How long should an electric kettle last?

[Mustard]

Have bought two name brands from Sainsburys within 18 months and both failed.

Has anyone had any luck under the Sale of Goods Act in getting a refund for a faulty kettle?

[Louisa]

I had a Russell Hobbs one from Tesco, failed within 6 months. Had no joy at all.

Louisa.

[Ellem86]

I have always bought Cookworks and Russell Hobbs kettles and they have generally lasted a lot longer than 18 months.

I used to always start with legal arguments (I?m a solicitor) but I?ve found I have more success getting refunds/replacements by being outraged on twitter. As it?s a public forum, retailers are super prompt about dealing with complaints and overly helpful. Just a suggestion.

[Otta]

Guess it all depends how much you use your kettle. We got one from Sainsbury's last Feb, and have just replaced it, so about 15 months. But we do use the kettle a lot in this household.

[DulwichFox]

I've had kettles last over 5 years+

You do need to de-fur ?? them from time to time.

Get what you pay for.

Foxy

[Louisa]

You say that foxy but I once had a morrisons value brand kettle for about 5 quid and it lasted for years. Every single branded one I've bought has ended up breaking on me. Mind you I often use them for par-boiling potatoes and after veggies I'm going to roast.

Louisa.

[Otta]

Agreed. With kettles you do not necessarily "get what you pay for".

[KalamityKel]

Louisa Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> You say that foxy but I once had a morrisons value

> brand kettle for about 5 quid and it lasted for

> years. Every single branded one I've bought has

> ended up breaking on me. Mind you I often use them

> for par-boiling potatoes and after veggies I'm

> going to roast.

>

> Louisa.

Is this the answer to longevity... *note to self - put veg in the kettle* ;-)

[DulwichFox]

What I'm saying is generally if you pay a premium price you are usually guaranteed it will last..

It will come with a 5 year guarantee.

.. but its also true that a cheaper brand may well last just as long, but not guaranteed too do so.

Remember the Ad. Ariston goes on and on and on and on ...

My Ariston Washer/Dryer lasted 22 years.. When I bought my Hotpoint from Curry's 2 years ago ..

the guy said, "don't expect this one to last that long"

Keeping fingers crossed..

Foxy

[Loz]

My mid-priced kettle has notched up about 15 years.

[Applespider]

My longest serving kettle was a blue plastic Boden one that made it 17 years before giving up the ghost last year. Then again, I only boil it a couple of times a week at most so perhaps if it had been used more frequently, it might have only made it to 2 years.

[numbers]

Dualit kettle* going strong for over 8 years now. However, I will confess that I also have a lovely stove top kettle specially for boiling water for tea. (leaves, not bags, I'll have you know). So that probably skews my results.

I think paying a fair amount of dosh for stuff in a colour or style that you no longer like will guarantee it lasts forever!

*Toaster as good as new also.

[hpsaucey]

numbers Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Dualit kettle* going strong for over 8 years now.

> However, I will confess that I also have a lovely

> stove top kettle specially for boiling water for

> tea. (leaves, not bags, I'll have you know). So

> that probably skews my results.

>

> I think paying a fair amount of dosh for stuff in

> a colour or style that you no longer like will

> guarantee it lasts forever!

>

>

> *Toaster as good as new also.

Yep - definitely the way to go! Got a dualit toaster about 8 years ago after two sh** cheapo ones that lasted about 6 months each. Gone off the colour of this toaster but boy its got staying power .... as a curator I get offered lots of old appliances that kept going nicely for decades. New naff ones that are so sh** they've almost got deliberatly built in obsolescence really, really p' me off....what a waste of resources - shouldn't be allowed.

HP

[Lowlander]

Mustard Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Have bought two name brands from Sainsburys within

> 18 months and both failed.

>

> Has anyone had any luck under the Sale of Goods

> Act in getting a refund for a faulty kettle?

I would go in and talk to customer services. Six years is the maximum I think under that act and that seems a reasonable life for a kettle - 18 months is not!

I've got a bog standard Asda own brand one that's been going for 10 years, used at least three to four times a day (and it's never been descaled.

[Sue]

I've got a lovely green Bodum kettle which I'm very fond of, which I've had for over five years now and it's still going strong.

It's used many many times a day :))

I shall be sad when the time comes to replace it, because it took me absolutely ages to find a kettle which a) I could bear to live with and b) Was not too heavy

[malumbu]

When you buy things you are protected by the Sale of Goods Act - items should be properly described, free from defects etc. These statutory rights last for six years

If it is not fit for purpose then you can take action. If it is under 6 months old then there is reverse burden of proof, ie the retailer has to prove this it was fit for purpose.

Guarantees or warrnaties are neiher here nor there, the contract is with the retailer not the manufacturer. But most retailers haven't a clue.

Proving that it isn't fit for purpose can be difficult, and will be informed by costs and expectations. At the end of the day a bloody pain.

And, yes, I have taken action through the small claims court.

[Sue]

Hardly worth going through the small claims court for a kettle :)