Is it possible to buy a basic stainless steel electric kettle with no water gauge?

[Heathen]

It usually seems to be the water gauge that starts leaking - often onto the on/off switch which has got to be dodgy... So, can anyone recommend a simple, old fashioned electric kettle (although I would prefer one that turns itself off!) that might actually last more than a year? We live in a soft water area so limescale not a problem. Don't care what it looks like, but it needs to be reasonably cheap. Am I being unrealistic? Btw, do you also do that thing of looking at Amazon reviews and even if there are 90% good ones, just a few bad ones will put you off? Or is that just me?

fiL has a Russell Hobbs kettle with no water gauge for exactly that reason.

Ah! Thanks for that BikeRunSki - do you happen to remember which model it is?

I was just about to suggest the dualit one we have had for more than 10yrs without a water gauge , plain and basic and switches off, but it seems they only supply ones with water gauges now
Are kettles now going down the same route as other appliances and now designed to not last?

That's probably the case. Built in obsolescence. It's just pants isn't it? I think the one BikeRunSki was talking about is the Russell Hobbs Oxford but it gets quite mixed reviews - lots of people complaining about the water tasting bad for ages when bought new and lid breaking...