Morphy Richards Cassini Kettle review: “isn't as great as it looks”

RRP at time of testing: £60 | Check price at Amazon, Currys or Morphy Richards

Our verdict

The Morphy Richards Cassini kettle looks like the sort of appliance that’ll make you feel briefly optimistic about your kitchen. Sleek geometric texture? Matte finish? Matching toaster? Suddenly your cluttered worktop resembles a Pinterest board instead of the aftermath of a breakfast rush.

Thankfully, it isn’t all style over substance. During a month of daily testing, Nicola found the Cassini quick to boil, lightweight to stacks up, and the matte finish gives it a more premium look than many similarly priced kettles.

But once the novelty wears off, the practical frustrations become harder to ignore. When you’re making your fifth cup of tea of the day while simultaneously packing swimming bags and shouting “where are your Crocs?” at your kids, you want something straightforward to use.

It's a lovely design, and looks true to what's advertised

That’s where the Cassini falls slightly short. The lack of a clear water level indicator quickly becomes irritating, especially if you’re only boiling enough for one mug. The base setup feels surprisingly fiddly at first, limescale build-up is noticeable in hard water areas and, despite the stylish appearance, the plastic construction doesn’t quite justify the £60 price tag.

That said, there are still things it does well. It’s comfortable to hold, noticeably lighter than many metal kettles and the 360-degree base makes it practical for both left and right-handed users. Nicola also loved how it looked in her kitchen, particularly alongside the matching toaster.

Ultimately, this feels like a kettle designed with aesthetics first and practicality second. If you want a stylish appliance that boils quickly and complements your air fryer and toaster, you’ll probably be happy with it. But if ease of use, quieter boiling and better overall value matter more, there are stronger performers available for the same price or less.

How we’ve tested Morphy Richards’ Cassini Kettle

Mum-of-two Nicola tested the Morphy Richards Cassini kettle for one month in her family kitchen, using it once or twice daily for everything from morning coffee to evening cups of tea.

She assessed boiling speed, ease of use, pouring performance and how comfortable it is to handle. She also considered cleaning and maintenance, how noisy it is, the kettle’s build quality and ultimately, whether it’s worth the price. 

While writing this review, I’ve also considered independent testing data from Which? to compare Nicola’s real-world experience against laboratory testing.

Morphy Richards Cassini Kettle: what’s in the box?

Inside the box you’ll find:

• Morphy Richards Cassini kettle

• 360-degree swivel base

• An instruction manual

There’s no complicated setup required. Nicola said she didn’t even need to consult the instructions initially: “It was straight forward, I didn't need to look at the instructions.”

Although the base itself turned out to be less straightforward than expected. Read on for more.

Unboxing is easy and there's no complicated set up

First impressions of the Morphy Richards Cassini Kettle

The Cassini makes an excellent first impression. The textured geometric finish looks smart and contemporary, especially compared to the sea of shiny chrome kettles that all somehow resemble props from a 2008 kitchen makeover show.

Nicola tested the dark blue “Outer Space” version and was immediately impressed by how well it suited her kitchen: “I love it. It looks so stylish next to the matching toaster and complements my matte kitchen cupboards.”

The kettle also feels noticeably light when picked up. At under 1kg empty, it’s easier to handle than many metal kettles. As Nicola says: “I love the feel of the kettle, it is nice and light, probably because it is plastic.”

That said, Nicola also admitted she would normally avoid plastic kettles altogether because of concerns around microplastics - preferring a glass kettle or stainless steel. So while the lightweight design improves handling, some shoppers may still prefer metal alternatives.

This slightly sums up the Cassini experience overall. It photographs beautifully and looks more premium than many similarly priced kettles, but once you start using it every day, some of the compromises become more obvious. That’s something we’ve found with a few Morphy Richards kettles recently. The brand is very good at creating appliances that look smart on the worktop, even if practicality occasionally takes a back seat.

How quickly does the Morphy Richards Cassini Kettle boil?

This is one area where the Cassini does perform well. Morphy Richards markets it as a rapid boil kettle and, in both real-world and lab testing by Which?, that claim seems justified.

Nicola found it significantly faster than her previous kettle: “It seems to boil quicker than our last kettle.” And she timed a single mug at around 60 seconds, which is quick for everyday use: “It [took] approximately 60 seconds to boil one cup. Which seems to be pretty consistent and [a] good time.”

Independent Which? testing also found it boiled one litre in just under three minutes, giving it strong marks for speed. In fairness to Morphy Richards, rapid boiling is something the brand tends to do consistently well. We found similarly speedy performance from both the Signature and Illumination kettles during previous Mumsnet testing too. 

The downside is noise. The Cassini isn’t remotely subtle while boiling. Which? measured it at around 70 decibels, which is enough to make early-morning tea prep less peaceful than you might hope. Nicola rated the noise levels as average rather than unbearable, but it’s certainly not a quiet kettle. 

One slightly odd quirk is that the kettle continues bubbling for a few seconds before switching off. As Nicola noted: “it does take a few seconds to switch off once boiled.” 

It’s not a dealbreaker, but it does make the boiling cycle feel slightly less refined than pricier competitors.

Despite how it looks, the plastic design of the kettle lets it down

Is the Morphy Richards Cassini Kettle well made?

This is where the Cassini becomes more divisive. Visually, it looks premium. In the hand, opinions may vary. 

Nicola appreciated the lightweight plastic construction because it made the kettle easier to lift and pour from. But she also questioned whether the materials justified the £60 price tag: “I would expect a metal kettle for the price.”

That feels fair. Plenty of kettles at this price point use stainless steel or offer extra features like temperature control. The Cassini keeps things fairly basic.

