When is a kettle not a kettle? (Russell Hobbs M2)

Member Name: kimgraham

Product:	Russell Hobbs M2
Date:	21/10/01 (171 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: adjustable temperature, boiling dry alert

Disadvantages: hinged lid doesn't stay up

I will freely admit it, I am a sucker for kitchen appliances! I have had this kettle for about four months and when I bought it I did not need a kettle. My existing kettle did the job perfectly well- well it boiled the water, what else do you want a kettle to do!!

I happened upon the Russell Hobbs M2 by sheer accident. I had gone to Comet to get some desperately needed Dyson filters. We had just taken up the carpets ready to lay laminate flooring and there was dust everywhere. The filter clogged- no spares- muck everywhere. I raced to Comets to catch them before they closed. I just made it, found the filters queued up (for ages) went to pay..... no purse!! I remembered taking it out earlier. Never mind, I had my credit card wallet, I could use my electron card! "Sorry Madam, we have a minimum purchase of £10". They were 10 minutes from closing. I was determined to have those filters.

"Hmm," I thought,"I will have to buy something else". I didn't really need anything else and I did not want to spend much. In our Comet by the checkout they have a table of special offers.

There it was - a digital kettle!! Oh, boy. I had never seen a digital kettle before. I asked what was so special about it. They didn't know, but it was a very good deal of £24.

I asked to see the box or manual so that I could see what a digital kettle did - perhaps it played music whilst it boiled?!
They didn't have them. Great. I looked at it , the temptation was just too much, and the poor checkout man was looking at his watch.

I succumbed. I purchased the all singing, all dancing kettle. I went home with great trepidation. Look on the brightside, I told myself, at least you have the filters!

"What is in the large bag?", my daughters all cried suspiciously.

"A kettle, a DIGITAL kettle!"

"We don't need a kettle , ours is new- the funky yellow one you HAD
to have when the kitchen was decorated" retorted middle daughter.

"I know, but it is a bit gaudy and this one is digital!"

"What is so special about it?!"

"err ,I don't know."

"You don't know?!!!!"

At this point I had a ghastly feeling of role reversal! Surely I should be telling them off for silly spending, not the other way round.

Now, to the kettle!

WHAT IS SO SPECIAL?

It looks pretty much like any other cordless jug shaped kettle. It has a wideish spout with a filter for removing the limescale. There is a viewing window so that you can see how much water is in the kettle.
You can boil as little as a cupful of water.

It boils, right?

Yes, of course, and no!

The M2 uses the new OPTEC DISC system. This allows you to programme the kettle to heat the water to any temperature you choose.
Coffee and herbal/fruit teas should not be made with boiling water, apparently. So, you can heat the water to less than boiling point. I was sceptical about this but it does make a big difference to the taste, and you are far less likely to burn your tongue!!

It has a 3kw concealed element which is very quick and easy to clean.

This kettle has a host of useful features:
It is really good for making baby formula milk which has to be be boiled and then allowed to cool to a comfortable body heat temperature. The kettle has a programme where you can boil the water and set an alert to inform you when it has cooled to your required temperature.

It also has an alert for if you switch it on by mistake with no water! It bleeps very loudly!

There is a also a programme which allows you to keep the water at a constant heat. I have found this handy when I have had guests for dinner.

There is a bleeper which always tells you when the water is ready, which I have found useful.I suppose it's
a bit like the old whistling kettle. Previously I was always forgetting the kettle and having to reboil it! Not very good for economy or the environment. This kettle has a host of energy saving features.

Do I recommend it? Oh yes, absolutely. Pardon? You only want to boil water? That's fine, it does that, only very quickly and quietly.You thought it might sing? Yeah, me too! Disappointing that!

The only drawback I could find was the hinged lid, which doesn't stay up. I thought I must have a dodgy one,but on inspecting some in Curry's I found them all to be the same. It is no real problem though, as you can fill through the spout. It pours well too, by the way.

The gaudy yellow kettle? I have given it to a friend!

Summary: