Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I previously reviewed a different kettle made by Kitchenaid (KitchenAid KEK1722SX 1.7-Liter Electric Kettle with LED Display - Brushed Stainless Steel) and find that this one is equally nice, but for different reasons. This model is slightly smaller, has fewer features (like electronic temp display, stay-warm function, etc), but it also boils water faster, has a nicer spout and handle, and has a unique, old-fashioned design that will look great on any counter. Below I will go into slightly more depth about its features, always trying to compare it to the other Kitchenaid kettle, which is now at about the same price point. BE SURE TO CHECK OUT MY PICS FOR MORE EXPLANATION OF FEATURES. ►' When I first opened the package, my very first thought is that this kettle looks better than the 1.7 liter KitchenAid. But the design is functional as well as pretty. The curved handle is made of very thick, well formed stainless steel and does not cut into fingers; it actually feels really nice in the hand. The spout, too, pours better than the 1.7L owing to the full cylindrical design. The lid is very solidly made, but also comes off without too much struggle (unlike some others of this design that I've used). The on/off switch is beautiful (see my pic) if that is possible. And the shape of the kettle itself is very nice and ensures maximum capacity despite taking up little space. Overall I give ergonomics the highest possible rating for this kettle. Outstanding! '► This kettle can heat a full pot of 1.25L in just under 5 minutes, making it slightly faster than the 1.7L KitchenAid (which took about 8 minutes to boil 1.7L). Obviously the time will vary depending on the temp of your tap water and inside air temperature. I think the faster boil time of the 1.25L is a result of the heating unit design (exposed instead of under bottom), which maximizes contact with the water. This does make it a bit louder, however (although not too bad). '► The top opening of the 1.25L is super big and can probably fit all but the very biggest hands. This makes it very easy to clean. Well done, Kitchenaid! ►' I have months and months of hard use with the removable scale filter and I'm a big fan. Yes, it does contain plastic, but it's a minimal amount, and the scale filter really does work. It also lasts a long time. Where we live, given the high lime content of tap water, I would much rather have a scale filter with a tiny bit of plastic than be drinking huge amounts of lime flakes every time I make a cup of tea. If you don't like it, you could probably remove the whole thing from the inside (even if that meant damaging the filter parts beyond repair). '► The cord is nice. It's actually designed to wrap/unwrap around the bottom, so you can let out lots of cord for a long reach, or wrap it up once or twice to keep the cord from cluttering your counter. Nice touch. '► Be warned that the kettle is NOT insulated and will get very hot to the touch. This is pretty standard for kettles and not a complaint of mine, but if you were looking for an insulated one, keep looking. Overall this is a very nice kettle and wins big points for having great ergonomics and a solid, no-frills design. It lacks the features of the 1.7L KitchenAid kettle I already owned, such as the ability to heat to certain temperatures, the temp readout, and the stay-warm feature. But it makes up for this with a very good design. Because it has so few electronics, I expect this to be the kind of kettle that lasts forever and just keeps on working and working and working. It will be the new kettle in my office. I'm sure my college students will comment on how cool it is!