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July 30, 2008 11:56 AM PDT

A kettle with a kick

Posted by Thursday Bram

The H20 Plus is not your grandmother's tea kettle.

(Credit: Capresso)

When I went off to college, I took an electric kettle with me. And I actually managed to cook entire meals in that thing--not just Ramen noodles. It was a savior. Since then, I've made a point of always having a good electric kettle in my kitchen. I would even go so far as to consider myself something of a kettle connoisseur.

When I tell you that I like Capresso's H20 Plus kettle, I mean it. It's just as easy to use as your average kettle, but it has several features that you won't find on other models.

The heating element is ideal: it's concealed in stainless steel, and works impressively fast. Concealed heating elements are becoming standard, but I still run across the occasional electric kettle with an exposed heating contraption. That's just an accident waiting to happen.

The H20 Plus also has an automatic shut-off, which is another important safety feature. Many electric kettles operate on the "if it's plugged in, it's on" model, but the H20 Plus has an on/off switch, and the ability to turn itself off when the water hits boiling. Capresso also used high-quality Schott glass in constructing the kettle, which means it's strong; it won't survive everything, but it's definitely solid.

Capresso's kettle has a very modern appearance; along with glass, it features silver and black accents. We're not talking about your grandma's electric kettle here. The price tag on the H20 Plus is $59.99.

Thursday Bram is a member of the CNET Blog Network and is not an employee of CNET.
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