Our kettles are one of the most frequently used appliances in our kitchens as a nation of tea drinkers.
However, selecting the incorrect one could result in you waiting longer for your water to boil, having to endure excessive noise, or wasting water and energy.
Continue reading for our top picks for the most reliable electric kettle. Do you simply want to know which models we suggest? Our top picks, based on our independent tests, can be found in our round-up of the most reliable electric kettles.
Most Reliable Electric Kettle Types and Features Explained
Electric and stovetop kettles are the two most common types. We’ll concentrate on electric kettles because they’re the most common. Reliable electric kettles come in a variety of shapes and sizes, but there are two basic designs to choose from:
- Dome/pyramid kettle – traditional domed shape with a handle on the top, like a stovetop kettle
- Jug kettle – taller jug shape with a handle on the side.
The water gauge on a jug kettle is usually larger and easier to see, and the lid on dome models can be a little more fiddly to remove, though we’ve found Best Buy models of both types.
Most Reliable Electric Kettle Features to Consider
From the essential to the optional, here are the key reliable electric kettle features to consider when choosing a kettle:
- Minimum fill/one-cup boil. Look for a kettle with a low minimum fill level if you frequently make tea for one person or simply want to save energy (less than 300ml). Some kettles force you to boil up to four cups of water at once, making you wait longer and wasting water and energy.
- Water level indicator. Fill indicators on some kettles are hidden behind the handle, making them difficult to read. If you want to know how much water is left at a glance, look for large, clear windows.
- Quiet boil kettles. A loud whistling kettle can be extremely irritating, especially if you have an open-plan kitchen/living space. Some kettles claim to be particularly quiet, but this isn’t always the case. We measure the noise level in decibels during boiling and note any unusually piercing or annoying sounds. Less than a third of the kettles we test are rated as notably quiet.
- Multi-temperature kettles. You can choose from a variety of temperatures to heat your water with these. This is especially useful if you enjoy herbal or green tea, as well as coffee, as these beverages taste better when brewed at slightly lower temperatures.
Other Key Things To Think About When Buying a Reliable Kettle
- Speed. Although kettles with a 3kW element should be faster, our tests have shown that this is not always the case. The worst models can take up to twice as long to come to a boil as the best.
- Size and weight. By the time you’ve filled a kettle with water, it can be quite heavy. Plastic kettles are typically lighter than stainless steel or glass kettles, weighing less than 1kg.
- Ease of use. Isn’t it true that kettles are easy to use? Unfortunately, some manufacturers prioritize appearance (or cost) over function, and a clumsy, poorly designed model can grate when it’s one of your most-used kitchen appliances.
- Efficiency. Some kettles boil for longer than necessary, or don’t let you boil small amounts, wasting water and energy. We mark down the most inefficient models, so you don’t pay the price when you get home.
We test all these factors, and more besides, so you can see how different kettles compare on the essentials, and you can make a decision to choose one of small electric kettle that fit with you.
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