EDIT: Here's some new information about a warranty claim I made; the beautiful red enamel bubbled and cracked away spontaneously on the edge of the lid. See photo. Original review follows.Le Creuset's immediate reply:"Thank you for contacting us unfortunately, we do not replace lids separately. Also if there is no visible damage to the inside of your kettle then it is not covered under warranty. Outside damage is considered cosmetic and is not a manufacture defect. Your claim is denied at this time and we apologize for the inconvenience."I still like my kettle - it works well - but I'm annoyed that the enamel was defective and they wouldn't replace it. People do buy a set of Le Creuset for looks - I must have 20 pieces - and at this price point I was expecting the warranty ot be honored.--- Original review follows ---If you've looked at a few tea kettles before coming to this review, you've learned that people are fussy about their tea. That's fine. I'm fussy too. Maybe you're a fussy tea person yourself! Ever think of that?You can stop looking now. This tea kettle is satisfactory. I'm going to tell you what I like about it.1) The handle and spout are well designed. My main priority when brewing tea is that I don't burn or scald myself. This kettle's handle stays cool on a hot gas stove. The spout is actuated with your thumb and it feels very secure; it's easy to flip the spout open without worrying that you're going to drop the kettle or burn yourself. The kettle is sturdy but lightweight; if you are looking for a kettle as a gift for an older person, these features make it ideal in terms of safety.2) The whistle is loud, and kind of annoying. I walked down the drive to get the mail and when I came back I could hear it whistling from outside the house. Sure, it's possible to forget that you put the billy on to boil - but if you forget this one, you must be stone deaf. I like that.3) The color is Le Creuset's "cerise," which is French for Cherry Red. Like all Le Creuset, it is a fade: a lighter color at the top gradually shades into a darker color at the bottom. Le C was very smart to come up with this, because if you have anything else that's red in your kitchen, it matches instead of clashing. Other reviewers complained about the color, which is only very slightly on the orange side of red - it's Ferrari red, not Porsche red, shading into a deep burgundy at the base. But it's a perfect match for my Le Creuset spoon rest, teapot, syrup jar, pot rests, and butter dish. As a bachelor I am sort of pleased at how easy Le Creuset made it to make my kitchen appear bright and well-coordinated, almost as if someone who knew about homemaking lived there. (They do not.)4) The kettle can be filled by removing the large lid. The lid is a press fit and it snaps in without being air-tight, so no worries about jets of steam or flying lids. The lid is large enough that I can get my hand in, which is handy for cleaning, especially if you are concerned about scale buildup, which is hard to get rid of just by swirling water around. Easier to get soap out through the big lid too, if you use soap.5) The inside and outside of the kettle are thick enameled steel. The finish has been in use for about a month on my stove, where it gets all kinds of splashes, overspray, and collateral damage; and has not discolored, chipped, scratched, dented, or become worn in any way; if it's anything like my enameled Le C crockpot, it's going to be very durable indeed. Your $10 kettles that you're seeing elsewhere? Very thin steel - almost steel foil - or if you're unlucky, chromed copper. They'll last a few months. This kettle, on the other hand, is built for your grandkids. The black plastic is heat-stable - quite heat resistant, doesn't conduct heat - and the only Le Creuset logo appears on the large lid's black plastic handle. The red part of the handle is the same plastic. Is it a colormatch? Like I said, everything matches the Le Creuset fade! Yes it is!6) This 1.6 Quart is a 2-to-4 person teapot, I drink enough tea for two so I am happy to be solo with it. I wouldn't get a smaller one. The shape of this teapot is ideal because it directs hot air outward as it rises from the gas burner; you want not to create a raging inferno licking up the sides of the pot, though, you are trying to heat what's inside the pot, not what's above it.There are few downsides to this teapot. It's not cheap; and as far as I can tell some people are upset because it's made in Thailand. Doesn't bother me. The white thing in the photo that says 'Le Creuset' on the side of the kettle is a paper sticker; the top half of the sticker peels off, you'll have to rub with soap and warm water to get the rest of it off. Annoying, but easily remedied. There's also a larger, easier-peeling sticker on the bottom of the teapot; take it off before exposing it to flame.I am actually one of the fussiest, pickiest people I know and I can't find anything not to like about this teakettle. If someone stole it, I'd buy it again without a second thought. So I guess that's a pretty good recommendation!