My review of the Calm Kettle includes affiliate links. This means that I will earn a small amount of commission if you were to buy a product through one of the links included in the review.
I have a confession to make: I have an obsession with buying things on TikTok.
A marketer’s dream, it appears that I have no self-control when it comes to purchasing random items on a whim from the social media platform. From mops, mini fridge magnets in the shape of vases to viral work trousers that were meant to give me the bum of a 21-year old, I’ve bought them all.
Or at least, I thought I had until I was served an ad for the Russell Hobbs Calm Kettle.
Pausing Eastenders, I stopped my evening scroll to fully absorb the magical kettle that had filled my screen. Within 20 seconds, I was sold and (some might say flippantly) clicked ‘add to cart’ on the kettle that promised me moments of zen as I brewed my cuppa.
I was genuinely ecstatic when I received the text at work to say the kettle had been delivered, and that night, I went through the motions of bath and bedtime for my daughter at lightening speed. Childcare complete, I rushed downstairs and tore open the Calm Kettle, eagerly awaiting its gentle sounds and lights that would deliver me calm after a busy day of work and parenting.
And so, the million dollar question.
Just how calming is the Calm Kettle? Has it improved my mental wellbeing? Helped me find joy in the small task of making a cup of tea? Read on to find my honest review of the Russell Hobbs Calm Kettle.
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What exactly is the Calm Kettle by Russell Hobbs?
Russell Hobbs has jumped on the wellness bandwagon, bringing you a kettle that not only boils your water but (apparently) adds calm to your day. Playing soothing music and illuminating different colours through its boil cycle, the Calm Kettle claims that it can offer a moment of zen to your busy day.
Calming vibes aside, the Calm Kettle also boasts the ability for its user to select the boil temperature, offers quiet and quick boil technology and touch screen operations. It was actually these specifications that encouraged me to buy the kettle, knowing that calm gimmicks aside, this is a modern, efficient kettle that can handle my hundreds of monthly cups of tea.
How much does the Calm Kettle cost?
£100 (or £99.99 if you’re after saving a penny)
It is the price tag of the Calm Kettle that has got people talking, coming in at £100 across most stores such as Russel Hobbs website, Argos, Amazon and Debenhams. This is, of course, far more expensive than the majority of kettles and way out of budget for those simply wanting some boiling water for their tea or coffee.
- COLOUR CHANGING -Indulge in me-time with the gentle glow of the 6 color-changing lights in the frosted glass kettle. The 3000W power ensures a fast, efficient boil, while the 1.7L capacity combines style and functionality.
- SOOTHING SOUNDS - Choose from 5 sounds to enhance your experience while the kettle is in demo, keep warm, or boil mode.
- VARIABLE TEMPERATURE CONTROL - Pre-set water temperature from 40 to 100°C in 5°C increments for perfect specialty teas, gentle bottle warming, or strong coffee.
- QUIET BOIL TECHNOLOGY - With a sleek design and a 1.7L capacity, the Calm Kettle is perfect for serving family and friends, while its Quiet Boil Technology ensures a peaceful experience.
- KEEP WARM FUNCTION - The Keep Warm function maintains water temperature for up to 15 minutes, while the digital display with touch controls provides easy access to settings at a glance.
How quickly does the Calm Kettle boil?
I must admit, I probably shouldn’t compare my old kettle to any new alternative as it was something of a relic. I bought my last kettle in 2012, and although it stood the test of time, it was a geriatric, lime scale covered disgrace by the end of its life with me. Of course, therefore, the new Calm Kettle feels like it boils in lightening speed compared to my last but just how fast?
If I were to fill the kettle to boil 2 cups, it took roughly 50 seconds.
In my opinion, this is extremely fast, perhaps even a little too fast if I’m meant to be enjoying a moment of mindfulness in my day. If I were to boil the Calm Kettle to 6 cups, it would take a lot longer; around 2-3 minutes.
