Dangerous Kettle recall Russell Hobbs

icefall

I saw this on Watchdog

Very dangerous it looked.

DeanoV6

I've just seen this thread after having to send my dangerous Russell Hobbs kettle back to Russell Hobbs for examination. Not exactly the same problem - mine decided to drop molten red-hot metal onto my kitchen top!...

A few weeks ago whilst boiling the kettle, towards the end of the boil (but whilst still switched on) I suddenly noticed bright flashes coming from the bottom of the kettle, not the base unit but the bottom of the kettle itself. I then realised that these were actually very large electrical sparks. As quickly as I could, and it was fortunate that I had remained in the kitchen whilst the kettle was boiling, I grabbed the plastic handle of the kettle and lifted it off of the base to disconnect it from the power. At this point, whilst still holding the kettle, I could smell a very acrid electrical burning smell, then I saw something fall from the bottom of the kettle onto my kitchen top that I was holding it over. I looked a bit closer and then realised it was actually a small piece of molten metal and it was burning my kitchen work surface it was so hot! I quickly placed a damp cloth onto it to stop any further damage and the metal solidified into a small metal ball. You could see on the bottom of the kettle the hole that the metal burned through the bottom plastic before it fell from the kettle.

The kettle is over 4 years old now so I realise it was out of warranty but my main concern here was safety and the manner in which the kettle malfunctioned – if the molten metal had fallen onto something slightly more flammable than my kitchen top or the sparks had hit something I should image it would have set light to something, not to mention the red hot metal could have fallen onto my foot had I not been fortunate enough to still be holding the kettle over the kitchen top. The damage to my kitchen work surface, whilst not large is obviously still also very annoying.

... I have subsequently been told by Russell Hobbs that I should buy a lottery ticket because this problem only effects about 4% of kettles - very re-assuring :shocked:.

Coopdivi

Yes Deano, kettles should last forever....

DeanoV6

Coopdivi wrote: »

Yes Deano, kettles should last forever....

Don't be silly, but they shouldn't throw molten metal out of them - ever.

Coopdivi

Oh in that case you should demand compensation!!! © Dave Brooker.