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- Drip- and splash-free pouring
- Attractive design
- Quiet
- Outside gets (and stays) very hot
- Expensive
- Some might find it weighty
While most brands release new hero products year after year, with upgraded features that claim to make life even easier, Dualit tends to buck this trend, instead focusing on a refined set of core products. This is no more obvious than when you look at its small kettle line up, which has mostly stayed the same for years – and for good reason.
The Architect kettle is, as my headline suggests, a wonderfully adept appliance that showed me just how good the best kettles can be. In general, the Architect fared very well in my tests – especially its spout, which I’ll get to later – making it an easy recommendation despite not featuring any particularly high-tech or “smart-home compatible” features.
What do you get for the money?
Costing £100, the Dualit Architect firmly positions itself as a premium kettle, sitting alongside the likes of the Zwilling Enfinigy Pro and the Smeg KFL03. It’s relatively standard in terms of basic features with a 1.5L water capacity (around five cups) and has no variable temperature options. You also get the standard safety features, such as boil dry protection.
The Architect is a gorgeous, design-focused appliance that typically comes in two colour options: mirror black with a stainless steel front panel or mirror stainless steel silver. However, Dualit has designed the kettle so that the front panels are removable and interchangeable, so if you want to add a pop of colour to your kettle, you can choose from six different colour options on the Dualit site.
What really sets the Architect apart from its rivals though is the spout. I’ve used this kettle in a hotel before testing it here and remember being really impressed with the unique, rounded design that ensures a really even pour. It wasn’t until I dug deeper into this kettle for my review that I discovered Dualit has actually patented their spout design – and I completely understand why.
What’s it like to use?
Having undertaken testing on a multitude of kettles at the same time, I can safely say the Architect is one of the most comfortable I’ve used. In general, it can be hard to comprehend the differences between the kettle you currently use and ones you’ve used years before, most people don’t have anywhere from three to five kettles on the go at one time, which is why these group tests prove so useful.
This is why, when I talk about how great the spout and pour is on the Architect, I really mean it. While most kettles pour fast and clumsily if you tip them too fast or at too much of an angle, the Dualit Architect pours perfectly no matter what. Whether you’re filling a pot or making a single cuppa, there’s a steady stream with no dropping. This is also great as it keeps the lovely, shiny exterior of the kettle free from watermarks.
At 1.47kg, I found the Architect reasonably weighty but not so much that it was uncomfortable to lift. It might be a little heavy for someone with more serious difficulties lifting but I think the easy pour spout offsets some of the concerns with unsteady hands as there’s no splashing or spilling. I’m dyspraxic and can sometimes struggle with this but I had no issues using the Architect. The 360-degree swivel base also adds to the ergonomics and I think it’s also worth noting that the button to open the lid is at the top of the handle, making it easy to refill one handed.
One thing some might find annoying is that the water viewing window is behind the handle, making it harder to read than some other models. While this didn’t personally irk me that much as I tend to refill my kettle for each use, it might be frustrating for some.
For me, the biggest downside to this kettle is the external temperature. While it holds heat internally very well – I measured only a six degree drop in temperature after five minutes – the outside of this kettle stays incredibly hot too. Due to its reflective surface, I was unable to get an accurate reading from my temperature gun but I can assure you this kettle is very hot.
Now kettles are, of course, hot by nature and the average person isn’t going to be willingly touching the outside of their kettle immediately after boiling. However, if you live in a busy household with kids that might be able to get their hands near it or are just a clumsy person, it’s certainly something to bear in mind.
Is it noisy?
The Dualit Architect kettle has a reasonably pleasant boil that isn’t too loud or aggressive sounding. In testing, I measured an average decibel level of 53.6dB from a metre away using a sound meter. This is similar to the KitchenAid Artisan kettle, one of the quietest models we’ve reviewed.
Dualit Architect review: should you buy it?
This is an expensive kettle but it’s also an incredibly well designed one. The super smooth pour, ergonomic handle and easy refilling make this a great all-rounder and its stylish exterior with interchangeable panels give it that extra bit of flair you’d expect with a brand like Dualit. This Dualit Architect review really enjoyed using the kettle and when it’s returned to the brand after testing, I’ll likely be buying one for myself. While it only carries a 1yr warranty (fairly standard for kettles) Dualit has a good replacement and parts policy, and spares can be bought online outside of this.
