I appreciated the keep-warm function too, though I do think this feature could be improved. It automatically maintains the water temperature for 15 minutes, but only if you haven’t poured any out. If you’ve already helped yourself to a cup, you’ll need to hit boil again. I’d have preferred to manually select this setting, which would have been handy for those mornings where one coffee just isn't enough.
In terms of speed, it’s decent - not the fastest, but certainly not the slowest. At full capacity (1.7L), it took 3 minutes, 24 seconds to reach boiling, while the minimum two cups boiled in just 1 minute, 11 seconds. The Quiet Boil technology keeps things fairly peaceful overall, though I noticed it can be noisy at the start of each cycle.
The kettle’s 'calm' theme goes beyond just looks too. It plays soft music while heating, which sounds charming at first (and slightly like on-hold music later), but you can turn it off completely if you prefer silence. I liked having that flexibility.
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Russell Hobbs Calm Kettle: design and style
With its frosted glass body, white handle and copper accents, the Calm Kettle looked chic and high-end on my modern kitchen counter. It also fitted in perfectly next to my dual air fryer too - the white version of the Ninja Double Stack XL - making it a stylish pairing for a coordinated kitchen setup.
My favourite feature, though, is the six colour-changing lights, which add a lovely glow, especially on dark winter mornings or late-night tea breaks.