All of us, sooner or later, have to go through this – an attempt to cook dumplings in a kettle. But if you can’t avoid initiation, you can at least make it as comfortable as possible. For example, buy in advance a device designed for cooking dumplings too.

We are testing the Kitfort KT-6130, in which you can legally not only boil water and brew tea, but also cook a few simple dishes. This is very convenient if for some reason there is no multicooker at hand (in the country, during repairs, and so on).

Characteristics

Manufacturer	kitfort
Model	KT-6130-1
Type	Electric kettle
Country of Origin	China
Warranty	1 year
Service life *	2 years
Capacity	1.8 l
Power	800-950 W
Number of programs	eleven
Temperature selection	40-100°C in 5°C increments
Temperature maintenance	36 hours
Flask material	borosilicate glass
Cover material	glass, stainless steel, plastic
Filter material	stainless steel
The weight	1.8 kg
Dimensions (W×H×D)	244×268×261 mm
Network cable length	0.6 m
Retail offers

^* Contrary to common misconception, this is not the period after which the device will definitely break. However, after this period, the manufacturer ceases to bear any responsibility for its performance and has the right to refuse to repair it, even for a fee.

Equipment

The teapot comes in a box, which, as is typical for Kitfort, is decorated in black and white with a splash of signature purple. Also familiar is a schematic representation of the device on the front wall and an indispensable slogan – different for each class of household appliances. For the KT-6130, the manufacturer chose the motto “I stir up interest!”.

Shipping information, manufacturer’s and importer’s contacts, and product specifications are listed on the sides. To make it easier to carry, the box has a plastic handle.

Opening the box, inside we found:

• teapot with lid
• base with control unit
• removable tea filter
• egg cooker
• user guide
• a certain amount of promotional materials and a souvenir magnet depicting a funny whale – a symbol of the company

At first sight

The flask of the kettle is made of transparent borosilicate glass, resistant to temperature changes and mechanical damage. The lid is also glass, with a white plastic handle and a stainless steel base.

The manufacturer’s logo is applied to the bottom of the tank, and closer to the handle there are water level marks: 0.8, 1.3 and 1.8 liters. The handle and base are made of purple plastic with white accents. For those who do not like this combination of colors, the manufacturer offers a white-light green and white-turquoise version of the same model.

The heating element of the closed type is located under the stainless steel bottom. The thermal sensor that measures the temperature of the liquid is also hidden: there are no protrusions at the bottom of the container. This makes it easier to care for the flask: since the kettle is also designed for cooking, you will have to wash it often. But the groove between the bottom and the flask is deep and narrow, food particles can get stuck in it. We will definitely pay attention to this point in practical tests.

The glass lid with plastic handle is completely removable. It can be installed in two positions: in the first, the liquid from the flask flows out relatively freely through a large oval hole in the metal base, in the second, it is filtered through several smaller holes that play the role of a colander. This can be handy when boiling pasta or pouring water out of dumplings.

A removable filter for brewing tea is attached to the base of the lid. It is also made of stainless steel and covered with micro-perforations along the entire height. The filter is held in place by three lugs at the base of the lid – fits snugly and securely, and removes with little effort.

The top panel of the base is made of tempered glass with a white backing. In addition to the traditional contact group, we see a digital display, touch control buttons and a long row of mode indicators on it: our kettle has eleven of them.

On the underside of the base there is a compartment for storing excess cord and a nameplate with the main technical characteristics of the device and manufacturer’s data.

The kettle also includes a stand for boiling eggs, designed for six pieces. The collapsible accessory consists of a base and a handle that allows you to easily remove the stand from a hot kettle.

The diameter of the stand is slightly smaller than the opening of the flask – it is easy to install and remove it, and half a dozen eggs are placed in it freely.

Instruction

The 18-page manual follows Kitfort’s usual white and purple design. The A5 brochure contains comprehensive information about the operation of the kettle, recommendations for its care and a list of possible problems with methods for solving them.

The document describes in detail the operation of the device, provides a list of programs with tips for their use, and lists precautions when working with the device.

