Oster BVST-EK5966 1-2/3-Liter Electric Water Kettle Review

My daughters love to have hot chocolate when they come home from school on cold days, so I decided to get a second electric kettle for them to use.  I decided on the Oster BVST-EK5966 Stainless Steel 1-2/3 Liter Electric Water Kettle because it seemed simple to use and safe.  The kettle is cordless, so it’s easy for my older daughter to fill and pour with it. The water gauge is easy to read, and even at full capacity the water heats quickly. I worry about safety, but the stay cool handle works as well as promised – we’ve never had a burned hand.  Just in case she gets careless and turns it on without any water in it, there’s a boil-dry protection mechanism that prevents any damage.  Once the water boil an automatic shut off kicks in, so I never worry about the kettle boiling dry.  The heating element is concealed, so I haven’t seen many problems with scale build up.  This kettle has everything my girls need to heat water without a bunch of bells and whistles we’ll never use.

Pros:

• Simple to Use: While I prefer a kettle with multiple temperature settings for tea, this kettle is remarkably simple to use.  All my daughter has to do is fill it with water, set it on its base, and press the “on” switch.  Within minutes the water is hot enough for drinks for her and her younger sister.

 

• Easy to Read Water Gauge: I’ve used kettles with infuriatingly difficult to read water gauges, but this kettle is not one of them.  The gauge is clear and easy to read, so we’ve had no problems with not having enough water (or heating up too much).

 

• Stay Cool Handle: I have to admit I worried a little bit at first about letting my daughter heat water by herself, but after trying the kettle myself I became convinced it was safe.  The stay cool handle is as cool as it says.  It’s sturdy and well attached.  That combined with the fact that the kettle is cordless gives me confidence that my girls won’t run into any trouble using it.

 

• Safety Features: When I was young I ruined a kettle by letting it run dry on the stovetop.  I worried that the same thing might happen with an electric kettle if my girls got careless, but now I know it’s not possible.  If the kettle gets turned on without any water in it, it simply turns back off.  The kettle will turn itself off once the water hits a boil as well.

Cons:

• Water Gauge in Liters, Not Cups: I was a little bit disappointed to see that the water gauge measured liquid in liters and not cups.  My girls haven’t had too hard a time adjusting to a different type of measurement, though.  In the beginning I used a Sharpie to mark out where the three cup line was, and that was enough of a guide for them.

 

• Outside Gets a Little Hot: I did notice that the outside of the kettle gets a little hot while the water is boiling.  This is normal for most kettles, though, and it’s certainly not hot enough to cause any damage.  As I’ve said before, the handle is very cool and is far enough away from the kettle that we’ve never had any problems.

Having the Oster BVST on hand has been a great way for my girls to learn to look after themselves a little bit after school.  It’s a safe kettle that’s very simple to use, and it heats water up very quickly.  While it doesn’t have the extras that some other kettles might have, it works well as a simple way to heat water.  If you’re looking for a simple kettle that will do just what you need it to, I’d definitely recommend this model.

Price Alert: At the moment Amazon.com is offering free shipping and a 32% discount for the Oster BVST-EK5966 Stainless-Steel 1-2/3-Liter Electric Water Kettle. This is a savings of $15.99 off the usual retail price.

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