Short power cable

[Davey]

Have just bought a new Russell-Hobbs electric kettle, to replace their old 'Forgettle' of several decades vintage. The new one has a power lead about 16 inches long, and only one of the sockets in the kitchen is within this distance from the counter-top, and it's not the one I want to use. So I will have to add some sort of extension to get the socket close enough to the kettle for it to be useable. Is this Russell-Hobbs being cheap, or is it some self-defeating health and Safety thing?

[Nightjar]

It was introduced to reduce the probability that children might pull the cord and bring a kettle full of boiling water down upon themselves

You can buy longer leads:

Colin Bignell

[dennis]

Not much use for a kettle though as it is missing the grove in the connector that makes it into a kettle lead.

[Nightjar]

'Image for illustration purposes only' usually means they have used a stock image because they don't have one of the actual product.

Colin Bignell

[Graham.]

Don't real kettle leads (for kettles) have a groove on the flat side?

And anyway, how do you know the OP hasn't got a new-fanged "cordless" (sic) cord?

[Graham.]

The item is under computer hardware, and I don't see any other domestic appliance accessories on the Scan site.

IEC leads are often called kettle leads in the IT industry it's incorrect, but people generally know what you mean.

[Nightjar]

I only chose that one because it was the most ridiculous long one I could find.

On a web site selling to consumers, it is not only incorrect; it is illegal under the Trade Descriptions Act 1968.

Colin Bignell

[Bob Eager]

Anyway, isn't the point of the groove to stop you using the PC-style ones, which are not heat resistant?

[Clive George]

That one is probably a "kettle lead" rather than an actual kettle lead - people use the name to refer to C13/C14 connectors without the slot in.

You need a supplier of something other than computers.

[Roger Mills]

Is it a cordless kettle? If so, are you sure that there's not some more cable wound up inside the base?

[Dave Liquorice]

Yep, the grooved females are "hot condition".

[D.M.Chapman]

Used in Kettles, and some HP switches (3500 IIRC)

How we laughed late one night refitting a load of kit in a rack when we realised this... grrrr

Darren

[Andy Burns]

yes, hot condition C15 plug, I believe

[Graham.]

Of course the *real* Russell Hobbs kettles has a big round connector that got bodily ejected when the overheat thermostat tripped.

[Alexander Lamaison]

New-fangled? I've not seen a kettle with an old-fasioned plug-in lead since I was a wee nipper. Do they even make them any more?

A quick Argos search suggests not:

Alex

[Andy Burns]

Not seen any surviving examples for a long time, most jugs kettles nowadays seem to make do with a glorified Belling Lee *aerial* connector

[Paul Herber]

If it's a cordless kettle have a look under the base, you might find it coiled round a couple of times, you'll end up with an extra couple of feet.

[Davey]

How many meanings can we get out of that?

[Davey]

I did look when I unpacked it, and there is no mention in the 'manual', but I will make a more detailed inspection, screwdriver in hand. Thanks.

[Frank Erskine]

Can you still get "round" kettle plugs as were used some 30 years ago? I don't want one - just curious!

Then there were the old "iron" (10A?) flat connectors with 2 pins and a side spring arrangement for earthing... :-)