Desperately need a kettle to replace my old behemoth which is always shorting out I trawled everywhere looking for a suitable replacement. A kettle is a kettle you might say but I am a little fussy and wanted something in stainless steel to compliment my black gloss kitchen tiles. The Kenwood SJM280 retails in Argos for just under £50 but is currently a very reasonable half price which is a big consideration when shopping in hard times. Shall I buy a £25 kettle or a £50 one for the same price? You do the math!

The Kenwood is brushed steel around the body with the top, the bottom and the handle being black plastic. The whole thing looks very sleek and minimalist and I was impressed by the weight, or lack of it, coming in at just 0.835kg. The separate base unit is small and has a long cord which can be shortened by the integrated cable tidy for neatness. There is a dual water level window so the kettle can be placed either way around on a work surface which I think is a thoughtful touch. Inside is a covered element and a mesh filter in the spout for limiting limescale though I always filter mine before every boil.

What most impressed me about this kettle was the quietness, at least relative to my previous one which sounded like heavy duty machinery despite its quality. The power rating comes in at a hefty 3kw which although not particularly eco-friendly allows the kettle to boil its 1.7 litre capacity quite swiftly. Using the window gauge 2.5 cups takes just over a minute at 1.02 and the max of around 8 cups is around 3.17 minutes.

Summary

I have to say it seems a little odd to be impressed by a kettle but there you go. Considering it is currently at half price in Argos it is worth serious consideration. 5 stars for me without question!

PS why is there installation, sound and picture quality on a kettle in the quick ratings??!!