Mauviel makes a wide range of copper cookware that ranges from pots to tabletop warmer. However, most people do not realize that they also make a different varieties of kettle ranging from Coffee to Tea. Although it has fallen out of favor in the last 50 years, you can still buy a Copper Tea Kettle from various different manufacturer. You would have to be careful though, often time those are just either copper plated or copper colored. They are not true Copper Tea Kettle. The one that I have is made by Mauviel and its a little more difficult to find. There are various different model, but if you can find it, get a hammered version. Those look simply brilliant and when you use it, you get a sense of heritage. This review will go through the different aspect of its construction and discuss what addition design can be made.

Copper Tea Kettle X Mauviel Quick Summary

Mauviel Copper Tea Kettle Design

Since I am confident that I have the most basic version of Mauviel Copper Tea kettle, I also have the worse designed handle. It is a very simple handle that is affixed to the body of the kettle. It is a straight copper handle meaning that it will conduct heat very very well, your hand will burn if you grab it. On the newer or more updated version, those will either have a wooden or a porcelain model. I recommend finding a version like that. Also on the base of the handle, some will have a hinge. A hinge helps when you transport the tea kettle around, it keeps it more balanced. When you are pouring that is when it becomes a problem. A fixed handle has no issue pouring but it feels uncomfortable transporting it.

Mauviel Iconic Finial

Little do people know, mauviel do have a version of their Finial, this one is a saucer like design that I only see in French Copper Cookware. Aside from the finial and the little booklet that says mauviel, there is no other mark that says its from them. They also have a acorn like Finial that you can see in their stockpot. The Bain Marie pot that I reviewed before has that same Finial.
Aside from it being pretty, it is also functional. The lid is surprisingly tight fitting. But with my two finger, i am able to grip the underside and pop it out. I am honestly quite impressed on how well fitted it is.

Its like a Lego

The way this kettle is designed is with separate pieces that is welded together. I counted 5 different parts to it. The spout is actually two piece that is clamped together. The base of the spout of welded to the body.

The body is welded to the cap of the kettle and the handle is affixed via two rivets. If you look at the base of it, you can see the surplus of the metal welding. Issues occurs when you over heat it without water and the welds melt. When that happens, leak will start occurring. Here is a video that talks about how a copper kettle is assembled.

Something that is interesting is that the body has only two holes drilled for the spout. I personally thing that restricts the amount of water flow. Or maybe they did that on purpose give it a steady rate of water.

Tin Linning

The tin linning is hand wiped. The main issue that I see with this is simply retinning. I imagine it to be quite a nightmare. you would have to unweld all the the seperate pieces just to retin it. However, since you are mostly just boiling water. The likely hood that you have to retin is very very low.

Mauviel Copper Kettle Thickness

This kettle is thin, I measured it to be around .78 mm. For the purpose of the kettle, a thin copper kettle is actually better. The thicker the copper the slower its ability to heat up water and it simply adds weight. Because of the way its designed, the structural rigidity is not an issue, the round dome shape will keep its structure just fine.

Specs

Note:These measurement are done by me with the tools that I have on hand. The manufacturers have their own measurement guidelines and that should be assumed to be accurate. What I find on this review can vary widely due to several factors, such as ambient temperature, location, water, tool calibration, stove btu, etc..and should only be considered as my opinion.
Weight:952 g Lid Weight: 135 g
Rim Width:Around 4.27 inch Spout Width: .5 inch
Height: Around 5 inch
Thickness: .78 mm

Copper Tea Kettle Poisoning and Safety

There seems to be some fear about the use of copper and the effects on a person health. For the most part, there is no health risk when using copper. It has been in use for decades as storage material for both milk and water. Issues only arise when a green patina starts developing. That only occurs when you do not care for the copper by either not using it or cleaning it. When you do see a green patina, scrub it off and it should be fine. I recommend boiling it in water and vinegar afterward. So the question, are copper tea kettle safe, yes it is. They have been using it for hundreds of year and if it was dangerous they would not sell it.

Copper Tea Kettle Benefits

Given this issue, why do we use copper instead of another material like stainless steel? Because its the best conductor of heat that is readily available. If you want result fast, especially when boiling water, you cannot beat a copper kettle. Or at least that is the perception of it. Honestly, for something like a body of water, independent of whatever material you use, you still need the same the amount of energy (fire)to raise the temperature of water. The amount of time saved when using a Copper Kettle is probably around 30 second(rough estimate). Although that might seem small, imagine waiting 30 second just standing there. I get it because I am impatient and I like it.

How to Clean Copper Tea Kettle

Cleaning a copper kettle is the same as cleaning a copper pot. You can buy Creams that make polishing a lot easier. All you have to do is to let it sit and wipe it off. Use soap to clean it afterward and wipe dry. Or you can use either vinegar or even ketchup to bring back its luster. There are some reviews claiming that when it darkens or patina it is broken and its a faulty product. This is simply a misunderstanding of how copper work.

Copper Tea Kettle X Mauviel Conclusion

If you are a collector or simply a tea lover, Mauviel Copper Kettle is perfect for you. It is interesting to see how it was designed and constructed. The main issue that I have with the kettle is simply the handle. It gets screaming hot and you need to use a towel when handling it. Other than that, if you do buy it, you can get a piece of french craftsmanship and history.
For those who cannot find it, you can get a cheaper alternative, the old dutch kettle. They are found pretty cheaply at Amazon, although the construction is not as nice as Mauviel, its a nice middle road. Another good alternative is this model, based on the review, it is also tin lined copper.

I hope you like this Mauviel M250C Copper Skillet Review, If you would like to see more, please visit our Pots and Pans Review page.