So When Alberto Alessi asked me to design a new whistle to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of our teakettle, I imagined a new evolution in the history of our kettle. One where our little bird might transform into a super-hero: a reptilian creature that is at once prehistoric, mythological, and futuristic. I chose the dragon imagery and its jade green color because of the rich cultural heritage found in Chinese folklore that uses the dragon to symbolize power and good luck. Our Dragon is friendly and he decidedly does not breathe fire, but perhaps lets off a little steam!

He has a smile on his face, an easy-to-hear whistle and a wing span that makes it easy to remove him from our teakettle when the water boils. We hope our dragon will proudly protect our kettle and your kitchen for years to come.” Micheal Graves wrote in January.

Made from 18/10 stainless steel and produced, like the original, at Alessi’s Crusinallo site, the Tea Rex kettle comes with a jade whistle combined with a blue handle, and with a metallic copper whistle paired with a black handle.

To celebrate the anniversary, the wording “Tea Rex 9093 30th anniversary” is stamped on the lid of the kettle around the ball grip. The graphics of the 30th anniversary packaging are also special with the icon of the new whistle set in contrast to that of the original project.