Smeg 50's Retro Style Variable Temperature Electric Kettle - Black

I have bought this kettle 12 months ago and 6 months later it has developed paint blister. Smeg were very good and send a replacement kettle immediately. The next new kettle had developed a fault in the first 6 months by which the lid would not open and had to be pressed several times before it popped up. I have yet again contacted Smeg and as the original purchase was still within 12 months I received a replacement kettle within 1 day. Excellent service by Smeg customer services but unfortunately the 3rd kettle has a fault with the lid too, which this time it keeps popping up open. 3 kettles in 12 months, all faulty and now out of original guarantee so stuck with it. Really not worth the money. For this price I would expect top quality product and certainly a ... MoreI have bought this kettle 12 months ago and 6 months later it has developed paint blister. Smeg were very good and send a replacement kettle immediately. The next new kettle had developed a fault in the first 6 months by which the lid would not open and had to be pressed several times before it popped up. I have yet again contacted Smeg and as the original purchase was still within 12 months I received a replacement kettle within 1 day. Excellent service by Smeg customer services but unfortunately the 3rd kettle has a fault with the lid too, which this time it keeps popping up open. 3 kettles in 12 months, all faulty and now out of original guarantee so stuck with it. Really not worth the money. For this price I would expect top quality product and certainly a longer guarantee period. Very disappointed.

Benj's review of SMEG 50's Retro Style KLF04WHUK Jug Kettle - White

Pros: Variable temp is really useful, even for black tea I can set it to 90 degrees to save on time and energy with no impact to brew quality (tried with both loose leaves and teabag). Standard herbal tea bags can be set to 70 degrees (I typically leave these bags in the tea while drinking to let the flavour stew) so I do not need to add cold water after boiling (again an efficiency bonus).Very quick boiling time when only filling for small volumes e.g. 2 cupsAudio alert (which can be turned off) is not annoyingKeep warm feature have used once when guests were around and it proved useful.Cons: The top opening button somehow does not feel as premium as the rest of the design. Can feel slightly unresponsive and gives a nagging doubt about longevity.The press to ... MorePros: Variable temp is really useful, even for black tea I can set it to 90 degrees to save on time and energy with no impact to brew quality (tried with both loose leaves and teabag). Standard herbal tea bags can be set to 70 degrees (I typically leave these bags in the tea while drinking to let the flavour stew) so I do not need to add cold water after boiling (again an efficiency bonus).Very quick boiling time when only filling for small volumes e.g. 2 cupsAudio alert (which can be turned off) is not annoyingKeep warm feature have used once when guests were around and it proved useful.Cons: The top opening button somehow does not feel as premium as the rest of the design. Can feel slightly unresponsive and gives a nagging doubt about longevity.The press to activate and press-again to actually boil is slightly counter-intuitive but I got used to it after a short time.

Extra cost doesn't equal extra quality

I have owned this kettle for 2 years and eventually the little piece that connects the base to the kettle got damaged and the kettle wouldn't work. I took it apart and I had to replace the entire part inside the kettle body that operates the thermostat and the switch and all the working parts. Upon searching for the part online I realized this is just a standard part and the exact same part is in dozens of different brands of kettles that will cost you a fraction of this kettle. The moral of my story here is, the hefty price of this kettle is based on the brand and the look not the quailty. The actual working components of it are not superior to other kettles. I give it two stars because the style of the kettle is nice but I would recommend saving your money if you ... MoreI have owned this kettle for 2 years and eventually the little piece that connects the base to the kettle got damaged and the kettle wouldn't work. I took it apart and I had to replace the entire part inside the kettle body that operates the thermostat and the switch and all the working parts. Upon searching for the part online I realized this is just a standard part and the exact same part is in dozens of different brands of kettles that will cost you a fraction of this kettle. The moral of my story here is, the hefty price of this kettle is based on the brand and the look not the quailty. The actual working components of it are not superior to other kettles. I give it two stars because the style of the kettle is nice but I would recommend saving your money if you think that spending more is going to get you a quality product.

