STORM IN A TEACUP
Katie Hilpern on the kettles for a perfect brew every time
The British consume a staggering 60 billion cups of tea per year. No wonder a kettle is such a pivotal feature of any kitchen. Kettles have other advantages too – boiling water helps to unblock drains, for example.
That’s why we’ve tested the latest kettles for a range of practical criteria including speed of boiling, noise levels, ergonomics, ease of use, overall capacity, energy efficiency, filter and how easy it is to clean.
We also considered how visible the viewing window is and whether the kettle is easy to maintain. Plus, of course, aesthetics, as we all want our kitchen appliances to look good.
For something a bit different, consider one that has variable temperature control, or you might prefer a stovetop kettle.
To keep your kettle in great condition, the general advice is to clean it every three months. You can do this in several ways – using equal parts water and white vinegar to three-quarters full, then boiling it and allowing it to cool before rinsing.
Alternatively, you can use a dedicated kettle descaling tablet, or fill your kettle with half water, half lemon juice, boil it and let it sit for 30 minutes before rinsing out.
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Kenwood Elegancy Jug Kettle: £59.99, Currys PC World
You’ll waste no time waiting for your cuppa with this ultra-fast 1.7l kettle, especially with the minimum fill of one cup. We really rate the limescale filter – even the finest particles of limescale don’t slip through. Ergonomics are on its side and we had no complaints filling and pouring. It’s one of the easiest kettles we’ve come across to keep clean, both inside and out. It’s slightly loud, but that aside, this is a great value, efficient and good looking appliance that comes in cream, blue or black.
Buy now Sage The Soft Top Luxe 1.7l Kettle: £99.95, Amazon
This is a handsome kettle if ever we saw one. It wins top points for having a really good grip and we found it a doddle to fill, either by flipping open the lid or by using the nice wide spout. It pours perfectly and it’s
quiet and quick to boil, but there are better kettles when it comes to limescale filters so perhaps not a top choice for hard water areas. It’s a little on the heavy side, and you have to fill it with at least 500ml of water, which might put eco-conscious users off.
Buy now Dualit Classic 1.7l Kettle Polished: £149.99, Lakeland
This is one of the quietest and quickest kettles we tested, and you can boil as little as one cup worth of water, which means you never need to waste electricity or time. But the stand out feature is the replaceable element, which means your kettle is likely to last you a lot longer than most. It’s easy to see how much water is inside thanks to the nice, clear window and this kettle also looks good, although there are easier kettles to keep clean. It does fall down slightly on the filter and families with small children might be put off how hot the metal casing gets.
Buy now Bosch TWK7203GB Sky Kettle: £79.99, John Lewis & Partners
Variable temperature kettles don’t get better than this. Thanks to the touchscreen base that allows you to pick from temperatures of 70C to 100C in 5C increments, this couldn’t be more user friendly if it tried. There are plenty of bells and whistles too, including four pre-sets for your favourite drinks and a 30 minute keep warm function. It’s energy-efficient, easy to hold, fill and pour, and the filter is second to none, making
this 1.7l kettle a good option for hard water areas. It has a chic appearance and tells you when it’s started and finished with a bleep.
Buy now Breville New York Collection Electric Jug Kettle: £87.40, Amazon
This is as glitzy as its namesake, with its white body and gold accents that actually glow when the kettle is boiling. A great choice if you’re looking to add a bit glamour to your kitchen. The 1.7l kettle is practical too, boiling fast and (reasonably) quietly and is a cinch to pour and hold. The limescale filter passed our tests with flying colours too. Possibly not the best kettle for staying clean, but nothing that a quick wipe with a damp cloth can’t handle. And although it can boil as little as one cup, the gauge only shows three cups minimum.
Buy now Russell Hobbs Emma Bridgewater Pink Hearts 1.7l Kettle: £79.99, Russell Hobbs
Hats off to the latest collaboration between Russell Hobbs and British pottery designer Emma Bridgewater. It’s not the first – we’ve featured a polka dot model in a previous kettle round-up – but it is our favourite yet, with the pretty red and pink hearts (with a two or four-slice toaster to match) especially suited to a country cottage look. It’s quiet, fast and has a low minimum fill, as well as being one the lightest kettles we tested. It has a good filter and the enamel and stainless steel should stand the test of time. The water gauge
is a little difficult to see, and other kettles do pour better.
Buy now De’Longhi Distincta X KBI3001.M: £124.99, De’Longhi
This is De’Longhi’s latest (1.7l) kettle, and it ticks all the boxes for boiling quietly and quickly. It’s also energy-efficient thanks to its low minimum fill of just one cup. The stainless-steel exterior looks smart (it’s also available in matte black) and it feels nice and balanced in the hand and can be easily filled via the lid or spout, as well as pouring well – no spitting or side spills. The filter is fine, but you might have to put up with small particles of limescale from time to time.
Buy now Beko Cosmopolotis Jug Kettle: £79.99, Currys PC World
We were excited to test this, not least because the toaster from the same range did so well in our toaster round-up. The joy of joys, it lived up to our expectations, filling and pouring well and boiling efficiently. The handle fits really nicely in the hand, is wonderfully lightweight and boils reasonably quickly and quietly. We like the round design and striking colours too – especially the elegant teal, although it’s also available in white. The cord wraps around the bottom of the base, so everything stays neat and tidy. Our only gripe is that the water gauge could be positioned slightly better.
Buy now
Russell Hobbs Honeycomb Kettle: £24.59, Amazon
You’ll never be left in the dark about how much water is in this affordable 1.7l kettle as the water level gauge illuminates when boiling, and the markers clearly indicate the number of cups being boiled. It looks great, feels very well balanced when holding it and is easy to fill and pour. If you only want a cup or two of tea, it’s particularly quick to boil, yet filled to the top it is a little slower than others tested. The casing does get hot, but the handle remains cool at all times.
Buy now KitchenAid Artisan Kettle 1.5l: £149, Lakeland
Another variable temperature kettle – this one has six different settings from 50C to 100C – good news for herbal tea and coffee drinkers. There’s a gauge showing the exact temperature of water at all times, possibly saving you the bother of re-boiling. The limescale filter is one of the best we’ve tried, and it has a low minimum fill and beeps to tell you when your water is ready. We love the vintage aesthetics and the colour options, especially pistachio, but it’s quite heavy and we struggled to tell how much water was in there.
Buy now
The Verdict
All the kettles in our round-up are reliable, dependable and efficient but forced to pick a favourite, we’d go for Kenwood Elegancy Jug Kettle, which ticks the most boxes. It is a little on the loud side, so if you want something quieter, we also loved the Dualit Classic 1.7l Kettle.