Control

The Kitfort KT-6130 control panel consists of a digital display, above which is a long row of LED cooking mode indicators, and seven touch buttons.

On the bottom row, from right to left, are:

• “On / Off” is used to turn the kettle on and off. This requires holding the button for 3 seconds.
• “Start/Stop” starts or stops the program.
• “Keep warm” allows you to keep liquid or food hot for a long time. By default, this function is set to 60 °C, subsequent presses allow you to change it. The heating temperature can be set between 40 and 100 °C in five degree increments. The digital display then shows the selected value. The last press cancels the function.

In order to boil the kettle, just place it on the base (the display will show the current water temperature), press “On / Off”, and then on “Start / Stop”.

The buttons in the middle row are for advanced functions.

• “Autostart” allows you to set a delayed start time . By successive pressings, the time is set in the range from 0:30 to 24:00 in 30-minute increments.
• “Power” allows you to select the desired degree of heating . By successive pressings, you can set values from 100 to 800 W in steps of 100 W. The default value depends on the selected program. Power can be changed for all modes except “Heating” and “Milk”.

The arrow buttons located to the right of the display select the cooking program. Our kettle has eleven of them.

• Heating . Bring water to a boil at maximum power and turn off.
• Flavored tea . The program is intended for brewing tea that requires gentle infusion. The water is brought to a boil and then kept warm for 10 minutes at a power of about 150 watts.
• Black tea . The water is brought to a boil and then kept warm for 15 minutes at a power of approximately 150 watts. Heating is carried out in a pulsed mode (the heating element periodically turns on and off).
• Bouillon . The program is intended for cooking broths or light soups (for example, chicken). Water is brought to a boil, and then the power is set to 200 W, cooking lasts 1 hour.
• Cooking . Designed for long cooking times. The water is brought to a boil, then the power is set to 200 watts. The duration of the program is 2 hours.
• Groats . For cooking cereals (for example, buckwheat). The water is brought to a boil, the power is set to 200 W, the duration is 1 hour.
• Soup . The water is boiled, and then the power is reduced to the same 200 W and the cooking lasts 2 hours and 15 minutes.
• Baked milk . The liquid in the kettle is brought to a boil, and then, at a reduced (150 W) power, it simmers for 1 hour and 40 minutes. If the result is not satisfactory, cooking can be continued using the keep warm function.
• Boiling eggs . The program brings the water to a boil and then maintains it by heating the water at 500 W for 8 minutes.
• Herbal tea . Designed for brewing herbs. After boiling, the water is kept warm at a power of 150 W for 1 hour.
• Milk . In this mode, the kettle heats milk with reduced power (600 W) and heats it up to 60 °C, after which the heating is turned off.
• Spaghetti . The program is designed for a variety of pasta, spaghetti and macaroni. In this mode, the water will be brought to a boil, and then the power will be reduced to 150 W and the kettle will maintain a boil. There is no timer in this mode – when the desired degree of readiness of the paste is reached, the device must be turned off manually.

Pressing the buttons is accompanied by a sound signal. The sensitivity of the controls is good.

Exploitation

The manufacturer recommends placing the kettle on a dry, stable, horizontal surface at least ten centimeters from the edge of the countertop. It is not recommended to place the kettle on a shelf or under a shelf: steam escaping from the appliance may damage the furniture.

The excess cord can be rolled up and put away in the dedicated compartment at the bottom of the base. You cannot bend the wire.

After placing the kettle on the stand, all indicators on it light up and go out, a single beep sounds, after which the device goes into standby mode. To boil water, first press the “On” button and then the “Start/Pause” button.

By default, the device turns on in the “Heating” mode. To select another program, use the arrow buttons, then confirm the selection by pressing the “Start / Pause” button.

A new kettle may emit an unpleasant plastic smell. To get rid of it, before the first use, the flask should be washed with cold water and boiled a couple of times.

As a device for boiling water, the Kitfort KT-6130 did not bring any surprises: it regularly brings the liquid poured into it to the set temperature, although it does it rather slowly due to the low (850 W) power of the device.

