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Bosch TWK8633GB
by julwhite
This review is of the Bosch TWK8633GB jug kettle, which retails at a recommended price of 69.99 pounds.
At the time of writing Dooyoo don't have a product image for this kettle, just an image which says the manufacturer doesn't allow a picture to be displayed, which I'm not sure that I understand. But to describe the kettle, ... it is primarily made of black plastic, although the top section is silver. There is quite a robust look to the kettle, which I find looks quite stylish.
The kettle has a capacity of 1,500ml, which is nearly always more than I need, and so it is useful that there is a minimum capacity of 300ml, which makes one cup of coffee or tea nicely. I found that the kettle boils quickly compared to other kettles, and it doesn't seem to make an excessive amount of noise when boiling.
Although I'm not sure how to measure this, it did come in a box which noted that it was a low energy kettle and thus saved on electricity and helped the environment just a little bit more than other kettles. However if you're keen to save a little by getting an energy efficient kettle, this seems to be a good option.
The feature that I like, and haven't had on my previous cheaper kettles, is that you can choose which temperature to boil the kettle to. Instead therefore of having to boil the kettle to 100 degrees you can heat the water to lower levels, which are 70, 80 or 90 degrees. I don't use boiling water in coffee, which is probably not the correct way to make it, but this feature is therefore useful for me in this regard.
Another very useful feature is the "keep warm" option, which lets you boil the kettle and then allows it to keep the water warm if someone else needs to use the water a few minutes after. Although I don't use this feature very often, I can see how it would be useful for some.
In terms of the reliability I have been using this kettle for around three months, replacing a different earlier cheaper model where the plastic started to crack. This kettle seems much more robust, I've had no problems with leaks, cracks, jams or anything else, and I feel that on balance it appears to be a well made kettle.
I haven't really noticed any negatives about this kettle, although it does make quite a shrill beep when the water is boiled, and although this doesn't particularly bother me, I haven't found a way of turning this off. For those that aren't keen on the colour, there is also a white model available, and Bosch also make some matching kitchen appliances in the same colours, although this is the only product that I have from this manufacturer.
This kettle was acquired at Comet's before the retailer closed down, so it was purchased for a cheaper price, of under 40 pounds. However, looking at some web-sites of retailers, you would expect to pay between 50 and 60 pounds for this kettle at the moment, although there are probably some cheaper options around.
Overall I would recommend this kettle, although some may not like its look. It is more expensive than other kettles, but it boils quickly and efficiently. I feel that the kettle itself is robust, and it has some features such as variable temperature options and a keep warm function which are quite useful.
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Russell Hobbs 18256 Heritage
by lyndsey1989
At my parents home we had a similar version of this kettle and the matching toaster. The kettle looked very nearly the same as shown above apart from the handle was grey and it wasnt as long as that shown above - there was a stainless steel bit connecting the handle to the kettle. Anyway, this one broke then we got a different branded ... kettle and then that one broke so we ended up with this one a few months ago. I dont know what on earth they do to get through kettles that quickly but anyway this one cost around £35 and they seem to be extremely popular being available from a variety of stores including supermarkets and online. They seem to retail at around the same price everywhere but very occasionally you can find it on special offer but it tends to only ever be one colour and there are a number of different colours available including the cream which is shown above which is also the colour we have, turquoise blue, red, plum, black, orange and yellow. There are lots of different colours but some are definitely more readily available than others so if you are after a particular colour it is definitely worth shopping around.
The kettle came in a branded white box and once opened the kettle was well packaged in polystyrene and plastic wrapping. To use the kettle you simply plug it in and then you are ready however it is recommended that you boil the kettle a few times before drinking the water just to get rid of any traces of chemicals or dirt from the factory etc. The power lead is black in colour and about 1m long. It does seem a generous length but we always kept our kettle next to a plug socket anyway so for us it doesnt seem to be too much of a consideration when purchasing a new kettle.
The kettle looks very stylish and I do really like the look of this. It has a simple yet classic design and it definitely looks better than your bog standard plastic white kettle. I do prefer the look of this one to the previous similar one we had which for some reason I am thinking was a Morphy Richards design because it has less sharper lines making it a bit of a softer look and not quite so triangular. I also prefer the black detailing than the grey.
To fill the kettle you can remove the lid by simply twisting it round but we are always too lazy to do that so we tend to just fill it up through the spout which is fine and doesnt cause any problems. To boil the kettle you simply press down the small lever on the bottom, a red light will then come on to let you know it is switched on.
There is a small clear window on the side of the kettle which lets you know how much water is in the kettle. This is shown in both cups and millilitres which is especially useful as personally when using it for cooking I prefer to know how many millilitres I need rather than guessing how many cups that would be. Of course the cup measurement is useful for making hot drinks and it holds 6 cup fulls which is 1.8 litres. I have found the cup measurement to be accurate for most cups/mugs and I never realise that I havent boiled enough water.
The kettle boils quickly. Of course, the less water you have in the kettle the quicker it will boil. If boiling around 2 cup fulls so maybe half a litre it takes less than a minute and if full then it probably takes around 1 minute 30 seconds. It isnt too loud either which is a relief and it is definitely quieter than the previous similar model that we had.
The water is easy to pour from the kettle and we never experience any spilling which is great because of course, boiling water is very dangerous. The kettle is lighter than most I have used, even basic plastic models. It is easy to lift and I think that someone who has trouble with lifting heavier objects would still find this ok to lift with. As a result of my medication I used to be extremely shaky, especially my hands and legs, luckily now this only happens on and off but when it was at its worst it did prevent me from carrying things but I still managed to lift the kettle one handed and I didnt worry I was going to spill any of the contents like I had with similar appliances.
The filter on the spout works well and the water always comes out crystal clear. We live in a hard water area so we usually use water from our Brita tap but even if we dont the water comes out clear despite going in cloudy.
We have had this kettle at least 3 or 4 months now, maybe a little longer and limescale is only just beginning to form. This is very good because on other kettles it has formed a lot more quickly. Currently it really is minimal (tiny specks) which initially I thought may escape the filter but it doesnt at all and the water is as clear as it has ever been.
After use, the walls of the kettle do remain warm for a while but not hot enough to burn an adult after around 5 or 10 minutes though of course do keep it away from children and pets. The kettle stays clean and requires very little maintenance or upkeep. You do occasionally get some water marks on the stainless steel bits but these wipe off very easily with a dry cloth and they havent become marked or scratched in any way, instead they remain bright and shiny.
I really like this kettle. It looks fantastic and I love all of the different colours that are available. It is more expensive than some kettles but it is by no means in the expensive category for kettles. For around £35 you will receive a high quality kettle which looks fantastic and lasts well, doing exactly as it should do. Definitely recommended.
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