The History of the Kettle
 

The story of the kettle is atypical of that of most electrical appliances because it was not dominated by American examples. In America, kettles were relatively rare sights, because tea drinking was less popular than in Great Britain. The kettle spout only dates back to the Western world's introduction to tea and coffee in the 18th century. As the fashion became more popular, and tea drinking became a social habit, other materials such as copper and brass replaced earlier cast-iron kettles. The arrival of electricity in the 19th century introduced hot plates and heating elements to the kettle. There was public resistance towards this new approach however, particularly as water and electricity were interacting in such close proximity.

Unlike the streamlined style that American products achieved during the 50s and 60s, the ADM kettle is plain and bulbous looking, and it has a simplistic, yet practical spout design. The appearance and style is very basic, a perfect example of form follows function.

The major technological kettle advances were made in Europe. It was in Germany, for instance, that the kettle with an immersed element appeared. Safety was an area where technological advances were made, in particular the persistent problem of the kettle boiling dry. Most fail-safe mechanisms used a bi-metallic strip until the Russell Hobbs Company designed the automatic switch in the mid-1950s, which turned the kettle off once the water had boiled. Technological advances did not appear concerning materials or form for some time, therefore kettles retained their flat bottoms and rounded forms. It was not until the 1970s that plastics were to be used, combined with metals, eventually replacing those materials altogether.

The Haden kettle has an immersed element, but it does not have a bi-metallic strip or automatic switch. This could be because the kettle was designed as a budget model, hence saving money by not incorporating the latest technology. Compared with other kettles from the same decade, and earlier, the Haden kettle uses very basic technology, and is reminiscent of kettles designed in the 1930s. The kettle also has a flat, circular base and rounded sides, a style that is very similar to 18th century stove kettles.