The eight best kettles, tried and tested for your morning brew
Finding the ‘best’ kettle is harder than you may think, given its primary purpose is just to boil water. But a kettle is not just a kettle. Given Brits drink 100 million cups of tea daily (according to the UK Tea and Infusions Association), the look, feel and performance of your kettle is more important than you might first assume. Many now boast fancy features such as temperature variability for different hot drinks or even (largely pointless) smart technology that can be controlled from your phone.
Broadly speaking, kettles can be divided into two categories: electric and stovetop. Electric kettles heat water with a heating element in the base of the container and are much quicker to boil than stovetop kettles, which you simply place on the hob and wait for the whistle. They take much longer, so my reviews below focus on electric kettles.
Now energy prices are skyrocketing, efficiency will be a key consideration for anyone shopping for an appliance, whether it’s a kettle, toaster or washer-dryer. Category buyer Amanda Smart is in charge of selecting products for online retailer AO, so has to know the pros and cons of over 180 different kettles. She says: “Kettles with a quick boil functionality use less energy, so that’s the first thing to look out for. Another feature to consider is a kettle that retains the heat and keeps the water warm, so you eliminate the need to boil again and waste unnecessary energy.”
How I tested the best kettles
I set out to test the best kettles for design, boil speed and energy efficiency. I timed how long each kettle took to boil enough water for four cups of tea, and for one cup. I also noted down how loud each kettle was, how easy it was to pour, and whether it had extra features.
Which is the best kettle? At a glance
Read on for our full reviews
Best kettles
1. Bosch Styline Kettle with Temperature Selector
Best overall
We like the energy-saving extras and the temperature variability
- 1.5 litre capacity
- Draws 3,000 Watts
You can’t get better for a mid-range kettle. It has an easy temperature selector that guides you in picking the right temperature for coffees, black teas and herbal teas, and it has a keep warm function that maintains the temperature of the water for 30 minutes, saving time and energy by reducing the need to re-boil the kettle.
It performed outstandingly well in my time test, boiling one cup’s worth of water in 40 seconds and four cups in two minutes and 16 seconds. I love the stylish white and stainless steel design, which has a double-walled construction to retain heat.
The only downside, and it’s a minor one, is that it’s slightly louder than some of the other models on this list. But for a good-looking, energy efficient kettle with a 40 second boil time, that’s not a dealbreaker.
2. Russell Hobbs Honeycomb Kettle
Best value kettle
We like the quick boil time, but it does feel a little plasticky
- 1.7 litre capacity
- Draws 3,000 Watts
It’s decent to look at, not too loud, and under £25, so this kettle earned top marks in my test. It took a little over two minutes to boil enough water for four cups of tea (two minutes and 21 seconds, to be precise) and a speedy 51 seconds to boil one cup, just slightly over the 43 seconds advertised on the box.
It’s extremely lightweight as it’s made of plastic, but I like the look of the honeycomb design and shiny finish. It also has some handy extra features, including ‘rapid boil markings’ that make it easy to see how much water to boil for one, two and three cups to save energy. It comes in four colours and has a three year guarantee.
3. Emma Bridgewater + Russell Hobbs polka dot kettle
Best looking kettle
We like the retro shape and cheerful design
- 1.7 litre capacity
- Draws 3,000 Watts
Not all kettles are that nice to look at, which is why this colourful design from Emma Bridgewater is such a joy. It’s an electric kettle with a retro design, a satisfyingly chunky handle and a sturdy cream base. The cheerful polka dots definitely add something extra to a morning brew.
And, even better, it’s quick and quiet, boiling enough water for one cup of tea in 45 seconds and enough for four cups in one minute and 45 seconds. It pours very well and feels like it’s made from quality, sturdy materials.
