Canadian Designs: The Moffatt K42 Electric Kettle

Some of the most successful industrial designs come from the humblest objects. No one knows for certain who pioneered the very first electric kettle, but we know for sure that it is a Canadian original. Legend has it that an unknown engineer in the steel-stamping factory at Canadian Motor Lamp Company (a subsidiary of Canadian General Electric) saw a headlight of a McLaughlin Buick (another Canadian original) and thought that, turned upside down, it would make the perfect receptacle for an electric coil. From this original concept, in 1940, the electric kettle was born. Fred Moffatt, an industrial designer at CGE in Barrie, Ontario, was given the task of improving the design, and Moffatt’s is the name we associate with the iconic “K42” kettle below. One of Moffatt’s improvements was to raise the handle away from the kettle’s hot exterior (to avoid burned knuckles). Moffatt also improved the spout to prevent spillage. The kettle’s dome was created by drawing a flat circular sheet of brass using a powerful hydraulic press. Over 40 separate parts were incorporated into the first model, including a steel base plate, and Bakelite handle. The gleaming shine of the kettle was achieved by a process using 16 separate polishing steps. This 1940 design became an industry standard, and was sold by CGE as the “economy kettle” until the 1960s. Millions were sold. Moffatt made subtle adjustments to the design over the years, including an elliptical model that was harder to copy. Moffatt is widely acknowledged as one of Canada’s preeminent industrial designers. Some of his other credits include a floor polisher, a teardrop-shaped floor heater, and one of the first electric lawnmowers. Fred Moffatt died in 2006 at the age of 94. His obituary in the Toronto Star reported that with his body was buried with his Stanley hammer. Summary by: Jennifer Jannuska