Cuisinart RK-17 Traditional Cordless 1-3/4-Quart 1500-Watt Electric Kettle

I loved the look of the kettle and have a number of Cuisinart products that I have been very happy with. The kettle arrived quickly and was well packed. I was pleased with the look of it, but when I went to fill it up, I really, REALLY had to work to get the lid twisted off of it, and you need to press down on the handle and tilt it, which also felt almost forced... as if over time this would break the mechanism. Serious form over function here. Then I plugged it in, and although the cord wrapping under the base is nice, the mechanism to turn the unit on had to be pressed several times before it would turn on. Then I wasn't sure it actually WAS on. My Russell Hobbs that I've had for 5 years immediately begins that rustling noise of water heating, and with this, nothing. So I waited. And waited. And waited. And finally, the water boiled. But I'd say it took 5x longer than my old RH unit did.

Overall, it does have a very nice retro look to it, and if you only use it once...Read more

We were impressed with how it looked. We wanted something a little fancier for the office but we had a hard time, almost impossible, keeping the "On lever" pushed down in order for the water to even boil. No matter which way we positioned the pot on the base it would click back up. I read the instructions again and again to make sure I was doing it correctly and nothing. We finally got fed up and decided to return it.

I was very pleased with the overall design of the kettle because I live in an Old Victorian. It is more in keeping with the decor. This kettle will meet probably meet our needs. I do like the fact that it has a three year warranty. Our last Kettle by Mellita lasted aprox. a year before burning out. We were unable to get it repaired.
I did note that the kettle due to it's stainless steel structure becomes very warm when boiling. The lid was a bit difficult to remove due to the warmth and one needs to pry it open for a refill. I would say that this kettle with shipping was more than I wanted to pay....so I am keeping my fingers crossed that it will be in service for a very long time.