The tea kettle has changed little in the past 300 years. The kettle on the stove top or over the fire in the 1700’s is almost identical to the kettle found in a modern kitchen. The Xen brings the kettle into the 21^st century with advanced electronic controls, surgical grade materials, and an elegant minimalist design.

The Xen was born from a desire to create a kettle that delivers superior heating performance and to do so without exposing water to plastics or any other material that would taint its purity.

The Xen is for anyone who cares about the temperature and purity of their water and the beauty of their kettle.

Efficiency

Most stove top and electric kettles waste an enormous amount of heat and energy due to their construction. Thin steel or glass walls allow heat to get out, meaning that the energy and time it takes to get that water up to temperature is increased.

The Xen uses double wall vacuum technology (similar to a thermos) to keep the heat generated inside the kettle from getting out.  Leaving the outside of the Xen cool to the touch and heating the water inside much quicker. The Xen also employs a central heating pylon that efficiently puts the heat right where it is needed and nowhere else. Check out the real time heating simulation on this page to see how quickly the Xen can get water to boil.

Control

When making fine tea or coffee the control over the temperature of the water is crucial. Traditional stovetop and electric kettles have one setting; boil. The Xen uses advanced electronics and temperature sensors to determine the heat of the water in the Xen and precisely hold it at a number of user selected presets. The presets are 160F, 180F, 190F, 200F, and boil.

Cleanliness

Other kettles contain plastics which leach chemicals like BPA and unpleasant tastes into your water as it boils. The Xen contains only 316L Surgical Stainless Steel, Borosilicate glass, and medical grade silicone, ensuring your water comes out as pure as it was put in.

The Xen is designed to be easily taken apart and cleaned to remove mineral buildup and keep the unit looking beautiful. No more pouring in vinegar and hoping the scale goes away, you can directly access the heating element for cleaning. The main body of the Xen is also dishwasher safe.

Making high quality tea (and coffee) is a unique and enjoyable sensory experience. Pouring the hot water over the leaves, watching them unfurl, the slow meandering of the infusion tinting the water, and timing everything just right to get a perfect brew.

The entire process of brewing is meditative and relaxing. The Xen brings the element of boiling water in line with the rest of the tea brewing experience. Where other kettles obscure your water as it heats up the Xen celebrates it.

The clean lines of the Xen and clear glass walls put the focus on the water inside the unit. The boiling organic energy of the water contrasts the simple design of the kettle providing the user the ability to appreciate the first crucial step of the brewing process.

1. Pour In the Water

Pour water into the top of the Xen, filling to a volume marked on the side of the glass. (Up to 1.5L)

2. Put the Top On

The eltroetched mesh top keeps contaminants out of your water and helps keep cold ambient air out of the Xen.

3. Put the Kettle On the Base and Select Temperature

Turning the Xen on is as easy as putting the kettle on the base unit and twisting the kettle until the indicator matches up with the temperature you want your water to reach. You can always turn the kettle off by rotating the unit off the temperature settings.

4. Watch the Xen Boil 

The Xen will boil your water faster and more precisely than you are used to. Watch as the water heats up and boils through the  crystal clear borosilicate glass. The indicator light on the front of the unit will turn to green when your water has reached its set temperature. The Xen will hold the water at the set temperature until you turn the unit off or change the temperature.

5. Pour Out

The Xen is designed to be gripped on the outside. Don’t worry about the heat! The double wall vacuum and a special IR reflective coating on the inside of the glass keeps everything cool. Flip up the handle on the top of the Xen and pour out your pure heated water.

How do I Pick It Up?

You can grab the Xen anywhere on the glass body. Don't worry, with a layer of vacuum and a special IR reflective coating, the glass will be cold enough to hold comfortably.

Is It Stable?

Yes. The Xen was designed to minimize weight at the top of the kettle and maximize it at the base. The Xen is 4" in diameter so it has a wide base to sit on.

Will It Work With 240V?

Yes the Xen features a power supply that will work with either 120 or 240V.

Will You Ship Internationally?

Yes. Any shipping costs will be added to your funding. be aware that customs passage may introduce delay in the shipment of your Xen.

Why Indiegogo?

Hardware design is a risky thing. The design process is complicated and expensive and market demand isn't always certain.

Too many products are designed, produced, and marketed only to find a market that doesn't want or need them. This tremendous waste of resources damages the environment and does everyone a disservice. By putting the Xen on indiegogo its future as a product is entirely dependent upon how much you want it. If the demand isn't sufficient the Xen never gets produced and the resources put into production will have been saved.

The users can be involved in the production process

The production process is hidden from most consumers, by using crowdfunding the users of a product become actively involved with the production of that product. You will have all stages of production, from early prototyping to mass manufacturing shown to you in complete detail. Additionally, most products are shoved onto a market with limited user feedback, indiegogo is a fantastic platform for wrapping user feedback quickly into the design at all stages of production.

The Designer and Engineer

Chris Fitzhugh is an engineer, designer, hacker, and fabricator with a deep passion for tea. It was this passion which drove the development of the Xen. Being dissatisfied with the current kettles on the market Chris took up the challenge to design a superior kettle.

With a background in design for high volume manufacturing, product design, and military robotics you can be sure Chris has the necessary skills and network to make the Xen Happen.