With the help of a removable filter, the kettle can be turned into a teapot. The perforated stainless steel container can be easily removed from the lid and installed on it.

The design of the cover implies its installation in two positions. The first is designed to pour tea, the second is to filter the liquid through small round holes that play the role of a colander. Even in the first position, the water flows out of the kettle slowly, and it takes almost a minute to empty the full container through a sieve. With inaccurate positioning (and this is quite possible – there are no marks on the lid), the pouring time will increase.

The instrument, removed from the base during operation, will continue to heat when returned to the base. This should be taken into account when emptying a working kettle and turning it off manually. The device is equipped with protection against turning on without water, which will block the heating until it cools down and save the house from a fire, but you should not tempt fate once again.

Care

Before cleaning, disconnect the appliance from the mains and allow it to cool completely. The body can be wiped with a damp and then dry soft cloth as it gets dirty.

As lime deposits form, characteristic of hard water, the appliance is cleaned using citric acid, vinegar, or a special descaling agent. Abrasive and caustic cleaning agents must not be used. When using water with a high iron content, rust spots may appear on the bottom of the kettle. To avoid their occurrence, the manufacturer recommends using filtered water. Rust can be removed mechanically, using a dishwashing sponge. A solution of citric acid or a slice of lemon also helps.

The instructions do not provide any specific advice on how to clean the kettle after cooking. In our experience, it is most convenient to clean the flask with a stiff brush with bristles long enough to remove product residue from the gap between the flask and the bottom. We used a regular detergent and rinsed the appliance thoroughly with clean water to avoid the appearance of foreign odors in tea and drinks.

Our measurements

Useful volume	1710 ml
A full kettle (1.8 l) of water at 20 °C is brought to a boil in	13 minutes 10 seconds
What is the amount of electricity used for?	0.174 kWh
1 liter of water at a temperature of 20 ° C is brought to a boil for	9 minutes 15 seconds
What is the amount of electricity used for?	0.12 kWh
Kettle body temperature 3 minutes after boiling	up to 94 °C
Maximum power consumption at mains voltage 220 V	818 W
Idle consumption	less than 0.1W
The temperature of the water in the kettle 1 hour after boiling	61°C
The temperature of the water in the kettle 2 hours after boiling	51°C
The temperature of the water in the kettle 3 hours after boiling	43°C
Time of pouring out the full volume of water in a regular way (through the spout)	36 seconds

practice tests

Kettle Kitfort KT-6130 is designed not only for boiling water and brewing tea. The presence of built-in programs allows you to use it for cooking soups, cereals, second courses, side dishes and even eggs. In the course of practical tests, we tried to cook several simple dishes with it using built-in programs.

Buckwheat porridge

For the first acquaintance with the device, we decided to cook porridge in it using the simplest technology. After pouring the washed buckwheat into the kettle, we filled it with cold water and used the Krupa program.

The duration of this program is 60 minutes. This time is too much for cooking most cereals, except, perhaps, pearl barley. It is assumed that the user independently controls the readiness of the dish and turns off the device in time.

The temperature sensor of the device is designed for use with liquid: its readings are perfectly accurate when heating clean water, but when cooking cereals, it has noticeable inertia: the water has already boiled, and the display still shows 80 ° C.

After a couple of minutes, when the temperature, according to the sensor, finally reached 100 ° C, the device switched to reduced power mode: intensive cooking was replaced by slow simmering at 200 watts. From that moment on, the display starts counting down the cooking time.

The presence of water and the condition of the cereal is easily controlled through the transparent walls of the flask. After all the water had boiled away, we turned off the heat and kept the cooked porridge for a few more minutes without opening the kettle to bring the dish to its final readiness. The result completely satisfied us: the porridge turned out to be moderately crumbly and suitable both as an independent dish and as a side dish.

Having emptied the container, we took a closer look at its condition in order to assess the laboriousness of washing. As expected at the first meeting, grain particles remained in the gap between the wall and the bottom. It is difficult to remove them with a dishwashing sponge, but a stiff brush does the job without difficulty.

