Breville Smart Kettle Luxe BKE845: problems, parts and running costs

Checked: 2026-10-17

Summary

Owner evidence is thin, but the one documented failure mode is an 18-month-old unit that powers on and then stops heating, and Reddit threads describe malfunctions and hard customer-service experiences on Breville kettles. Running costs stay small: electricity from the 1500 W element, descaling solution and the occasional filter, with no capsule or consumable lock-in.

Common problems and fixes

Stops heating while the light stays on — a JustAnswer case describes a BKE845 about 18 months old that powers on (light comes on) and then shuts off without heating; the page’s diagnostic is AI-generated, so treat it as one documented case rather than a rate. It sits outside the 1-year US warranty. [11]
Vague malfunction mentions — an r/tea thread comparing Breville kettles says one Smart Kettle is “only now starting to malfunction a little bit” (model and fault unconfirmed), and an r/breville thread says Breville “couldn’t do anything without a receipt” and the batch code showed the kettle was made 3 years prior (model unconfirmed). [9][10]
Boiling-water splash from the lid — the manual warns not to press the lid release during or after operation and to pour out hot water before opening the lid to refill. [3]

Parts and consumables

Replacement bases, lids and filters — US parts availability is not confirmed, and owners report Breville Australia does not supply parts for this kettle family. [7]

Yearly running cost

Not enough data for a dollar figure. The recurring costs are electricity from the 1500 W element, descaling solution and the occasional replacement filter; there is no capsule or consumable lock-in and no subscription. No kWh price, descaler price or filter price is reported in the sources, so a dollar-per-year figure cannot be computed. [2][3]

When it is a good buy

Store prices seen in 2026-10: Breville US direct $219.95 (some SKUs out of stock), Abt $219.95 (BKE845BSS1BUS1, in stock), Madcity Kitchen $219.95 (BKE845BRT), Williams Food Equipment $259.99 marked down from $299.99 for the Damson Blue finish, Breville Canada $219.99-$299.99 depending on finish. Below $170 it is strong for tea drinkers who use several presets; $170-$199 is fair; $200-$219.95 is weak-to-fair; above $220 it is weak, because finishes like Damson Blue carry a large premium with no spec change. The named alternatives: the Cuisinart CPK-17P1 (30-minute hold, 3-year warranty, roughly $90-$140 per Wirecutter) and the Breville IQ Kettle (BKE820, $172), which Wirecutter recommends over this model. The model is discontinued in Australia. [1][4][13][12][14][6][15]