Kettle failure - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: PChi
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 05, 2013, 05:36:47 pm
content: On Christmas Eve I put the kettle on for a cup of coffee. There was a terrible sound and a horrible smell and I found that the kettle element had failed. As I like destructive testing I though that the picture attached may be of interest.Does any one know of a kettle that can survive a few years? Possibly not made in the P.R.C. / China?

author: G7PSK
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 05, 2013, 06:08:03 pm
content: I have a Wahl that is six years old and survived falling on the floor a number of times, just looked and it says PRRC underneath.

author: PChi
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 05, 2013, 06:23:13 pm
content: Hello G7PSK,Thanks for the reply. When the new kettle that I bought fails I will try a Wahl. I like the Eco Kettle Electronic which I assume doesn't use a bimetallic part to switch the kettle off so could be more reliable.

author: Stonent
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 05, 2013, 07:46:56 pm
content: The espresso side of my Delonghi Cafe Nabucco died about a month ago. Very sad. I'm getting 5 ohms or so across the heating coil. Not really sure what they would normally be. The TCO (thermal cut off) shows continuity but thought maybe it was cycling off as soon as current went through it so I spliced a thermal fuse designed for a coffee pot across it but no luck.I get a power light when pressing the button, and the drip coffee side works fine.I suspect the 10+ years of me starting an espresso, but not retrieving it for several minutes after the water ran out may have damaged the coil , but I would have hoped the TCO would have protected it.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 05, 2013, 08:32:55 pm
content: I just buy the cheep n chinese kettle, and keep a copy of the receipt ( warranty) and take it back when it fails within the first year. Had a kettle last 5 years that way, though that was 6 kettles and one repair, all under warranty. Just fill with water the first time and boil it, then fill again and add 2 tablespoons of salt and boil again. Rinse and boil again with no salt and the plastic taste is almost totally gone. If still there boil with a tablespoon of non flavoured chlorine bleach and rinse and boil again.

author: PChi
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 06, 2013, 12:31:24 pm
content: Hello cwalex,I like your suggestion. I reverted to it until I bought a replacement electric kettle. It's a Magimix, expensive but still made in P.R.C. only a 1 year warranty unlike their other products that have a 3 year guarantee. The On / Off switch doesn't feel good so I am not expecting it to live for long.

author: Tomorokoshi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 04, 2015, 04:39:45 am
content: I have a cordless electric kettle. It was made by Cuisinart and it's about 15 years old. I looked at it and it was made in Belgium!Here is the one they sell today:http://www.cuisinart.com/products/tea_kettles/dk-17.htmlI looked at the PDF manual, which says, "Printed in China", so I expect it's made there now.I guess it's all down to if they send quality over there when they send manufacturing and jobs there too.

author: CatalinaWOW
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 04, 2015, 05:12:28 am
content: My experience is that the innards usually last long enough for someone to drop the carafe. Replacements are either non-existent or cost almost as much as a whole new unit.

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 04, 2015, 08:44:50 am
content: Quote from: cwalex on January 06, 2013, 02:34:41 amQuote from: cleaningOut on December 04, 2015, 02:21:15 amUnfortunately boiling water in the microwave or on the stove will result in higher energy bills, possibly outweighing the cost of buying a new kettle every year or so.

author: Artlav
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 04, 2015, 10:30:54 am
content: That is the first time i ever heard of an electric kettle failing...Aren't they dead simple enough to basically be unbreakable (excluding drop damage)? It's just a resistor in a pot of water.Then there are immersion heaters, which would be literally unbreakable up to and including being used as a blunt weapon, with the water pot being replaceable:

author: bktemp
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 04, 2015, 11:11:45 am
content: Quote from: Artlav on December 04, 2015, 10:30:54 amThat reminds me of this:

author: coppice
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 04, 2015, 11:16:01 am
content: Quote from: Artlav on December 04, 2015, 10:30:54 amLet's see:They leakThey crackThe switches breakThe boil sensors failHow long a list would you like?

author: Artlav
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 04, 2015, 11:27:59 am
content: Quote from: bktemp on December 04, 2015, 11:11:45 amNot fair. Even Soviet kettles won't survive Mister Photon.Quote from: coppice on December 04, 2015, 11:16:01 amI believe they can, just never heard of one breaking.Hm, maybe not - the dodgy boiling sensor feels familiar, i remember using a kettle somewhere that won't stop boiling.

author: edy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 04, 2015, 05:47:16 pm
content: These kettles, coffee makers, clothes irons, etc... are made in Factory Cities across China like this one:Besides the fact that they are built down to a price, get assembled by humans who work long grueling hours doing the same job over and over again and must keep up with quotas, and the designs are often shoddy with minimal safety and protection to begin with, it is surprising that we not get a greater number of failures!I have had my share of kettles over the years, with various failures. As long as they don't burn down the house....Don't forget, we must keep millions of Chinese people employed doing this cheap menial labour. If things were built too well and lasted too long, there could be a popular uprising in China. As long as everyone has a job, eats and sleeps, everyone is happy, no? Don't ask too many questions. If I was in China this email would have been censored.

author: PChi
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 04, 2015, 06:39:44 pm
content: The story continues.I paid out for a Magimix Kettle, but that was also made in China and wear in the mechanism meant that it failed to stay on after the warranty expired.I then bought a Russell Hobbs kettle, made in China again. It now has a tendency to stay on filling the kitchen with steam. As I thought it was a safety hazard (has it another cut out if the kettle runs dry?) I have splashed the cash on a Bosch kettle this time. Also made in China. It appears to have an electronic cut off system so I am hoping for better reliability.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 04, 2015, 07:09:47 pm
content: I have had quite a few kettles fail with a shorted mains lead, right where it enters the body of the unit. Can be a little disconcerting for the person by it when it emits the big puff of black smoke and blows the cheap almost got enough copper cable open circuit as it shorts out from one lead to the other or burns open circuit.the "just in case" kettle has a big black marking on the white surround by the cord, I repaired it by using the cord from a similar model which had suffered from a failed element which blew open.A while ago is had to replace the electric water heater element, which had stopped working. New 2.2kW Kwikot element and matching thermostat ( original 40 year old one) and the tube socket and big screwdriver to undo the thread and out it came. Or at least half of it, the rest had dissolved into the water, it had stopped finally when the element wire was all gone and it shorted out. Another one I had to drain to replace a leaking ( funny enough) drain cock, so while I was there I decided to check the element and get the last water out below the drain so i would not get drenched changing it. Had a nice tea coloured water deposit inside, so got cleaned thoroughly, and I put a 5 micron filter in the supply line, instead of the old one which was a 100 micron one. No more tea colour now, though the input side filter did look very brown on changing it 6 months ago. Dirt and asbestos fibres from the piping in the street...

author: richard.cs
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 05, 2015, 09:29:17 am
content: I think I've had maybe one £5 Asda kettle fail open-circuit after years of use. I live in a hard water area so they tend to get a bit scuzzy but actual failures seem to be very rare. Right now I'm drinking tea heated in a Sainsburys branded kettle with the datestamp "2295" which I believe is the 22nd week of 1995.