LONGDEEM Electric Tea Kettle Review: a simple stainless steel boiler that just gets the job done

I’ve been using this LONGDEEM electric kettle as my main water boiler for a while now, basically several times a day for coffee, tea, and the occasional instant noodles. I’m not a collector of fancy appliances; I just want hot water fast without dealing with plastic smells, leaking lids, or random shutoffs. So I went into this with pretty basic expectations: boil water, be safe, and not look ugly on the counter.

In practice, this kettle is pretty much that: a straightforward 1.7L, 1500W stainless steel kettle with auto shut-off and boil-dry protection. No temperature presets, no app, no screen. You plug it in, fill it, press the switch, wait a few minutes, and you’re done. It’s the kind of thing you buy because you’re tired of using a pot on the stove or heating one mug at a time in the microwave.

What pushed me to try this one instead of a cheaper plastic model was the all-stainless interior and the wide lid. I’ve had plastic kettles before that always had a faint plastic taste or smell, and they were a pain to clean inside. Here, the promise is food-grade 304 stainless with no water touching plastic, plus a lid that opens wide so you can actually scrub the inside instead of poking around with a sponge on a stick.

Overall, after regular daily use, I’d say this kettle is pretty solid for basic boiling. It’s not perfect: it’s a bit loud, there are no fancy features, and the outside does get hot. But if you just want something simple, metal inside, and halfway decent looking on the counter, it gets the job done without drama.

Looking at the price range this kettle usually sits in on Amazon, it’s in that mid-budget zone: more expensive than the absolute cheapest plastic kettles, but cheaper than the fancy temperature-control or gooseneck models. For what you pay, you get a full stainless-steel interior, a decent-looking exterior, and the usual safety features. No extras, but also no obvious corners cut that affect daily use.

Compared to a basic plastic kettle, you’re basically paying a bit more for better materials and nicer looks. If you don’t care about plastic touching the water and just want the cheapest option, you can go lower in price. But if you drink tea or coffee every day and are annoyed by plastic smells or flimsy builds, the extra cost here feels justified. The 4.4/5 rating from over 500+ reviews also suggests most people are pretty satisfied, which matches my experience.

On the other hand, if you’re deep into pour-over coffee or specific tea temperatures, this kettle might feel too simple. There’s no 80°C, 90°C, or keep-warm mode, and no gooseneck spout for precision pouring. In that case, spending more on a temperature-controlled model will make more sense. This one is clearly aimed at people who just want fast boiling and a clean interior, not advanced brewing control.

Overall, I’d say the value is solid: you get a reliable, metal-interior kettle that looks decent on the counter and does its job every day without fuss. Not a bargain of the century, not overpriced either—just a fair deal if your priorities are simplicity, stainless steel, and basic safety features.

Design-wise, this kettle sits somewhere between retro and modern. The blue color is actually pretty nice in person: not flashy, but not dull either. It’s more of a soft kitchen blue that blends in well. If you’ve seen the user photos on Amazon of the sage and red versions, the blue is in that same vibe: simple, a bit retro, and not cheap-looking. It doesn’t try to be a design object, but it doesn’t look like a bargain-bin appliance either.

The dual-level lid is one of the more useful design bits. It opens to about 75° for normal use, which is enough to fill it under the tap and pour without steam blasting straight at your hand. If you push it further, it opens to roughly 90°, and that’s where cleaning becomes easier. You can actually get your hand in there with a sponge, which is not the case with a lot of narrow-lid kettles. For someone who hates dealing with limescale build-up, this is a real plus.

The handle is electroplated and marketed as anti-slip and anti-scald. In practice, the handle does stay cool enough to hold comfortably, even after a full boil. The grip feels secure, and I haven’t had any awkward moments where I thought the kettle might slip. The spout is also well shaped: it pours in a steady stream without random drips down the side, which sounds minor but makes a difference if you’re filling smaller cups or a French press. One Amazon reviewer pointed out the nozzle as a strong point, and I agree with that.

If I had to nitpick, the outside body does get quite hot after boiling, which is normal for a metal kettle but something to keep in mind if you’re used to plastic or double-walled models. Also, there’s just a basic on/off switch and an LED indicator—no temperature control, no keep-warm mode. So from a design standpoint, it’s simple, practical, and mostly focused on basic everyday use, not on advanced features.

One of the main reasons I picked this model is the promise that all water-contact surfaces are food-grade 304 stainless steel and BPA-free. I’ve had a couple of plastic kettles in the past, and there was always a faint plastic smell at the beginning, plus that nagging feeling that boiling water over plastic every day isn’t ideal. With this kettle, the inside walls, bottom, and even the filter at the spout are all metal, so your water doesn’t sit against plastic while it’s boiling.

In day-to-day use, that shows up in a simple way: the water tastes neutral. No plastic aftertaste, no weird smell when you open the lid after boiling. A few people on Amazon also mention they specifically liked that the internals are metal-only, and I’m on the same page. If you’re picky about your tea or coffee tasting clean, this helps. I also boiled it a couple of times with plain water before first use, and after that, there was nothing odd about the taste.

