most kettles use a steam/pressure based switch, I wonder if any have space under the bottom cover, next to element to add in a 70c bi metal switch..

Do any last more than a few years?

I bought a matching kettle and toaster from Asda 6 years ago, £25 the pair I think, both are still going strong. I hear what you say about the boiling, I rarely let it get that high but stand watching and knock the switch off when it looks/sounds warm enough, I'm not having clouds of steam covering half the kitchen. An adjustable one would be good.

 

[macplaxton]

Its not the country of origin that bothers me.

It bothers me for some things and not others.

In the case of kettles, the only ones that I've seen that last are old ones, which happen to made locally.

I wouldn't mind as much if I could just buy the switch to fix it, but that's a non-starter these days and so the perfectly good rest-of-it ends up junked.

 

[Morrisman]

Think here - the switch needs to reflect the water temperature, not that of the heater! There lies the problem of that idea.

Virtually all switches are of the bi-metallic type - heated to switching point only when/by steam passing across it. There lies the problem of these working before the water boils.

I do have a jam-maker (lidl special, occasionally) which is switched via an electronic thermostat, so it could be done - just costs more, so certainly not going to be included in cheap kettles! Nor will it switch at boiling point, reliably (no change in temperature at boiling point!).

The element in mine is the base, nothing to see inside, no coils, and I don't see any switch so that must also be in the base. I can't imagine how steam would get to it.

 

[armalites]

Wifey favours glass ones - based on she reckons she overfills them less - only boils just enough water (saves planet).

But they show the scale she is forever usign Citric Acid in them to clean them.

We fill ours from a Britta filter and never have any issues with scale.

 

[DennisCA]

Induction hob!
Get a proper element under the kettle

View attachment 376510

Well if I could have one type of stove, I'd love a firewood stove.

This photo is arranged by someone who has never used one BTW. Those logs are far too large for use in a wood stove.

 

[Robotstar5]

We drink a lot of tea in our house bought a Breville one cup a few years ago, it lasted about 5 years before the switch failed, so we bought another which is still working fine.

 

[Morrisman]

We fill ours from a Britta filter and never have any issues with scale.

That will depend on the water in your area, you can't filter limescale out. We had it horrendous at our last house, but my dads place, not even a mile away had next to none. He was on a different water supply for some reason.

 

[fizzy]

My one at home is 8 years old an is running all day long - loves sitting on the AGA
Cheap Tesco one in work gets loads of use - lasts about 3 or 4 years - then just buy another one. First one cost £5!
Our water is almost like distilled - never any build up. Can be used straight into forklift batteries etc no problem. Pretty bland taste though.

 

[daedalusminos]

I used to have one of these Bugatti kettles...

They retailed for just south of £400, I bought a leaking customer return for £60, hadn't been used, a seal had not been seated correctly from the factory. A quick re-seat saw it put into service...used it a few times, it was a nice kettle but not as nice as the £225 I sold it for

 

[Kram]

Well its a damned stupid shape and I dont think I'd be paying £60 for it - nothing ever gets sold! I am a hoarder

Which brings me to the next problem with these engineered failures.. they all take up space if you dont throw them away! It'll be useful for something!!

 

[premmington]

Well its a damned stupid shape and I dont think I'd be paying £60 for it - nothing ever gets sold! I am a hoarder

Which brings me to the next problem with these engineered failures.. they all take up space if you dont throw them away! It'll be useful for something!!

Kettle is always useful - be it a £4.99 tescos special or a state of the art "bugatti" one.

Just googled "kettles tesco value" - cheepest is £13.50 for a 3kw rapid boil one (inflation @ its best).

 

[slim_boy_fat]

I used to have one of these Bugatti kettles...

I was expecting the bit after the picture to read "but it disappeared over the horizon at a high rate of knots, and I've not seen it since".

I'm aware Bugatti market a wide range of stuff, including clothing. I have an overcoat with their name on it, which I've not worn for years.

 

[Morrisman]

Really? So you don’t actually ‘switch on‘ the kettle?

Thermostatic switch.

 

[premmington]

Interested in this post: I use a kettle at lot!


No really - I am not taking the P###

 

[redlig]

Whats with all this discussion about kettles? Want a cup of something hot in 1&a1/2 minutes with no waisted hot water ? If you've got one use the B****y Microwave.

 

[Seadog]

One cup of water in kettle, switch on for 20 seconds. Job done.