Breville the Compact Kettle Clear BKE395

Great kettle – Great small size which is easy to lift and fill. Love that it is glass with little contact of water to plastic. Highly recommend Show details

Didn’t last – I loved it when I first bought it, but it hasn’t worn well. yes, it’s light and boils fast…but it simply hasn’t worn well. It got nasty brown yucky stuff on the inside quite quickly, which is ugly. (Apparently you are supposed to clean it with vinegar which I don’t recall in the instructions). But now it is slow leaking fron the bottom, and I’ve only had it about 2 years. I will have to replace it. Will not buy same brand again.

Simple yet effective kettle – I use it every morning for my coffee. Water boils very fast and could serve 2-3 servings which is a good amount for the number of people in the house. It's not lightweight but is overall effective. Show details

Probably the best kettle we've had – Boils very fast and it looks good. The clear design makes it easy to see the water level. 4 cups capacity is enough for our 4-person family (it boils so fast, we can fill a succession of hot-water bottles pretty quick) After a year the bottom has a little tarnishing along the inside edge, but it still works very well.  Show details

Stylish, but heavy – Perfect size for us two oldies. I wanted to get a smaller kettle to "save power" by continually boiling water we don't need. Very stylish appliance. Love the glass. I now understand the fascination with fish tanks, as I watch the water boil. Boiling up with vinegar once per month to keep it sparkly. But, heavier than I thought even at 2 cups… Read more ·  1

full (I bought mine online so no road-test). My old 1.7L kettle is much lighter. So somewhat tough on arthritic joints. But I've achieved my environmental objective.

It does not last – All my jugs last for at least over five years. The Breville lid broke off within three. Bought it from David Jones very disappointed. Phoned Breville they didn't want to know about it. Show details

Full of plastic elements – I bought this kettle because of its claim to be plastic free - which is a lie! The lid is full with plastic (boiling water will condense there). Glass Jug feels-and-sounds-plastic-too Show details

Leaks – Got this as a wedding present a couple of years ago. We were happy with it, but condensation builds up around lid which leaks down the outside when your pour it, making a mess. This was ok when it was my wife and I, but now we have a small child and can’t risk hot water falling on her when she is around. Show details

Good kettle – I purchased this model for health reasons as I wanted a kettle which doesn't keep hot water in direct contact with plastic. This Breville model satisfies this requirement, and even goes out of its way to print "BPA Free" on the front of the kettle itself, to let you know that even the plastic components in the lid mechanism (which don't come… Read more

into direct contact with water) are still BPA free.

The kettle itself functions like a normal kettle, and I've not found any quirks with it. It doesn't wobble on the base when boiling, it doesn't take ages to boil, it doesn't have a gimmicky ring of blue LED lights around the base like other glass models. Time will tell if the stainless steel rusts though.

There is only one negative thing I can say about it, and that is the clear glass lets you see all the scale building up inside. I was shocked to find that I've already got a bit of caked on scale after only 1 week of use. I am using only cask spring water in it, so I imagine it would be worse with tap water. I've also noticed that if I boil the same water multiple times, this causes white calcium sediment to accumulate in the water, making it look unclean. According to a Google search this is normal as a result of evaporation during the boiling process causing the calcium to no longer be soluble in the water. So if you want your kettle looking clean and clear at all times, you will need to put in some extra work to clean it maybe once every week or two. I imagine this would be a dealbreaker for many people, however the steam and water droplets on the inside mask it to a point where it doesn't bother me.

Update: after 10 days of use my unit started to make an unusual popping noise during boiling, and I have since returned it (thanks to David Jones who happily returned it without fuss).

Update 2: I've since purchased another unit and it's the same deal. Dry inside the base section so doesn't appear to be a water leak issue. After Googling it seems to be related to the "hardness" of the water (I'm using exclusively cask spring water as I wait for a Southern Cross water filter to arrive) possibly in relation to the buildup of calcium scale on the base plate. Apparently this can cause a phenomenon called "cavitation" where water bubbles instantly form and then implode, causing the loud popcorn popping type noise against the base plate. Cleaning the base plate with isopropyl alcohol reduces it significantly, but it will return in a few days as calcium builds up again. I will still be keeping the kettle as I see no other plastic free alternatives, but I'm docking a star for this, as the Kambrook KKE760CLR did not suffer from this.

