Alessi Michael Graves Kettle with Small Bird Shaped Whistle

It boils water. It looks pretty on the counter. It has maintained its luster. You can get your hand inside it to clean.
Beyond that it is just an expensive pot that doesn't have the usual features of a Tea kettle.
You can't pour water until you grab the hot plastic bird whistle and pull it out. With hot stream gushing out this is an interesting game. We went through a couple "birds" before we got one that even whistled and as many others have said, it doesn't sound like a bird. It sounds like the whistle of a guy who was just at the dentist. It also has a cheap wire spring clip and lasts about a month. We have some Alessi stuff. Some is good, some is like this, overpriced... way way overpriced. Did I mention that it is not worth the money.

I have owned this tea kettle for about 10 years. Not only is it fully functional as staple in my kitchen, it's adorable. Everyone who enjoys tea at my house comments on it. It is very durable, heavily constructed, and uniquely designed by Michael Graves. And of course, it "whistles". This is one tea kettle that you'll never have to replace; you won't be disappointed. It looks as good today as the day I opened the box. It's definitely a 5-star item.

You know it when you see it, there is no other like it. I use mine daily and have for more than 15 years. I've replaced the bird once, though I did buy several extras. The first one broke after only a few months, but the replacement has been in use for the balance of the 15 years. The shinny finish is all scratched from cleaning and the bottom needs a really good scrubbing around the edges occasionally. There is some mildew build up in the rim on the bottom. I wish I'd taken better care cleaning it over the years, so it would have stayed all shinny, but with splatter from all the other things cooking on the stove, it required some scrubbing. If I'd thought about it, I'd have moved it off the stove when I was cooking other things. If it wasn't so expensive, I'd get another, but the one I have was a gift and hard to part with. So, bottom line, it holds up well, does everything it's designed to do. The handle is cool to the touch, but you do have to remove the bird to pour, so wait a...Read more