Form over function, very poor for such an expensive kettle

This kettle will get the job done, but is form-over-function.I think it's good looking, but it has some very poor usability issues.1) The fill indicator is the type that is behind the handle which makes it hard to see, particularly if you are trying to see the 'max' indicator, and even if you're not holding it, it's still hard to see very clearly.2) If you could see the indicator well, the 'minimum' seems to be about 2 cups, so unlike my previous kettle I often end up boiling more than I need which is a waste.3) The noises this kettle makes are laughable, in contrast to the kettle they sound REALLY cheap, the only good thing about them is you can turn them off, but you have to do that again every time you unplug it.4) The controls are really annoying. The ... MoreThis kettle will get the job done, but is form-over-function.I think it's good looking, but it has some very poor usability issues.1) The fill indicator is the type that is behind the handle which makes it hard to see, particularly if you are trying to see the 'max' indicator, and even if you're not holding it, it's still hard to see very clearly.2) If you could see the indicator well, the 'minimum' seems to be about 2 cups, so unlike my previous kettle I often end up boiling more than I need which is a waste.3) The noises this kettle makes are laughable, in contrast to the kettle they sound REALLY cheap, the only good thing about them is you can turn them off, but you have to do that again every time you unplug it.4) The controls are really annoying. The indicators for changing the temperature are hard to see, so I ended up putting a black dot over the only other one I use regularly so I can see where to select using the lever. Even then I seem to overshoot that setting by one a lot.You can't see the temperatures written above the lights when standing up in a well lit kitchen. Because of how they have organised the controls you mostly have to press the button twice, which is annoying, but not as annoying as the times you only have to press it once, and then end up turning it off again.The last thing about the controls is that they are on two sides of a squarish base, which means it's hard to position the base nicely and still have a good view of them both.5) This one doesn't seem to bother me so much any more, but the button you press to open the top, is on the top. So you are kind of holding it closed as you are pressing it, and because it has an elegant slow opening I would often press it quick and it wouldn't open. You have to train yourself to press the button towards the back of the lid to get it to work reliably.In conclusion. Make sure you REALLY like the look of it before you pay (a lot of) money to get it. Then all the usability issues might be worth it for you.

Looks Great Bad Quality

Bought as a treat for myself Christmas 2020. It is very aesthetically pleasing on the eye and love the design, however....... I noticed after a couple of uses the plastic handle felt loose and pinched and squeaked when being held, so contacted John Lewis who kindly arranged and replacement and for the old one to be returned. Have enjoyed it until now except for not being able to read the full line area as it is covered by the handle, also, the lid is a bit clunky to open to fill the kettle, doesn't always open on first attempt, I also thought the temperature control would be useful, so bought this model instead of the standard one, however, I have never used the temperature control in the 11 months of having it. Now....this evening I noticed the white enamel ... MoreBought as a treat for myself Christmas 2020. It is very aesthetically pleasing on the eye and love the design, however....... I noticed after a couple of uses the plastic handle felt loose and pinched and squeaked when being held, so contacted John Lewis who kindly arranged and replacement and for the old one to be returned. Have enjoyed it until now except for not being able to read the full line area as it is covered by the handle, also, the lid is a bit clunky to open to fill the kettle, doesn't always open on first attempt, I also thought the temperature control would be useful, so bought this model instead of the standard one, however, I have never used the temperature control in the 11 months of having it. Now....this evening I noticed the white enamel covering has started flaking away around the spout! However, just spoke to an amazing customer services member of staff, who kindly arranged another replacement, fingers crossed for third time lucky. Excellent customer service.

Love the mint colour

I bought this kettle during lockdown so I wasn't able to test it out and only read the reviews. But I am so happy with my purchase. It's not too loud (compared to other models but its not super quiet either) and the water indicator is easy to see. Handle easy to pick up. Heats up to right temperatures. I did have an issues with the lid - you push it down and it pops up but after few days it stopped popping up immediately. I had to push the button 3-4 times on several occasions - there was a trick which is to tilt the kettle backwards and it would open without fail. It's not broken, more like the latch inside probably didnt come out properly. I emailed SMEG recently and they responded quickly and after filling in some details they offered to replace my current ... MoreI bought this kettle during lockdown so I wasn't able to test it out and only read the reviews. But I am so happy with my purchase. It's not too loud (compared to other models but its not super quiet either) and the water indicator is easy to see. Handle easy to pick up. Heats up to right temperatures. I did have an issues with the lid - you push it down and it pops up but after few days it stopped popping up immediately. I had to push the button 3-4 times on several occasions - there was a trick which is to tilt the kettle backwards and it would open without fail. It's not broken, more like the latch inside probably didnt come out properly. I emailed SMEG recently and they responded quickly and after filling in some details they offered to replace my current kettle. I didn't even after to return the faulty one. Now that's 5 star service especially during lockdown - worth paying premium price for this kettle. So I am very happy with the kettle, and the service.

