KitchenAid Variable Temperature Kettle Review
A beautiful and simple to use kettle
Verdict
A beautifully made kettle, the KitchenAid Variable Temperature Kettle is available in a wide range of finishes to suit any kitchen. It’s easy to hold and pour, and the tiny base doesn’t take up much counter space. I’d like to see a lower minimum boil level, but that aside, this is a great multi-temperature kettle, if not a little expensive.
Pros
- Neat and compact
- Simple temperature selection
- Large capacity
Cons
- 500ml minimum boil
- Could do with more fill level markings
Key Features
- Minimum and maximum boilBoils a minimum of 500ml of water and a maximum of 1.7L
- Variable temperatureSelectable temperatures: 50°C, 60°C, 70°C, 80°C, 90°C, 95°C and 100°C
Introduction
Available in a range of bright colours, the KitchenAid Variable Temperature Kettle is a gorgeous addition to any kitchen.
Cleverly, its base is the same diameter as the jug’s, which not only makes the kettle look neater, but gives you more counter space.
Variable temperature selection is good to see, but a lower minimum boil would have been appreciated.
Design and features
- Excellent looks and available in a wide range of colours
- Simple temperature selection dial
- 500ml minimum fill
I’ve got the Empire Red version of the KitchenAid Variable Temperature Kettle, which is a bold and bright colour that makes a statement. There are also pistachio, stainless steel, matte black and almond cream versions available, so getting one to match your kitchen shouldn’t be too hard.
What’s particularly neat about this 1.7-litre jug kettle is that the base and the jug have the same footprint. This not only looks neater (when docked, the kettle and base blend into each other), but it also means that you don’t have to give up much counter space to have this kettle.
Overall, this design looks neater than the rather dumpy previous model, the KitchenAid Artisan 1.5L Kettle.
On the front is the temperature selection slide. As this moves, the LED lights underneath the available temperatures light up to show you the selection you’ve made: 50°C, 60°C, 70°C, 80°C, 90°C, 95°C and 100°C. That’s enough range to cater for most drink types.
Once you’ve selected a temperature, you can hit the power button on the side, and the kettle beeps once to let you know it’s started and then beeps again when it has hit the target temperature.
As a visual aid, the LEDs under the temperature selection light up to show progress. Unlike a kettle with a digital readout, such as the Ninja Perfect Temperature Kettle KT200UK, you can’t see the kettle’s temperature later. This means you can tell at a glance if the kettle is hot enough to use again, or if it needs boiling again.
There’s a pop-up lid on top, which makes it easy to open this kettle even if it is hot.
The filling level needs to be measured using the window at the back, although it doesn’t have as many markings as I’d like: 0.5L, 1L, 1.3L and 1.7L. Some more markings in the middle of the scale would be useful.
A minimum fill level of 500ml is quite high for a modern kettle, and there are many that have a 250ml minimum level, which is more efficient when you want just a single cup of tea or coffee.
Pouring from this kettle is easy. Due to the tall jug and neat spout, even a full kettle can be poured with precision. A removable limescale filter prevents anything nasty pouring in your cup.
Performance
- Fast to boil
- Lower temperatures can help save money
This is a 3kW kettle, which is the maximum you can get in the UK. Bringing 1 litre of water to the boil, the KitchenAid Variable Temperature Kettle used 0.171kWh of power and took 3m 54s to complete the job – that’s pretty standard.
Dropping down to the minimum fill level of 500ml, the kettle took 1m 35s to bring the water to a boil, using 0.069kWh of power. Again, that’s about what I’d expect.
Dropping the temperature down to 95C and filling with 500ml of water, the KitchenAid Variable Temperature Kettle took 1m 19s to reach temperature, using 0.044kWh of power. It’s a small saving, but if you make a lot of coffee, then these savings add up.
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Should you buy it?
You want style and quality
This kettle looks great, doesn’t take up much room, and has selectable temperatures.
You want something cheaper
This is an expensive model and there are cheaper rivals that have similar features.
Final Thoughts
Attractive and relatively small, the KitchenAid Variable Temperature Kettle is a beautiful kettle that will stand out in any kitchen. I like the variable temperature selection and the easy pour action. This kettle is quite expensive, so if you want the same features for less, check out my guide to the best kettles.
How we test
We test every kettle we review thoroughly over an extended period of time. We use standard tests to compare features properly. We’ll always tell you what we find. We never, ever, accept money to review a product.
Find out more about how we test in our ethics policy.
Used as our main kettle for the review period.
We measure power usage for different fill levels and, if available, different target temperatures.
We test how easy it is to pour from the kettle.
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FAQs
This one takes a minimum of 500ml, which is more than a mug’s worth.
Full specs
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Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
