Revere Copper Bottom 3 1/2-Quart Tea Kettle

I, too, grew up with this kettle never leaving the stove top although in the 50s, it may have been a smaller version. I loved it so much that when I left home to be on my own, Mom gave me the kettle. Now,… after her using it for many years, and my use for over 40 years, it breathed its last and I needed a new one. While I did consider the smaller versions, I drink tea all the time, cook constantly and am always in need of water at hand. With this sitting on the stove or counter, I don't have to turn on the faucet a gazillion times/day, find something that pours, etc. It is always available and always serves the purpose. The 3.5 qt pot fits nicely on my stove. I was a bit skeptical because my stove has a weird design: the back of the stove that holds the knobs and controls juts out and away from the back of the stove, thus creating a challenge for larger pots/pans unless they are short. I thought this 3.5 qt kettle may not fit on the back burner where the larger coil rests, but it does. The footprint is a teense over 8" so it sits on the large 8" electric coil perfectly without any rocking motion, even when boiling at full throttle. The height is 3" from base to top of kettle where the design begins to curve toward the top. The handle is well made and securely attached and one knows it is sturdy and strong, even with a full kettle of boiling water. The handle remains cool no matter how long the water is hot/boiling, so a pot holder is unnecessary when handling this kettle. The copper bottom heats evenly and quickly but doesn't blacken or get that rainbow-effect from the heat of the coil even when on "high" all the time. While the copper base doesn't remain super shiny like when it came out of the box, it doesn't darken either. The whistle is a high pitch: not so high pitched it drives one out of the house, but enough to gently hear from any room. It is loud, but not overly loud. I don't think it would wake a sleeping child - it sure doesn't wake my dogs and they are always on red alert, including at least one sentry, for snacks and goodies when I'm even close to or approaching the kitchen! I do find that my sink and faucet require me to maneuver the spout in a certain way to fill the kettle, but that isn't a flaw with the kettle. It is the design of the sink. The only caution I would share is the space between handle and top of kettle. I have already burned myself (not seriously, but enough to know I touched the kettle top inadvertently with my knuckles). This may be an issue for men, or women like me with arthritic/swollen knuckles and fingers. On good days it doesn't happen, but the few times my knuckles have knicked the hot top of the kettle were days when 1) the arthritis was doing its happy dance, and 2) I got careless around the stove. :( I do think, however, that once you experience this little love tap from the top of the hot kettle, you will always remember to pay attention when lifting the kettle in the future. It isn't bad enough for me to recommend you search elsewhere for a good quality, serve-the-purpose, heat fast and well, look-nice kettle. This is all of that and more. I am more than happy and satisfied with this purchase.

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I bought the smallest version of this kettle a while ago. It's nice-looking, small and light. I only use it occasionally, boiling water to clean my cast iron skillet, etc. But I still find some major… problems of this pot. The first problem is you can only fill in water through the small hole where you pour water out. Unless you fill it directly under a faucet, you're likely to spill a little bit (like me, using a brita.) There is no lid of this kettle, which means you basically can't see the inside very well. I don't know how I can easily clean the inside either. The second problem is the handle gets very hot if you boil a full kettle of water. Can I wear those heavy kitchen mitten? Yes, but I also need to use one finger to pull that hook (under the handle) back so as I can pour water out. It's not an easy job, believe me.

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