Kitchen head-to-head
Breville IQ KettlevsZojirushi CD-WCC40 Micom Water Boiler & Warmer
The 2013 Breville IQ Kettle still averages higher than the 2016 Zojirushi CD-WCC40 Micom Water Boiler & Warmer, 8.2 to 7.3, on the back of Performance.
Breville IQ Kettle
Breville
8.2
Five preset temperatures, a hold function, and a body that survives daily descaling.
Price and availability change constantly, so we don't quote them here — the link opens the current Amazon listing.
7.3
Not a kettle at all — 4 liters held at temperature all day, dispensed by a button instead of poured.
Price and availability change constantly, so we don't quote them here — the link opens the current Amazon listing.
Where they diverge
The widest gap is Performance, Breville IQ Kettle ahead 8.6 to 6.6. They come closest on Durability, 8.7 to 8.6. Left of center is Breville IQ Kettle, right is Zojirushi CD-WCC40 Micom Water Boiler & Warmer.
Which one to pick
Take the Breville IQ Kettle
Leads on Performance, Value and Ease of use.
- Green tea and coffee from the same kettle, at different temperatures
- Hard water, where descaling happens often
- You want a stainless jug and element instead of a glass-and-plastic body
Take the Zojirushi CD-WCC40 Micom Water Boiler & Warmer
Leads on Durability and Quietness.
- A household that wants hot water continuously available rather than on request
- Wrists and shoulders that should not be lifting a full kettle several times a day
- Loose-leaf tea at fixed temperatures without setting anything each time
What each one gets wrong
Breville IQ Kettle
- You need a gooseneck spout for pour-over control
- Counter space is tight — this is a full-size kettle
Zojirushi CD-WCC40 Micom Water Boiler & Warmer
- You boil water twice a day — this draws power around the clock to earn its keep
- Counter space is scarce, or the outlet it needs is already spoken for
- You want a fresh rolling boil the moment you decide you want one
Specs, side by side
| Spec | Breville IQ Kettle | Zojirushi CD-WCC40 Micom Water Boiler & Warmer |
|---|---|---|
| Control | Five preset temperatures plus hold | — |
| Body | Brushed stainless | — |
| Capacity | 1.7 liters | 4 liters |
| Format | — | Countertop boiler with electric dispensing |
| Keep warm | — | 160, 175, 195 and 208°F |
| Power | — | 700 watts |
Rankings they both appear in
Questions
- The Zojirushi CD-WCC40 Micom Water Boiler & Warmer is 3 years newer. Why does it score lower?
- Because the axes didn't move the way the release dates suggest. The 2013 model takes Performance, Value and Ease of use, widest on Performance at 8.6 to 6.6. Durability and Quietness are where the 2016 model answers, and whether that is enough is the whole question.
- What did the 2016 model improve?
- Durability and Quietness. Durability runs 8.7 to 8.6; Quietness runs 8.0 to 7.8. That is not enough to move the average, which stays 8.2 to 7.3.
- Which one ranks higher in "Stainless shrugs off acid cycles; plastic yellows"?
- Zojirushi CD-WCC40 Micom Water Boiler & Warmer sits at #2 in "Stainless shrugs off acid cycles; plastic yellows", Breville IQ Kettle at #3.