Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I am relatively new to the tea scene (my wife and I started drinking Teavana teas about a year ago) and as such I have been searching for a really good kettle. I wanted an electric kettle because of their ease of use as well as the extra features some of the nicer kettles offer. After an exhaustive search I decided upon the Breville SK500XL Ikon Stainless-Steel Electric Kettle based in no small part to the excellent reviews it has received on Amazon and other sites.
I went to a few stores to examine it in person and compare it to about ten other electric kettles that the different stores carried but nothing seemed to come close to the design and quality of the Breville. So after finally making my decision, it was simply a matter of time before I made my purchase. I am very glad I waited as within 2 weeks this new Breville kettle was released. While still substantially costlier than the SK500XL, the BKE820XL has a number of features and design improvements that made the extra cost more than worth it. These include:
- Multiple temperature settings (different teas require different temperature water for an optimally brew) with 20 minute hold
- Improved water level indicators now on both sides (the single water level indicator on the SK500XL is behind the handle which makes it hard to read)
I've only had my BKE820XL a few days (I purchased it from a local store) so I cannot speak to its long term reliability yet, if it is anything like the SK500XL, I don't expect to have any problems.
Oh yeah, and the tea I've made in the last few days is easily the best I've ever brewed! Yay!
UPDATE 1/2/2009: I've had the BKE820XL for over a month now and I still love it! The only thing I've found that I would critique is:
- After you are done boiling water for the day, you need to either dry out the lid by hand or leave the lid open for a few hours to let the water evaporate (from the lid where it collects). I am concerned that not doing this might lead to issues down the road.
Even with that, I am still overjoyed with my purchase (which I use at least 5 times a week) and highly recommend it to anyone in search of a quality electric kettle.
UPDATE 3/12/2009 - Nothing much to report except that my wife and I are continuing to use our kettle mutliple times a week and are extremely happy with it. It has a permanent place on our counter! :)
UPDATE 09/26/2010 - Just wanted to pop on and provide a quick update. We have had this kettle almost 2 years now and have yet to have any issues with it (fingers crossed). We have used it at least once a week (if not a lot more) pretty much without fail and are still very happy with it. At this point if something were to go wrong with it, we wouldn't hesitate to purchase another one. Highly recommended. :)
UPDATE 09/30/2010 - A commenter chastised me a bit for not mentioning the BPA controversy in my review. As I mentioned in my reply to her, I would caution everyone to be sure to read the actual scientific papers or publications that are as unbiased as possible. I find a great source for all things scientific to be Arstechnica.com. They have a great way of breaking down complex topics in ways that non-scientific types (like myself) can really understand and absorb (see this BPA article as an example: [...]).
If you don't want to wait for a conclusive link between BPA and health issues (of which there has not been one to date that I am aware of), I can completely understand and sympathize. If I had an infant I would definitely be doing all I could to minimize their BPA intake. Still, with that said I would ask that anyone concerned by this or other health issues please try to represent the facts in your arguments and not the hype; this allows others to make their own, informed decisions as well.
Click Here to see more reviews about: Breville BKE820XL Variable-Temperature 2-Quart Kettle
A great gift idea for that tea-lover on the list, this variable-temperature kettle brings water to the perfect brewing temperature for a variety of favorite beverages, including the four major types of teas and French press coffee. Simply fill the kettle with up to 2 quarts of water and return it to its 360-degree stainless-steel directional base. Then make a selection from its clearly marked push-button control panel. The kettle's five pre-set brewing temperatures include 175 degrees F (80 degrees C) for green tea, 185 degrees F (85 degrees C) for white tea, 195 degrees F (90 degrees C) for oolong tea, 200 degrees F (93 degrees C) for French press, and 212 degrees F (100 degrees C) for boiling water and making black tea. A "Hold Temp" button keeps the heated water at the selected temperature for 20 minutes, so it's ready for that second cup. For added convenience, the "Hold Temp" function can be activated anytime--before, during, or after reaching the chosen temperature. The unit comes equipped with a 1500-watt heating element for fast results, as well as boil-dry protection with auto shut-off to prevent the kettle from heating without water inside. Other highlights include a stay-cool easy-grip handle, a nondrip pour spout, clear water-level indicators on both sides of the kettle--great for left- and right-handed users, a removable scale filter, and brushed stainless-steel housing. Adding both style and function to any busy kitchen, the electric kettle measures 7-1/2 by 9-1/2 by 11 inches.
Buy cheap Breville BKE820XL Variable-Temperature 2-Quart Kettle now.
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