A few years ago, electric kettles were considered a novelty or a luxury. You know; something you buy as a wedding gift when all the good ideas have been taken. Now, however, electric kettles are a vital part of every household and morning routine.
An electric kettle can help you jumpstart your day with the perfect cup of coffee or tea you need. But of course, that’s only if you have a good, reliable kettle.
The best electric kettle should offer several heating options and different useful features. It should be reliable and efficient, without burning a hole in your wallet. If you’re having trouble deciding which kettle is right for you, stick around.
We’ve gathered a list of the top 5 electric kettles on the market along with a handy guide on how to choose the right one for you. By the end of this article, you’ll be able to pick out the perfect kettle blindfolded and with your hands behind your back!
Best Selling Portable Electric Hot Water Kettle
Who Needs an Electric Kettle?
That’s an easy question. Who doesn’t need an electric kettle? It’s loved by everyone. But of course, some people can benefit from a kettle more than others. Here are a few good examples.
⦁ Coffee lovers
Right off the bat, if you’re someone who enjoys a good cup of coffee, choosing a reliable electric kettle is a smart thing to do. You’ll be able to brew coffee to the perfect temperature in a matter of minutes.
⦁ Tea people
The same goes for people who favor tea. There are all kinds of different teas to choose from like green, white, and oolong tea.
Some kettles have pre-set temperature settings that allow you to heat water to the optimal temperature according to your tea choice.
⦁ Busy people
If you’re always on the run and have a busy schedule, an electric kettle can save you tons of time. Just turn it on a couple of minutes before you want your coffee or tea, finish your daily routine, and come back for a fresh, delicious drink.
How to Choose the Best Electric Kettle – Things to Consider
When it comes to choosing the best electric kettle on the market, you might start to feel overwhelmed. But not to worry, it’s actually quite easy. You just need to keep a few factors in mind, like a checklist, when choosing your kettle.
Here are a few great tips on what to consider.
1. Speed
If tea or coffee is part of your daily routine, an electric kettle can make your life so much easier. It’ll help you save time thanks to the speed that it has to offer. In fact, that’s the thing people love most about electric kettles.
Of course, like most aspects, when choosing an electric kettle, speed is relative. They’re all fast, but some are just faster than others. Look for a kettle that has a reputation for speed.
You’ll definitely appreciate it on those rush days when the alarm doesn’t go off. The question remains: how fast is “fast”? Well, on average, you’ll find that most kettles take 3-4 minutes to boil water.
Some claim they can get the job done in about 90 seconds. Take a look at customer reviews when deciding just to be sure.
2. Temperature options
While speed is important, there’s another factor that you should consider, especially if you’re a tea person. If you’ve been drinking tea for some time now, you probably know that the flavor differs according to the temperature you use.
For example, black tea tastes great when you use boiled water but when it comes to green, white, or oolong tea, boiling water might not be the best idea. Same goes for coffee which can taste even better at temperatures below boiling point.
Sure, most people won’t notice any difference in taste between boiled water and water at a slightly lower temperature, but if you’re looking to brew a perfect cup of coffee, think about your temperature options.
Keep in mind that not all electric kettles offer variable temperature settings, especially low-cost kettles. Make sure the one you choose offers the settings you’re looking for.
3. Size
When it comes to size, there are two things you need to consider: capacity and kitchen space. In terms of size, you need to ask yourself how much water you usually need.
Do you usually make a cup or two in the morning or do you need several cups for more people? Most electric kettles offer a decent enough capacity but look for the specs you prefer.
As for counter space, all you have to ask yourself is “where am I going to put the electric kettle”. You’d surprised at the number of times people buy kitchen appliances only to realize they’ve got nowhere to put them.
Take your measurements in advance and choose the right kettle for your countertop.
4. Exterior heat
If you’ve been dealing with stove-top kettles up to this point, you probably know how hot they can get. The handle might not get much heat but the body of the kettle itself can get pretty hot.
While not all electric kettles are immune to this problem, some avoid external heat better than others.
Our Selection Criteria for the Best Electric Kettle
We’ve scavenged the market looking for the best electric kettles in terms of speed, capacity, reliability, features, and of course, efficiency. These next 5 kettles are the crème de la crème of the market.
Top 5 Electric Kettles – Reviews
Breville BKE820XL- The Full-Featured Kettle
Breville is one of the best brands on the market when it comes to home appliances, especially espresso machines and electric kettles.
