Solo Kettle In A Market for Power? (Breville VKJ127)

Member Name: Nar2

Product:	Breville VKJ127
Date:	18/11/08 (467 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good compact size, quiet, easy to fill, hold, pour, heat insulated handle, low power

Disadvantages: Expensive, handle lid switch may be confused with power on button that feels a little cheap.

If I was to measure the amount of boiling hot water I use in one single day on average I'd say that at most I'd boil between a litre or half a litre per day - don't worry I'm not about to turn this into a maths lesson - but given that most kettles have a minimum capacity of 1.5 litres and high elements to power the depth of the kettle without even worrying about the water capacity, if you're into watching your power levels in an environmentally friendly society, there aren't many options available. If like me, you're a consumer living on your own who worries about the environment and likes to keep a watchful eye on the power used up to boil water, I'd imagine that most people have by now, referred to their older kettle in the cupboard or seek out whatever is new on the market with a low element - because no matter how many times companies would have you believe that their latest kettle is kind to the environment with less power (Tefal's 2.8kw/2800 watts One Cup model springs to mind here) - if it has more than 2300 watts, its enough to justify the full power element in a kettle.


Whilst cheap kettles under £10 still have 2200 watts and big capacities, they are beginning to be replaced with rapid boil elements to be one of the more attractive features for the price at the time. As such although it is not a travel kettle per se, lacking those natty little plastic cups you get when you do buy a travel kettle or even a travel adaptor as a sweetener to end the deal, the Breville Solo VKJ127 is slightly different, only capable of boiling 1 litre of water and for some people - this is more than sufficient on a daily basis boiling capacity.


Dressed in black rubber and brushed stainless steel Breville is a cut above the rest offering consumers with a slightly different kettle even though the price of £19-95 at John Lewis, Comet and Currys may appear to be a little expensive. With a height of around 21 cm this is one little kettle that won't be pushed to the further depths of your kitchen pushed behind storage jars, even though it has a similar height and depth of 14.2cm/width of 20cm.


Whilst in rented property I'm currently living with a large ASDA ONN kettle, I'm simply not using the full 1.5 capacity per day and find with its design that it takes up one corner of my fitted kitchen where a much needed toaster could go instead. Cleary when there's space at a premium and if like me, the advent of a hob kettle can prove too dangerous, a smaller jug kettle is perhaps one of the better requirements - but even as a buyer of appliances in general I've only found a handful of smaller sized jug kettles. One of many reasons to why the Breville Solo is different to a cheaper kettle is down to the fact that it mimics larger kettles on design; it has a concealed element so the risk of limescale forming is prolonged; it has a visible water gauge in cup sizes showing how much water you can put in - but honestly if you can see the line of the water in the kettle, you're not likely to worry about emptying cups of water in as a final measure. Tie it in with a good to grip and heat insulated handle that sits slightly outward from the main body of the kettle and you more or less have something that looks like a travel mug and less than a kettle. What a pity that the body of the Breville isn't heat insulated despite the thickly contoured handle.


Performance wise the wattage is 1800 watts so those looking at kettles that have rapid elements better look away now! The Breville Solo however doesn't disservice itself in terms of speed. With a full capacity of 1 litres of water I found the Solo is capable of quick boiling within minutes whilst being quiet and steady on its rotational 360º base. Put a cup of water in and the Breville manages to boil it in just under a minute which is very impressive. Excess cable of 0.5 metres can be wound around at the bottom giving the whole design a good viewpoint and less worry of excess cable getting in the way. The pouring design of the lip itself has been thought out well; particularly when one half of the kettle's design has been angled down towards the main spout making pouring and filling easy - and like other jug kettles on the market there is a pick out push in mesh water filter that traps any dirt and impurities in the water. This however is not to be confused with a water filter cartridge which this kettle is not equipped with. A push button on the handle releases the lid for ease of filling whilst the on button is located at the bottom just before the main water gauge and lights up the moment the kettle needs to be switched on.


If there is one downside to the Breville Solo it's the main power on switch itself; everything on this kettle is made to a good standard from the brushed stainless steel (which inevitably gets grubby after a while but can still be washed down with a damp cloth) to the rubber and black plastic inserts; the on switch however feels feeble and made of clear acrylic/plastic doesn't look or feel as if it will last even though it lights up the moment it is pushed down to activate the kettle. Another downside that isn't that obvious until use is the main lid flip switch which is located at the top of the handle. Inadvertently through use of older kettles with the power button on the top, I've gone to switch the kettle on only to find by accident I've flipped the beautifully precisioned lid to flip up instead of switching on. Doh!


So if you want something with a small capacity that doesn't look like a travel kettle and has a neat design, Breville's new Solo kettle seems to be a good one! Time will tell however if that power button is up to the wear and tear of daily use - luckily the Solo comes with a three year guarantee - but for something slightly smaller and different than the norm, the Breville Solo isn't afraid to stand out on its own. Thanks for reading. ©Nar2 2008

www.johnlewis.com
www.breville.com

The correct picture for this kettle can be found on John Lewis website (code number 85557308)

Summary: A good alternative if looking for a small low powered kettle.

Reliability:
Ease of use:
Design:
Installation:
Picture quality:
Sound quality: