Breville VKJ160

If there's one esssential item every household needs, it is a reliable, long-lasting cordless jug kettle. The highly revered Australian manufacturer Breville prides itself on delivering this promise with its innovative and respectable range of household appliances.

Perhaps better known for its toasters, Breville's kettle range certainly isn't to be sniffed at. Take this model for example, the VKJ160. It has 3kW of power, allowing for a quick boil, a sleek stainless steel finish and water gauges on both sides, which illuminate in a blue light to indicate the boil, perhaps also reassuring the consumer of the purity of the water. It has a concealed element, which is easy to clean and safe from limescale, a non-slip 360 degree rotational base and safety lock lid to help prevent spillage.

One drawback to this model, however, is its slightly lower storage capacity of 1.5 litres, which can prove to be a little inconvenient in a world where many other kettles have a 1.7 litre capacity as standard. Not ideal if you have a great deal of company on a regular basis, though one has to admit it certainly looks the part. I suppose you could fill it further if you really needed to, though I would never recommend overfilling a kettle as it may well lead to a messy worktop, possible burns and, if situated too near to a socket, a potential electrical fire. You wouldn't want that, would you? All your posessions, your family photos, your golf trophies, that ribbon you won for coming 5th in the national amateur breakdancing contest (Heat B), all reduced to mere cinders in an instant, because you foolishly chose to put that little bit extra into the kettle? Maybe someone gets hospitalised, your family leaves you, you have to start your whole life from scratch, if you're less fortunate. No! Never, ever, overfill your kettle! The "MAX" is there for a bloody good reason!

Recommended retail price for the Breville stands at £39.99, though it can be found for less from certain retailers, with some prices beneath the £30 range. A stylish kettle that wouldn't look out of place in most homes, though best suited for quieter households due to its limited capacity.