Really, not that quiet... here's the science...
Sub story... I'm deaf in one ear after a rock concert a few years back. Ironically, being half-deaf is really noisy. I hear really loud, mid-level white noise constantly in my deaf ear. This has the weird effect of making my good ear really sensitive to other external forms of white noise (traffic, wind... kettles).
We bought a Russell Hobbs kettle as it was cheap-ish and was "super quiet". Only it was really loud. All my family hate it so it's not just me. Lasted 2 years so just decided to upgrade for the best-of-the-best, the super-quiet Dualit. Roughly 5 time more expensive than the other kettle. Did the whole "It'll last, we make a lot of tea, it'll pay for itself really!" justification in my head.
Just got the Dualit and thought I'd take advantage of having the old kettle side-by-side to do a sound test on each. bearing in mind we were also replacing the old kettle as it was just SO annoyingly loud... the Dualit was... noisier. Only just but no ware near being quiet, or in any way an upgrade in terms of noise.
Dualit maxed out at 83db and averaged 80db. It had a lower peak frequency (a lower rumble) at 317hz
Russell Hobbs maxed out at 82db and averaged 78db. It had a higher peak frequency (a higher rumble) at 431hz
The amount of water was roughly the same (but not particularly accurately measured) at about half full. The boiling times were:
Dualit: 120 seconds
Russell Hobbs: 95 seconds
So, according to kitchen science (aka a DB meter on my phone held 5cm away), the Dualit it's louder, more annoying, slower and 5 times more expensive.
Having said that, it's nicer. So we're keeping it.
Hope that helps.
PS. Wear ear plugs at concerts. Seriously.
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