I purchased this and the matching toaster from John Lewis in January.

Appearance

My motivations for buying this kettle were purely aesthetic! My old Kenwood toaster had broken and I decided to by the Delonghi as a replacement and to get the matching kettle to help make my kitchen look a bit more 'uniform'. Also I love that the finish on the toaster is a pearlescent white which I haven't seen on a kitchen appliance before and looks that much more expensive than the flat white plastics of other kitchen goods. I did agonise over whether to buy the set in black or in pearl white and opted for pearl white because it does look like a much higher spec item. I first saw these on the shelf in John Lewis and was attracted by the sleek curves and glossy chrome detailing. I was quite surprised to find, on close inspection, that the pearl finish was plastic, as from afar I had assumed it would be enamel. Viewing these close-up, I was a little disappointed by how 'plasticky' some of the items in the range are - the chrome details are not metal, they are coloured plastic - although this does not detract from the overall impact of the kettle (it is more noticeable on the toaster, with its plastic buttons and levers - I will be posting a seperate review of this later). But I still really liked the sparkly white finish so I was undeterred!

However, my love of the pearl white was also the source of my first disappointment with the Delonghi range. Having bought the toaster and the kettle I was also in the market for a latissima nespresso machine, but Delonghi do not manufacture this in a matching pearl white (though they do sell a conventional fresh ground coffee percolator in the same finish).

Unpacking and setting-up

I was also surprised by how heavy the item was - it is heavy packed in the box (I could life it but had planned to take the bus home from the shops, which was a mistake!) and when filled to capacity the kettle can be heavy to lift.

It is ready to use out-of-the-box with no assembly or wiring required. It is exceedingly simple to use (as you would expect, fill with water, plug in, and depress the lever!) so I did not read the instructions. It comes with a fair deal of packaging but I would not deem it excessive and I have retained the external box in case I need to re-package the kettle as I wouldn't want the finish to become damaged during a house move etc.

Operation

As I said, it is exceedingly simple to operate. The kettle has a millimeter guide on the side under the handle indicating the minimum and maximum safe fill levels, and it clicks off automatically once it has reached boiling point. Although heavy when filled to capacity I have found this an extremely safe product to use - it is sturdy on its wide base, the water pours in a precise stream from the spout with no leaking or spilling, and it gives of almost no visible steam as it boils.

Boiling is rapid - I tend to boil just under a litre at a time and this takes less than a minute. The kettle does not have an internal 'element' - rather the heat rises up through all of the broad metal base - which not only makes boiling quick but I also hope will make the kettle easy to clean. It's been in use since January with daily use (probably boiled about 10 times a day) and there are no signs of any limescale build up inside (I lived in a normal-soft water area).

Value

I still love the look of this kettle as much as when I first bought it. It doesn't do anything that a £2.99 value range kettle from the supermarket wouldn't do, though I have found it simpler and safer to use and clean that any other kettle I have owned before. Clearly by labelling it the 'icona' Delonghi are trying to intimate that this is a design classic, and really smartening up the kitchen is the main advantage of this over cheaper models. Whether you can justify the outlay will depend on whether you're looking to create a showroom kitchen, or just to make a cup of tea. I paid £60 for this in John Lewis - at the time I knew it was available cheaper elsewhere but I was lucky to have store vouchers to treat myself with. It is currently retailing on Amazon at just over £50, which I would certainly pay if I were making my purchase again - remember, this is not a value-for-money functional item, it is a luxury purchase for your kitchen, and is priced accordingly.

(PS - ignore the ratings for sound and picture quality - must have a word with dooyoo!)