Alessi Blue Bird Whistle Hob Kettle
9093
Alessi
Designer: Michael Graves.
It is also available the electric version of the iconic Kettle 9093.
Kettle 9093
This celebrated kettle with the bird that sings when the water has boiled was a great success when it was introduced in 1985, and for Alessi it represented a meeting of great design and mass production methods, a combination that Michael Graves worked hard to achieve, applying his personal visual code which fused influences from Art Deco to Pop Art and even the language of cartoons.
- Diameter (cm): 22.00
- Height (cm): 22.50
- Content (cl/oz): 200.00
The Designer
Michael Graves
Born in Indianapolis, he teaches architecture in Princeton since 1962. His architectural works include the Portland Building and the Humana Building, the extension of the Whitney Museum of American Art, and the Newark Museum. He created the best-selling 9093 kettle for Alessi. Michael Graves died in 2015.
The company
Founded in 1921 as a ‘Workshop for the processing of brass and nickel silver sheet metal, with foundry’, Alessi has always stood out for the high quality of its products.
In almost a century of history, the company has gradually evolved to become one of the leading “Factories of Italian design’, capable of applying its expertise and excellence in design management to many different product types.
Open to change and international development, Alessi at the same time has a strong bond with the traditions and cultural background of its area and continues to be synonymous with handcrafted objects produced with the help of machines.
Alessigraphy: the geography of Alessi production
Since the Company’s foundation in 1921 the majority of Alessi products have been manufactured through the cold working of metals, a tradition that is kept alive today by the skilled workers at the Crusinallo plant in Omegna.
Over time, Alessi also began to work with many other materials, such as porcelain, glass, wood, and plastic… A specific production method was developed for each one. Even when production takes place outside the Crusinallo plant, Alessi’s guidelines grant the company’s original production quality standards, continuing to reconcile industrial technological complexity with an artisanal eye for detail.
The objects produced from the different materials are manufactured in various production plants across the world. They remain original Alessi objects in that they are conceived with the same design excellence and produced with the same attention to quality that sets the company’s products apart.
| Weight: | 270 g |
| Dimensions: | 21.59 x 21.59 x 22.86 cm; 270 Grams |
| Brand: | Alessi |
| Model: | YMR-103 |
| Colour: | Blue |
| Colour: | Blue |
his kettle is so so beautiful
we use to have one many
years ago, this new ones doesn’t whistle, i ask for a new whistle but they send me a complete new kettle, second one didn’t work neither
finally i decide not to keep it because if you forget the rounded ball in the lit will melt
be aware of this when buy it or use just for decoratio
I keep my tea kettle on the stove 24/7 and enjoying seeing something so beautiful first thing in the morning and last thing at night.
I love this teapot. It boils water quickly, and looks beautiful doing it.
A great product with the excellent quality of Alessi. A masterpiece in the kitchen!
I bought this for the colors to go with my new kitchen – It is very pricey for what it does. I feel a tea kettle that you can press a lever to open while you pour is more efficient.
The only concern I have is that the whistle isn’t very effective, being very soft, and it’s very hard to put back into the spout particularly if the kettle is hot.
Otherwise, it’s a thing of beauty and works very well.
This is my all-time favorite tea kettle and the second one I’ve purchased having lost the first in a move. You know how things go missing when you move homes? The bird whistle lets me know the water is ready, and the silver form is an art piece all on it’s own. I love the blue handle and jaunty burgundy bird!
Questo bollitore Alessi unico nel suo genere diverso dalla solita forma dei bollitori, progettato molti anni fa ma ancora molto apprezzato, direi un classico senza tempo, un oggetto autentico ed elegante perfetto per chi ha il culto dell’ oggetto ricercato. Quando l’ acqua bolle l’ uccellino fischia purtroppo il fischio del mio poco percettibile.
Interamente in acciaio sia dentro che fuori, molto lucido e splendente in poche parole…lo adoro come tutti gli oggetti Alessi che posseggo. Al secondo utilizzo mi sono accorta che c’ una piccola perdita dal fondo premetto che lo avevo comprato usato ma sembrava perfetto ora lo rendo e ne compro subito uno nuovo.