People have come to expect a certain level of quality from this company and the BKE820XL hasn’t let them down yet.
This model doesn’t just take some water and heat it up like any old stove-top kettle. It’s brilliantly designed to heat water to specific temperatures according to what you’re brewing.
There are 5 different preprogrammed temperatures that accommodate different types of tea and coffee, all accessible from its elegant control panel.
If you’re making black tea or simply boiling water, you can choose the 212-degrees setting. For French press coffee, oolong tea, white tea, and green tea, you can select 200, 195, 185, or 175 degree-settings, respectively. You’re in complete control.
That’s not all the Breville has to offer. It comes with a nifty button that allows you to maintain the water temperature for up to 20 minutes once it’s boiled. The Breville also has an auto-shutoff feature and a lid that opens with just a touch of a button.
In terms of capacity, this electric kettle can accommodate 2 whole quarts which means you’ll be able to serve a family of 7-8 people easily.
Features
⦁ 1500 Watts
⦁ 2-quart kettle (about 1.9 liters)
⦁ 5 pre-set brewing temperatures
⦁ 360-degree stainless-steel directional base
⦁ Push button control panel
⦁ Button for maintaining and holding temperature
⦁ Auto-shutoff
⦁ Removable scale filter
⦁ Boil-dry protection
Pros
⦁ Great capacity
⦁ Offers multiple temperature settings
⦁ Elegant, modern look
⦁ Easy to read water levels
⦁ Fully-featured
⦁ Keep-warm setting
Cons
⦁ Might be a bit more expensive than most electric kettles
⦁ Being larger than average, it takes a bit more time to heat water
Our Verdict
If you’re someone who owns a stylish kitchen and wants complete control over their drinks, this is the perfect kettle for you. It’ll fit right into your kitchen décor and allow you to heat water to all kinds of different temperatures.
2. Cuisinart CPK-17 PerfecTemp Stainless Steel Cordless Electric Kettle – The Best Overall
Choosing between the Breville and the Cuisinart is no easy feat. They’re both equally impressive with similar features, except for a few insignificant details where the Breville excels.
That being said, the Cuisinart is still one of the best electric kettles on the market and is our choice for the best overall.
For starters, as you might have guessed from its clever name, this kettle gives you the perfect boiling temperature for different drinks.
It offers the same pre-set heating options as the Breville in addition to an extra “delicate” setting, which heats to 160 degrees.
Here’s a quick summary of its best features.
Features
⦁ 1500 watts
⦁ 1.7-liter capacity
⦁ 6 preset temperatures
⦁ One-touch controls with blue LED indicators
⦁ Allows you to keep the water warm for 30 minutes
⦁ Memory feature
⦁ Blue backlit water window
⦁ 360-degree swivel cordless connector
⦁ Concealed heating element
⦁ Removable scale filter
⦁ Auto-shutoff
⦁ Boil dry protection
Pros
⦁ Keeps water warm for a long period of time (longer than the Breville)
⦁ Lots of temperature options to choose from
⦁ Large capacity (although a bit smaller than the Breville)
⦁ Can operate in cordless mode
⦁ Cheaper than the Breville, yet quite similar in functions and reliability
Cons
⦁ Gets a bit hot to the touch
⦁ The water level indicator is placed behind the handle, which makes it hard to read
Our Verdict
If you’re looking for an incredible, full-featured, reliable electric kettle with lots of pre-set temperature settings, the Cuisinart PerfecTemp is an excellent choice to consider.
3. DeLonghi Kmix 25-ounce Kettle- The Simple, Efficient Kettle
DeLonghi is yet another company that has proven to be on a whole different level, compared to others on the market. Its coffee and espresso makers distinguish it from the rest and its electric kettles are no joke, either.
The DeLonghi Kmix is simply a well-designed, durable, and brilliantly-crafted kettle that serves its purpose well. It doesn’t have any fancy bells or whistles. No extra buttons or controls. It just boils water quickly and effectively.
Of course, it has all the usual functions you’d expect like automatic shut-off, a concealed heating element, and cord-free operation.
However, the Kmix does have one feature that makes it a bit unique compared to other kettles. DeLonghi added a removable limescale filter that allows you to remove impurities and deposits from water as it boils. Pretty nifty!
