Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I drink tea every morning. Until a couple weeks ago, I was heating water in the microwave every morning. Then my brother-in-law informed me that was the least efficient way to heat water, I did some research and found he was right. I was very excited to get this electric kettle. I looked for one that could be lifted off the corded base, had an auto-shut-off, boiled water quickly so I could get out the door quickly in the morning, was not expensive, and did not have plastic in contact with the water that could leech BPA or other dangerous chemicals. I took a chance on this one based on what I saw and read here. In most ways, this kettle works great. There's a light indicating when it's on, it heats 16 oz of water in a little over two minutes, is easy to handle, use, and pour. The plastic locking lid is a little awkward sometimes, just pushing it down does not always close it tightly, sometimes you have to pull the lock back with your finger at the same time. But on the bottom of the box there is the California Proposition 65 warning (from the 1980s) that this product is made with chemicals known by the State of California to cause cancer or infertility. Ok, fine -- which chemicals and are they going to leech into the water or are they say just on the lid or handle? I was unable to find any explanation or answer to that question. On top of that, there is a strong odor inside this electric kettle when it gets hot. It is strong enough that if you boil water, pour the water out, open the lid, put your nose up to the top and take a deep breath, you will recoil a bit. It's not a disgusting or especially bad odor. I'm not able to identify what the source is, whether it's from hot plastic, or hot silicone, or something else. But in combination with the chemical warning (and I'm glad to be warned if it's not safe), I'm not willing to risk my health on a cheap electric kettle that might not be safe for the daily long-term use I intended for it. I am trying to return the kettle. Since it was sold by an Amazon partner instead of Amazon proper, I am still waiting to hear whether that's possible and how to do so. --- UPDATE --- Thank you for your comment. They accepted my return request within a few days.