Looks great pours great and I he whistle works. Perfec
Bellissimo bollitore Alessi, arrivato in tempi previsti. L’ho comprato a un prezzo vantaggioso, per la prima volta in vita mia da warehouse e devo dire che stato un bel affare..la scatola era schiacciata un po’, l’articolo presentava 2 graffi praticamente invisibili di pochi mm. sul lato, esattamente come era descritto. Un dettaglio da precisare riguarda il fischietto, molto carino, ma il fatto che si deve togliere ogni volta prima di versare l’acqua calda lo rende non molto comodo..
Ma questo fatto non toglie per me ne bellezza ne utilit di questo bellissimo bollitore.
It holds a lot of water, heats fast. Do not leave it on the stove when you are cooking or you will mess up the finish.
Looks great in my kitchen.
This replaced my original Alessi Teapot of 25 years. This looks good but is not as heavy, nor does the lid replace as easily.
Meine Mutter wnscht sich diesen Wasserkessel schon seit ca 30 Jahren. Deswegen habe ich (33) ihn ihr jetzt zum Geburtstag geschenkt, auch wenn sie kein wirklicher Teetrinker ist. Die Freude war sehr gro und er sieht wirklich sehr hbsch und hochwertig aus.
Devo riconoscere la prontezza con cui Amazon ha provveduto alla sostituzione del bollitore difettoso con uno nuovo, nonostante fosse scaduto il tempo per il reso. Quello che segue il mio precedente negativo commento, che va pertanto annullato:
“Dopo due mesi dall’acquisto si sono manifestate piccole perdite d’acqua dal fondo del bollitore, che ora continuano a crescere e sono decisamente inaccettabili. Nella foto si vede l’imperfezione nella saldatura del fondo, con intorno l’alone di calcare che testimonia la perdita. Anche se il tempo per il reso scaduto, penso di averne comunque il diritto, trattandosi di un evidente difetto di fabbricazione. Devo rivolgermi a Alessi?”
So, after all that, why did I give it 4 stars ? It’s because it’s a great kettle that performs the function of boiling water, pouring and looking good very well. Excellent actually. The wide base makes it a very fast kettle. A wide base means it can go on a larger burner. The handle is excellent, it never gets hot and is designed to allow perfect positioning of your hand to achieve the right balance to pour when the kettle is full. The lid fits well and the small plastic disc on top (which is barely visible due to being so clear and tight fitting) keeps the top of the lid under the knob cool . Not to be overlooked is that it’s 18/10 stainless steel and made in Italy. Yes that’s right, Italy.
This kettle has been made for years and years without any significant design change. That should tell you that it’s a great piece of equipment. Pity they didn’t do a better job with the bird. A kettle with this heritage certainly deserves it.
So, if you want a kettle that works very well then buy it. If you want something that sounds like a flock of Sparrows then look elsewhere.
UPDATE: Nov 24, 2020 …
This continues to be a very good kettle. My previous comments and rating still stand. I will add that I boiled it dry once. Quite dry actually, as it was on my large stove burner on Hi for 15 minutes while dry. Needless to say I was concerned about warping once it cooled down. I allowed it to cool down on it’s own without adding water and once cooled the bottom, though discoloured, (inside only) was perfect. No damage at all. This is a testament to the design and quality materials.
As for the whistle, I purchased a couple extra ($55) hoping to get one which worked perfectly. Unfortunately, neither were better than the original. I did find a solution, although it’s a pain in the a … the fix is to push the pointed end of a toothpick up into the ‘keyway’ of the plastic cylinder inside the whistle. Hold the whistle upside down with the plastic rib and keyway facing up and jamb a toothpick into the small space between the plastic plunger and the plastic rib of the body of the whistle. This method is not convenient but it works on all 3 of my whistles. I intend to glue one so I don’t need the toothpick but haven’t got around to it yet (not sure about a suitable glue). I don’t need to use the whistle very often so, it pretty much stays in my silverware drawer.
