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Chefman Electric Kettle with Temperature Control

Chefman Electric Kettle with Temperature Control

By Chefman · Electric Kettles · Kitchen & Cooking · More from Chefman

  • Capacity: 1.8 L (60.9 fl oz)
  • Power: 1100 W / 120 V
  • 5 temperature presets from 160°F to 212°F (70–100°C)
  • 360° cordless swivel base
  • Removable tea infuser and removable mesh filter

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Summary

A 1.8 L borosilicate-glass kettle with five preset temperatures, coloured indicator LEDs and a removable tea infuser, built for budget tea and coffee drinkers who want setpoints without a digital display. Check the keep-warm behaviour before you commit: the printed manual describes a two-hour hold, Chefman’s product page says up to 60 minutes, and an independent test could not get the feature to work at all.

Strengths

  • Measured quiet in one independent test: a 69 dB peak during boiling.
  • Clear 1.8 L glass body with illuminated water and visible fill markings.
  • A real energy reading of 155 Wh for a 1.5 L boil, rather than a wattage claim.
  • Owners report years of near-daily use with softened or reverse-osmosis water.
  • The manufacturer publishes an exact-model PDF with the preset table, cleaning and warranty terms.

Weaknesses

  • Slow at volume: 1.5 L starting at 80°F took 9 min 23 sec in independent testing.
  • The minimum preset is 175°F, with no fine adjustment; the “seven presets” seller wording overstates the controls.
  • Keep-warm is inconsistent: the manual claims two hours, the product page says 60 minutes, and one tester found no working feature.
  • Family owners report seam leaks and silicone seal fragments, so stop using a kettle that sheds material.
  • Some owners report the kettle failing within months and a warranty request that went nowhere.
  • A narrow 3.23-inch mouth, an awkward handle, and handwash-only care.

Verified specifications

ModelRJ11-17-CTI-RL, also written RJ11-17-CTI; 1.8 L (60.9 US fl oz) borosilicate glass with stainless accents.
Power1,100 W at 120 V; an independent sample at 115 V drew 993 W and 8.625 A.
Capacity0.5 L minimum to 1.8 L maximum.
Presetsfive fixed temperatures — Green Tea 175°F, White Tea 185°F, Oolong 195°F, Coffee 200°F and Herbal/Black 212°F — with green, blue, yellow, purple and red base LEDs.
Controlspower and temperature buttons on the handle; no LCD or single-degree adjustment; audible readiness beep and boil-dry cutoff.
Bodyborosilicate glass with a plastic spout and a removable mesh scale screen; independent measurement of a 3.23-inch mouth opening and a 2.5-foot cord.
Dimensions6.69 × 8.66 × 9.06 in (manufacturer), about 6.5 × 8.7 × 9.0 in measured; 2.43 lb listed, 2.4 lb measured.
Infuserstainless-mesh tea basket that clips under the removable lid; coffee itself should be brewed outside the kettle.
Washabilitythe manufacturer forbids immersion or dishwasher for the kettle, base, lid and infuser.
Safetymanufacturer states cETL approval; the page also carries a California Proposition 65 warning.
Warrantyone-year limited manufacturing-defect warranty, with shipping for repairs or replacements potentially paid by the purchaser.
Full research notes and sources

Presets and controls

Five temperatures are real, whatever the listing says: green tea at 175°F, white at 185°F, oolong at 195°F, coffee at 200°F and herbal or black tea at 212°F, each with its own LED colour on the base. The exact-model manual and an independent test agree on five choices; retailers that advertise seven are counting drink labels or copying the spec from the separate digital RJ11-17-TCTI-V2. The buttons live on the handle, and there is no LCD and no single-degree adjustment, so a precise 180°F for a particular leaf is not on offer. The infuser clips under the lid and is meant to go in after the water reaches temperature; brewing coffee is better done in a press or pour-over.

Keep warm: what the sources disagree on

Chefman’s printed manual for this model describes an optional keep-warm mode that starts by holding the power button for two seconds on the 212°F setting, and it claims reheating just below boiling for up to two hours. The company’s product page now says up to 60 minutes. A Best Buy owner describes holding for only about half an hour. Treat keep-warm as unproven on any given unit and test it inside the return window rather than trusting either number.

Speed, noise and running costs

This is a 1,100 W kettle, not the 1,500 W to 1,750 W of Chefman’s boil-only models, and the gap shows under a full load: independent testing took 9 min 23 sec to bring 1.5 L from 80°F to a rolling boil. In exchange it measured a 69 dB peak, quiet enough for a kitchen where a loud high-power kettle is the bigger irritant. The same test recorded 155 Wh of wall energy for that 1.5 L boil. One such batch a day for a year works out to about 56.575 kWh, or roughly $11.32 at an assumed 20 cents per kWh; two batches a day double that to about $22.63. Holding temperature, harder water and partial pots all change the figure. There are no cartridges or subscriptions — vinegar descaling and clean water are the only recurring inputs.

Parts, repairs and warranty

Routine ownership is handwashing and occasional descaling with white vinegar; the manual suggests covering the bottom with about half an inch of vinegar, boiling, then rinsing repeatedly. No separate OEM lid, infuser basket, spout screen, glass jug or power base was found as a listed spare part with a US price, so a lost infuser or a cracked jug usually means a whole new kettle, and an owner looking for a replacement infuser could not find one. Leaks at the top and bottom glass-to-metal seals are the failure family owners report most, sometimes with silicone fragments in the water. Warranty is one year for manufacturing defects with proof of purchase, and Chefman’s policy says the purchaser may pay transport for repairs or replacements, so weigh that against the price of a new pot.

Is it worth it?

Chefman lists this model at $34.99 on its own site and at Best Buy, and a Walmart snapshot showed $27.96. The editorial reading of the alternatives is that under $23 is a bargain, $23–$30 is very good if you actually want the five setpoints, and $31–$36 is merely fair; above that the 1,500 W Fast-Boil at $27.99 and the 1,750 W Lightning at $49.99 sale or $59.99 regular are stronger on speed. The Hamilton Beach 40880G is $34.99 in stainless with 1,500 W but no presets. Never pay a premium for the “seven presets” shorthand.

Which model this is

This is the 1.8 L Chefman glass kettle, item RJ11-17-CTI-RL. Retailers also shorten the family to RJ11-17-CTI, and Best Buy lists the same version as model RJ11-17-CTI-RL under SKU 10331780. Do not confuse it with the digital RJ11-17-TCTI-V2, which has up and down temperature adjustment, seven tea and boil selections and a readout, or with Chefman’s 1,500 W Fast-Boil and 1,750 W Lightning kettles. The catalog carries no separate MPN or UPC, so match on the model code.

Sources

Manufacturer:

Independent reviews:

Owner reports:

Stores and alternatives:

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