De'Longhi Ballerina Seta kettle review: an absolute beauty but overpriced

Whilst most people prioritise practicality over aesthetics when it comes to kitchen appliances, I personally take great joy in something that performs as well as it looks. That’s why I can’t stand mismatched toasters and kettles, and why I’ll always prefer colourful appliances over dark grey or black.

So, when De’Longhi’s new Ballerina Seta arrived at my doorstep, I was absolutely blown away. It was, without a doubt, one of the prettiest kettles I’ve ever seen. If I could have rated it amongst the best kettles simply based on how it made me feel when I first saw it, I absolutely would have.

But of course, testing is key. I spent three weeks brewing my morning cuppa with this beauty, and now I’m ready to share my thoughts on whether it performs as well as it looks.

De'Longhi Ballerina Seta kettle review: price and availability

The De'Longhi Ballerina Seta kettle has an RRP of £74.99 (around $90) and can be purchased from a number of selected retailers, including John Lewis and De'Longhiitself.

The Ballerina Seta is available in a stunning deep blue or silky ivory, with a smooth, silk-like pattern on the surface. There's also a matching toaster if you're into that – I know I am.

It's worth mentioning that De’Longhi launched a similar collection at the same time, called the Eclettica collection. Whilst both have a similar design, the Eclettica kettle offers a wider range of colour options.

De'Longhi Ballerina Seta kettle review: design and features

The Ballerina Seta is a fairly simple kettle in terms of features, but it covers the essentials well. Firstly, it has a fully removable limescale mesh water filter, ensuring freshly boiled water stays pure for your tea or coffee. Whilst this is a standard feature in the best kettles today, it’s always a welcome addition – especially for those in hard water areas like me.

It also features a 360° fully detachable swivel base, allowing you to place the kettle down at any angle. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, but you don’t realise how useful this is until you don’t have it.

When it comes to power, the Ballerina Seta is equipped with a solid 3000W heating element, meaning it boils water quickly. Its 1.7-litre capacity is decent, though there are larger options available if needed.

However, the real star of the show is its design. Inspired by luxurious silk fabrics found in Italian ateliers, the Ballerina Seta is easily one of the most beautiful kettles I’ve seen in a long time.

De'Longhi Ballerina Seta kettle review: performance

At the end of the day, the De’Longhi Ballerina Seta is a reliable kettle that does exactly what it needs to. It took about 60 seconds to boil water for two cups, and I appreciated that the minimum water level allows for just a single cup. Throughout weeks of testing, it never faltered once.

In terms of features, it’s not the most exciting kettle. Whilst it includes the two most essential features – a 360° swivel base and a removable limescale filter – that’s about it. However, it performs reliably and efficiently, which is really all you need.

That said, my favourite thing about the Ballerina Seta is its stunning aesthetic. As someone who truly appreciates a stylish kitchen appliance, I couldn’t get enough of its elegant design, and the fact that it has a matching toaster is just the cherry on top

De'Longhi Ballerina Seta kettle review: verdict

The De’Longhi Ballerina Seta is a simple yet reliable kettle that covers the essentials well. Whilst it includes the two most important features in a kettle – a 360° swivel base and a removable limescale filter – its simplicity makes it feel slightly overpriced. However, its standout selling point is its stunning design, easily making it one of the most stylish kettles available today.

De'Longhi Ballerina Seta kettle review: alternatives to consider

If you're a fan of kitchen aesthetics, I have to recommend the Smeg KLF03. There's no doubt that it's a lot more expensive than the Ballerina Seta, but if you love classic retro design, it’s hard to beat.

Another alternative to recommend would be the Russell Hobbs Groove. It has a similar look to the Ballerina Seta (if you go for the white colourway) and is actually even cheaper.