Result: excellent.

Chicken breast broth

To test the “Bouillon” mode, designed for cooking light poultry soups, we took one chicken breast fillet and a small carrot. We put the meat in a flask without slicing, and peeled the carrots and cut them into circles.

The ingredients for the future broth were poured with cold water and the corresponding program was turned on.

We did not notice any problems with the inertia of the sensor this time: the future broth boiled exactly at the moment when “100 °C” was displayed on the display. The appliance went into low power mode, and we removed the foam and forgot about the broth for an hour – this is the standard time for this program.

An hour later, we returned to the kettle and appreciated the resulting soup.

The broth turned out to be transparent, rich, chicken meat and carrots did not boil soft and retained their texture. Breast fillet can be served with broth or offered as a second course, using buckwheat porridge from the previous dough as a side dish.

Thus, in a little over an hour, we had a full-fledged dinner for four people ready, for the preparation of which we spent no more than five minutes of pure time – the kettle did the rest.

Result: excellent.

Boiling eggs

Kitfort KT-6130 is equipped with a special stand for boiling eggs. Of course, we did not miss the opportunity to try this option in action.

Although there are six recesses in the stand, it will not be possible to place half a dozen large C0 eggs in it. Three eggs – no problem, four or five – with some difficulty.

Having poured enough water to completely cover the eggs on the stand, we found that the handle of the egg cooker rises above the surface by only two to three centimeters. It definitely should have been longer.

Unfortunate form is not the main drawback. The plastic from which the egg cooker is made is lighter than water, so it floats without load. Fresh eggs slightly press it down, lowering it to the bottom, but with stale eggs it will not work to reliably immerse the stand.

The bubbles formed during boiling increase the buoyancy of the structure even more – and it becomes unstable. In the end, the stand drops the eggs, flips over and floats up.

The kettle brought the water to 100°C and lowered the heating power, maintaining the boil for 8 minutes. When the time is up, the device beeps and turns off. We removed the overturned stand with a fork, and the eggs with a spoon.

Eight minutes is enough time to boil hard boiled eggs. The cooking program worked perfectly, but the material and shape of the special stand were not up to par: it is much more convenient to do without it.

Result: satisfactory.

Dumplings

Who has not heard student tales about attempts to cook dumplings in an electric kettle? Until today, we have not had the opportunity to experiment like this , but there is always a first time for everything.

To prepare such a dish in Kitfort KT-6130, it is convenient to use the “Cooking” program. In this scenario, water is heated to 100°C at maximum power and then boiled at 200W for two hours (or until the appliance is turned off).

Having filled the kettle with salted water, we turned it on, waited until the temperature on the display reached 95 ° C, and at that moment dumplings were poured: it is more logical to do this at the end of the active boiling phase.

The device brought the contents of the flask to a boil and switched to reduced power. We determined the readiness of dumplings by eye, after which we turned off the device.

Draining water through a lid equipped with a colander filter turned out to be convenient and simple. Ten minutes – and the dumplings are ready.

Result: excellent.

findings

The Kitfort KT-6130 electric kettle is designed not only for boiling water and brewing tea. With it, it is easy to prepare a simple lunch: make broth, soup, porridge, boil or heat milk, boil eggs, pasta or dumplings. Eleven built-in programs with logical settings allow you not to worry about the cooking time, trusting it to the automatic device.

Of course, in a modern kitchen with a full set of household appliances, this appliance is not useful. Its purpose is to save from hunger where there is no way to fully cook food on the stove, in a slow cooker or microwave. It will be appropriate in a student dormitory room, a small office, at a construction site or in a summer cottage.

Maintenance of the device, contrary to our fears, turned out to be easy. Cleaning the flask from food debris is simple and easy. The disadvantages of the device include the low power of the kettle and a non-functional stand for boiling eggs, the design and material of which were not very successful.

Pros :

• convenient and logical control
• wide range of automatic cooking programs
• the presence of a filter for brewing tea
• easy care

Cons :

• low power
• failed implementation of the egg holder