We seem to go through kettles like nobody's business in our house. Part of the problem is that one member of the household likes to collect them along with mugs! This is one of the kettles that he bought a year or so back and we continue to use it on and off. Russell Hobbs is a tried and tested make and we have used their products before.

The price tag is about twenty five to thirty pounds and for your money you get a 1.6 litre stainless steel kettle, that plugs into the mains. The cable on it has enough give, I would say about half a metre or so so you can move it around with ease. It is also easy to keep the cable clean. On the subject of keeping clean, not so much the case with the kettle itself. The stainless steel has held up well and has not chipped, but it is prone to getting smeary and greasy and no matter how much you wipe it, it always seems to attract smudges. We do not have this problem so much with plastic kettles.

The ergonomics are all very pleasant though with a beautifully sculptured main frame and a lovely sturdy handle. The handle does not conduct heat which is very important. When it comes to filling, you just take off the central cap and this can get hot, but it clips in nicely and has never come off when boiling.

The pouring is relatively easy though I find precision is needed here because the spout is quite small and narrow. This means that water comes out readily and can cause a mess if not monitored closely. When it comes to filling, I have noticed filling it half full is safer when it comes to pouring, because at full capacity it can start to spill through the spout.

Overall, very smart looking, it clips onto the base tray superbly and boils a full load of water in about a minute. Pouring not so good, but the price is in line with competitors, so not bad.