Thirty years ago, I read about how people in Europe used electric tea kettles to make their tea. I don't drink tea. I'm not even a respectable coffee drinker - I like instant coffee. Because I'm a Conservationist, an electric kettle appealed to me on two fronts: it save electricity and produces almost instant boiling water. When I looked for an electric kettle then, they were hard to find and they broke quickly. When I finally found a plastic kettle that lasted, I bought several of them. It recently occurred to me that they might contain BPA, so I recently threw them all out.

I was surprised at how popular electric kettles had become in the last thirty years! It takes time to read the reviews and compare the features of all the electric kettles Amazon offers but after comparing them all, I decided on this Epica and it was a smart purchase. It looks very sleek, sitting on my counter. The variable temperature settings appeal to my tea-drinking friends. The exterior is easy to keep clean with just a quick once-over with a sponge. I particularly like the "keep warm" feature because I have a tendency to turn the kettle on and then leave the kitchen and forget it. Since it automatically prevents the water to burn out, I don't have to worry about that. And when I do remember I'd turned it on, it's still warm enough for me to make my coffee without wasting electricity heating it up again. (Note: I like really hot water when I make my instant coffee so I sometimes heat it to 212 degrees again but it takes about two seconds.)

This kettle is terrific and an an absolute steal at the price it's offered. and I'm so glad I bought it. I highly recommend it to my fellow instant coffee drinkers and to tea drinkers as well. I considered it one of my better purchases!

UPDATE: SEPTEMBER 21, 2019:

I was checking to see if I ever did a review of this product and I did. I then read some of the other reviews and I must say, I lucked out! Almost eighteen months of use, at least twice a day, my kettle is going strong and I still highly recommend it! Mine didn't rust out, develop any leaks or worse yet, show any sign of electrical problems.

I really like the kettle. We have excellent well water in our town. (Yes, a small town in NH that uses a well to supply water to many of its residents.) I don't have to clean the kettle often and when I do, I just throw in some white vinegar and water (I'm not big on measuring unless I have to) and boil it. Then I wipe it out and boil it with plain water a couple of times, and it's clean as a whistle. I never have anything in the filter, although I occasionally check it.

I guess I got a kettle that was produced in the middle of the week; and was well-inspected. Bottom line, I believe, is that the water one uses can make or break any electrical appliance that uses water. We happen to have great water.

I'd still give it five stars!

I've had this since 2017 no issue whatsoever. Buying a new one because my cat accidentally pushed it off the counter.it still works by the way

All stainless except a plastic rim around top and plastic bracket and screen for the spout. Hidden element. Volume measurements in liters only. (Add cups yourself with a fine Sharpie if necessary.) Simple push button controls for the various temps. Comfortable handle. Steam release on top.
A single wall pot, so the pot itself does get hot and water cools pretty quickly unless one uses "keep warm" function. (Which is NOT automatic.)

In use:
Fast boil probably more or less the same as all 1500 watt kettles. (Watts are watts.)
Does not bring to full roiling boil for more than a few seconds before shutting off. (Which I like. Indicates sensitive thermostat and will waste less water.)
Well balanced for pouring and spout doesn't drip or drool unduly.
I have no issues contacting the hot kettle body when using the comfortable handle.

Temp of water on 212 setting as measured with infrared thermometer is about 205 or so, but cools rapidly. So keep in mind if making, say, French press coffee or the like that prefers about 200 degrees. If you preheat your press a minute or so with part of the water, you actually want to set the pot at 212 rather than 200. The water will be 195-200 in about a minute or less if 212 setting is used. Ditto for various other usage temps. Go one higher on the pot setting for most purposes.

I've used electric kettles for decades. So very handy. But this is first variable temp. To be honest I'm not sure if I need it since water cools predictably and rapidly from just below boiling in any uninsulated unit. (That is, affordable functional kettles.) Experience and experiment can easily be one's guide for lower temp uses like tea. Perhaps I'll find it useful in long run.

