Expert Review - Electric Tea Kettle

Expert Review – Electric Tea Kettle

Proctor Silex K2070
This Caring Home Photo

	MANUFACTURER
	Proctor Silex
	COST
	$15 - $20
	VENDORS
	Local Home Stores Use an Online Search Engine
	DISCLAIMER
	The listing of these products is for informational purposes and individuals must use their own caution and judgment when using these resources. Functional levels and changes in judgment and reasoning are highly variable in people with dementia. Interventions must be individualized and continually assessed because those that are effective for some individuals may only work briefly and may not work at all for others.

	DESCRIPTION
	This plastic 1 quart electric tea kettle plugs into an outlet to boil water and automatically turns off when the water boils.
	PROS
	Automatic turn off when the water boils On/off switch independent of the cord and plug. Many other kettles can be turned on or off only by plugging the unit in or unplugging it, as there is no on/off switch on the kettle. Red ON indicator light lets you know when the kettle is on/off. Some other electric kettles don't have visual indicator alerts, so you must keep checking either the position of the switch or that the unit is unplugged. It does not require the user to replace the kettle precisely on a base (like cordless models), which involves skill beyond the capability of many people with dementia. Water gauge. If the person has good vision and remembers to look, it's helpful to be able to see how much water is in the kettle. Easy to open lid. – This lid is fairly easy to open; some models we tested were difficult to pry open. This kettle can be filled from the spout or from the opened lid. Narrow, pointed spout helps reduce spills.
	CONS
	Short cord. Most electric tea kettles come with a 4-foot cord for safety reasons (so it can't easily get pulled off the counter top), but it may be too short for convenient use if there aren't enough outlets. Two step process. The person may not remember to both 1) plug in the kettle and then 2) turn the switch on. Just in case, put up a reminder sign. Even several of our testers sometimes forgot to turn the switch on! Clear plastic on/off switch may be difficult to see when kettle is not turned on; the switch turns red when kettle is on. Consider highlighting part of the switch with a red marker or red electrical tape. No child safety lid. The kettle's power still comes on with the lid open, which could increase the risk of accidental burns.
	CAUTION
	Some people will attempt to boil water by placing the electric kettle on a hot burner on the stove – this will damage the kettle and possibly cause a fire. Check to see that it's safe for the person to pour and carry boiling water. Overfilling teakettles can cause boiling water to be forced out of the spout, increasing burn risk. Check to see if the person fills the kettle to the recommended level below the spout. If you have old electrical wiring, do not use another high wattage appliance at the same time, on the same circuit, to avoid circuit overload. Regularly assess that it's still safe for the care receiver to cook independently. At some point, all people with dementia will need to be supervised in the kitchen.