Update 3: I've been using filtered tap water in the kettle for 4 weeks now and this has resolved all issues - no popping noises during boiling, overall quieter, and no build up of calcium/limescale whatsoever. So it seems this kettle is a bit sensitive to the quality of water, or perhaps cask spring water just isn't great for kettles.

Word of caution: I attempted to clean the kettle by following the instruction manual's directions for descaling with white vinegar. It says to fill the kettle two thirds high with 1 third white vinegar and 2 thirds water. I went slightly over this and ended up filling it three quarters full, and this caused quite a bad boil over, with boiled vinegar water spilling all down the sides and getting into the base. This required unscrewing the base and hand drying everything inside where the element is, and letting it dry overnight. So if you are going to descale with vinegar, make sure not to fill more than two thirds!

Responses to other comments:

Another reviewer said "the kettle is made of hard plastic not glass", however this is incorrect as it clearly says in all the product literature that it's made of glass.

Another reviewer said "the wide rim along the top of the glass body was all plastic, cunningly coloured in metal colour". The only plastic inside the kettle is in the flip top lid, which doesn't come into direct contact with water. In case they are referring to the internal rim/lip inside the kettle, I asked Breville about it and they've advised it's stainless steel, just with a different brush/polish process.

Someone in the Q&A section mentioned there is an exposed bead of adhesive inside the spout which attaches it to the kettle. I asked Breville and they advised it's a food grade silicone sealant. This appears to be a good design choice as silicone is very inert - apparently it's safer than plastic.

Ideal kettle for 1-2 people – I'm very satisfied with the taste of the water. It's very easy to determine the kettle's water level because the kettle is clear (note, it's made of hard plastic not glass.) The kettle heats water extremely fast. I timed it with a stop watch and it was 49 seconds for 1 cup! The outside of the kettle does get dangerously hot during use. (The handle… Read more

stays cool.)

There were a few reasons why I paid a premium for this kettle: 1. Made of Stainless Steel (the best material imo.) 2. Clear, so you can see the water level and to see the purity of the kettle water. 3. It was small, I only require a small kettle because I am one person.

Best for small family – I used to have big hot water container to keep the water hot and now we don't need that anymore. Looking for the downsize kettle and this is perfect for us. Easy to see the water level, and quick heating. However, the glass heat up after boiling, it may get burnt especially for the spout part. Show details

Everything i need – Love this kettle. It’s the perfect size for just the 2 of us and I like the soft closing lid. Kettle boils very fast, it’s stable, and it looks so good!

Perfect, just what I was looking for – I love my compact little kettle (boils up to 3 cups). It fits perfectly in my small space in my apartment, it looks elegant with the glass and stainless steel finish, has a soft opening lid, and is light weight, Show details

Best kettle ever! – Best purchase I have made in a long time. Love the soft opening lid and the switch on the top of the handle is very user friendly for my 87 year old mum. The design of clear glass and stainless steel is a good look in my kitchen. This kettle boils fast! Lightweight and easy to use. Thank you Breville!  Show details

A good kettle, but – Was looking for a good quality small (not > 1 litre) stainless kettle and there weren't too many in the market. Bought the BKLE395CLR in June 2018 based on feedback here as well as the consumer magazine Choice's review. The BKLE395CLR had figured in their recommended list (low down the order) Have been using it to boil about two or three cups… Read more

(max), twice or thrice in the last three weeks. While, I am happy with the kettle's compactness, overall performance and practical features (slow opening lid, transparent glass jar), the auto shut off after boiling takes an annoying ten odd seconds.

A small negative thing about the kettle is that the bottom (inside) has already developed light brown patches within just a few weeks and is visible through the glass. Initially, I was of the view that it was not due to limescale residue from the water but due to the quality (poor) metal used in the construction of the jar.

I was expecting a Breville customer representative to clarify the above problem. Since no one responded from Breville, I raised a separate support case on their website and got a prompt response. The customer representative provided the cleaning instructions (also available in the user instructions booklet which comes with the product) using white vinegar. Breville was right on the money. The cleaning has helped clear the brown batch.

Thanks, Breville. I certainly recommend this kettle for anyone looking for a good quality moderate volume kettle.

