Chef's Choice 678 Cordless Electric Kettle

I like this product and I use it nearly every day - it goes well with a french press, and heating water to 200 deg F is its primary function. At other times I used it to help a large pot of water (for cooking pasta) come to a boil much sooner.

Things to note:
- The brushed exterior is convenient, it doesn't pick up smudges like a polished one would

- The 2qt capacity is great when boiling water for a larger pot

- It's fast. It gets water to a boil very quickly, especially if you don't fill the whole pot - 1qt will boil really quickly, not just in half the time of 2qts

- The indicator window gets steamed and is barely of use. OK, I see how much to not fill it (Max line)

- The switch appears flimsy but there's not much to stress it

- A subtle red light indicates the switch is on. Initially I used to leave the switch on after pouring out the water, but now I know what to look for. At this point I don't...Read more

I've owned this product for about a year. I've used it every day. The 1st 3 months it worked well, though my husband had a hard time reading the water level indicator.

The 1st hint of trouble to come was that it would dribble a small amount of water from where the on/off switch is. Then it wouldn't turn off. The automatic shut off feature was one of the main reasons we bought it. The water would boil, the light would go out, then, the water would start boiling again....this would last until we turned it off manually. This was an intermittant problem, one, at 1st, I thought was our fault.

Today, we came home after being gone for 2 hours. The kettle had somehow been left in the on position. And apparently it boiled itself dry and then died! At best, it is unreliable, at worst, probably hazardous.

The first Chef's Choice we bought was the one with the black plastic top. Here's my review of that one which applies to this unit as well. I don't see any significant differences - we prefer the all stainless look but could live without it and the new "water gauge" on the side.

"Very slick look - I guess what you'd expect for this price. But, it delivers and we couldn't be happier. Fast to boil - even when filled to the max. I like the wide-mouth for pouring fast too. I use it for tea a few times a day but it's primarily for making coffee in the Freiling 1.5L coffee press. The wide-mouth makes the transfer fast. This is my first "cordless" hotshot and I don't think I can go back to the corded now - was always a hassle when pouring."

I'm impressed. It has all the makings of a product that will last at least a few years (3 months so far). And, if that holds true, I would definitely buy another.

Note: Still using this 6-10 times per day for tea and...Read more