"I bought the Russell Hobbs glass kettle at the start of January, mostly because the old plastic one started tasting funny. A month of daily boils later, the water still comes out clean, the auto shut-off kicks in at the right moment, and the blue light inside does not distract me at night. My only real gripe is the lid: it is stiff to open when the kettle is full, and you have to be careful not to slosh water over the counter."
Nomsa Dlamini
Used daily for coffee and tea, Durban
Tested for 4 weeks
Bought from local retailer
The kettle gets used at least four times a day in this household, so the first month was a fair workout. It boils 1.7 litres in just under three minutes, which is about what the box claims. The glass body makes it easy to see the water level, and the mesh filter catches most of the scale that Durban tap water leaves behind. After thirty days, there is no visible build-up inside, and the exterior still wipes clean without streaks.
The stiff lid is the one thing I would change. It needs a firm push to click shut, and if you are in a hurry, it is easy to misalign. The cord is also shorter than I would like, so the kettle has to sit close to the wall socket. Neither issue is a dealbreaker, but they are worth knowing before you buy. If you want to compare how this kettle handles scale and cleaning against another option we tested, have a look at the full reviews list.
Would I buy it again? Yes, mostly because it does the basics well and the glass body does not absorb smells the way plastic does. For a family that goes through several boils a day, it has earned its spot on the counter. If you are more interested in how a charger holds up under daily use, read the review of the Anker 65W charger instead.