I am using this kettle for the last 30 days(Bought it from Wal-M, Sorry Amazon) and i''ve already used it about 30 times or more to make my tea(I LOVE TEA). So far no leak no problem. this kettle hold 1.70 liters which is about 57.50 Oz.It takes 6 minutes and 45 seconds (6:45)to bring it to boil at full capacity (1.7 liters)and 4 minutes 32 seconds for 1.00 liter and at minimum recommended capacity which is half a liter(2 Cups) it take 2 minutes and 6 seconds water to boil(I start with water room temprature of 69F and 2500 feet above sea level). That it not bad. I like the idea of the body is Stainless Steel because plastic ones add Odor and chemical to the water which is not safe in my opinion(even though, this unit has some plastic part inside, Like filter or top part of the lid from inside But you can remove the filter if you want). It also has Blue LED light inside! the kettle so you can see if the unit in working or not. No cord is connected to the kettle itself so that''s make it very convenient(cordless). I also recommend, Boil water 3-5 times at full capacity to clean (remove manufaturing oil) and disinfect this unit before the first use.
I''ve heard some other ones they have " Keep warm" function so you dont have to reheat the water after 30 minutes of not using it. When you want to buy any electric kettle research about the leakage problem. since a lots of them in the market prone to leak and that can cause fire. One thing i have to mention is, I use Soft Water so when we boil water over time there are no calcium deposits are attached to the inside container and this adds to the life of any water boiler or water heater. By the way, since this unit has open wide top access, therefore is very easy to clean this kettele. In my opinion, this is a MUST HAVE in every kitchen.
Tip: By the way this item(Oster Kettle BVST-EK5966) and Sanyo model# U-K170S are the same one. So if you planning to buy this one, now you can check which one is cheaper.
I''m sure in up coming months more US manufacturer will add more feature to this type of kettle at more affordable prices, like digital control, digital display, keep warm function and so on....
Also remember to close the lid before boiling water. If you dont close the lid, It will take more time for this kettle to turn itself off.
To be honest, I would not even think of buying an Oster product because it seems the percentage of defectives are higher than some brands but this one working just fine for me.
Update: (Jan. 16, 2010): We still use this kettle everyday (now more than 5-6 times a day actually) still works great. no leak and no malfunction and the performance is as good as first day we bought it. I recommend, if you want to use it only for 1 or 2 cups, don''t fill up with water more than 0.5 liter (2 cups). If you dont do that, then you are going to pay higher electric bill for NO reason. If you need to use it again then fill some more water (since this unit it does not have keep warm feature, it does not make sense to boil more than you are going to use in than moment). And since this kettle has window to see how much water has inside, there''s no way to turn on this unit without water.(even though it has protection against dry turn on)
Update 2(April 24, 2011): By now I''ve been using this kettle for the last 18 months and Still working fantastic and we use it many, many times a day. No problem at all. Very happy with my purchase.
Update 3 (Feb. 11, 2013): Still Perfect. No bad taste, No Malfunction, No problem what so ever and i''m using it 10-12 times a day(Yes, Every single day). I own this kettle for the last 3 years and 5 months.
Auto shutoff kicks in a bit late for my taste. My older kettle shuts off a bit earlier, but this is a personal thing.
Oily residue on the inside of the kettle. Difficult to remove, even after several rinsings with vinegar/water solution and dishwashing soap. Update: I don''t notice the residue now, although it took 5 or 6 boilings to get to that point.
Inside is NOT entirely stainless steel, as another reviewer mentioned. There is the plastic(?) water level gauge, as well as a removable plastic mounting bracket for the filter, which is itself plastic. The wonderful shiny blue light (mentioned in the other reviews) comes from a small plastic casing at the base of the kettle. There is also a steel rod connecting the cap of the kettle to the base, and there is a small rubber seal at the base of this rod. This is not a lot of plastic compared to some kettles, but it is there.
Pros:
Sturdy and straightforward to use.
Easy push-button cap that springs open and clicks shut.
Update (3/27/2011): Seems pretty durable--still going strong after a year of daily use.
The cons above seem to be common to most kettles. Also, the exterior of the kettle gets very hot, although this is normal for a kettle.
Buy Oster BVST-EK5966 1-2/3-Liter Electric Water Kettle, Stainless Steel Now
What a great gift for busy, absent-minded friends and family of all ages.Due to many forgotten, burned-out water pots on our stove; we have tried many water kettles. We gave up because: impossible to clean the interiors; occupying too much counter space; lengthy heating periods; lids that stuck and rusted; parts, seams and materials in the water chamber affecting health and taste; and the inconvenience of the cord when pouring.
I could not believe the perfect design of this kettle: the interior is accessible for cleaning and all stainless, the cordless removable unit to carry to the table, the quick heating, large capacity, the press-button pop-up lid, non-drip pouring spout, removable filtering screen, cord storage... Oster thought of everything for safety and convenience!
But then added the LED blue light that is on so you know when it is heating! A moment of beauty! The boiling water creates blue shadows through the translucent lid and capacity window like a moving sea.
Most of all peace of mind that the pot is off!
Read Best Reviews of Oster BVST-EK5966 1-2/3-Liter Electric Water Kettle, Stainless Steel Here
This kettle is ok but not great, and different than the image shows.Firstly, the image and description show a loop handle; and the image also shows ridges (grip) on the inside of the handle.
The actual kettle that arrived, despite having the correct model number, has a long straight handle with no ridges.
The handle is a cheap slippery plastic with a seam running down the side. The seam had a chipped piece of plastic missing along the seam (1/2 inch long), and when you squeeze the handle the seam bulges open slightly.
The handle is slippery, and I have concerns about it tilting in my hand whilst it is full of boiling water.
Pros:
The kettle looks great, shiny stainless steel and a blue light inside.
It is 2000w so heats fast
The press-open lid works well
The filter is easy to remove
Cons:
The water gauge is in liters rather than in cups/mugs, so it is hard to know how much to fill it depending on the amount of drinks you need to make.
The handle is a cheap plastic, prone to defects and different than in the image
Want Oster BVST-EK5966 1-2/3-Liter Electric Water Kettle, Stainless Steel Discount?
Returned it due to the tainted taste and smell from the plastic component, water level indicator inside. Otherwise, it was a cool looking one and functioned well.Save 25% Off
