Eco Kettle Review

All the reviews I read of the Eco Kettle when considering what to buy were positive, so I would like to add a few caveats:

1. The main feature is the dual-chamber system: you add cold water to the storage chamber and then press the knob on top to fill the second chamber with the amount of water you actually want to boil. It's meant to ensure you save energy, but there are lots of kettles out there that allow you to measure how much water you've put in, so why bother with a storage chamber? It makes for a bulky, heavy kettle, and also means you've got limited capacity for actually boiling water. If you like your tea in mugs, you won't get more than 2 at a time out of the Eco Kettle. If you've got guests, you have to refill and boil the kettle several times -- is that the best way of saving energy?

2. The three different temperature settings are also supposed to save energy, because you don't actually need *boiling* water for most drinks, but the 80 and 90 degree settings switch on and off several times before they're done, so the temperature can be checked, and as such they surely use just as much energy as it would to just boil the water. The result? I now only use the 'boil' setting.



I've had this kettle approx. 3 months and haven't yet had any problems as such, but the all-important plastic knob, which you press to fill the second chamber, seems flimsy, and I've noticed steam and condensation underneath the kettle -- not a good sign. (However my 'durability' and 'service and support' ratings are not based on actual experience -- just had to put something!)