KitchenAidKTEN20SBER 2.0-Quart Kettle with Full Stainless Steel Handle and Trim Band - Empire Red

Wonderful kettle.First of all, YES, the handle is metal.Secondly, NO, it has never gotten too hot for me to lift it directly off the flame with my bare hand. I do not discriminate between rubber and metal when I lift it. I just fully grab the handle. And, I would NOT consider myself tolerant to heat in any way.The reason for this is that the handle is isolated from the main body of the kettle by thin strips of heat-resistant plastic. I assume the screws transfer some heat, but I think the isolating pads do a good job of... isolating.On to the rest...This kettle is wonderful to use!The lid is very secure, but not too difficult to remove for filling. The handle is fixed upright (good!), but it allows plenty of room for filling with any sort of faucet head.I got the Pyrite grey and I absolutely love the color. it has a very nice depth to it. The stainless is clean, sturdy, and handsome. The enamel is slick and covers the bottom in a continuous surface. The kettle does slide around on the burner a bit due to lessened friction, but I don't see that as a problem. The interior is coated with what appears to be a black enamel as well.The opening mechanism for the spout feels so solid and weighty compared to most kettles! I'm a fan for sure. It's solid metal, but the part you touch is covered with silicone which stays cooler to the touch than the handle.The whistle is a tad loose and will jiggle a bit, but only when it's open. the weight of the mechanism holds it tightly when closed. Not an issue for me. it works flawlessly. I don't know if they're all like this, but I thought I'd mention it because I haven't seen it mentioned.

Beautiful and functional!

Beautiful tea kettle, expecially in Pyrite. The Pyrite color is very attractive. In fact, it really looks like real pyrite yet, of course, it’s not. What’s to say about a tea kettle? It’s well made, but it has one weaknesses that lowers the perfection of the kettle but not the rating. For this price, I was very disappointed the whistle was not harmonic; instead, it just a plain whistle which is somewhat irksome, definitely boring, and a little hard to hear from a distance.On the plus side, the finish is porcelain on the outside and also on the inside to prevent rusting. The spout is opened by an easy thumb press, not on the outside of the handle by use of the other hand, but on the underside using the same hand holding the kettle. This makes opening the spout a very easy operation while still sitting on the stovetop. Next, the kettle is made from enamel-coated stainless steel both in and out to prevent rusting; and, the shape inside allows one to dispel all drops of water when pouring out. I find that there is no drop left in the kettle that could cause rusting even if it weren’t enameled inside. This is what brings the cost up to it’s point.It’s easy to fill. The top comes off and goes on very easily. (After boiling, this top does get hot; so, don’t try to remove with bare hands). The water pours out from the spout without burning one’s hands from steam.The other nice thing is that the width at the bottom exactly fits the width of the smaller electric burner on a glass-top stove or induction stovetop. The silicone inserts in the SS handle make it easy to pickup without burning one’s hands. It will get warm, but not hot UNLESS you let it continue to boil several minutes after the whistle starts to blow. At that point, of course it will get too hot to hold without kitchen gloves or a towel.Oddly, or maybe not, it has a nice aesthetic look to it; not a modern piece of art, but a nice looking kettle that you will probably want to leave out on the stovetop. We’ve had at least three or four comments in the first three weeks of ownership much to our surprise. And most of the comments were not about the kettle but about the color of this kettle—pyrite. It’s quite unique.Finally, if you read the Q&A and reviews, there are a lot of negative answers and reviews about this kettle. As usual, most of the negative reviews come from people who, 1) don’t read the instructions of preparing the kettle for boiling; and 2) wouldn’t know how to boil an egg. Certainly, many don’t even know how to spell our wonderful English language.Many of the questions are answered incorrectly by some and correctly by others. Who can you believe? We haven’t had this kettle long, but long enough to say that it’s a very good kettle and wouldn’t purchase another for any reason. If something changes, I will update this review.

This is very well-made and solid. I want a kettle that works well and lasts. My last kettle (no idea of brand) was with me for over 20 years, and as much as I liked my last one, I like this one much better. The handle has a good feel to it, and the kettle is well-balanced. It is heavier than the cheap models, but the weight feels like a quality piece of cookware. There is a little bit of steam that escapes from the lid when the whistle is closed, but it is not enough to even warm the handle. There are no drips when pouring. I prefer a kettle without a whistle because I don't like the noise. The ability to flip up the whistle is a huge bonus for me. When the whistle is down, it goes fairly quickly from a slight whistle to a full yell.Yes, this kettle costs more than many others, but it is well worth it. I am happy every morning when making my tea. The pyrite color is fantastic as well. I've had this a few months now, and see no reason that I won't have it for a very long time.

This tea kettle is so well made. It's fairly heavy, but not so much you can't pick it up and pour easily. It just feels right in your hands. The handle grip is very comfortable and never gets hot. It holds a lot of water and is very easy to clean (sponge with soap and hot water), no scrubbing if you want it to last.Astetically It's just gorgeous! The Empire Red truly looks regal and the chrome touches are perfect. It brightens up my kitchen. There is a heavy enamel coating that should last forever if you don't burn the pot by boiling it dry.I was hesitant to spend so much money on a tea kettle, but I'm so glad I bought it!