There were also some concerns around long-term durability. Nicola noticed internal limescale build-up fairly quickly during testing, although she does live in a hard water area: “We have started using filtered water in it as we do have hard water.” The removable limescale filter also sounds less effective than it should be. Which? found it too coarse to stop flakes entering drinks.

Still, structurally the kettle remained reliable throughout testing. No loose parts, faults or breakdowns appeared during the month-long trial.

Is the Morphy Richards Cassini Kettle easy to use? 

Mostly. But not entirely. The actual controls are refreshingly simple. The power switch, lid and 360-degree base are intuitive to operate. Nicola especially liked how easy the kettle was to move around on its circular base: 

“The kettle can be put back and moved around on the base a full 360, so fine for left handed people too.”

Pouring is another strong point. The jug-style design helps the water flow smoothly without dribbling down the spout. She shared: “The jug design helps smooth pouring.”

Unfortunately, several usability frustrations quickly emerged too. The biggest issue is the lack of a clear external water level indicator. This became an ongoing annoyance during testing for Nicola: “Easy to fill the water, but there is no water level indicator. So not very efficient in saving energy.”

Which? also criticised the visibility of the water markings and noted the minimum fill level was relatively high at around 500ml, making single cups less energy-efficient than advertised. Interestingly, this isn’t unique to the Cassini. We noticed similar frustrations with the Signature and Illumination kettles, both of which also prioritise sleek design over especially practical water visibility. 

The base setup also proved awkward initially, as Nicola feedback states: “The wire kept getting caught underneath it and wouldn't sit in the slot evenly at first.”

That may sound minor, but a rocking kettle base becomes surprisingly irritating when you use it every day.

The lid positioning also requires a bit more care than expected, as Nicola explains: “the lid only sits in a certain position so it is a bit fiddly and could be dangerous if not sat in place properly.”

Is the Morphy Richards Cassini Kettle safe to use?

Overall, yes. The handle remains cool during use and Nicola felt comfortable using it in a busy household: “The handle is fine and not hot to touch, so it is safe to use.”

The automatic shut-off function worked reliably during testing, including boil dry protection, as Nicola says: “It does turn off on a dry boil, so the protection works fine.”

The lightweight design may also make it easier and safer for some users to handle compared to heavier metal kettles.

However, the fiddly lid positioning could potentially become an issue if not properly secured before pouring.

Is the Morphy Richards Cassini Kettle easy to clean?

Cleaning is fairly average overall. The textured exterior hides fingerprints and water marks better than glossy finishes, which is helpful in family kitchens where appliances rarely stay pristine for longer than about six minutes.

Internally, though, limescale appears fairly quickly in hard water areas. Nicola noticed build-up within the month-long testing period. The removable filter should theoretically help here, but independent testing by Which?, as explained above, suggests it doesn’t trap finer flakes particularly effectively. Again, that feels fairly consistent with other Morphy Richards kettles we’ve tested. The Illumination kettle also struggled slightly with limescale filtering in hard water areas. 

Nicola rated maintenance as simply “average”, which feels accurate. Not terrible. But not especially impressive either.

Is the Morphy Richards Cassini Kettle good value for money?

This is ultimately where the Cassini kettle struggles most. At around £60, expectations are fairly high. And while the kettle looks premium, many aspects of the experience don’t fully match the price.

Nicola was clear about this throughout testing: “no, if it was cheaper I would, but I feel it is quite basic for the price.”

That’s probably the key issue. Nothing about the Cassini is disastrous. It boils quickly, pours neatly and looks lovely. But for the money, you expect fewer compromises.

That feeling becomes even stronger when you compare it with Morphy Richards’ own Equip kettle, which offers the same 1.7L capacity and rapid boil performance for considerably less money. It’s nowhere near as stylish, admittedly, but it arguably feels like the more sensible buy for busy family kitchens. 

The lack of visible water markings feels especially difficult to justify at this price point, too. Nicola sums this up particularly well: “[the] overall feel [is that it] isn't as great as what it looks like.” Which feels like the most accurate summary of the Cassini overall.

Comparison table: Morphy Richards kettles, tested by Mumsnet

Final verdict: is this the kettle for you?

The Morphy Richards Cassini kettle feels designed with aesthetics firmly at the forefront. Thankfully, it also boils water quickly and pours neatly, which is more than can be said for some style-led appliances.

But once the novelty of the geometric finish wears off, the practical compromises become harder to ignore. The poor water visibility, fiddly setup and relatively basic feature set make the £60 price tag difficult to fully justify.

Still, there’s definitely an audience for it.

It's a good option for you if you:

• care about coordinated kitchen aesthetics

• want a lightweight kettle

• value rapid boiling

• prefer matte modern styling

But if you prioritise:

• premium materials

• quieter boiling

• easier water measurement

• stronger value for money

Nicola herself ultimately said she wouldn’t personally buy the kettle at full price, despite liking the appearance and boiling speed. That says quite a lot.

About the author

Rebecca Roberts (aka Beccy) is our resident lifestyle expert with a practical focus on sleep, wellness and everyday comfort. She’s equally at home tackling frank, NSFW‑adjacent topics as she is road‑testing kitchen appliances, mattresses and vacuums that work for real parents. As a mum of two, she writes with the time‑poor, sleep‑deprived in mind - honest product reviews, realistic routines and products that make parents’ lives easier.

When she’s not at her desk, she’s probably product‑testing with her two helpers, corralling a PTA or walking her two dogs up and down country lanes.

About Mumsnet reviews

All Mumsnet product reviews are written by real parents after weeks of hands-on testing. We never accept payment for coverage, and our verdicts are independent and honest. We may earn a small commission through affiliate links, which helps fund our work - but it never influences our opinions.

All prices are correct at the time of writing.

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