T-Fal Vitesses 1.7L (7-Cup) Electric Kettle
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Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of T-Fal Vitesses 1.7L (7-Cup) Electric Kettle
Customer Review: I love this thing!
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought this electric kettle mostly for making coffee in my french press. However, I use it for much more. I never realized how much an electric kettle would help around the house. I now use it for the following... coffee, tea, cocoa, instant oatmeal, ramen, any cooking/baking that calls for boiled water, pre-boiling water for pasta, and even hot water for cleaning around the house.
Pros
-Heats water FAST! (1750 watts, as another poster listed, is just under the 1800 W US limit)
-Keeps the water hot for a good bit of time. (Put it this way, I make coffee, throw it in a thermos, and leave for work. When my wife wakes up 45 minutes later, it's still plenty hot to make instant oatmeal)
-Cordless pouring/filling
-Adjustable temp (drinkable cocoa temp to full boil)
-I haven't experienced any plastic taste that other commenter mentioned, even when allowing the water to cool as he/she mentioned. (Anyone who feels a need to mention their credentials in an online product review is usually over-critical or full of poo... in my humble opinion)
-Viewing window for filling/knowing how much water is left.
-Cheaper than most comparable kettles out there right now.
Cons
-Yes, the outside of the unit gets hot to the touch in some points, but I have yet to find a kettle that doesn't.
-It does get a bit noisy, but that is just a byproduct of the water having to heat so fast.
I can't imagine living without this thing, and when I finally wear it out, I hope the same model is still available, or I can find something similar. I honestly can't think of anything I would want to change on this unit.
Customer Review: Great kettle
Summary: 5 Stars
Got this to replace two previous t-fal kettles that worked great but ended up getting burned on my stovetop thanks to my inlaws. This kettle is of similar quality to my previous versions, but it's much bigger which is good and not so good. When you want to make just one cup it's not easy to measure the water because it doesn't even reach the minimum indicator level. Of course the increased capacity is nice when we have guests.
The thing that really makes this a great kettle for my purposes is that when set to the minimum temperature setting the water comes out perfect for brewing green tea, which is all I drink. Also it's done quicker and doesn't waste energy. I'd hate to go back to a kettle that brings water to a full boil all the time.
The only downside is it's made of plastic, and I'm not crazy about eating or drinking anything that has been heated up in plastic due to any chemicals or toxins that may leach out of it. At first there was a burning plastic kind of smell but after the first few uses it went away completely, however I would recommend pouring the first few batches down the drain.
All in all it's been a great kettle for the 6 months I've used it, and I'd recommend it highly.
***UPDATE 5/17/10***
After about a year and a half of daily use the temperature control knob just popped off one day when I picked the kettle up after boiling water and I can't get it back on. Not a huge deal since we always keep it at the same temperature anyway, but still a little disappointing. It's so good otherwise I'd still buy another one, but thought this was worth a comment.
Customer Review: Boil over with joy
Summary: 5 Stars
I purchased this T-Fal Vitesse electric kettle about 5 months ago and have used it multiple times on a daily basis.
Glad I decided to buy --
The water is bubbly in munites,
And so am I.
When you fill it up and turn it on, it begins by making a hissing sound characteristic of all electric kettles, but the sound subsides very quickly and is followed by a period of quiet, upon which the water then begins to boil and the kettle shuts off automatically.
I use the kettle to make pots of tea and cups of coffee. For tea, I have purchased a replacement coffee-maker carafe made of tempered glass. The carafe cost about $10 and holds about 6 large mugs of tea. The 1.7 liters I boil in the T-Fal are just the right amount to fill the carafe and brew my favorite variety of loose green tea, which then lasts all day.
For coffee, I boil just about 1 large cup worth of water, then use a plastic funnel on top of a mug with a paper filter and coffee inside, to pour boiling water over and drip into a mug of healthy, fresh brew that's ready in about 5 minutes from the time the kettle is turned on. Perfect product for all my daily drinking needs!
The product has a solid feel, is reliable, and looks modern on the kitchen counter. We call it "the Penguin" at home, because its shape resembles a penguin's body (it's hard to explain, but you'll see it). Just writing this review makes me all watery-eyed and bubbly ;-) Again, solid product and well worth the money -- you won't be disappointed with T-Fal on this one.
Customer Review: Electric tea kettles made of plastic may not be safe to use
Summary: 1 Stars
I have been trying without success to replace an ancient Russell Hobbs electric tea kettle that finally broke after almost twenty years. It has been difficult because what's on the market today is not great. Thinking to go with something completely different I ordered the T-Fal Vitesse, which has a lot of power, like my old Russell Hobbs, and boils water very quickly.
Unfortunately, after boiling water in it over the course of several days, I do not feel that the water from this kettle should be used by anyone, and I wonder if any plastic tea kettle from any company is really safe?
You can't taste or smell the heavy plastic odor when the water is hot. But let it cool and then smell and taste what you drank when the water was hot. It's pretty bad and that's scary. Who knows what chemicals are being leached from the plastic into the water . . .
I hate to dump on products made in China, but we have experienced a multitude of consumer safety issues with items made there. I think this is one of them.
Final verdict: Plastic kettles of any brand may leach chemicals into the water. This one certainly does. I do not think they're safe to use and I am a public health professional. For those who think it might be my water, we have a well, it is tested every year, and is completely free of all pollutants. The water tastes great. So it's definitely not our water. It's the electric tea kettle. Needless to say, I've returned it.
Customer Review: Terrific kettle!
Summary: 4 Stars
I've been using this kettle for 6 months and I really like it! It's great for setting up the night before. Push the button and in less than 3 minutes I have water for 2 large cups of hot beverage. The best part is the temperature control dial. I cannot conceive how anyone can drink coffee at the temp it is served at in restaurants. Ouch! I use this on the lowest setting and it's still hot enough to put in liquid creamer and be perfect drinking temp. If you're taking it to go, you just turn it up. I read a complaint about the hinge. I guess I wouldn't have noticed as I have simply filled it through the spout this whole time. It stays cool on the outside and I got an additional one for my 87 yr old mother in law as it's so easy to handle and requires no stove usage. (other caregivers will understand)
The only, and I mean only, reason it didn't get 5 stars is because I wish the water didn't heat in plastic. (to be fair I did call TFal and there aren't any of the "bad" plastics in it, but...) I'd rather it was lined in stainless steel rather than just on the bottom. I imagine it is not because it would make it hard to control the heated temperature, with metal holding heat so much more. More metal, more heat, less control. As a second choice, I'd be happy if it were lined in tempered glass, like pyrex or the like. But, other than that, really it's a terrific little kettle!