Product Description

The white KE2010A kettle has a full 2 liter capacity and features a power light indicator, auto-off, audible signal, removable scale filter, water level indicator and for safety, dry boil protection.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #17669 in Kitchen & Housewares
• Color: White
• Brand: Black & Decker
• Model: KE2010A

Features

• 2 Liter Capacity
• Dry Boil Protection
• Auto-Off
• Audible Signal
• Concealed Element

Customer Reviews

Pretty darned good for the price
Yes, you can get a better electric kettle than this one. I have one at home that cost me three times what this one did, and it's better -- stainless, "cordless" with that lift off base, and it has a fancier name.

But I wanted a kettle to use at the office and I didn't want to invest the better part of $100 getting one, so I went this route. The thing is, this Black & Decker holds two liters of water, and a lot of the more inexpensive plastic kettles hold a U.S. quart or a liter. A lot of those smaller, cheap plastic kettles will boil dry and then shut off when they overheat. This one has the advantage of shutting off when the water reaches a vigorous, rolling boil. There's a pilot light to tell you the power is on and it's heating. So, just like my expensive kettle, you can't boil this one dry. (It has an overheat switch, too, in case you accidentally turn it on when it's empty.)

My one complaint is what happens if you let it boil and forget it. With most switched kettles, if you come back into the room you can bring the kettle full of hot water back to the boil by turning it back on. This one isn't so forgiving. You have to wait until it cools down to a certain temperature before the switch will engage again.

There is a removable filter of nylon mesh with a plastic frame that slips into a slot just behind the spout. I think its main effect is to keep boiling water from spattering out the spout, so I use it.

The cord doesn't detach from the kettle, nor does the kettle lift off a corded base. To fill this kettle, you have to unplug it from the wall and take care that the cord doesn't fall into the sink and get wet. Still, it's workable and effective, heats a lot of water quickly, can't be boiled dry, and costs around $25. Given all its features for not much money, I give it four stars or a very solid B+. Very nice for my office where I didn't want to spend a lot. As I said, there are nicer kettles than this one with more features, but they cost more. A lot more.

Only basic features
Although this is a competent product, it is missing some of the nicer features: It doesn't have a cover you can open to see inside it, or clean it, or fill it. (You have to fill it via the opening in the spout, which takes a bit more time.) It doesn't have a window to view the water level; you also can't see how rapid the boiling is, although you can hear it. It doesn't have a switch to turn it off (it stops automatically when it has reached a full boil); you would have to unplug it to stop it prior to its automatic stop. It isn't cordless, so you have to pour it at the location at which it is plugged into the outlet, or unplug it. (The cord isn't very long.)

No audible signal, can't switch it off
Despite the claim that this kettle has an audible signal, I watched it at full boil for five minutes with no signal. Maybe it waits until the water temperature is 212 F? If so, that doesn't do me much good at an altitude of 6800 feet, where water boils below 200 F. Just give me an old-fashioned whistle!

Despite the presence of what appeared to be an on-off switch, pressing the switch did not turn the kettle off. I had to unplug it from the wall.

The indicator light did come on after I turned it on. And it did boil water.

I decided not to test its claimed auto-off feature if it overheats. I'm returning it Monday.