Looks good, basic functions
I purchased this matching set of kettle and toaster as they have to sit next to each other on the kitchen bench, and I like a simple uncluttered look. Also, buying the set was cheaper than buying two seperate appliances. They are both well made, stainless steel with some plastic parts, with a pearl white finish that is easy to keep clean. I prefer the side handle on the kettle as I've got arthritis and find top handle kettle difficult to use. This has 'one handed filling' with a button on the handle that flips up the lid. The kettle itself is 1.7 litre capacity. The fill indicator on the side is clear on a white background with black numbering, and frankly there's not enough visual contrast between the clear plastic and clear water to see how full it is. The 'on' switch does have a light, so you can tell it's turned on. Compared to my last kettle this is noisy. It's initially quiet and then starts to make a gentle noise as it heats up, then gets louder and louder. I can put the kettle on, go to another room, have the doors closed, watch TV, have the heater fan blowing, and still hear the kettle heating and then clicking off. I'll get used to it but if you want a quiet kettle then this is not for you. The toaster is a very basic small two slot, with a dial for browning, that is clearly marked and has a nice sturdy feel when you turn it the dial, clicking through the numbers 1-7. 3 buttons - cancel, reheat, defrost - light up when you press them. When you put in the bread and push down the lever, the cancel light turns on, and if you want to stop the toasting at any time you just press cancel and the bread pops up. You can lift the lever higher to get access to small bread or muffins. I've toasted several different types of sliced bread (wholegrain, soy linseed, fruit bread, and English muffins) and they've all come out darker on one side. I REALLY HATE THIS - and it was one of the reasons I replaced my old toaster. I want a piece of toast brown the same on both sides in one go - not have to toast, check, turn, change slots etc etc. So, bottom line, these are nice looking appliances with basic functions. If you're on a budget they're ok, but expect a noisy kettle and an uneven toast. Maybe it's just mine and yours will be better?
