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Argh! A kettle that doesn't need replacing every year (or 2)??

48 replies

stirling · 19/03/2023 20:48

Hello
Not only is it costing me a fortune but feeling so guilty regularly throwing kettles away. I have tried investing in a decent one, tried cheap ones. Any suggestions please? Pref stainless steel interior and no plastic anywhere inside incl the heating coil.
I'm in a hard water area, very hard actually. Clean with vinegar and sometimes wonder if its this that causes the deterioration...?
TIA


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OP posts:
Namechangeforthis88 · 19/03/2023 21:50

Do you put one of those wire balls in? That might help. When we lived in hard water areas we didn't have a big problem with kettle life span.

CuriouslyDifferent · 19/03/2023 21:51

Delonghi, approaching 15 years old, in a very hard water area. Element is not visisble, it’s beneath a plate at the bottom which is why I think it’s lasted so much. I bought it because it was red.

descale about once every 3 months or when I can see a film across the tea.

Tidypidy · 19/03/2023 21:53

We have vvv hard water! I use liquid descaler once a month and only replace kettle every 4-5 years.

MonumentalLentil · 19/03/2023 22:32

I was going to buy a Dualit kettle until I read the reviews. Newer ones don't seem to last and people have problems with getting them repaired/being charged a lot.

I also read that the plastic ones were disintegrating after a while, degrading apparently due to what they were made of.

I was replacing a Bosch which was a nice looking kettle, press button lid etc. But if you removed the filter to clean it, no way would it go back in place. The lid didn't open fully so filling was a pain and it didn't last long. Only had it because the One Cup dispenser blew up.

I researched every kettle on Amazon that had the water gauge at the side rather than under the handle where you couldn't see it, and none of the ones without one at all as I like to know I am boiling the amount I need.

Many of them were reported to leak or stop working, the glass ones leaked (my neighbour had one that she paid a lot (to her) for and she was so proud of, she buys well known names. Not long after that she had replaced it with a basic kettle as it broke.

It is impossible to buy a kettle you like the look of, in the right colour, with a stainless steel interior (they are rare) that is good quality (not cheap tin) and a warranty that is honoured.

So many of them were rubbish that I gave up and got one from a supermarket basic range. I am happy with it and it matches my 15 year old value toaster.

stirling · 19/03/2023 22:34

so glad i put this question out, a big thank you to all the suggestions. About to look some of them up now. Thanks also for the tip about being certain to empty the kettle after use. And I must admit once or twice I didnt dilute the vinegar as the scale was so thick, maytbe that caused the damage...

OP posts:
stirling · 19/03/2023 22:35

forgot about the wire balls - thanks!

OP posts:
Heronatemygoldfish · 19/03/2023 22:53

Stupidly hard water here too. We have a 3.5 yo Bosch that is the same as our previous kettle. That only got replaced because it started leaking from the water indicator panel. I make sure I descale it regularly using kilrock which is brilliant and only takes 5 minutes. Can replace perished filters too.

Going a bit left field, if you really want something eco, get a steel Kelly kettle and boil water with collected bits of dry wood or old cardboard boxes, but you do have to use it outside and there's definitely a knack in using it! We have one for camping, but boil it at home for large pots of tea which with a good cosy then stay hot all morning. Or anything needing a lot of hot water like soup or pasta. and it's fun

Pestispeeved · 19/03/2023 23:04

I live at the bottom of a chalk hill, or water is pretty much the hardest in the country. We used to get through kettles like nobodies business ( including Dualit) Then we got a water filter ecode-store.com/en/eco-3150-torre-jarra-de-agua-purificadora-8-sistemas-de-filtrado-filtro-ceramico-carbon-piedras-naturales-aqua-filter-tower-152.html now I am stuck with B&Ms cheapest chartreuse green kettle that was bought as a dare and has lasted four years.

User963 · 19/03/2023 23:10

We live in a soft water area and our kettles don’t last so don’t think it’s necessarily the hard water.

MrsMoastyToasty · 19/03/2023 23:13

Don't re-boil water . Calcium carbonate (limescale) precipitates out of solution at 60°c.

ReallyShouldBeDoingSomethingElse · 19/03/2023 23:46

I had enough of crap kettles too. I now have a lovely le Creuset stove top kettle that I admire every time I use it.

Ariela · 20/03/2023 01:03

whirlyhead · 19/03/2023 20:55

I have a 10 year old dualit classic that is still happily trundling along. I don’t live in a hard water area though.

Mine must be almost that old too, but I do live in a hard water area.

Ariela · 20/03/2023 01:04

CuriouslyDifferent · 19/03/2023 21:51

Delonghi, approaching 15 years old, in a very hard water area. Element is not visisble, it’s beneath a plate at the bottom which is why I think it’s lasted so much. I bought it because it was red.

descale about once every 3 months or when I can see a film across the tea.

I had 2 Delonghi, one after the other about 15 years ago., Lasted less than 2 years each

Samanabanana · 20/03/2023 01:08

My dualit one is in its 11th year and still going strong!

MissVantaBlack · 20/03/2023 07:41

Don't buy an Ascot kettle! They are entirely stainless steel, but the switch to turn it on started turning itself off within a few months of purchase, and now I have to balance a book against it for the whole time it's on (and hang around to remove the book as soon as it boils, because it obviously doesn't switch itself off either). Looking at Amazon reviews, this seems to be a common problem with Ascot, unfortunately.

SquidwardBound · 20/03/2023 07:43

I’ve got a delonghi that’s about 11 years old and going strong too.

gogohmm · 20/03/2023 07:46

My reduced to clear Russell Hobbs kettle (half price down to £25 from £50) is still going strong 9 years later.

For people working from home, I suspect your kettle is getting more use than mine though

spelunky · 20/03/2023 07:46

Try a kettle with a built in filter like this one

BatshitCrazyWoman · 20/03/2023 12:22

I have a supermarket cheapie, had it about 5 years. Previous kettles have lasted decades. I'm in a hard water area.

ZeroFuchsGiven · 20/03/2023 12:26

I have a whistling kettle, literally nothing in it that can 'go wrong'.

HistoryOrHistrionics · 20/03/2023 12:32

I had the same problem and frustration! I bought two or three dualits over the last 10 years, as well as much cheaper ones: all failed me.

I bought a Sage Soft Touch a few months ago and it is going strong. I feel very optimistic that I've finally found a long lasting kettle.

www.costco.co.uk/Appliances/Small-Kitchen-Appliances/Kettles-Toasters/Sage-Soft-Top-Pure-17L-Kettle-in-Brushed-Stainless-Steel-SKE700BSS/p/700855

toastofthetown · 20/03/2023 12:34

I’ve had a Sage Smart Kettle for about four years and it’s still as good as new.

Moogoopixie · 23/10/2023 01:28

A asda kettle still amazing after 4 years cost Me £25 lol

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