Final-year design student at Brunel University London, Charlie Walter, is a dab hand on a building site but soon spotted a glaring gap when it comes to making a builder’s favourite beverage on site.
Explained Charlie, 21, of Ashford, Middlesex: “Builders and contractors are often on sites with no access to electricity but every tradesperson has battery powered tools.
“My design allows them to have a fresh, hot mug of tea without having to put down their tools and going to a café or having to disturb their client by asking them for a drink.
“It’s capable of boiling a standard UK mug of water in a couple of minutes when attached to a Makita LXT battery, while many 12v portable kettles on the market can take up to 40.
“I designed it in line with an existing range as I wanted it to have the look and feel of a tool with sharp contours and parallel edges.
“It’s made from glass filled nylon with a TPE over-moulding, giving the product identifiable touch points and protection from drops and knocks.”
Although Charlie developed his working prototype independently of Makita, he’s subsequently entered talks with the Japanese giant and hopes the first production kettles will be on builders’ merchant shelves within months.
Such is the interest in his design, it has already featured in the prestigious Made in Brunel exhibition on London’s South Bank last week. (June 18 – 21).
