Breville USA BKE595XL The Crystal Clear Electric Kettle

CUSTOMER REVIEW



I hope I can be forgive for my terrible pun. Let me start off by saying I've decided to start consistently reviewing what I purchase from Amazon because I find so many reviews are 1 or 5 stars and really don't get into the fine details of the pros and cons of a product. Very few things are complete garbage, and conversely there isn't much out there that's totally perfect. So now that I have my little disclaimer out of the way...



This kettle looks wonderful. The design is elegant and it looks great staying out on the kitchen counter with other oft used items like a juicer, toaster or coffee maker. To facilitate this Breville has recessed the base of the unit to allow you to conveniently wind the cord to the ideal length for your needs so the unit looks aesthetically pleasing without miles of cord sticking out.



The kettle functions perfectly. There are clearly marked measurements on the side of the jug to avoid overfilling. These should be carefully adhered to because this kettle gets the water to a rolling boil quickly and if you've overfilled it some splashing will occur.



The slow opening lid is a nice touch because you don't end up with a rush of steam attacking you upon opening it. Also it sits nicely on the base without the click in feature some other kettles have. This is a plus in my book because when a kettle clicks into it's base sometime when you pick it up the base comes with it. This will never be a problem with this kettle.



Onto the things I dislike.



First off no bells or whistles, literally. There is no audio indication that the kettle has finished boiling. For the $99 price tag I don't think it's too much to ask for even a little bell activated by the switch flipping to the off position at the end of it's cycle.



Secondly a major reason I purchased this kettle is that it's not constructed of plastic. BPA is a major health concern these days and obviously with glass we don't have to worry about that. Breville specifically states that no parts that come in contact with water contain BPA but I'm now uncomfortable with the thought of plastic and hot water together. This shouldn't be a problem with this glass kettle except that there is a sediment filter in front of the spout made of plastic and wire mesh. I'm sure, just as advertised, this part is BPA free but we are constantly finding out new and horrific things about the safety of plastics and I'd simply rather avoid the issue all together. The filter IS removable but the directions mention numerous times that it should NOT be removed and it's required for proper kettle operation. Not being any kind of engineer I can't imagine why this is but I'd hate to find out the hard way.



All in all this is a great product. The price is good, the look is great and the functionality nearly superb. I'd recommend it to anyone who likes to make tea, oatmeal or ramen regularly and quickly.