Buy the Calm Kettle
Things I like about the Calm Kettle by Russell Hobbs
1. Quick boiling
The 3000W power of the Calm Kettle ensures a quick and efficient boil. In fact, as mentioned above, some may complain it boils too fast, robbing its user of valuable ‘calm time’. It does take a little longer if you filled the kettle to full capacity (1.7L) but is still very efficient, particularly compared to my old kettle.
2. Quiet Boil technology
Alongside the quick boiling time, the Calm Kettle also offers quiet boil technology. Compared to my old kettle that sounded like a steam train, this is a very quiet kettle. I would say that it is louder than expected when initially getting going but it then does quieten into a gentle hum, while the music plays over the top.
3. Design adds a touch of class to the kitchen
I’m a bit of a sucker for rose gold products, and the copper accents and frosted glass of the Quiet Kettle are right up my street. I often find that kettles can look quite ugly but the Calm Kettle adds a lovely touch to my soft pink kitchen. I also think the design itself of the kettle is lovely and user-friendly. The only thing I’ve noticed is that the copper does stain quickly with water droplets, so I am giving it a good polish once a week to avoid any build-up (you can see the staining in the first photo of the kettle).
4. Comforting sounds
There are 5 different sounds you can choose between to play as your Calm Kettle boils. They seem to range from fairly uplifting to more calming and spa like. Track number 4 is my favourite, which is very zen and peaceful. It’s particularly lovely in early morning or in the evening, as the music plays and the water gently begins to bubble. In this respect, the kettle does add a little calm to my day, allowing me to stand and gaze out the window, as soothing music starts or ends my day.
5. You can change the temperature of the boiling point
Another brilliant feature of the Calm Kettle – and perhaps one of its best selling points – is the fact you can choose which temperature to boil the kettle to. For instance, I often find for herbal teas, 100 degrees is far too hot, and I end up waiting 30 minutes before it’s drinkable. In this time, I’ve usually wondered off to do something else and totally forgotten about my healthy tea. With the Calm Kettle, however, I can set it to a lower temperature for my herbal teas, so the temperature is just right to drink as soon as it’s poured.
Temperatures range from 40 degrees to 100 degrees, and can be set at 5 degree increments.
6. Keeps the water hot for 15 minutes after boiling
One of my favourite features of the Calm Kettle is the clever design that keeps your boiled water warm for 15 minutes after boiling. During that time, a lovely yellow light glows from the kettle with some calming music. As a busy mum, who often boils a kettle and then completely forgets about it, this feature is actually incredibly useful. Not only does the light and sound remind me of the boiled kettle but it also keeps the water warm, meaning I don’t need to waste energy in having to re-boil.
Alternative Quiet Boil Kettles
- The brushed stainless steel kettle heats up quickly is easy to clean and will not discolour regardless of use or age
- Quiet boil technology makes this a hot favourite for people in open plan living spaces busy households and those who value peace and quiet With their brew
- A rapid boil zone indicator within the kettle allows you to fill just the right amount of water and boils one cup super-fast taking only 45 seconds
- The removable washable lime scale filter will keep your brew tasting amazing and is ideal for those living In hard water areas
- Suitable for both right handed and left handed users The 360 degree base means no matter where your new kettle lives it's always within easy reach
- Up to 75 Percentage quieter technology - When tested against Russel Hobbs Kettles without Quiet Boil Technology. Our special coating makes smaller bubbles, smaller bubbles mean 75 Percentage less noise
- A delicious hot drink in 45 seconds - The rapid boil feature that lets you boil a cup of water in just 45 seconds based on boiling one 235ml cup
- 1.7 Litre Capacity - The impressive 1.7 liter Capacity of the Quiet Boil Kettle makes it the perfect size to cater for everyone, making it a great choice for larger family homes
- Dual Water Windows - With a water window on both sides of the Kettle, you can check the water level quickly without having to open the lid and see how much is going in as you fill
- 3 Year Manufacturer's Guarantee - Plus 1 extra year when you register the product online
- Rapid boil zone technology, boils water for one cup (235 ml) up to temperature in just 45 seconds
- The Luna Kettle saves up to 66 percent energy by boiling one cup (235 ml) vs 1 Litre
- Boil dry protection in case you hit the switch without filling it first. Power light indicator
- It also boasts a removable, washable filter, a concealed heating element and ideal pour water spout
- 2 years guarantee plus 1 year when registered online
Review of Calm Kettle: Things I don’t like about it
1. Short cable
For such an innovative kettle, the Calm Kettle has a surprisingly short cord. Fortunately, we have a nice clear space to place the kettle by a plug, but if you rely on a long extension then this kettle might not be the one for you.
