The Seductive Kettle (Prima PGK300G Glass Kettle)

Member Name: zebra

Product:	Prima PGK300G Glass Kettle
Date:	26/11/03 (1247 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: It looks gorgeous - especially at night

Disadvantages: You have to keep it clean

I was considering buying a stainless steel kettle but sitting on the shelf next to the one
I had chosen was the Prima glass kettle.

"Take me home," it whispered seductively, "You know you find me attractive."

I did - but I wasn't going to admit it to the kettle.

"Don't be silly" I replied "You might look nice now but you'll look a total mess in a
couple of weeks with the hard water in our area."

"But you'll clean me more often to keep me looking good, and I'm on special offer
at the moment."

I didn't believe it for a second but recklessly gave in to the glamour.

"OK I'll give you a go but I bet you end up in the bottom of a cupboard within a few
weeks."

I felt a bit cheap having given in to the wiles of a wanton kettle. I also felt bad about
relegating my trusty Le Creuset hob kettle to just boiling water to de ice the car. For
several years I have been using the stove top orange kettle on the gas hob. I had
persuaded myself that gas was more energy efficient and previous plastic jug kettles
resulted in scummy tea. Over the years, however, I discovered that hob kettles are fine
if you are a domestic goddess but while I can boil an egg I seem to run into problems
with kettles. The kettle either shrieks at me at inconvenient moments demanding
attention or I leave out the whistle and it boils dry. The final straw was the fact that
the starlings have started to imitate the whistle and this was beginning to drive me
insane.

Having justified the purchase I was rather looking forward to trying out my trendy
modern appliance. The first thing I noticed was that it was very fast compared to the
hob kettle. Secondly, instead of shrieking at me like a demented starling the Prima
purred and gave me a most spectacular light show. I was
in love.

I was like a child with a new toy and my son shook his head sadly at his mother's
strange new preoccupation muttering something about 'little things'. Little did he
know that I had recently started talking to kettles too. As dusk approaches my
thoughts turn to my kettle. During the day the kettle bursts into action with huge
rumbling bubbles efficiently producing boiling water in seconds. But at night it also
magically transforms into churning fiery water light show. It is a truly spectacular
effect.

But like all new things the novelty soon wears off especially when, as I had predicted,
the kettle lost its looks. Water marks were beginning to appear and I knew it wouldn't
be long before the shiny glass would all be coated in a rough white coat and instead of
seductive bubbles I would see a cloudy mess of limescale flakes struggling to escape
into my tea.

"I told you this would happen," I moaned :violent: at the kettle as I followed the
instructions on a very expensive descaler I was about to use on it, " You're going to
cost me a fortune in upkeep."

"No I'm not," said the kettle "I'm going to save you money actually."

Well I can't say that I believed it but had to admit that I did want to keep it looking
good? so it had been correct about that.

The kettle quietly explained that already saving money by was using it efficiently.
The kettle holds a maximum of 1.5L and has a minimum of 0.5 L and I discovered
that the minimum is exactly 2 mugs. Because it is glass it is easier to see if you have
overfilled it than with the little viewing windows on many kettles. People tend to use
more water than needed which wastes both energy and water and although some
kettles allow you to boil just one cup of water more often than not I make two cups.
U
sing the minimum amount has the added advantage that no water is left standing in
the kettle and this reduces the limescale build up considerably.

"OK I'm using the kettle more efficiently but descaler is quite expensive what about
the cost of keeping it clean?"

"Ah!" said the kettle " it is well known that not only does regular descaling save
electricity being wasted but it also will help the prolong my life. Anyway I think I'm
worth spending loads of money on but if you can't afford it you can always use
vinegar."

It's not that I don't love my kettle enough to spoil it but I perked up my ears at the
idea of using vinegar - somehow that seemed a bit safer to use than chemicals. (OK I
know vinegar is a chemical but at least it's one I put on my chips).

I have found that 100ml 4fl oz of distilled malt vinegar, or spirit vinegar, diluted in
1.5Lt water (maximum mark) left overnight in the kettle leaves it sparkling clean and
my purse happy (vinegar is remarkably cheap). You can speed up the process by
adding the vinegar to just boiled water. A quick rinse is afterwards all that's needed.

As you can imagine talking kettles don't come cheap but for style, glamour, and an
amazing light show in the evening I think it's worth it.

Prima clear boil kettle in white yellow or green £29.99 or less if on special offer, in
chrome £39.99. 3Kw rapid boil concealed element, cordless 360 deg. Base for left or
right handed use. Removable washable filter which isn't really necessary because
you'll probably want to keep it clean.

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