Breville BKE820XL IQ Kettle Water Heater, 7 Cup, Brushed Stainless Steel

For tea aficionados, this is a must have. Has individual settings for different kinds of tea. Heats up very quickly, has an easy to view window to see how much water is inside, easy to clean, doesn't leak, and doesn't rust either.

I purchased this kettle in December 2009 from Amazon after owning several other kettles. The other kettles did the job of boiling water but I was tired of using a thermometer for making green tea. I got the Breville Lift And Look toaster as a gift and was impressed with the thoughtfulness of the design, so I included Breville in my search for a new kettle, even though it was pricey (at least three times what I was looking to spend). I wanted something for green tea, coffee (love the keep-warm feature), and for various jobs like making jello, hummingbird food, getting a jump on boiling a pot of pasta water, and filling the dishpan with hot water rather than letting the faucet run and waste water. Even though I initially questioned myself for spending this much, the investment paid off because we utilize all the features and put it to heavy use morning and night. We also like the lighted buttons that are easy for large man-fingers, hideaway cord feature, the fact that the base does not skid on the counter, and the plug with the big hole to easily unplug it with no strain on the power cord. We have no problems with build-up, even after 2-1/2 years, because we use nothing but filtered water in it. (We keep several tap water filtering pitchers on the counter at all times.)In 2011, I started having intermittent problems with the kettle leaking. Also, the kettle would occasionally keep boiling and not shut off, but this may have been due to water leaking into the electronic base. Upon careful examination, it seemed that the water was coming out from the handle somewhere. I worked around the problem by taking the kettle off the base and setting it on a folded kitchen towel immediately after each use, and unplugging the kettle for safety reasons. The plug's design (big hole for finger in the center) ensures that constant plugging and unplugging doesn't put wear on the power cord, helping to avoid further problems or safety issues. After removing the leaky kettle from the base daily, the electronic problems stopped.A few days ago, I had a pretty big flood from the kettle and heard a rattle. When I looked inside, I saw that one of the screws holding the handle on had fallen off completely. Time for a new kettle. The less-expensive variable-temp Cuisin*rt PerfecT*mp looks like a nice alternative, but I was concerned about the electronics being up in the handle where I could easily ruin them with water, instead of on a base away from the sink. Since I love this kettle and it does everything I want (and the price has gone down), I decided to re-purchase it. When I looked inside the new kettle, they had redesigned the way the handle is attached... no screws to fail (probably the source of the leak). I am packing the old kettle and base away for a spare in an emergency.There are less expensive variable-temp kettles out there of good quality and design. However, this one has become my favorite, I have the matching toaster, and I have a spare base now.UPDATE as of 10-02-2012: So far I've had no problems with my second kettle. I still unplug it daily just in case, and I'm still hanging on to the previous base. I'm a fan, but a cautious fan who puts safety first.UPDATE as of 01-15-2013: Still no problems.UPDATE as of 09-04-2013: Still no problems.

This unit is perfect for us as it is easy to handle, looks great and does its job as intended! We looked at other top rated units, but some had the control in the handle which made it larger to grasp. This unit has a manageable handle and is lighter as the controls are in the base. Quickly heats a full tank of water. Upright style takes less counter space than our old kettle type.Hopefully it will continue to operate as well over the coming years?

Love this electric kettle and use it every day. I like that there are different settings for temperature for tea and coffee. Beeping is minimal and useful.

I looked at just about every single electric kettle and all their reviews. The general consensus with reviewers seemed to be the Cuisinart model with this a close second, their main reasoning being this was more expensive. I am willing to pay slightly more for real quality and my mother has had the same Breville kettle for over six years now and it is still perfect. Hers doesn't have temp control, just straight forward boil. I wanted the variable temp feature for my tea habit and went with this one. Really like it. Looks super sharp, super easy to use, boiled quickly and all the different tea temperatures are accounted for. Two small qualms I have with it. The windows for water level aren't lit. I know its minor but my mother's has a light and I rather like the look of it. When it's heating it's lit, when it's done it dings and the light goes off...a silly cosmetic feature with some practical use (you can see it across the room at night) but I like it. This one's buttons light up which can also be seen. My main problem was with the lid. It has a slow opening lid which prevents steam or hot water hitting the user. Mine just never really sealed shut. It would clamp closed but stay open around the edges on one side as if warped. I highly doubt they are all like this which is why I still have five stars. Get one yourself, try it, but I had to return it and will try out the Cuisinart. Whenever that one dies I will go back to Breville and see what they have out then, they are a quality company.