I researched a number of tea kettles before selecting this one. I was looking for style, capacity, a loud whistle, a removable lid, and ease of use. I found all of these attributes in this tea kettle. I love the style and functionality of this tea kettle. The brushed stainless looks great with my stainless steel appliances and with my traditional decor. It has a large enough capacity to meet my needs—I usually use about 2.5 quarts of water for my purposes I particularly like the fact that the spout lid stays open with the pull of the lever. This is particularly important for those of us who have a little arthritis in our fingers; there is no need to push/pull, and hold the mechanism while pouring the water. Also the handle is ergonomically friendly and I find that there is no stress on my hands while holding the kettle—even when it is full. The whistle is loud enough to be heard from my second floor. A couple of reviewers noted that the kettle leaks at the seams. I have had the kettle since December 2012 and I have not had that experience. I particularly like the fact that it has a removable lid, which makes it easy to fill and clean. The lid has a tight fit but is easy to remove. Most importantly, the opening is large enough to insert my size 9 hands. Other reviewers have written that steam escapes from the lid which makes the handle hot. I have not had that experience; in fact I don't even have to use a pot holder to pick up the kettle. As of this writing, I have not noticed any signs of discoloration, pitting, or rust formation.