The driving force behind the design was simplicity. I just wanted something that boiled water and didn't try to be anything crazy. This led to the name Ebullio, which means "to boil" in latin. The form was similarly simple. I wanted it to have a retro aesthetic which led to the tapered chrome shape. A pattern on the lid in thermochromatic ink replaced the traditional whistle to indicate when boiling temperature had been reached.
I liked all of these ideas, but the end result is certainly lacking. The proportions are off, and the way the lid opens is awkward and a waste of energy. The whole kettle was also just too big. For the redo I wanted to shrink it down because nobody would need to boil a half gallon of water to make tea.
The updated design is a huge improvement in my opinion. The whole kettle is scaled down and the taper was increased to really show off the form. The grip has a more developed curve to increase comfort. The biggest change besides the proportions is the indicator design. I abandoned the heat-activated ink in favor of something that, while physically more complex, appears to be simpler. Because of this, the lid doesn't open at all. The mouth for pouring has been enlarged to also allow for filling through the spout.
When cold, the top looks very similar to the cold top of the previous version. When the water begins to boil, however, the center pops up and reveals a highly-visible orange ring. This is done with a small amount of fluid sealed within a piston inside the kettle. The heat from the boiling water causes the fluid to expand as it becomes a gas. The force of the expanding gas pushes up on the piston and raises the indicator.
Overall, I'd say that this redo was a success, and is now a valid addition to my portfolio. Let me know if you have any other ideas for how I could have done this better in the comments.
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