(no subject)

[the_rck]

I was putting together an Amazon order last night and was $10 short of getting free shipping, so I asked Scott if there was anything he wanted. (Normally, I'd pull something off of my wishlist, but it's too close to my birthday. Scott's family is already looking at my list, and they might not buy in such a way that items disappear from the list.) He poked around a bit but couldn't find anything he wanted enough to buy. Then he thought of replacing the kettle. We both started looking at listings for kettles on Amazon. Eventually, he gave up and told me it was up to me.

I looked for about an hour last night and have done more poking around today. I can't find anything that I really like. Some are obviously badly designed based on the photographs. Others had bad reviews that put me off (all of the ones I looked at closely have more good reviews than bad reviews. It's just that I give more weight to bad reviews than to the glowing ones. The bad ones tend to come after more extended use while the glowing ones are often given in the first glow of new ownership).

Corrosion seems to be a common problem so is parts melting or breaking. All of the stainless steel kettles are made in China. The enameled kettles can't be heated too hot (the specific problem seems to be with glass topped stoves and the kettles destroying the stove surface. We have a gas stove). The specific enameled kettle that appealed to me, however, had Paula Deen's name on it, and I don't want to give her money.

Right now, I'm leaning toward the OXO Good Grips Pick Me Up Teakettle. One of the middling reviewers notes that the company replaced their kettle for free when it broke. There is a review that indicates that there may be issues using it with gas burners if the burner is too large. At least, I think that's what the review is talking about. I'm hopeful that that wouldn't be an issue with our stove, but I'm hesitating. I don't want the spout cover melting. It's also not quite as large as I'd like. Still, 1.8 quarts is enough water for four cups of tea at once (my mug is large and takes two cups of water at a go), and that's all we need.

I do wish I thought we could get an electric kettle. We just have no spare counter or cupboard space. Our kitchen is not very large. It's not teeny tiny, of course, but it is overfull. We keep the bread machine and the toaster oven in the dining room because there's no room in the kitchen. (Before Cordelia, the bread machine lived in her current room, on the floor.)

Comments

[kyrielle]

I don't know the brand of mine - it's not OXO's - but it has a similar structure. Mine has a handle that goes all the way down on both sides; I'd worry with the OXO one about my hand slipping off the end of the handle. Especially if - despite the no-heat claims - it gets a little warm. (Mine isn't supposed to, but it does - not hot enough to burn, but warm enough to be unpleasant, if it's been boiling longer than a couple seconds. Sometimes the kids have me too busy to come right away.)

On the other hand, the OXO has one of the things I most love about mine - the big opening at the top for refilling it. I was appalled to encounter ones that the only opening is the spout. (Scott apparently learned on them; he habitually fills ours through the spout anyway.)

Hmm. Also, ours has a cap you have to lift off the spout. I checked to OXO - the spout opens when you lift it. I wouldn't want the spout open while I was carrying it somewhere, not around two small fry. It'd be nice to have a clever trigger I could easily pull, but not to have it do it when I lifted it.

[the_rck]

The kettle we currently have has a handle a lot like the OXO has, including opening when lifted. Well, it's possible to lift it without it coming open, but one has to do it very, very carefully. I also habitually use a washcloth when I pick it up because I can't tolerate a hot handle.

What I'm looking for out of the OXO is a kettle that will whistle and that won't spit when it pours. Our current kettle won't whistle (it's supposed to, but it never has), and it spits and bubbles heavily when I pour. A lot of water goes all over the counter instead of into the cup.

Cordelia's ten, and I'm not at all likely to have another child (I turn 47 this year), so I'm not worried from that angle. Under other circumstances, I'd hesitate. Our kitchen is also set up that I'm only going about six inches from burner to mug.

Though part of me kind of wishes I did have another little one to worry about...

[cinderly.livejournal.com]

I've had that OXO kettle (the white enamel version) for years. It's held up really well for us. Our use is moderate (heat water for tea 3-4 times per week, 10 or so months per year).

I also have an electric kettle, at work. I prefer my stovetop one. Probably because my electric kettle is plastic.

[the_rck]

The Amazon reviews seem to indicate that the newer OXO kettles aren't quite as good as the older ones. Still, I have high hopes for this one. It'll get used daily, possibly more than once a day.