KitchenAid Porcelain Enamel on Steel Curling Teakettles

I bought the smaller version of this tea kettle, the 1.5 quart. It's a pretty red color (darker than it appears in the picture) and I love it's sleek design that seems almost art-deco or maybe mid-century modern. It looks stylish sitting on top of my stove. And that's good, since I always keep it out since I drink so much tea. And nothing seems quite as homey as a kettle on the stove, as far as I'm concerned. However, that is where the love affair ends. My kettle is completely non-whistling. That means I have to stand in front of the stove to make sure I'm there to turn off the heat when the water boils. This is inconvenient in the mornings when I am in a rush and trying to do several things at once. Also, the box clearly declares "strong, loud whistle". No, absolute silence for mine. My other issue with the kettle is that it pours sloppy. This leaves me with a steaming hot puddle to wipe up on my counter most mornings. Another issue is that there should be some kind of...Read more

I've read all of the mixed reviews and felt it was time to share mine. Here is a quick pro's and con's list:

Pro's
1. Nice design, nice color selection
2. Porcelain enamel is great. I don't get mineral build-up as I have with other kettles
3. Heats water very quickly
4. I have not experienced a "sloppy pour" because I take mine off the heat just as it begins to whistle. The water is still plenty hot!
5. I have not experienced a "too hot to handle" moment since I don't bring the kettle to full-boil, however, I can see that it may get very hot if I did.

Con's
1. While the handle is stylish, it's fixed placement does cause you to "tilt" the pot to fill with water.
2. If you have large hands, it may be more difficult to clean and wipe out due to the handle.

It may have clean lines but it is the worst kettle from a functional standpoint I have ever used. The spring in the spout cover is too weak to keep the whistle lid closed during the boiling process. Thus the steam goes out between the spout and whistle lid and guess what? no whistle! Next, the handle is awkward to operate if the kettle needs to be tilted more than average. Say you are trying to squeeze the last cup of water out of the kettle. The handle is almost vertical and since the handle is straight your wrist has to twist to the same angle as the handle. Next, Heaven forbid you don't get to the kettle immediately after it starts to whistle (if it whistles) and the steam builds up it the kettle - be prepared for a hot handle and the steam enveloping your hand as you try to pour. Trust me, there are plenty of other ways to scald yourself!