Hope this helps …
I liked the product but the color was not what I wanted- exchanged for the one with the black handle
Chi pu criticare un oggetto di design di tal guisa?
Io no di certo, parliamo di un prodotto industriale veramente bellissimo e fortunatamente non per tutti, non snobismo, ma pur se molto diffuso non dozzinale e non tutti lo possono apprezzare.
A per inciso io ci bello l’acqua per il the tutte le sere da ottobre a maggio e avuto a prezzo scontato tramite Amazon Wharehause di circa il 30% un usato come nuovo che aveva il solo difetto della confezione rotta.
A classic. Does get water spots on it though, tough to clean sometimes.
Bought as an engagement present for my son and fiancee. They love it. It looks good and they like the fact that they can buy replacement whistle. All in all a really good buy
I read that some reviewers thought their kettles were knock offs so I checked with local retailer who is also a friend. My kettle is authentic and I love it!
It’s been a month since I purchased this kettle and it has a defect that explains the reduced price. The lid does not fit properly which allows steam to escape and prevents the whistle from sounding . Not a good buy after all.
It arrived so quickly. The tea kettle is beautiful. It heats up fast. The bird whistle is easy to remove after water whistles.
Il bollitore Alessi un classico intramontabile. L’ho comprato usato ricondizionato a met prezzo ed era praticamente nuovo con solo uno strappo nella confezione di cartone. Unica pecca del prodotto l’uccellino del bocchettone che fa un suono potentissimo, decisamente troppo ed un po’ duro da togliere. Finiamo per non mettere l’uccellino per non svegliare il quartiere
Looks great on the stove top, more like stove top art. Stainless steel and cleans well and looks great so far. The whistle is handy when you’re in the next room and the water is ready. A little on the pricey said but well worth it for quality and appearance. I’d certainly recommend it as a gift, especially to yourself.
Perfekter Teekessel! Formschn. Originalverpackt. Pfeift sehr diskret, aber unberhrbar. Lsst sich natrlich auch geruschlos ohne Pfeife benutzen. Wird auf Gas sehr schnell hei, nur der schwarze Alessiaufkleber ist leicht geschmolzen und hat ein Bisschen die Form verloren. Deckel und Flte funktionieren streng, aber passgenau. Ich bin sehr zufrieden mit diesem doch sehr praktischen Designerstck.
I love this teapot!! I love the bird whistles. I can usually pick it up with bare hands after it boils but sometimes I need a glove. Great purchase.
Didn’t realize parts of kettle was plastic and not happy about return shipping fee
This is a great tea kettle. I have had it for a couple years now and it has been perfect. I was hesitant to buy it because of the price, but I love my tea so thought I’d splurge. This kettle heats fast due to the wide base, and is the only kettle I’ve ever owned that didn’t spill a single drop when pouring. It is easy to care for, and even with daily use it still looks brand new. I can definitely recommend it.
La tetera es muy original, cuando el agua esta hirviendo, no pita como las dems teteras, est tiene un sonido de pajarito. Sirve para cocina de induccin y se calienta muy rpido y resulta muy elegante para la cocina. La recomiendo pero resulta muy cara para lo que es pero compensa.
Neben dem schlichten aber gelungenen Design funktioniert der Wasserkessel hervorragend. Beim ffnen des Deckels ist jedoch auf austretenden heien Dampf besonders zu achten.
In diesem Wasserkessel ist gelungenes Design mit guter Funktionalitt vereint. Schn ist, dass man ihn ohne Problem im Geschirrspler reinigen kann. Danach sieht er aus wie neu. Ich wrde ihn mir jederzeit wieder anschaffen.
Er ist ein Hingucker. Freue mich jeden Tag ihn in meiner Kche stehen zu sehen.
Deckel geht etwas schwer ab, wenn mann Wasser einfllen mchte.
