Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

After the cheapo plastic kettle died, I investigated multiple other high-end electric kettles, including Cuisinart, Chef' Choice, Krups, Braun by reading reviews on-line and comparing them @ the local bricks & mortar stores. The Breville is clearly the best designed one for the money. Pros: - clean, beautiful design which is also easier to clean. - hefty, substantial base unit with place to wrap around the cord - boils quickly in 4 min. for full 1.5 L - more substantial kettle than more expensive models by Chef's Choice or Cuisinart. The Chef's Tools electric kettle @ the same price point looked flimsier. In fact, the floor model Chef's Choice kettle was no longer closing or opening its lid properly-- always a bad sign when a floor model falls apart. - modest yet easily audible "ping" sound when the water has come to a boil, and the kettle shuts off automatically. - the outlet is easy to pull due to the hollow center design Cons: - heavy kettle. - occasionally, there's a metallic taste in reboiled water if the water was left inside the kettle for several hours. However, the water tastes fine if you boil a pot from freshly filled water. Overall, clearly the pros outweigh the cons. We're heavy users of the electric kettle, especially in the winter, boiling water for teas, soups at least 4-5x per day. We'll report back again in a yr after the warranty expires. UPDATE > 1 yr after post (4/6/08): The Breville Ikon is still going strong. The water seems to be taking a slightly longer time to boil. We still use it 3-4 times per day, and it works well. UPDATE 12/19/11: Kettle still going strong. We still use it 2-3x/day, and it still works great. Wow. Worth every cent. UPDATE 1/12/14: We love it and still use it up to 5-6x/day. We take it with us when we travel. We couldn't be happier with this kettle which is still going strong after 8 years of rigorous use. I would love a mini model of this to take for traveling.