Smeg Retro Style Variable Kettle
Introduction
Italians produce elegant and timeless design whether it is clothes, sunglasses, cars or kettles.
Smeg is Italian.
First comes the design, second the functionality.
Every Alfa Romeo car owner will vouch for that.
If the ’50s, American diner style is your thing, the Smeg kettle should be right up your street.
It combines the superb vintage look with all features of a modern variable temperature kettle.
The Italians offer the kettle in various colors or in a polished steel look.
Check out our overview of all available temperature controlled kettles at the end of the review.
Smeg achieves that classy but understated look with a layer of “powder coated stainless steel”.
The temperature control is integrated into polished chrome base.
It is worth mentioning that you can set the temperature in Fahrenheit and Celsius.
The seven settings range from 106°F/50°C to 212°F/100°C which will keep all tea and coffee lovers happy.
The kettle plays a little chime when setting the temperature or when it is finished.
Make sure your doorbell sounds differently; otherwise you might run to the door every time you want to have tea or coffee.
The water capacity of 1.7 liter makes the Smeg a great family kettle. It will look stylish on any counter and add a touch of class and beautiful design to any kitchen (home or office).
Smeg offers a superb range of other kitchen products, and therefore you can match the kettle with the style of your fridge, juicer, toaster, or even the entire kitchen.
How does it work?
There is a button on the top of the lid which opens it very slowly (intended, not a malfunction).
Once you fill the 1.7l, the kettle heats the water in about 7 minutes.
To set the temperature press the button in the base beside the on/off switch and select the desired setting. There are seven preset temperatures to choose from.
The little chime will tell you when the water is ready.
The Smeg kettle comes with all features including little rubber feet to prevent it from sliding off your kitchen table.
It is easy to use, simple to handle and a joy to look at.
More features are listed here.
Price
The price for all kettles doesn’t vary much from retailer to retailer. It seems that Smeg has a firm grip on the price policy of the resellers. Good news for consumers.
All kettles are suitable for a $$$+ budget.
Smeg also produce non-temperature-adjustable kettles for $159.95 (click price to check them out).
The Good, the Bad, and the Conclusion
Pro
- Excellent design and high-grade materials
- Looks stylish on any kitchen counter
- Temperature in Fahrenheit and Celsius
- Can be paired and color-matched with other kitchenware from Smeg
- Stainless steel = BPA free
Con
- A bit on the expansive side
- Quite heavy when filled to capacity
Conclusion
In the end, the Smeg kettle only boils water, like all the other, cheaper ones.
However, it does it with style – 50’s retro style to be precise.
Is it worth over $200 – maybe not.
Is it worth having one gracing your kitchen counter – definitely yes.
That’s the difference between a beautiful lifestyle product and a bare necessity.
The Kettle Whistler
Overview of Smeg variable temperature kettles
Please also check out Affiliate Disclosure here.
7 Comments
kettle whistler
Please leaves your comments, opinions and experiences below.
Snigdha Alam
Hi there,
you wrote a nice post. I like your cool kettles and enjoyed your post. My own kettle is damaged and that's why I want to buy a new one. I like the Smeg retro kettle which is Italian and has beautiful design and functionality. I want to buy it as soon as possible. Coffee is my favourite colour. Can I get it in coffee colour?
Thanks a lot. I will share your post with others.
kettle whistler
Thank you for the comment.
Coffee is not one of the Smeg colours. Although Italians love their coffee their colour palette tends to paler tones.
coralie
You have such a cute site. This kettle is super cool and I love it. I realize that it just boils water, but sometimes you need a statement sitting on the kitchen counter and I think this is it. It is nice that the temperature is in F and C, as I am Canadian and we like our Celsius. LOL! Good job.
kettle whistler
Thank you. Italians know how to look good.
RoDarrick
Our last kettle got blown as a result of a mistake on my side and I really want to make up for it by getting a new kettle for my family. This smeg kettle is really looking very stable and of great quality but then, the price seems rather much considering that I run on a lean budget but that would still not deter me from getting the kettle. I like the color and the array of features it boasts of. Nice one
kettle whistler
Thank you. Smeg products are expansive but look the part.