Hatte nun 15 Jahre lang den Alessi Wasserkocher fr die Steckdose und war immer sehr zufrieden. Ich bin Teetrinkerin und der Kessel war ber all die Jahre tglich mehrmals im Einsatz. Und weil er so lange gehalten hat und so schn ist wollte ich auf jeden Fall wieder einen haben. Da wir in Krze ein Induktionskochfeld haben, wurde dieses Mal der Wasserkessel fr den Herd gewhlt, also ohne Kabel und wir haben diese Entscheidung nicht bereut. Auch die Flte pfeift, wenn man die Anweisungen befolgt und den Wasserkessel befllt wie angegeben. Dass dieser Wasserkessel auen hei wird, versteht sich von selbst. Aber als Erwachsener kann man damit umgehen und ich habe mich noch nie verbrannt in den letzten 15 Jahren. Ich wrde den Kessel wieder kaufen und kann ihn nur bestens weiterempfehlen. Kostet halt ein wenig mehr.
La fattura di questo bollitore davvero ottima, acciaio pesante lucidissimo, nessuna imperfezione o sensazione di scelte al risparmio. unico punto debole il fischietto. La mattina del primo utilizzo sembrava un usignolo, a distanza di qualche giorno la voce si un po’ abbassata, sar l’influenza?
I have had many tea kettles and this one is probably the most functional due to its shape- but not the little bird– that is worth its function in whistling but you have to take it out to pour. Overall the kettle performs and makes me happy every time I look at it:)
Desideravo acquistarlo da tempo: Alessi fa ottimi prodotti e il design sempre all’avanguardia. Nonostante questo bollitore sia stato disegnato da Michael Graves nel 1984, sempre splendido, moderno e fa pi bella la cucina. E il ribasso sul prezzo attuato da Amazon stato min ulteriore incentivo all’acquisto.
Absolutely love this tea kettle. Classic design with function. I read some reviews stating that the whistle doesn’t ” whistle”…not true!!! It’s not a super loud whistle …but works fine for me!
Invest …so worth the money!
The time it takes to boil 500ml of water using my highest power gas ring is about 2mins 30 secs (timed, where the flame diameter is just a little less than the diameter of the base of this kettle ~20cm). This is a comparable time to an electric kettle, but has the advantage that the electronics won’t break in a few years, and if it something that worries you, then it is plastic free. My only criticism would be that the whistle is a bit hard to get in, although it seems to be getting easier with time, and it doesn’t always sound-off in a consistent way, though you can usually tell when it has.
Very good looking, pleased with this on our range cooker, to save space and make a bit of a feature, but the capacity is low and the whistle tempramental. Nonetheless it’s aesthetically pleasing, and I’m still glad we bought it!
This was a replacement for same liked design, Older one developed spot along bottom edge that would have probably turned into a leak eventually. Plus the old one had a build up inside of deposits from hard water. They don’t last forever. Figure new one “sets the clock” back 10 or 15 years.
E` un pezzo d’arte piu` che un bollitore. Ad ogni modo funziona bene, ma se pensate di usarlo tutti i giorni per prepararvi una tisana o un te, cambiate prodotto. Infatti va lavato spesso per evitare formazione di calcare.
This is a great kettle with wide bottom making it more efficient to boil. It’s a nice design with a sturdy, well balanced handle. I gave this 4 instead of 5 stars because, the bird, cute as it is, must be removed to pour. This is a slight inconvenience but I use it because I need that whistle. The whistle is not very loud, so beware if you are in another room or have poor hearing.
I have owned this kettle in the classic blue handle and red bird whistle since 1999 and it’s still going strong and still looks stunning.
It has pride of place on our hob, we use it daily. I fill the kettle to the bottom of the spout and it takes 7 minutes to boil.
To clean I use super fine wire wool grade 0000 and fairy liquid. Then once clean buff up with a seperate new piece of wool.
I have had to replace the bird whistle once, mainly user error, if you fill the kettle too much the whistle does eventually stop working. It was about 6 to replace and was after 11 years use.
J’adore cette bouilloire, son look, ses couleurs et son oisillon. C’est un lment de dco alli sa fonctionnalit. Bonne prise en main, bonne capacit et l’oisillon siffle quand l’eau est chaude.
