Toastess DLJK459 Stainless Steel Kettle Review

I find myself heating water for tea a lot, but I got sick of having a kettle on my stove all the time.  It takes a while to heat water that way, but my Toastess DLJK495 Jug Kettle is as quick as can be.  I can heat a decent amount of water, too – up to 1.8 liters.  It also boils as little as two cups of water at a time, so I don’t have to waste energy heating water I won’t use. I have two young daughters, so I worry about safety features when I pick out appliances.  This kettle has everything I’m looking for.  First of all, it’s stainless steel, so I don’t worry about chemicals that can come from plastic.  Secondly, it’s got a great three step safety system.   The kettle itself is easy to pour.  Since it heats on a round base, once the water is done boiling you just pick the kettle up without having to worry about a cord.  I’ve found everything I’ve been looking for in this kettle and I couldn’t be happier with it.

Pros:

• Safety System: The designers really thought this safety system out.  First of all, as soon as the water starts boiling the kettle shuts itself off.  I’ve burnt the bottoms of several stovetop kettles before, so I definitely appreciate this feature.  Next, the kettle will shut itself off if you plug it in without any water inside.  Finally, once you lift the kettle off the base it shuts itself off.  What you’re left with is a safe, easy to use appliance.

 

• Cordless: The kettle gets its power from a little round base that plugs into the wall.  You can lift the kettle off and there’s no cord attached.  This makes it very easy to fill with water and to pour.  The base is small, so it doesn’t even take up too much counter space.

 

• Made of Stainless Steel: I’ve been hearing a lot lately about some of the chemicals that go into making plastic appliances.  I’d hate to think of my girls drinking that stuff, so I like that this kettle is made of stainless steel.  Personally I think stainless steel looks better too, so that’s another nice bonus.

 

• Good Capacity: I like the capacity that this kettle has.  1.8 liters is a good amount of water.  It’s not so much that you’re wasting lots of energy to heat it, but it’s enough so you have something to work with. 

Cons:

• Water Level Indicator: I like that the kettle has a water level indicator, but the positioning of it makes it a little bit difficult to read. It’s located right behind the handle, so it can be tough to see when you’re filling it up.  On the other hand, it’s definitely better than no indicator at all!

 

• Stainless Steel Temperature: I was a little bit surprised by how warm the outside of the kettle became while the water was heating.  While I certainly wasn’t expecting it to feel cold, I did assume there’d be some mechanism for controlling the heat.  It’s not a big problem, I’ve never gotten burned by it, but it’s something to be aware of.

I’ve noticed a couple differences between this kettle and another electric kettle I’m familiar with, the Hamilton Beach 40898 Cool-Touch Cordless 8 Cup Electric Kettle.  The performance of both are equally good, but the Hamilton model was much cooler to the touch than the Toastess.  On the other hand, the Cool-Touch was severely lacking in any sort of water level indicator, so I can be much more accurate with the Toastess.

I’ve been really happy with my Toastess DLJK459.  It heats up water so much faster than a stovetop kettle.  It has some great safety features, it’s easy to pour, has a good capacity, and doesn’t take up too much counter space.  I’d never thought of an electric kettle as a kitchen necessity before, but after using this appliance I don’t think I could go without one!

Price Alert: Right now Amazon.com is offering free shipping and a 35% discount for the Toastess DLJK459 Stainless Steel Kettle. This means their current price is $24.70 cheaper than the usual retail price.

Click here to buy Toastess DLJK459 Stainless Steel Kettle from Amazon.com