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Morphy Richards 43770 Accents Pyramid Kettle
by SpiderDreams
Following some bad buys regarding kettles, I decided to take a more careful approach. Our last one had begun to leak water from the bottom of the kettle into the base where the socket is. Not something you want to see happen! Of course the kettle had literally just passed its warranty period.
The idea of spending ages trawling ... through looking for kettles was not exactly my "cup of tea" ;) however it was well worth the time when I finally located this Morphy Richards Accents 43775 Pyramid kettle, in an array of stunning colours.
~Appearance~
The kettle is a lot larger than I was expecting standing at approx 28cm high from base to top of the handle.
Firstly the colouring of the kettles via the photographs do not do them justice, I chose the "orange" one which from the photo looked quite bright but thankfully turned out to be a beautiful darker copper colour.
Like many kettles these days, this model is cordless with the cord instead attached to a base that the kettle itself sits on and can rotate 360 degrees. This allows you to carry it around the kitchen to pour into pans on the stove etc without having to unplug it and is great for both left and right handed people.
The limescale filter sits just against the spout and is removable, a gentle tug and it slides out nicely. The lid is fully removable with a nice round loop so you can get a good grip. I find this better than the usual hinged lids that can often became jammed or broken from continual use.
The kettle itself is slightly conical in shape and has an old style look to it which I found quirky and a little more unusual and making it much nicer than the usual jug style kettles that are around. The illuminated water gauge actually lies on the back of the kettle (opposite end to the spout) rather than the side. This appears to be a cosmetic design that does not ruin the "look" of the kettle (if that makes sense).
At the top is the curving handle that is padded for comfortable grip.
Just beneath the water gauge is the "on" button/lever that you push down to set the kettle going. On the base (facing you) is a bright red/orange light that comes on to show the kettle is working.
~Use~
Easy enough to use, remove all packaging (including paper on the face of the plug...it is surprising how many people don't do that though!) Fill the kettle, boil and throw away the water - always good to do that with all new kettles.
Remove the lid, this is easy. I have known some kettles with lids that seemed to jam on and you had to fight them all the way, fearful of breaking. The lid comes off with a quick pull, water is added, sit it back on the base and plonk down the on lever.
With a 1.5 litre capacity it is a little heavy when full, so not the best for a more elderly person or someone with limited mobility as the handle makes you support the weight from above rather than from the side.
The rapid boil I found it to be pretty fast, with it boiling for 2 cups quicker than any of my previous kettles and despite its look, there is no loud whistling when it boils! In fact it is surprisingly quieter than many other kettles.
~Cleaning~
The outside can be wiped down with a damp cloth to clean it of any spills or splashes. As for the inside, the kettle can be cleaned like any other when needed by adding a cup of vinegar (white or malt is fine) and two cups of water. Boil, rinse, add clean water, boil pour out. (never add more vinegar than water).
~Cost~
While this kettle is certainly not the cheapest on the market it is also not the most expensive. In the end I recommend leaving the cheapies alone as it is truly a false economy. This kettle appears to be much more sturdy and long lasting than any of the plastic, cheaper ones I have purchased before.
It also came with an extension to 2 years warranty by Morphy Richards just by registering the product. So you can always do that for additional protection. However I think they only add that because they know it will last longer than 2 years, which is certainly longer than most kettles last these days.
~Things to Note~
* The handle - due to the design of the handle, it is quite instinctive to grab it at the top and pour. However this leaves your hand at the mercy of all that hot steam that then spills up and over your skin. Ouch! You need to take a grip of the handle at the farthest curve (closest to the water gauge back).
* Metal - as the kettle is made from metal rather than the usual plastic, it obviously gets very hot on the outside so extra care regarding this has to be taken.
* Eco-ness - the water gauge is not designed like a more-eco kettle where it is clear for water to cup ratio. Instead if you want to be eco, it is best you fill your cups with cold water and pour them into the kettle, that way you know you have the exact amount of water you need.
* Lid - Having been used to a kettle with a flip up lid and open access for the water to be poured, it can seem a little cumbersome the first time you remove the lid and then have to position the kettle under the tap. I did manage to bash my fingers against the tap as I held the handle (of course this could be my own clumsiness at work!)
* Cord - The cord that goes from the base is very short so you do need to think about this and the kettle's placement in regards to accessible sockets in your kitchen.
~Conclusion~
Good product, sturdy, quirky and quick.
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