Amazon Basics Electric Kettle with Glass Carafe 1.7L: problems, parts and running costs
Checked: 2026-10-17
Summary
Owners most often run into build quirks: a wobbly base fit, a stiff flat cord, and a plastic lid interior that does not stay cool. There are no proprietary consumables, so the only running costs are electricity and descaling. It is a straightforward buy at about $26 or less for anyone who only needs to boil water.
Common problems and fixes
- Wobbly base fit — the kettle waddles on its base during boiling because of an imperfect coupler fit; Shouldit scored the coupler 6/10. [3]
- Stiff flat power cord — the cord is rigid and awkward to wrap around the cord storage. [3]
- Plastic lid interior — the lid interior is plastic, and only a small black area stays cool to the touch. [3]
- Boil only — there are no temperature presets and no keep-warm, so it will not do the job for green tea or pour-over coffee that wants water below a rolling boil. [1][3]
- Loud while boiling — Shouldit measured 75 dB at peak, noticeable in a quiet kitchen. [3]
- Glass type unconfirmed — no source confirms whether the carafe is borosilicate, so it may be more fragile than steel. [3]
- No long-term durability data — no independent long-term testing or replacement-parts availability was found in the sources checked. [3]
Parts and consumables
Yearly running cost
There is no published annual figure. The only recurring costs are electricity and descaling, since the kettle uses no pods or proprietary filters. Shouldit measured 150 Wh to boil 1.5 L of 80°F water, so an owner’s cost depends on how often they boil and on their local rate.
When it is a good buy
Bon Appétit listed the kettle at $26 and Shouldit paid $29.63 for its review unit (2026); Shouldit also listed a buying option of $21.25 [1][3]. Under about $26 it is a straightforward buy for someone who only needs to boil water; between $27 and $40 it is fair; above $40 the missing temperature control makes it hard to justify.
When you need water at a set temperature, a variable-temperature kettle in the $40–100 range is the better choice, and CNET’s 2026 roundup focused on those. For pour-over coffee, a gooseneck kettle is the better choice.