Design Stories: Exploring Everyday Things

K42 Kettle

The K42 Kettle was made in 1940 by the same designer, Fred Moffatt and manufactured by CGE. It was believed to be the first pioneered mass-produced electric kettle in Canada. Its form originated from the headlight of a pre-war car, McLaughlin Buick, which was flipped upside down to create the basic shape of the kettle. The first model of the kettle required 45 separate parts, 16 polishings and refined tooling methods to reduce production costs (Gotlieb, Rachel., & Golden, Cora, 2004). As for it, the K42 was made of a chrome-and-nickel-plated brass shell, steel base, and Bakelite handle. The iconic chrome dome economy kettle featuring a water-spout mouth and 2L capacity became the industry standard until the late 60s (Gotlieb, R., Palmer, A., & Gehmacher, A., 2022). It is obvious to say that this model has a strong impact and influence on the later model of the kettle, the K-860, in the external look as well as the production methods. 

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