Tesco JK07

I am quite a fan of cheap electricals (mainly because I like to spend my money on other things), so when my previous, more expensive kettle broke a few months ago, I decided to buy a cheap replacement. As I'd previously bought some Tesco kitchen items and electricals for a decent price and found them to be very effective, I had no hesitation in buying the Tesco Value Jug JK07 kettle. I paid just under £5 for this kettle which I consider to be excellent value.

The water capacity of this kettle is 1.7 litres, which in my opinion is very generous but probably above the amount I'd actually need - I tend to only fill this kettle half full, as with there being just two of us living at home, there's no point in filling it to the brim, it'd just waste electricity to boil it all.

In terms of the design of the kettle, it's not bad at all for £5, and has some decent ergonomic curves to it to make it look like at least a little thought has gone into making it look attractive. There are obviously some far better looking kettles out there though. The kettle's handle is quite bulky, and although it's comfortable to hold thanks to a rubber grip, the large capacity and handle can make this feel a bit too chunky at times. If you had limited worktop space in your kitchen, the bulky nature of the kettle could annoy you as it does take up a fair old bit of room.

Another minus point is thevery small spout of the kettle - I actually take the lid off when filling the kettle up as the spout is so small that only a little water can get in without spilling. Equally, you have to be careful pouring the hot water out after boiling, as if you tip the kettle too vigorously the small spout really does make the water geyser out.

Aside from those points though, I do find this to be a decent kettle and it does what it's meant to well. At one press of a button, the light comes on and you know your water's heating up. When it's boiling, the kettle automatically switches itself off, which although pretty standard these days is still useful. I only really fill the kettle half way, but I have found that the water boils in a relatively quick time. The few occassions I've filled it to the brim though, it has taken longer than my previous kettles to boil.

Considering this kettle is £5, I think it's a decent enough budget kitchen essential. For my usage, I don't need an all singing and dancing kettle with flashing lights and whatnot. I just need something to boil water, and this kettle is very much capable of doing that for me.