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: One of few appliances worthy of counter space
Summary: 4 Stars
I discovered this appliance when I rented a villa in Provence several years ago. It heated water for tea and coffee like lightening. I wanted to buy one and bring it home but the electrical plugs are different there so I couldn't. I was thrilled to find the same unit by the same maker T-Fal, available in this country. But make no mistake. It is NOT as fast as those in Europe. I think it has something to do with the amount of power delivered by their utility companies. Vitesse is French for fast or speedy. I bought one from Amazon several years ago and finally let go of it because the metal bottom interior started to show wear and peeling. I ordered a new one which is slightly different with a dial knob to control how hot you want the water to get. I think this is kind of overkill. The point is that you want to boil water and do it fast. Interestingly, the name Vitesse has been changed to Vitesses. A confusing move by the manufacturer I thought. I would prefer this unit to be offered in black as well as white. Otherwise, I think it worthy of my pressious counter space and a real time saver.Customer Review: Poor Handle Design
Summary: 3 Stars
Ok,
I just purchased and received the kettle. Quick fulfillment by Amazon, as always.
I have no doubts that what people say about the kettle is true in terms of it heating up water well, etc. I do like the plate in the bottom rather than coils. The pop on and rotate base is very nice, rather than the click into one position. The appearance is nice, so I won't have a problem keeping it on my desk at work.
*however* The handle is ergonomically a poor design. It's very difficult to hold the kettle when full. Because of how rounded it is, the natural position is at the top of the handle, but this tips over the teapot. Then the only way to carry it safely is to hold the front and the handle, which is problematic, because it is too hot!
As previous reviewer said, the cord could be a bit longer. I'll have to buy an extension. 4 feet sounds long, but isn't as long in practice.
I regret not buying one at the store now.It's worth considering whether you can pick up and carry the teapot.
L
Customer Review: hard to find
Summary: 4 Stars
I came to Amazon looking for a replacement for my Braun electric kettle. Unfortunately, it is now only available for international use. But the T-Fal is a great alternative. For me it's all about the ergonomics. I've got really arthritic hands, and I could tell that the handle on this kettle would be easy for me to grasp. And it is. Most of the kettles I looked at had a handle with a smaller arc, which made them very uncomfortable for me to grasp and lift, especially when full. I was also pleased to find the water level window in the side of the kettle and not hidden under the handle !! I bought one like that and immediately got rid of it. I use this kettle every morning for instant coffee. I haven't used any temperature setting other than the highest one, so I can't comment on the lower settings. The plastic exterior is much easier to keep clean than stainless--also cooler. And compared to others, the price is also very good.
I'm thinking of ordering a couple more of these, just in case they, too, get discontinued.
Customer Review: So far, so good...
Summary: 4 Stars
The kettle appears to be nicely made. It certainly heats up water very fast and the auto-off feature is great! It means you don't have to wait close by while it heats. I only have a few reservations:
1. You need to have a minimum of 0.7 liters of water in the kettle. Since I use this mostly for myself, I might have looked harder online to see if there is a smaller electric kettle on the market.
2. When brand new, the plastic gave out a lot of "new plastic" smell and taste. This went away quickly over a week or two and is now not a problem. But is it healthy to have Made-in-China plasticizers leaching into hot water that you drink? Would a kettle with stainless steel innards be healthier?
3. Like everything these days, it is Made in China. Which usually means something will break on it in a year or two and it will need to be replaced. Initial quality looks excellent (better than I expected), but I wonder about the life of these things?
Customer Review: Perfect for my cup of tea
Summary: 5 Stars
I've had this for a few weeks now, and I use it everyday! It heats up quickly and relatively quietly. I live in a dorm, so this is perfect to get hot boiling water quickly to use in my experimental dorm cooking. I use this several times a day for my tea. The temperature control is set to medium high for my black teas, and that works very well. I just keep it there and let it sit for a few minutes before pouring for my green teas. It has no beep or ding when it's done, which is fine for me because there's a quiet click when it turns off the heating element. This is my first ever electric kettle and I love everything about it. The base doesn't overheat, and the handle and pot stay cool when pouring. It's relatively light weight in design and easy to pour and fill up. Since it's cordless I can take it anywhere to pour. I would definitely recommend this for anyone looking for a great tea kettle.