Oozes quality

I would give it 5 stars, but for me it needs to last to justify such a score and I haven't had it long enough to prove it's longevity (my track record with other brand kettles has been disappointing to say the least - they all seem to give up the ghost soon after the guarantee expires).It's engineered to a wholly higher standard of construction and materials which makes it feel very solid. I like that it pours perfectly and because it must use an electronic temperature sensing system it turns off just on the boil, rather than steaming away madly as some others do. Although I wasn't sure to start with I do sometimes find myself using the temperature control and stay warm functions so they are more than just a gimmick. The controls are easy enough to get used ... MoreI would give it 5 stars, but for me it needs to last to justify such a score and I haven't had it long enough to prove it's longevity (my track record with other brand kettles has been disappointing to say the least - they all seem to give up the ghost soon after the guarantee expires).It's engineered to a wholly higher standard of construction and materials which makes it feel very solid. I like that it pours perfectly and because it must use an electronic temperature sensing system it turns off just on the boil, rather than steaming away madly as some others do. Although I wasn't sure to start with I do sometimes find myself using the temperature control and stay warm functions so they are more than just a gimmick. The controls are easy enough to get used to.It is rather heavy, which could be a problem for some people, and I find the fill gauge a bit hard to see.Yes it's expensive for a kettle but it looks great; feels really well made and has additional functionality to most kettles - in fact a pleasure to use - and as I value these aspects then so far I feel it's been worth paying the price, especially if I can use it for many years.

Quick and quiet

As an English person I consume copious amounts of tea daily. I previously had a ceramic kettle that looked pretty but you could probably hear it from next door! It also stopped working before I’d had it a year. Hence my willingness to invest in this rather expensive option. It looks nice in my white kitchen, boils very quickly, and while of course not silent, it’s not obtrusively noisy. I like the temperature control for different varietals of tea, and the water gauge tells you how full it is without having to open the lid and peer inside. The soft pour spout does indeed prevent spattering yourself with boiling hot water. Yes, the chimes are mildly annoying, but you can press turn the temperature button for 5 seconds and it turns the sounds off completely - problem ... MoreAs an English person I consume copious amounts of tea daily. I previously had a ceramic kettle that looked pretty but you could probably hear it from next door! It also stopped working before I’d had it a year. Hence my willingness to invest in this rather expensive option. It looks nice in my white kitchen, boils very quickly, and while of course not silent, it’s not obtrusively noisy. I like the temperature control for different varietals of tea, and the water gauge tells you how full it is without having to open the lid and peer inside. The soft pour spout does indeed prevent spattering yourself with boiling hot water. Yes, the chimes are mildly annoying, but you can press turn the temperature button for 5 seconds and it turns the sounds off completely - problem solved! I can’t attest to its longevity having only been using it for a week, but at this price I hope it will last.

Smeg Kettle

I have now had three of these kettles. The first one being replaced soon after purchase when it simply stopped working. The second worked until it also stopped working and also leaked from side where you see the water level. The third is currently falling apart bit by bit. Part of the handle close to the top side of the kettle fell off and the handle is a bit to come off completely. The E of SMEG came off too. I am sad to not buy another it as it matches my Hob, Oven, liquidiser and toaster. However I cannot ever buy one as they are just not durable and made poorly despite looking lovely.

Syle overs substance. Avoid

So mostly we've been happy with the mid-range kettles that do the job. How hard is it to boil water?So we purchased this somewhat pricey kettle just before Christmas. Several immediate issues:1. The unit, being metal get extremely hot so need to be wary with children2. It's incredibly annoying to have to press a button twice to boil water...it's it's main function so should be simpleThe clincher was that after a few weeks use, the lid doesn't open very well. Frequently taking 3 or 4 attempts before we can pour water in.All in all, perhaps the most overpriced and over-engineered home appliance I've every bought.Would strongly recommend you avoid. We've replaced it with a basic kettle (albeit plastic) that looks OK and costs 1/5 of the price. Won't be ... MoreSo mostly we've been happy with the mid-range kettles that do the job. How hard is it to boil water?So we purchased this somewhat pricey kettle just before Christmas. Several immediate issues:1. The unit, being metal get extremely hot so need to be wary with children2. It's incredibly annoying to have to press a button twice to boil water...it's it's main function so should be simpleThe clincher was that after a few weeks use, the lid doesn't open very well. Frequently taking 3 or 4 attempts before we can pour water in.All in all, perhaps the most overpriced and over-engineered home appliance I've every bought.Would strongly recommend you avoid. We've replaced it with a basic kettle (albeit plastic) that looks OK and costs 1/5 of the price. Won't be purchasing SMEG again.