Best kettle ever – Moved into small unit and not much bench space. Hesitantly, bought this little kettle. It is the best, boils my cup of water by the time I get out the mug and tea bag. Easily fits on the cradle and so far, hasn't marked internally. Quiet and clean. Love and an perhaps the best kettle Ive owned.  Show details

Perfect For My Needs – After my R.Hobbs 1.7 L Stainless Steel joined kettle heaven I was in the market for a new one. But which one? Looking online theres hundreds of all sorts, which to go for? Looking through many I came across 1 on H.Norman site that had 20 reviews, oh this must be popular. So looking into it I liked the idea of glass see through with metered levels… Read more

of up to 4 cups. On my previous SS even with a guage I could never tell just how much water was in it and sometimes boiled only to discover there only was half a cup after making my coffee. I checked some Youtube vids showing the benefits of this glass kettle and I have no need for 1.7L, 1L is enough for my sole use and expect its enough for a couple's use. But where can I buy one HN had no stock. Some had for $79 but not close enough. I rang Myer after checking their website if they had stock, they had 2 left, I reserved one immediately and picked it up within the hour. It was on sale for $63.95.

After trying it out a few days now, I just love it. It is perfect for my needs. Legible levels, quick boil, soft open top, comfortable handle and switches. Perfect for single or couple use. For family perhaps look into similar 1.7L. 5 Stars all the way for this product.

Excellent companion kettle in the kitchen – Just new, 1 litre size and made of glass and metal. The only thing plastic is the handle. Boils rapidly without wastage and appears to have much better workmanship than other kettles I looked at. Not the cheapest, but I like the design and trust it will last. I like that the on/off button is on the handle and not at the base which are lot are, and looked too flimsy. Has a large opening at the top for easy filling and cleaning.

Works nicely! – When I first bought it, it worked great just like any other kettle, but it turned a little brown in the inside after a few more uses. It makes it look old, in my kitchen that looks fairly clean and modern. But other than the looks of it, it's overall a great product.  Show details

Just what I wanted – It is much better than the Sunbeam glass kettle it replaced, which malfunctioned spasmodically, and had too many unnecessary temperature settings. I can't fault this one. The soft close lid is excellent and there is no chance steam can burn your hand, as is the case when pouring with some kettles.

Great kettle, more product info on website needed – I bought this kettle because it's one of the few small kettles on the market, and it's advertised as BPA-free. So far I'm very happy with it. Pros: - Solidly built, but not too heavy (800 grams) - Body of kettle is made of metal, glass and silicone seals - no plastic - 2 year warranty - Low 250ml minimum for boiling, saves energy - Boils… Read more ·  1

fast, 2400W very good

- Easy to pour

- Easy to clean

- 1L water capacity, perfect size

- Low profile means it's less likely to be tipped over or dropped

- Filter is stainless steel and part of lid; will not need to be replaced

- Easy to see water level

Cons:

- Takes about 10s after boiling to switch off (energy waster?)

- Takes up as much space as a regular kettle

- Plastic window in the lid. This is completely unnecessary in a kettle made of clear glass, since you can see through the side how much water is in the kettle. Regardless, the window is useless, because condensation gathers on it very quickly and makes it impossible to see through. It seems to be a hangover from the similar BKE390 kettle, which has an all-metal body. (The lid is all metal apart from this window).

- On their website, Breville says testing found less than 1 part per million of BPA in water boiled in this kettle. Great! But there is no info about how this study was done (what happens to water left in the kettle for a long time and then re-boiled?), and BPA is usually measured in billionths, not millionths.

- No info about what chemical replaces BPA in their plastics. To be fair, no company does this, but often the chemicals used to replace BPA are as bad as BPA. And it's important in a kettle, which is subject to a lot of heat.

Other Features:

- Average noisiness (slightly noisier than my last kettle, a Sunbeam KE6300, but quieter than most kettles)

- Slow opening lid to prevent scalding - seems pointless to me as no one would open a just-boiled kettle, but may be handy if you have young kids

Overall, this is an excellent kettle. I am hoping it will last many years. If you're looking for a 1L kettle, this one is sturdy, quick to boil, and elegant-looking on the bench. If you are looking for a BPA-free kettle, this one has the least amount of plastic of any kettle I could find, and the small amount of plastic it does have is BPA-free.

Wow... Fabulous Kettle!! – This Breville Glass 1 Litre Kettle BKE395 is quiet, boils quick, light, comfortable handle & easy to clean with the wide opening. Stylish modern design & made from quality stainless steel looks great on the countertop. Excellent for couples, singles & elderly people. If you want a small kettle without compromising style, look no further.