Initially the instructions were confusing, but it was straightforward to figure out. I used tepid water, since this will be used with bottled water, and set it to boil at 212F. I propped the lid vent open but when it boiled it spurted so that was likely not necessary or safe. It took 7 minutes to a boil. I waited 2+ minutes as recommended before unscrewing the lid and then measured water temperature... it was 209.8F. This is a compact, easy to clean unit with a heavy-duty short-cord. It can bring a decent amount of water to boiling in a few minutes. The sturdy quality of the unit, its protective packaging, and the seller's diligence in making sure the order was satisfactory tells me this was a good buy. The seller for my order was also the manufacturer, Samshow.