Customer Reviews

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

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

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 in a blue moon it'd be ok, but as I use my electric kettle regularly, I am sending it back, and sad to be doing so. I had expected a much higher quality product from Cuisinart- my Grind and Brew has been working like a dream for 4 years now... but sadly, this one is going back!

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.

We have wanted to replace our stovetop kettle with an electric kettle for some time, thinking it would be more energy efficient, and hopefully faster. I looked at different electric kettles and knew right away that I did not want one that was plastic, so that narrowed the field some (side note: there are 2 tiny, plastic parts inside this kettle, a fill-gauge and a strainer but they do not touch the bottom of the kettle, they are all the way at the top. I have not yet tried to remove them, but I may). This one is stainless steel.

It is also very attractive. I really did not dig the moon-unit look for my 1880 Victorian home, and this fits the bill beautifully. The cord wraps nicely out of sight when you are not using it, though the end does stick out a tiny bit.

It pours beautifully...no drips here!

Speed: I have done a little experimenting with different water levels out of curiosity, and this is the only area I am a tiny bit disappointed in with this kettle. I would have hoped to have a full kettle hot in 5 minutes or less, but so far, with a full kettle of fresh, cold water, it has taken over 7 minutes each time...one time nearly 8 minutes. This is the only reason I don't give it 5 stars. Perhaps my expectations are unreasonable...I've only had experience with these items from friends who have owned electric kettles, and I thought it seemed theirs were quicker. However, for me, I am willing to trade beauty for speed in this case.

Durability: I'll have to update later because I only got it recently, but it does have a 3 year warranty, so that is good.

Price: I got this substantially less than Amazon's price ($49.19, which included the shipping). I don't think I would have been willing to pay the nearly $80 it goes for here, much as I like it. Even at nearly $50 I squirmed a bit.

UPDATE: After several weeks of using this kettle, and using it probably at least 3 times a day, I can say that we are really happy with it. As it turns out, very rarely do I actually fill it all the way up. Usually I am warming up enough water for one or two mugs of tea or cocoa, and it does heat up much faster for less water...around 3 minutes, give or take a little depending on how much water you have in there.

Also, I have come to appreciate the little strainer piece inside. It helps to catch any particulate matter, mineral deposits and such, and prevent them from pouring into your cup. One more thing I appreciate is that I can easily get my hand inside this kettle to clean it. Believe it or not, my last one had a fill opening so small, there was no way to wipe out the inside.

So, we continue to be really happy with this unit, more as time goes on!

This kettle works great for boiling water, BUT when its done it slowly leaks water until its all out on your countertop. I have tried contacting Cuisinart support for help determining whether I have a defective kettle, or whether its just a poor design, but that have not replied to my repeated emails, and I don't have the time to spend on hold.

I wanted a traditional looking electric kettle and this one is beautiful. I also wanted one that wasn't full of plastic parts inside. There is a large plastic frame with a screen and "splash guard" inside, but it pops out easily and the only plastic is a small fill guide that I may be able to pop out if I want to try. This pot heats quickly and is very pretty on my countertop.

I loved the classic design of this kettle and liked the fact that it was stainless steel. Those looking for a kettle with no plastic parts would be disappointed as non-removable filter is of plastic and some other tiny parts.

But the worse is that after one week of using this kettle, the point of contact between kettle and lid had rust on it. It was supposed to be stainless steel...doubt it was stainless especially that it was made in china!!

I phoned customer service as there is supposed to be a 3 years warranty on kettle. They were willing to replace but I had to pay for the shipping costs to send the defective kettle + I had to pay for shipping costs for the replacement kettle. This is a big deceit when cusinart says 3 years warranty as they know fully well that noone will send their defective products as shipping cost will amount close to buying a new kettle again. For me, I have a cross on cuisinart who trick customers into a false sense of security and quality by providing a 3-year warranty which is practically useless when you have to use it.

I've had nothing but a good experience with this kettle. It looks great on the kitchen counter (you can coil the cord under the heating base), and I love that the kettle automatically turns off when it reaches the boiling point (you hear a low, but audible "click" when it turns off), and that you can lift the kettle off from the base heating unit and place it directly on any surface. It also boils water very fast!

If I had only known before buying this kettle that the boiling water comes into contact with plastic AND a rubber/silicone gasket, it would have spared me the trouble of buying it in the first place.

If this is a concern for you, avoid this kettle. There is both a rubber or silicone gasket inside the kettle at the base and a water level marker made of plastic. Both of these come into contact with boiling water. The strainer, which is also plastic, can be removed.

A couple more things:

-The kettle is quite LARGE - one of the larger ones I've seen.

-The directions say to empty out the extra water after each use. What?! Am I supposed to measure exactly what I need or pour the excess filtered water down the drain? In my opinion, neither of those is a welcome option. I prefer to simply leave the water sitting for the next use.

If you're looking for plastic free, I recently discovered and subsequently purchased such a kettle on Amazon:

The Chef's Choice 685 International Deluxe Cordless Electric Teakettle

The only piece of plastic sits above the water so that the two do not come into contact...Simply perfect for my coffee and tea!

**An article on BPA commonly found in plastics:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/lifestyle/health/chi-bpa-16sep17,0,5719184.story

The Kettle arrived today and we put it to use immediately. It is shinier than we expected, but it looks terrific. The lid sticks a little however overall we are extremely pleased.