Avevo da 25 anni mio amatissimo bollitore che ha fatto una brutta fine : l’ho dimenticato sul fuoco e la parte billante andata male, anche il coperchio. Dunque gioia di ritrovare questo ogetto che fa da compagni da quando abbiamo deciso di vivere in Italia. Complimenti ad Alessi x la bellezza e l’inventiva di suoi prodotti.
J’adore Alessi pour ses ralisations et surtout cette bouilloire en bleu et rouge. J’ai reu mon premier achat avec un oisillon “blanc” ?????????? Je n’ai pas compris, une erreur d’emballage certainement .
Amazon me l’change avec la gentillesse et l’efficacit qu’on leur connat …
Cette bouilloire est compatible avec les feux inductions , elle est superbe et trnera bientot dans ma cuisine …
Bollitore bello da vedere e da usare .anche molto funzionale.bello anche da lasciare in vista in cucina.Io preparo il t direttamente nel contenitore e lo servo direttamente dal bollitore con “grande sfoggio” quando ho ospiti.Anche molto pratico il manico per versare rispetto ad altri bollitori tradizionali
his is a stylish iconic kettle – bought for a fantastic price – delivery right on top of christmas was fantastic (24hrs) amazing deal
Alessi non significa solo Made in Italy ma qualita’ classe e mito. Un azienda che se la compri non ti penti…mai. Questo bollitore stupendo arrivato puntualissimo e funziona tant’ che l’uccellino canta spessissimo per le mie tisane…
I love this kettle! You have to get the bird whistle in just the right place otherwise it makes more of a squeaky sound. Make sure you keep wiping it over as it gets marks on it very easily.
I like the look of my new Alessi tea pot. It’s shape and form are beautiful. I am a bit disappointed that the bird does not whistle when the water boils. This is critical for me because I often get busy doing something else and forget that I have put the tea pot on for tea. I NEED to be told. But I am going to keep trying to figure out how to make the bird sing, because I so like the look and feel of this tea pot.
Love my new else’s I kettle the only thing is the whistle doesn’t always work
I have always wanted one of these Kettles and now I have one its such a good feeling!
This kettle works on an induction hob,
Take the lid off to fill with water,
Remove the bird to poor boiling water.
I have thought for years that when this kettle boiled the bird whistle would be more tweetie bird like, but alas it is just like the kettle whistle of my previous kettle.
Love the design, I feel very happy to own this kettle its an honour.
he bird does not whistle which is a real disappointment. The kettle is beautiful
Not as nice as the red/blue kettle I originally owned. Whistle is stiff and doesn’t really whistle…just kind of lisps.
Lid is really hard for me to push in to seal.
Do really like this design tho; looks great on the stove.
This is a really nice kettle, looks great and is easy to use.
Water is different tasting in these stove top kettles.
I have just had a new kitchen put in, & this kettle looks Fab!! Great addition, everybody comments about it.
This is an exact replacement of my previous Alessi Blue Bird Whistle which I have had for 20 years! The black knob has finally dropped off and the little blue bird has long flown. Beautiful design and exceptional quality and fits nicely at the back of my aga. Highly recommend.
Not only is the design fun but it is also a great tea kettle! The circular handle provides easy pouring and is mounted high enough to not interfere with filling the water through the top. The classic red bird whistle works just as you would expect it to. Some people may find that having to manually pull out the bird before pouring the water is an extra step compared to other kettles where the whistle simply flips up, but this doesn’t bother me at all.
The whole kettle looks great with a fantastic silver shine! This is definitely an extremely expensive item as far as function goes, but you are definitely paying for form over function in this case and the form is a classic that will look great in your kitchen! Highly recommended to anybody who is interested in art and design.
love this product!! It was delivered so quickly, it looks beautiful on the range cooker, yes it is a little pricey but you get what you pay for.
The first kettle I received did not whistle but it was quickly replaced with another whose whistle is nice and loud
I love the look of this kettle, it pours well and feels substantial but not too heavy. To me this kettle is more like a work of art although I think its a bit like marmite – you either love it or hate it.
Although this is a pricey kettle it is nothing compared to what my daughter spends on trainers which is how i justify the price to myself!!!!
