Upon first sight, this kettle struck me as different from all the cheap-looking plastic ones; the metal of it makes it look classy, almost like one of those old stove kettles. The shine hasn't yet diminished, so I haven't had to get out my polish yet, but the cleaning instructions are nice and simple. Because it's metal, it has a really strong feel to it, and you know it's going to last for a long time: the switch doesn't feel flimsy at all, and it switches off when the water's boiled; the lead is firmly attached to the base, although it is rather short, which can mean some kitchen rearranging. The lid is quite a tight fit, which helps to increase the efficiency.

This kettle can hold 1.7 litres, which is standard, and boils at about the standard speed. It's not the fastest kettle (and it won't boil a cup of water in 0.3 seconds) but it's fast enough for my needs. It has a clear, easy-to-use water level gauge at the back by the switch which helps to make sure you don't damage your kettle by over-boiling. As an additional safety feature, the switch lights up when it's boiling, and goes off again once the water has boiled. A problem I've always had with kettles is their noise; this one is no noisier than any I've had.

Overall, an excellent kettle; slightly more expensive than I'd like to expect, but for its classic look, I was prepared to pay more.

(Installation, pic. quality and sound quality obviously do not apply.)