Russell Hobbs Brushed Stainless Steel & Black Electric 1.7L Cordless Kettle (Fast Boil 3KW, Removable washable anti-scale filter, Push to open lid, Perfect pour spout) 20441

This is an excellent and thoughtfully-designed kettle. It seems like the sort of appliance which is the result of a long evolutionary process of improvements to make it safer and easier to use. It seems to have been designed from the inside out by experienced people, rather than being something designed to look good but that falls short in practice.The centre-coupled base is solid and stays in place when lifting the kettle up and down, and the kettle slots into the connector with effortless ease, and from any angle, every time I put it on. This has not always been my experience with other kettles. The kettle feels solid and well-balanced whether empty or full. The handle is substantial and has a nice grip for me - full-sized man with large hands.Some features which stand out are: the pouring spout gives a really nice and accurate flow of boiling water. Never any spills. It also seems to have a safety feature in that no matter if you tip the kettle all the way over while pouring, the amount of water that comes out is always the same. I've had kettles that splash the water our too quickly if you're not careful: this one is very safe in this respect. It would be good for people with shaky hands for this reason. The lid pops up very nicely: wide open for filling, and then when you go to put the lid back down, the centre of the lid is a plastic disc, so if you're filling multiple kettles, the metal lid will not burn you when you close it after subsequent fillings.The on switch is a broad illuminated and textured tab at the base of the handle. I find I've occasionally switched it on inadvertently when wiping the countertop, but you see the light go on and it's easy just to flick it back up. It's a good size switch and has a reassuring click on and click off. Probably people with vision impairment would like that big switch. Nice.You can relatively easily see the level via the plastic window on the side. Also there are three red tabs inside the kettle so you can precisely measure out just one single cup if you want to save on electricity.It heats up very fast. It's noisy at first but after the water starts to get hot it quietens down. I don't mind the noise. I like a noisy kettle. Sounds reassuring. (At least you are never in any doubt that it's on.)Some reviews have mentioned a label that leaves a mark on the stainless steel after being pulled off. I had the label, it left the mark, but after a few days of use (perhaps the heat helped) and a few very casual wipes with some bog standard supermarket kitchen spray on a microfibre cloth, the label mark isn't there at all. I didn't even have to put any effort into removing it. (And I detest label marks so would have been the person to spend all night trying to get it off.)There's a little filter in the spout for calcium etc. deposits. I live in London and the water is full of that stuff, so the filter is starting to get cloudy. I can see there's a convenient thumb tab to remove it. Doubtless it would be clear again after spending the night in a shot glass of vinegar.Our previous kettle was one of those ubiquitous white plastic ones. It was rubbish. I'm glad it died, because this one is just great. I would not change a thing about this kettle.:)

My kettle blew a fuse recently, so I needed a replacement urgently. I'm delighted with this. A great design, with interesting details such as the on/off switch. Makes a bit of a noise initially but that's no problem for me. Solid & stable.Boils rapidly.

I trust the Russell Hobbs brand and always find their kettles to be reliable and of good quality.I’m giving four stars and not five because the style of on/off switch on the kettle has broken on our last two similar kettles (each time just outside the 24 month extended guarantee period), rendering otherwise perfectly working kettles useless. (The last Kettle was Russell Hobbs and the one before a different brand but with similar style switches). It is also very noisy when heating up.What I love is the easy opening lid for filling and the fantastic poring spout. It’s also a cool design which looks good on the worktop.I chose it because the price was good and it was made by a manufacturer I trust.

Very good and quiet kettle. Very lightweight and quick to boil. Looks good as well with all the stainless steel I have in my kitchen.Really good item.

Robust and works well. Good price

I bought this to replace an almost identical one that had been damaged on the base electrical connection. We had that kettle about 3 years so it was fair wear considering the everyday use. I really like the style, ease with which it can be filled and the speed it takes to boil. Maybe a little noisy but I’m not concerned about that. I also purchased it at a great price.

Have had this type of kettle several times as it was once a very quiet kettle. Alas this one makes a lot of noise when starting to boil water. Otherwise a good kettle at a keen price

Good, works well ,but a little noisy