Repair Electric Kettle.

Collection of Kettles

I have a collection of kettles. Jug kettle, electric kettle and conventional stove kettle. This is not my hobby. I accumulated that many kettles because I refused to discard them after they failed. 

Electric Kettles and Jug Kettle

A conventional stove kettle is kept in my house for emergency purposes, in the event of a power failure. The failed electric kettles were kept in the kitchen cabinet, pending a solution.

I considered the failed kettle too good to dispose off as scrap metal. It is also too expensive to repair. The repair cost is not justifiable.  


The standard repair cost (Panasonic, Sanyo or Faber) is about RM120.00 (USD40.00).

            Heating element RM30.00

            Thermostat          RM20.00

            Labour charges   RM70.00

                                        ----------------

           Total                      RM120.00

                                        =========

Thermostat on the Left   and   Heating element on the Right

This is equivalent to the price of a new electric kettle.

The cheaper brands of kettles, made in Malaysia or China cost only about RM90.00(USD30.00)

Why bother to repair the kettle when the new one cost less than the cost of repair? Think of the mother Earth, think re-cycling.

The electric kettle comprises six components i.e. the body, the cover, the handle, the heating element, the thermostat and the silicon or rubber seal between the thermostat and the heating element. The components that usually failed are either the heating element or the thermostat or both.

With DIY skills, repairing an electric kettle is only a screw driver job of 30minutes.

Heating element positioned inside the kettle

I just discovered an electrical components and parts shop in Jalan Pasar, Kuala Lumpur that sells the kettle heating element and the thermostat. The price of these two components are affordable and justifiable to repair the kettle.These two components are standard sizes and fitted most brands of electric kettles.

The heating element cost RM20.00(USD6.30) and the thermostat cost RM12.00(USD4.00).

Secure the Thermostat to the heating element with 3 screws.

I got my old Panasonic kettle working for only RM32.00(USD10.80)

The old kettle bodies are more sturdy. The new kettle in the market today has a thinner steel sheet for the body, slimmer handle and poor quality heating element & thermostat. The Standard life span of new kettle is approximately three years only, as compared to my old faithfully kettle lasting more than ten years..

Old Kettle repaired @ the cost of RM32.00.