I am using the 4th French kettle in less than a year and I've developed an aversion. Kettles seem to have become astronomically expensive and I am reluctant to spend a lot of money when they keep being faulty. Then there is the calcium which appears in the boiled water (it lurks horribly in the kettle and in tea). I use a water filter, admittedly not all the time, and I know someone who passes the water through coffee filters which are re-usable.
A couple of years ago, I kept the kettle box and receipt and just a few weeks before the guarantee ran out, the kettle failed. So bravely, I returned it to the French shop for a replacement. However, because the guarantee period was almost over I was happy for the kettle to be tested for a fault and honesty pays, for indeed the inspector agreed it was not good, so they gave a chit for the value to be spent in the shop on another kettle or comme vous voulez. It's only recently that French shops have agreed to no-hassle-refund. Since then I've bought cheaper kettles, 9 euros, from a GIANT supermarket shop whose name is not dissimilar from the mighty ocean! One of these I returned within a month. I bought another...and the same thing happened after 3 months. It turned itself on and burnt out! I don't feel I should return it but I will. It is true that on occasions I have left the kettle to boil when there is no water in it but I'm better at not doing that these days. Recently, I bought a Severin brand, half price in the sale, normally 60 euros. Cautiously wary the creature that I am, I'm keeping the kettle on a plate instead of on its electrical device when it is not boiling water. However, I've noticed that the plastic lid which opens slowly when a button is pressed to fill it with water, does not fit exactly so when I DO switch it on, it continues to boil for a long time before cutting out. I've decided to take it back as the kitchen fills with steam if I leave the kettle to boil and wander to another room.
I thought I would look on Amazon and see what the options are as well as look in other shops that sell electrical household products. But how does one return faulty goods to Amazon? It will cost postage when it's not my fault!
However, not all is bleak, I once bought a LIDL kettle which was excellent as it had a 3 year guarantee as opposed to a one year guarantee and that particular kettle lasted just over the 3 years. Disappointingly, they are only in the LIDL shops at certain times of the year. And they do not always appeal to me in their design feature. Hey ho ... it's a kettle.
Years ago I had a wonderful Russell Hobbs .. very stylish.. maybe I shall investigate that. Perhaps even look at John Lewis now that they sell online and deliver to France. I can use a European converter plug because one is not supposed to change plugs these days!
I could go back to boiling the water in a saucepan but it's not as nice as having an electric kettle. That reminds me I have a beautiful, expensive, camping kettle in my attic store....it's about 30 years old.... and as good as new. Really, excellent design. I could use that on the gas hob and listen for the whistle.
A couple of years ago, I kept the kettle box and receipt and just a few weeks before the guarantee ran out, the kettle failed. So bravely, I returned it to the French shop for a replacement. However, because the guarantee period was almost over I was happy for the kettle to be tested for a fault and honesty pays, for indeed the inspector agreed it was not good, so they gave a chit for the value to be spent in the shop on another kettle or comme vous voulez. It's only recently that French shops have agreed to no-hassle-refund. Since then I've bought cheaper kettles, 9 euros, from a GIANT supermarket shop whose name is not dissimilar from the mighty ocean! One of these I returned within a month. I bought another...and the same thing happened after 3 months. It turned itself on and burnt out! I don't feel I should return it but I will. It is true that on occasions I have left the kettle to boil when there is no water in it but I'm better at not doing that these days. Recently, I bought a Severin brand, half price in the sale, normally 60 euros. Cautiously wary the creature that I am, I'm keeping the kettle on a plate instead of on its electrical device when it is not boiling water. However, I've noticed that the plastic lid which opens slowly when a button is pressed to fill it with water, does not fit exactly so when I DO switch it on, it continues to boil for a long time before cutting out. I've decided to take it back as the kitchen fills with steam if I leave the kettle to boil and wander to another room.
I thought I would look on Amazon and see what the options are as well as look in other shops that sell electrical household products. But how does one return faulty goods to Amazon? It will cost postage when it's not my fault!
However, not all is bleak, I once bought a LIDL kettle which was excellent as it had a 3 year guarantee as opposed to a one year guarantee and that particular kettle lasted just over the 3 years. Disappointingly, they are only in the LIDL shops at certain times of the year. And they do not always appeal to me in their design feature. Hey ho ... it's a kettle.
Years ago I had a wonderful Russell Hobbs .. very stylish.. maybe I shall investigate that. Perhaps even look at John Lewis now that they sell online and deliver to France. I can use a European converter plug because one is not supposed to change plugs these days!
I could go back to boiling the water in a saucepan but it's not as nice as having an electric kettle. That reminds me I have a beautiful, expensive, camping kettle in my attic store....it's about 30 years old.... and as good as new. Really, excellent design. I could use that on the gas hob and listen for the whistle.
