The Proctor Silex Cordless Kettle K4077 has a 1.7-liter capacity with easy-view water level windows on either side of the kettle.

Styled in black plastic, this kettle is oval in shape with a closed plastic ring handle and hinged flip-back lid. The kettle itself lifts off its low-profile disk base for convenient cordless serving.

This kettle has a convenient "on" switch at the base of the handle. Pressing down on the switch activates the heating coil, which is located inside the kettle. A handy orange light at the top of the handle signals that it's working. The coiled heating element is not concealed, but does get submerged when water is added to the kettle. You must use enough water to cover the element -- approximately 4 cups or enough to reach the minimum mark on the water window.

The kettle heated quickly, reaching a full rolling boil in less than 10 minutes. The exterior surface of the kettle gets quite hot especially around the lid, so you need to grip the kettle by its handle only. There is an auto shutoff feature, which did not work the first few times we tried the kettle. After referring to the instructions we found that the lid needed to be fully closed for the auto shutoff to function. A firm push on the lid will snap it closed. It pulls open, however, with relative ease.

We liked the sturdy cool-touch handle, which provides well-balanced pouring. A textured pattern on the handle adds a slip free grip for easy handling. The non-spill spout also has a removable water filter to trap sediment or other impurities in the water. We also loved the clear water window with measurement markings. It's easy to see at a glance just how much water is in the kettle.

The Proctor Silex Cordless Kettle is a fairly inexpensive model that adds the convenience of cordless serving.


Pros: Cordless serving, cool-touch handle
Cons: Sides and top of kettle get quite hot during use, lid needs a firm push to lock

Warranty
6 months