It boils water like any other kettle. Unlike many others, you might relish the odd admiring glance whilst it does its job and when it’s just sitting there waiting to be put to use. It’s wide base keeps it sturdy, it is a little heavy but let’s face it, your moving it from sink, to hob, to cup.
Polish it with a dry, soft cloth whilst still hot (I occasionally use a stainless steel fluid cleaner for extra shine) and it will stay looking new.
Love it all the more having persevered with price watching and snapping up a bargain.
This is a good looking kettle which is great for flat top heating surfaces. It looks stylish and heats up well. The bird whistle is a bit of a gimmick and I wonder if it will break before I usually chuck out kettles. Won’t know that for some time though. Its also possible to scald yourself when removing the bird if you’re not quick.
Does the job, doesn’t spill or burn my fingers when I take the bird whistle. Very stylish love it! Would certainly buy agai
It works really well on my induction hob, boils very quickly, pours beautifully and looks gorgeous! Also one less thing to clutter the worksurface.
Love it and would not go back to electric kettle.
The kettle is not as heavy a guage steel as All Clad’s. I bought this to replace a 12+ year old All Clad kettle. I love All Clad, but unfortunaley the kettle was leaking from where the spout connects, and they discontinued making kettles.
I don’t think the Alessi carries as long a Warranty as AIl Clad. I chose this because of the superior reviews, and I wanted to support craftsmanship “not Made in China”.
I hope it lasts for many years. That will be a determine whether or not the purchase was a wise dicision. I am following the “care instructions” that came with the kettle.
This kettle is all that I expected……attractive, functional, works well…only it doesn’t really whistle loudly enough to be heard in any room other than the kitchen……so it is easy to forget if you are in another area of the house. Not as loud as the old fashioned tea kettles were….too bad, as that is the only negative here.
I bought this kettle for our daughter as a Christmas box, at her request. Delivery was very prompt, and the kettle proved to be not just attractive, but performed beautifully.
Wir hatten schon viele Jahre lang den Vorgnger in verlsslichem Gebrauch, den wir wegen Umstellung auf Induktion durch dieses Modell ersetzt haben.
Fr meinen Geschmack sitzt der Deckel etwas zu stramm – oder der Schnabel msste zum Wassernachfllen eine Spur dicker sein; deshalb ein Punkt Abzug.
Aber Design und Verarbeitung sind wirklich top und werden uns lange treue Dienste leisten.
The little bird sits in the spout of the kettle and whistles when water has reached a boil, but must be removed before pouring. The handle is sturdy and stays cool during use.
Amazon offered the best price I could find on this kettle and although a little high, you get a very attractive kettle that is built to last.
i love it! i cant believe i could get so excited about a kettle but it arrived today and i cant stop starring at it. it poors perfectly, its boils fast and the birdy is so cute. i love it!
I’ve tried both the electric version (don’t bother with the electric version, it is very expensive to run, takes forever to boil water and lasts little more than a year) and this hob version, and the hob version is vastly superior.
It may be me, but I think this kettle has been reduced in size slightly from the original that I received as a wedding present all those years ago.
I still love the traditional bird whistle, but the plastic doesn’t last that long if you don’t take the whistle out of the kettle as soon as it is boiled and leave it out afterwards as well (I guess the steam deteriorates the plastic).
I bought this immensely stylish Alessi kettle online and addressed it to myself at my little apartment in Penne, Abruzzo (because it is so difficult to buy a proper kettle in Italy) care of my neighbours because they take in my post. Trouble is they assumed it was a present for them – they love it, it looks so great sitting in their kitchen. Does it work well? I have no idea!!
Although, yes, this is a kettle and one can find a much cheaper ones that do exactly the same thing (that is, …boil water). However, if you are considering buying this you are not looking for a practical kettle – but a piece of modern design that will bring some beauty into your everyday life.
This is a classic Alessi product and it is mostly well designed (the singing bird has a tendency of getting …burned – there are replacements but, you guessed it, they are not cheap). The sky blue handle cover blends beautifully with the polished metal, the kettle is very easy to clean and, most importantly, it will bring a smile to your face every time you look at it.