Features
⦁ Attractive design
⦁ Stainless steel interior
⦁ Die-cast aluminum exterior
⦁ 8 available colors to choose from: green, red, yellow, orange, magenta, blue, black, and white
⦁ Detachable base
⦁ Concealed heating element
⦁ Illuminated on-off switch
⦁ Operates without a cord
Pros
⦁ Simple (no unnecessary features)
⦁ Stylish
⦁ Removable limescale filter
⦁ Easy to clean
⦁ Available in a variety of colors
Cons
⦁ If you’re a fan of features, this might not be the best electric kettle for you
Our Verdict
If you’re someone who’s looking for efficiency over personalization, the DeLonghi Kmix is a great kettle to consider.
4. Adagio Teas Electric Kettle- The Personal, Customized Kettle
Here’s another simple, yet effective electric kettle. Despite being smaller than most kettles on this list, the Adagio really does outshine others in its class thanks to features such as:
Features
⦁ 30-ounce capacity
⦁ Stainless steel build
⦁ Has a knob that allows you to control the temperature up to around 212 degrees
⦁ Can operate cord-free
⦁ Flip-top lid button
⦁ Concealed heating element
⦁ Comes with a warranty
Pros
⦁ Selectable temperature
⦁ The cheapest model on this list that offers variable settings
⦁ Small footprint
⦁ Boils water very quickly
Cons
⦁ Doesn’t have pre-set temperature settings
⦁ Small capacity
⦁ Exterior can get hot to the touch
Our Verdict
If you’re looking for a small, efficient, customized, and of course, affordable kettle, this is a great option to choose. The Adagio will become your own personal kettle, customized to your everyday use.
5. Chef’s Choice 680-The Classic Kettle, with a Twist
If you like the idea of being able to see how much water is in your electric kettle without having to look through a small window, this kettle is perfect for you.
The Chef’s Choice 680 comes with a large, 1.5-liter glass tank, brushed stainless steel housing, and black handle/lid accents. Overall, this electric kettle has a pretty impressive design.
Another great thing about the all-glass build is that unlike metal and plastic, glass doesn’t leave behind any unwanted taste.
Perhaps the one downside to this electric kettle is the lack of temperature adjustment controls, but some people see this as a pro instead of a con.
All you have to do is add some water, hit the on button, and wait for your water to boil. It doesn’t get any simpler than that and sometimes simpler is better. Besides, you’ll be able to see when the water has boiled at a glance.
Features
⦁ 1.7-liter capacity
⦁ 1500 watts
⦁ Stainless steel housing
⦁ Plastic handle/lid
⦁ Boil-dry protection
⦁ Automatic shut-off
⦁ Locking lid
⦁ Cord-free operation
⦁ Concealed heating element
Pros
⦁ Attractive design
⦁ Large capacity
⦁ Glass construction (no plastic which means there won’t be any undesired plastic taste in your drink)
Cons
⦁ No variable temperature settings
Our Verdict
The Chef’s Choice offers a new twist on a classic product. If that’s what you’re looking for, along with a few cool gadgets and an attractive design, this might be the perfect electric kettle for you.
The Best Overall among the 5 Best Electric Kettles
The best overall would definitely have to be the Cuisinart CPK-17. Not only does it offer incredible features that are envied by kettles of the same class, but it also comes at a great price!
The Cuisinart is a great choice if you’re looking for top-notch features, but want to save some money, as well.
Best Electric Kettles – Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the optimal heating temperature when making coffee?
Most people won’t notice much difference with change in heating temperature, but coffee addicts know the perfect temperature is around 200 degrees. Of course, this goes for most types of coffee but different roasts might require lower temperatures.
When is it time to buy a new kettle?
If your kettle isn’t working or functioning properly, then it’s obviously time for a new one. However, there are things that can indicate you need a replacement. For example, the majority of electric kettles take about 2-4 minutes to boil water.
If you notice your kettle takes more than that, it might be time for a new one.
Final Verdict
An electric kettle can definitely make your life easier and in this day and age, you can find one in almost every household. They’re an invaluable part of our daily routines. That’s why it’s important to choose a reliable, efficient kettle.
If you’re having trouble picking one out, why not choose one from our list? These five are some of the best electric kettles on the market.
Try one out for yourself and experience your favorite beverages in a whole new flavor.