UKC

As my latest electric kettle has just died after a whole 2 months (will be taking back of course), it seems like kettles are pretty much disposable commodities with a life span of 1-2 yrs.

Or can anyone recommend a bomb proof one that lasts a long time?

In reply to djwilse:

Just got rid of a kettle that was still working fine after 20 years. Electrolux.

In reply to djwilse:

I don't buy kettles I inherit them. I'm using a kettle its a "Brita" filter one from about 2005 and its still going strong...and it gets plenty of use

In reply to djwilse:
As with most things we want them cheap, the company wants profit, and the result is poor quality.

Saying this, my last kettle was ancient and the current one is about 4yo

In reply to djwilse:

I'm still using my cheapo Asda £10 fast boil kettle which must be 8-9 years old now. The previous one of a similar quality only got chucked when the seal on the side window started to fail.

In reply to Fraser:

Also got the cheapest fast boil thing available and it boils water and hasn't broken in 5 years. Win

In reply to Fraser:

I think we have now had three kettles fail due to a leaky window, usually just outside the warranty period.

Have actually bought extended warranty on our latest kettle on the expectation that we will get a free repayment at some point within the next five year.

In reply to djwilse:

we've got KitchenAid appliances which seem bombproof. The kettle has adjustable temp settings which is great for coffee.

In reply to djwilse:


Find an old Russell Hobbs K2.

In reply to djwilse:

http://www.agacookshop.co.uk/last-chance.html?quickshop_product_id=475&...

In reply to djwilse:
Had no luck with kettles, of any brand or price range.

But, we can't even recall how old our Rowenta toaster is, it does proudly say made in West Germany on the front though.

In reply to djwilse:

We now have 6 kettles in use at home and in our apartments, and I'd say we probably have around 30 kettle-years of experience since we started here about 8 years ago, so all fairly recent. We don't buy the cheapest, as they're often under-powered, but neither do we buy anything because of its brand name or reputation. Typically, we might pay €25-30 for a kettle.
In that time I don't remember having to replace more than 3 kettles that packed in, thereby giving an average lifespan of around 10 years per bog-standard kettle. I don't think that's too bad really.

In reply to djwilse:


This conclusion has probably been arrived at by a sophisticated statistical technique called Rectal Extraction.

In reply to Jim Fraser:


You get the good old fashioned kettles in some charity shops (tested)
Whether you find a RH K2 I can't say.

In reply to Jim Fraser:

Find an old Russell Hobbs K2.

Are you sure you don't mean a K2R: -

http://www.retrowow.co.uk/retro_collectibles/kitchenalia/russell_hobbs_k2.p...


I hasten to point out, that I'm not a kettle fanatic and simply Googled 'Russell Hobbs K2' to see what it looked like. That's when I found the linked website. What a wonderful thing the Internet is.
Honest, that's what really happened...

In reply to djwilse:
Yep. Got an old, tin one. You stick it on the hob and it whistles a merry tune when it's done.
You can whistle to the Dambusters with it.

In reply to Dave the Rave:

LOL, go on then, how does that go.

Duh du, duuuu duu du du duuuuu, duh du............ or did I miss a Duuuuh out

In reply to Ciro:


For the money, I could probably get a lifetime's supply of cheap plastic kettles. However, that thing does have a certain physical presence.

In reply to bearman68:



You missed out the final whhhhhhuuuhhh as the kettle boiled and the bouncing bomb hit the dam.otherwise flawless

In reply to FactorXXX:



I still have a working K2 that was bought for me by my parents in 1973.


(Morrisons have a broadly similar and fairly simple traditional design in stainless steel selling for £19.)

In reply to Jim Fraser:

I still have a working K2 that was bought for me by my parents in 1973.

Referring to the linked website, K2's were only produced in the 1960's and therefore in all probability you have a K2R.
No harm in that, the K2R is apparently the definitive Russell Hobbs kettle and therefore you've got the best one ever!

Am I really talking about kettles on a Saturday night/Sunday morning? Madness!

In reply to djwilse:

Thanks for all the tips and kettle geekery. Looks like the supermarket own brands are the next try.

In reply to FactorXXX:


Oh dear. A bad case of kettle-geekery. Cup of tea might cure it.

In reply to djwilse:

I can remember taking an old kettle to the handyman to have it repaired when it packed up -- fancy that!

There is no honest reason why kettles should wear out, though. They're essentially water-containers with an element, these days, the fact that they break is sinful and I'd bet by design.