To be honest about review, I can only give four stars for electric appliances that I'm more or less happy with since I have no clue how long it will last. In past I'd estimate my kettles have made it 2-3 years before the thermostats go whacky. Only one less than that and only one longer. This ain't high tech folks! Expect similar life from this one, but no clue if the variable temp circuitry will last as long as simple electro-mechanical thermostats. We'll see

A coffee drinker in the morning and a tea drinker in the afternoon and evening, I started looking for an electric kettle with automatic shut off the second time I got so involved in computer work I forgot about a kettle boiling on the stove. Once I started comparing electric kettles with automatic shut off, I found some had additional desirable features. This Epica kettle had the most for the price:
1. 30 minute stay-warm feature. I liked that for me, and also for times when friends who enjoy tea would come to visit. Water stays warm for a while without having to heat more for each cup of tea.
2. The variable temperature capability was appealing for times when friends, some of whom prefer French press coffee while others prefer teas, visit. A pot of French press coffee can be made using the temperature for that, and then a fresh pot of water heated for tea.
3. The pot is attractive sitting out on the kitchen counter, and does not have to be put away when not in use.
4. The kettle is easy to keep clean.

Having used the kettle for a while now, there are other features, some of which have been noted by other reviewers, I would like to see when Epica brings out an updated version. A beep or other audible signal of some sort would be nice when the set temperature is reached. As it is now, the Start light just goes out. I would also like a signal when the stay-warm feature turns off.

The cord length is fine for use in the kitchen. I had hoped to use the kettle in the dining room and/or family room when I had guests. The cord does not reach any of the plugs in either of those rooms. Rather than using an extension cord, I will keep the kettle in the kitchen, but a longer cord would be a nice feature.

The Epica kettle definitely meets the needs for which I bought it. I gave it four stars because I would like to see additional features in an updated version. But I can easily recommend it to anyone looking for a variable temperature electric kettle with automatic shut-off and stay-warm features at a reasonable price.

Update June 4, 2017 - Five Stars
After using this kettle at least once daily from the time of my first review, I have changed my rating from Four Star to Five Star. It is one of the most used appliances in my kitchen, and I have had no problems with it. For a time it was unavailable with Amazon Prime and was being sold for double what I paid for it. Now that it is back with Amazon Prime and at the price I paid for it, I recommend it for anyone looking for an electric kettle with very useful features at a reasonable price.

I have used this kettle for a month now, and I am extremely pleased with my purchase. This kettle is sleek and stylish, yet quietly and quickly heats up water to the temp of your choice. White/Japanese steamed green teas, Chinese green teas, oolong teas, French press, herbal/fruit teas, black/pu-erh and red teas can all be optimally enjoyed using the 6 different temperature settings. My comparison bar was quite low, this kettle replacing an old Aroma electric kettle, which was noisy and slow. However, I had the occasion to use a Breville Ikon for a long weekend, and this kettle performs just as well as the Ikon, which costs twice as much. I note that one reviewer down-graded this kettle due to the heat from the stainless steel, which is a bit unfair. Any stainless kettle can be warm/hot to the touch on the sides. I have not had this problem with this kettle more than any other. I have not had problems with blemishes on the spout.
Pros:
1. It is sleek and stylish. One of the reasons I bought this kettle was its base; the round bottom of the kettle sits on a round base, Other kettles I looked at have a square base, which to me looks clunky.
2. It heats up water quickly and quietly. A full pot comes to a boil in less than 5".
3. I love the fact that it has a keep warm setting, great for entertaining.
4. The water level is easy to read. This is the only part of the kettle that is BPA-free plastic.
5. It shuts off automatically. Hooray!! My old Aroma kettle was also supposed to shut off automatically, but would only do so if it reached boiling and stayed boiling for at least a minute, steaming up the wood cabinetry if I wasn't there to babysit it.
6. The handle stays cool even when it reaches boiling. I have not had burning issues.
7. There is no dribble/drool down the side of the kettle when you pour it (I am sensitive to this issue by virtue of my career). For those who like to slow pour their coffee, this spout does well despite its size. If you have to share this pot with others who don't care about their coffee or enjoy drinking tea, this is a good choice.
8. Great value.
Cons:
1. This kettle has a wide handle, due to the temperature control electronics located on the top end of the handle. This would be an issue with any other kettle with temp control in the handle. The wider handle makes a full kettle more difficult to lift up if your wrists are small. I would not buy this or any other kettle with temp control in the handle for an elderly person with small or weak/arthritic wrists. If you're like me, who has to take out almost every link in a watch for it to fit, you may have to use both hands to lift a full kettle. That being said, I hardly ever boil a full kettle, so the wide handle is rarely an issue.
2. If you are a person that drinks the same type of tea every time, you may be disappointed that you have to reset the temp you desire with each usage. The default temp is 212*. People in my household enjoy all types of tea, so the reset is not a problem for us.

Great Style, Function and Value. Rarely do we get all three in a household product! Very happy with this purchase.