RECOMMENDED.
1 – When you remove the lid you WILL spill water that has collected in the rim and it WILL annoy you.
2 – You will need to move it off the hob if you are cooking anything that may spit or spray, as every mark will taunt you!
3 – re point 2, if you don’t clean it quite reguarly, it may prove hard to remove any cooked-on marks.
4 – It does not hold as much water as many electric kettles.
5 – On my gas hob, it is not a quick boil.
The last point is one to be considered in the current sky-high gas price climate. As it can take about 5 minutes to boil a full kettle, you do have to consider the expense of the gas over a rapid-boil electric (not to mention your eco-conscience!). If you simply love how the kettle looks but can’t afford/don’t want the full size hob version for use, Alessi do a minitures collection of their more classic pieces, and you can pick up a scaled-down version of this for about 25 – my husband put his foot down when I suggested said purchase for our children’s play kitchen. Spoil sport.
I would buy this kettle again in a heartbeat, but I am currently considering a temporary electric kettle while utillity bills keep rising. To save money for more Alessi purchases… 😉
Be careful when cleaning the outside of the kettle as you wouldn’t want to put fine scratches into the beautiful mirror finish. I have given ours a light wipe with a very soft cloth using warm water and it has come up sparkling again. Anything slightly abrasive will definately dull the finish though.
One word of warning, ours seems to be a little hit and miss when it comes to the bird whistle doing its duty. My wife seems to have more success than me and tells me the bird needs turning slightly in the spout to ensure the whistle sounds. I am still to perfect the technique. Regardless, even if the whistle isn’t sounding perfectly it’s still more than audible and I can hear it even if I am upstairs. The sound manages to be just right, not too loud that it’s annoying, and not too quiet that you miss it boiling, and you really can imagine a bird singing.
I bought this kettle in preference to the Alessi Train Whistle kettle based on price (about half that of the alternative), and the fact the design is a little more feminine which keeps my wife happy. I think the train whistle kettle has a couple of advantages over the bird whistle kettle, both are centred around the inclusion of a trigger for opening the spout. The spout becomes dual purpose and is used for pouring (obviously) and filling the kettle. The bird whistle kettle requires you to remove the lid to fill it, and the bird whistle to pour. Not too much of an inconvenience but the lid always has water on the bottom of it so when you put it down it wets the surface giving you the job of wiping it up; and you either have to use a tea towel, wait a short while, or have asbestos fingers to remove the whistle immediately after boiling else the steam will burn you.
I include these negative points, not to put you off, because I would buy another one of these in a second, but to include practical information that would never be written in the manual (which is extremely basic by the way). I hope you enjoy yours as much as I enjoy mine.
Aesthetics – 5
Function – 4
Capacity – 5
Value for money – 4
However, my husband (for it was he that incinerated the above kettle) went about getting an urgent replacement (before I got home from work) and discovered that, if you’ve bought your Alessi from Selfridges, they will sell you a replacement for a super discount price if you take in the charred remains! Not many people know that…
All’s forgiven but there’s now a notice on the kitchen door saying “Have you put the kettle on? If so, stay put!”
I was delighted with my iconic Alessi kettle. The ivory handle and bird whistle on the kettle goes well with any kitchen and it looks sleek and elegant on my new range cooker. Its pricey but is well worth the money for a kettle of this quality and design.
So, do you need to spend $175 for a pot to boil water in? You might want to if you don’t like shopping to replace things because they wear out, and you tend to be abusive of your kettle. The handle and whistle stay cool to the touch under normal use, and even under extreme conditions (see above) do not melt, change shape, or catch fire. It’s durable, boils water quickly (some would say too quickly), and looks nice and shiny on the stove.
Update – 02/28/2011
Although still my first choice as a kettle, the Alessi is far surpassed in function and utility by the less costly Zojirushi CV-DSC40 VE Hybrid Water Boiler and Warmer, Stainless Steel
This is the coolest hob top kettle on the planet in my opinion – just don’t let it run dry and burn out – it will be an expensive mistake!!