2. Kettle lights aren’t as ‘gentle’ as I hoped
One of the key selling points of the Calm Kettle for me was the calming colours of the kettle. And, although they are fairly pleasant, rotating through orange, yellow, green blue, violet and red as the kettle boils, some are quite a garish. For instance, the yellow colour is very soothing but the red and green feel quite basic and not colours you’d associate with calm. In the evenings, it’s actually quite bright as it boils and perhaps softer colours (like the yellow) would have been more appropriate. I think the product could be improved by allowing the user to select what colour they want during boiling (like with the music).
Having said that, one thing I do like about the lighting is the fact the kettle light can be on, even if it’s not boiling. To do this, you simply put the kettle in demo mode and voila, you have a soft light in your kitchen for gloomy mornings or evenings.
3. Novelty wears off quite fast
As with everything in life, the unique elements of the Calm Kettle do wear off fairly fast. Although I still enjoy using it, particularly the little song as it keeps the water boiling, I’m not ecstatic to embark on my moment of calm with my kettle in the day. Despite this, however, I do really appreciate the kettle for its functionality, aside from the glitzy lights and sound. In that respect, the novelty hasn’t worn off as it’s a great addition to my daily life – helping keep energy costs down and reminding me it’s time for tea when I forget that I’ve boiled the kettle.
4. For a smart kettle, it could do with an app
One of the first questions people asked me most about the Calm Kettle was whether or not it had an app. Unlike the Alexa compatible Smart Kettles, however, this doesn’t have an app, meaning – unfortunately for you – you will need to get up and boil the kettle yourself.
As someone pointed out, however, we haven’t progressed as far yet as a kettle that can fill itself up with water, so unless you’ve nailed this, at some point you’re going to have to pay your kettle a visit anyway. I do see an app coming in future, which would allow you to boil the kettle from afar, or change the lighting and sounds.
5. Bulky charging base
Although the design of the kettle itself is great, it does have an oddly large charging base. Reading a little into the design, I discovered that it’s designed for easy use – allowing you to plonk it on whatever 360 degree aspect of the base you want, without having to try and get into a specific position. This, I agree, is brilliant for usability for individuals who may struggle with dexterity but the base is definitely on the large side and not ideal if you only have limited space to put it.
6. Buttons disappear on touch screen menu
When I first went to boil the kettle, I did have to spend 5 minutes searching for the button to turn it on. The touchscreen functionality is found on the base of the kettle but only lights up when you touch a specific part of the base. This seems a little useless, especially as it’s meant to be easy to use, and it did take me a couple of goes before I knew exactly where to press. It’s not an issue anymore but I can see something like that infuriating my parents, who want a simple switch to get their kettle boiling.
Review of Calm Kettle: Is it a Gimmick?
Well, yes and no.
Of course, we all know that no one needs a kettle that produces lights and sounds in order to deliver a cup of tea. For many, therefore, this kettle is entirely irrelevant and for those who simply want a functioning, efficient kettle, the Calm Kettle is not for you. Indeed, for many, who are already over stimulated in every day life, the addition of yet more bells and whistles is going to stress not zen.
In terms of the Calm Kettle’s functionality, however I think it’s a great kettle. The quiet boil technology, handy ability to keep water warm and allow you to select your optimum temperature, makes it a very handy appliance to have in the home.
In that sense, the Calm Kettle isn’t a gimmicky product and can offer not only little notes of calm throughout your day but can also deliver a brilliant cuppa.