4. Tefal Includeo
Best kettle for elderly or disabled people
We like that it’s designed for ease but still good-looking
- 1 litre capacity
- Draws 2,400 Watts
- 2 year guarantee
“Anyone with reduced mobility will want light weight, a thick handle that is easy to grip and a lid that’s easy to open,” says AO’s resident kettle expert Amanda Smart. This one from Tefal, part of their Includeo range, has all those plus a 360-degree rotational base and an easy-to-read water level indicator. I gave it to my elderly mother, replacing an old kettle that weighed twice as much and dribbled when it poured. She loves how easily the Includeo pops open and how quickly it boils. It only makes four cups, but that’s plenty for her.
Other safe options for elderly or disabled people are the Uccello safety kettle which requires no strength to pour and the Breville Hot Cup water dispenser.
5. De’Longhi Distinta Kettle
Quietest kettle
We like the smooth finish and comfortable handle, but it’s quite expensive
- 1.7 litre capacity
- Draws 2,000 Watts
De’Longhi have crafted a stylish and well-made kettle in the Distinta, which is a genuine pleasure to use. On testing, it was very quiet, even towards the end of boiling (although other reviews contest this). It’s quick, too – it boiled 0.5 litres of water in just over a minute and one litre in just over two, but it doesn’t have cup markings. The matte black is sleek and stylish, but it also comes in a classy brushed stainless steel finish.
There’s little in the way of fancy extras, but that’s what I like about it: it does everything a kettle needs to do, and does it well.
6. John Lewis ANYDAY kettle
Best kettle for students
We like that it’s inexpensive and durable, although it’s slightly messy to pour
- 1.7 litre capacity
- Draws 2,600 Watts
Sometimes it’s best to keep it simple, as proven by this fuss-free kettle that’s affordable, durable and smart-looking to boot. It boils fast – one and a half minutes for 0.7 litres (the minimum amount), and enough water for four cups of tea in roughly two minutes. Where it falls short of the Russell Hobbs kettle of a similar price is a slightly messy pour.
John Lewis7. Kenwood Abbey Lux Kettle
Best easy-pour kettle
We like the easy-open lid and the quick boil time
- 1.7 litre capacity
- Draws 3,000 Watts
AO’s kettle expert Amanda Smart recommended this sleek Kenwood model as the best light and easy kettle. I found it very easy to operate, as it has one simple button to release the lid, and the empty kettle weighs 600g. I liked the appearance of the sleek silver details, too. It took two minutes and 16 seconds to boil half a kettle’s worth of water (note that this model has litre, rather than cup measurements), and 58 seconds to boil roughly enough for one cup.
8. Russell Hobbs travel kettle
Best travel kettle
We like the handy travel mugs and spoons, but it does take an age to boil
- 0.85 litre capacity
- Draws 1000 Watts
This ultra-portable kettle comes with plastic mugs and spoons nestled inside, which is a nice touch. The capacity is small at 0.85 litres – but for a travel kettle, that’s what you’d expect. The downside is that it’s slow to boil because of its low wattage.
By my timing, it took three minutes and 23 seconds to boil 0.5 litres of water, and five minutes to boil a full kettle. However, if you can’t go without your cup of Yorkshire Tea while you’re travelling, you could do a lot worse – it’s light, easily portable and virtually silent to operate.
Travel kettles can also be a very good choice for people who live alone and don’t need to boil four cups at a time. The low wattage makes them cheap to run and the low weight makes them easy to use. And this one costs less than fifteen quid.
9. HAY Sowden kettle
Best for design
We like the colour options, but it lacks a limescale filter
- 1.5 litre capacity
- draws 1800 Watts
Copenhagen-based HAY is a shining example of Scandi design, and the Sowden kettle is about as good-looking as a kettle can get. The light, matte coloured plastic and stainless steel construction would look lovely in the kitchen of even the most scrupulous interiors enthusiast.
However, it doesn’t perform quite as well as its competitors. It takes one and a half minutes to boil roughly one cup of water, and over three minutes for four cups. It also lacks detailed markings (it only has ‘one litre’ and ‘max’ measurements) and a limescale filter.
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