Cuisinart Soho 1 Liter Double Wall Electric Kettle, Black

My kettle arrived yesterday and I love that it actually comes to the boils pretty quickly and doesn't sound like a jet engine either, which is very nice in comparison with other makes I've had since being in the US. I'm originally from the UK so I'm an avid tea drinker and use my kettle every day. It was advertised as being black, but it's not a deep black and is a grayish black next to my other black appliances that I have in my kitchen but that's ok. I like that's its small and only holds 1L of water, so it's not heavy to lift once it's boiled. The lid opening tab is really nice being on the side of the handle is a plus as my old kettle had it on the centre of the lid, which would make it hot if you wanted to open it soon after boiling, this may seem strange, but our stove takes forever to boil water for pasta so I boil the water in the kettle and pour it in the pot, but obviously if I need a lot of water I have to boil the kettle more than once. It seems well made so I think it will last a long time. I'm very happy and would definitely recommend it.

I had my electric kettle for nearly 20 years and it worked well. But it became very loud when in use. I went on the hunt for a new, quiet one. I wanted a brand with a good reputation and did a good job. I went through a few different kettles. This one fits the bill. It is basic with a nice satin black finish and double wall so it is never hot to touch. Lid flips open to easily fill and clean the inside. A little loud at first but settles down once it is rolling. I would have liked to have 8 cups but this works fine and makes enough.

The lid only opens to 45-50 degrees. If you gently push it further, you can get to about 60 degrees but risk overextending and possibly breaking the hinge. If you have large hands, I'd suggest buying a small and flexible bottle brush for cleaning. I have another 1 liter kettle that opens 90-95 degrees. This makes cleaning and filling easier, just one less minor annoyance in life. It boiled 1 liter of room temp water in 5 minutes, 12 seconds. Advertised power is 1200 watts. According to what I've read, par for 1 liter kettles. Three uses in and there were already white mineral stains on the bottom of the kettle. Not an issue in my other kettle. Bottled spring water only, a brand I've used for years in my other kettle, also a 1 liter kettle with a stainless steel tub. Speculating, this may mean that this kettle's heating element has hot spots, doesn't heat evenly. It may also mean that the stainless steel has a rougher surface than the others, something you'd have to view under high magnification to be sure about. Could also be a steel alloy not well suited for water kettles. Not a big deal but maybe worth pointing out. It feels light and less substantial compared to my other kettle and my percolator. Plasticky. That said, this isn't necessarily an indicator of a short service life. Trying not to be too negative, it has two features I like - a thumb lever for the lid and a manual power switch that allows for use with a smart plug. Plug it into a smart plug, turn the kettle's power switch on and set the time you want the water boiled. The plastic exterior is a nice feature and protects your hands from heat after a boil. I also like the look. Overall, an 'OK' kettle if you can overlook the lid and tub. In the budget kettle world, it's somewhat pricey at ~$50. There are better options at this price point and below. If I could roll back the clock knowing what I do now, I would have passed on this one.

Chic design, works as good as most others. 4 stars because it's only 1 liter.

Great looking kettle. Not too noisy when boiling. Unless some of the off brand kettles, there is an earth pin in the plug. Therefore if there is a faulty with the electrics you won’t get electrocuted.