Prototype Belling kettle

Side view of a kettle showing the square handle and round spout. Rear view of a kettle showing the buzzer and plug socket. Rear view of a kettle showing the buzzer and plug socket. Side view of a kettle showing the square handle and round spout. Top view of a kettle showing the lid. Top view of a kettle showing the inside of the lid. Top view of a kettle showing the inside. Close view of a kettle showing the inside. Underside view of a kettle showing the base.
Side view of a kettle showing the square handle and round spout. Rear view of a kettle showing the buzzer and plug socket. Rear view of a kettle showing the buzzer and plug socket. Side view of a kettle showing the square handle and round spout. Top view of a kettle showing the lid. Top view of a kettle showing the inside of the lid. Top view of a kettle showing the inside. Close view of a kettle showing the inside. Underside view of a kettle showing the base.

Description

A prototype electric kettle, handmade in the early 1970s by GJC Developments Ltd for Belling. This was a prototype for one of the first electric kettles mainly made of plastic, developed to compete with the market leaders of the day, at the time Russell Hobbs. The specified criteria were that it should have a factory gate price of £3, wholesale price of £6 and retail price of £12; it should cut off automatically on reaching boiling point; have an audible alarm to be activated on reaching the set boiling point; an overriding on/off switch and a facility for the switch off temperature to be set by an adjustable control. Two prototypes were handmade, mainly machined/milled and routed from plastic blocks, though a prototype moulding tool was made for the main vessel which was moulded in Noryl, a modified polyphenylene, to withstand the temperature required. Noryl has good dimensional stability, low water absorption and good heat resistance. They were subsequently submitted to BEAB, the British Standards Institute, for testing and for a specification to be produced for plastic appliances. After final modifications a prototype manufacture run of about 100 were given out for testing and comments. This kettle has a polished chrome finish and is one of the test run. It was decided not to proceed to full production.
Designers & Manufacturers
Designer (Person)
Manufacturer
Manufactured for

Inscriptions

printed: "Belling automatic. buzzer. " (handle)

Object number

AIBDC : 007157.1

Date

1973 (circa)

Country

Dimensions
Height
220mm
Diameter
210mm

Colour