The downside of metal is that the body gets hot and it will show water spots or limescale staining over time, especially if you have hard water. Because the lid opens to 90°, you can actually reach inside with a cloth and some vinegar or descaling solution, which makes maintenance easier than many plastic or glass kettles with narrow tops. The finish is described as “sealed”, and so far I haven’t seen any peeling, rust, or flaking inside, even after repeated boils and occasional water left standing in it for a few hours.

So for materials, I’d say this kettle is solid, not fancy. You get proper stainless steel where it matters, no plastic contact with the water, and a build that feels decent for the price. If you want insulated double walls or premium brushed finishes, you’ll need to look higher in the price range, but for a straightforward stainless interior, this one does its job well.

Durability is always a bit tricky to judge without years of use, but I can at least share how it feels and what I’ve noticed so far, plus what other buyers report. The kettle itself feels solid enough when you pick it up—no rattling pieces, no flimsy lid hinge, and the base connector doesn’t wobble. The lid mechanism that opens to 75° and 90° feels reasonably sturdy; I don’t feel like it’s going to snap off if I open it fully for cleaning.

Several Amazon reviews mention using it daily for many months, even a year, without issues. One person said they’ve heated water for “hundreds of cups of tea” and it’s still going strong. Another said they’ve forgotten water inside multiple times and it hasn’t rusted. That lines up with what I’ve seen so far: no rust spots inside, no discoloration beyond normal limescale traces from hard water, and the exterior paint is still intact.

The only thing to watch is basic care: it’s hand wash only, and you’ll want to descale it every so often if your water is hard. That’s pretty standard for electric kettles. I wouldn’t leave water sitting in it for days, because even stainless steel has its limits over the long term, but overnight or a few hours hasn’t caused any issues. The hinge and switch still work smoothly after repeated cycles, and the cord hasn’t shown any fraying or looseness where it connects to the base.

So in terms of durability, I’d rate it as good for the price range. It doesn’t feel like a high-end, 10-year appliance, but it also doesn’t feel disposable. If you take basic care of it—no dishwashers, occasional descaling—it should easily cover your daily tea and coffee habit for a few years without drama.

Performance-wise, the kettle does what it’s supposed to do: boil water quickly. With 1500W and a 1.7L capacity, you’re looking at around 4–5 minutes for a full kettle from tap-cold to full rolling boil, and about 2–3 minutes if you’re just heating enough for one or two mugs. I timed a few runs out of curiosity, and it’s right in line with other 1500W kettles I’ve used. There’s nothing special here, but it’s consistent and predictable.

The auto shut-off works reliably. Once the water hits boiling, the switch clicks off and the LED indicator goes dark. I’ve never had it keep running after boiling or stop way too early. The boil-dry protection is also there as a safety net; I accidentally turned it on once with only a tiny bit of water inside, and it shut itself off before anything weird happened. That’s the kind of feature you hope you never need, but it’s reassuring if you’re the type who occasionally gets distracted mid-task.

Noise level is one of the small downsides. It’s not unbearable, but it’s on the louder side when the water gets close to boiling—kind of a strong whooshing/rumbling sound. An Amazon reviewer mentioned it’s a little loud, and I agree. It’s still normal for a metal kettle, but if you’re trying to keep things quiet early in the morning or late at night, you’ll notice it. For me, it’s just background noise for a few minutes, but it’s worth mentioning.

In everyday use, the kettle’s performance is straightforward and dependable. It boils fast enough, shuts itself off correctly, and doesn’t do anything weird. If you want precise temperature control for green tea or pour-over coffee at a specific temp, this isn’t the right product. But if your main goal is “hot water, quickly, without babysitting it”, it gets the job done just fine.

When you open the box, there’s nothing surprising: the kettle itself, the 360° swivel base, a quick start guide, and a small manual. The packaging is described as “gift ready”, and to be fair, the box does look neat enough that you could give it as a housewarming gift without it feeling cheap. But it’s still just a kettle box, not some luxury unboxing experience, so I wouldn’t overthink that part.

The kettle is 1.7L with 1500W power, which is a pretty standard combo. For context, 1.7L is enough for about 6–7 regular mugs of tea or coffee, or a full French press plus some extra. It weighs around 2.1 pounds empty, so it doesn’t feel flimsy, but it’s not heavy either. I can easily pour it one-handed even when it’s full, and I’m not particularly strong.

The base is simple: one central connector, a spot to wrap the cord underneath if you want less cable on the counter, and that’s it. No temperature display, no buttons, no bells and whistles. You set it on the counter, plug it in, and leave the base there. The kettle clicks in at any angle thanks to the 360° rotation, which is handy if you’re grabbing it from different sides of the counter or if more than one person uses it.

In short, the presentation is basic but clean. It feels like a functional kitchen tool, not a gadget trying to impress you. If you’re expecting lots of accessories or fancy documentation, you’ll be disappointed. If you just want to plug it in and make tea within five minutes of opening the box, it does exactly that.