The Artisan 1.5L Kettle is part of KitchenAid’s range of premium appliances, known for handsome, sturdy design. While it comes at a hefty price, the Artisan kettle is a pleasure to use. Not only is it fast, it also keeps your water warm for longer.
Most importantly, you can specify the water temperature between 50 and 100°C.
KitchenAid Artisan 1.5L Kettle – What you need to know
- Boiling performance: This kettle is among the faster ones I’ve tested. The variable temperature settings are precise, which means no more burnt tongues or waiting for water to cool.
- Keep warm: There’s no specific keep-warm mode but the kettle stays warm for longer than average compared to its rivals and you’ll save energy when you don’t have to reheat the water.
- Usability: The handle is comfortable to grip and has a button for opening the lid with minimal fuss. The water-level indicator is very clear and helpful.
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The KitchenAid Artisan 1.5L Kettle is expensive but it has a premium design
With a shape reminiscent of a traditional kettle, the KitchenAid Artisan kettle is not the lightest, weighing around 1.3kg without the base. But the sturdiness is part of its charm, as is the retro-looking round temperature gauge on its side, which lets you follow the heating process.
The Artisan kettle is available in six different colours: Empire Red, Candy Apple, Cast Iron Black, Onyx Black, Almond Cream and Medallion Silver. I tested the Empire Red version and can attest that neither the stainless-steel body nor the soft-grip rubber and metal handle showed many fingerprints.
On top of the handle you’ll find a round black button that pops the lid open. Should the metallic lid gets hot, there’s a rubberised area that’s safe to touch. The one niggle here is that the lid will only open part way, so you have to use something to push it open further. It’s fine using your hands when the kettle isn’t warm, but be careful when refilling a hot kettle.
The water indicator is situated behind the handle, a common, albeit annoying, position often used by kettle manufacturers. The markings are clear to read and come in handy 0.25-litre increments.
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The KitchenAid Artisan 1.5L Kettle’s wow factor is its variable temperature setting
The controls of the KitchenAid Artisan kettle are located on its base. A sliding knob lets you choose temperatures of 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 95 or 100°C, lighting up with each increment like a status bar.
The power switch is slightly out of the way on the side of the base, but once you’re familiar with its location, using it becomes second nature. When you first connect the kettle to a power outlet or start the boiling process, it emits a trill, which also sounds when it has finished heating your water.
The KitchenAid Artisan 1.5L Kettle is fast, accurate and stays warmer for longer than many rivals
The beauty of a variable-temperature kettle such as the KitchenAid Artisan is that you can heat water to a temperature best suited to your drink of choice. While the optimal temperature for black tea and instant coffee is 90°C, many green teas are best brewed at 70 or 80°C.
It’s important, therefore, that the temperatures a variable-setting kettle purports to offer are accurate. The KitchenAid Artisan kettle produced consistent results across different temperatures, with variations of less than 2°C.
To reach 100°C, the Artisan kettle only took around two minutes 24 seconds when boiling a litre of water – a decent result given that some kettles achieve that temperature in about three minutes.
After 10 minutes, the water was at 86°C, reducing to 80°C after 20 minutes and 75°C after half an hour. After a full hour the water was still a respectable 65°C.
Should I buy the KitchenAid Artisan 1.5L Kettle?
If you have the cash to spare and like the KitchenAid Artisan’s sturdy look, then this kettle won’t disappoint. But if you’re after a more affordable variable-temperature kettle, the Sage Smart Kettle comes with an extra keep-warm function.
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