Electric Kettle

An electric kettle brings together a water vessel, an electric heater, switching controls and a mains connection. This BOM describes a generic variable-temperature kettle with a concealed heater and detachable power base. It is not a teardown of a named appliance, and its component quantities are not replacement-part specifications.

Vessel, heater and power base

The kettle body holds the water. Its handle, lid and spout support filling and pouring. The spout filter catches loose scale; it is not the temperature sensor or an electrical safety device.

The heater assembly transfers heat through the vessel floor. The concealed arrangement keeps the resistance element below the water-contact surface. The power base carries the mains connection to the kettle through mating contacts. It supplies operating power, not battery charging: cordless means the vessel lifts away from its cord for pouring. Cuisinart's CPK-18XA instructions illustrate a swivel power base, removable filter and temperature controls, and require use of the supplied base. Manufacturer example.

Temperature control and protective cutoffs

Boiling control and dry-boil protection do different jobs. In a steam-operated control, steam heats a bimetal sensor to switch off after boiling. A dry-boil sensor responds to abnormal heating when there is insufficient water. Strix tests steam-sensor and dry-sensor bimetals separately. These functions may share a control housing, but they should not be described as the same sensing event. Strix control tests.

The temperature sensor and control board in this BOM represent the electronic path for selecting a temperature below boiling. They belong to the control assembly, alongside the modeled shutoff and protection components. Strix distinguishes electronic multi-temperature controls from its other kettle-control families. This does not establish a particular sensor circuit or cutout rating for the generic model. Control-family overview.

Lifting the kettle separates its power contacts. Whether replacing it resumes a remembered setting depends on the appliance: the CPK-18XA manual says an interrupted heating cycle must be restarted. Lift-off behavior should therefore not be confused with the boil-dry cutoff.

Reading this parts list

The diagram groups components by function; it is not a wiring diagram or a physical cutaway. A standard boil-only kettle may lack the electronic temperature-selection controls represented here. Check the actual model's label and manual for voltage, wattage, capacity and supported temperature settings. Keep electrical connections dry, and use the manufacturer's service route for internal electrical faults.

Compare this water-heating arrangement with a pop-up toaster in the kettle and toaster parts guide.