Whether you’re an avid tea drinker *raises hand* or you’re powered solely by coffee, being armed with one of the best kettles is paramount. Particularly when you’re working from home and reaching for the kettle approx. 674829 times a day.
Forget what you thought you knew: not all kettles are made equal, and there’s so much more to a good kettle than whether it matches your juicer, coffee machine and toaster. Yep, there are quiet kettles, kettles for hard water, glass kettles, Russell Hobbs kettles… the list goes on. So, in our on-going quest to help you style out your kitchen within an inch of its life (we’ve already tried and tested dinnerware sets, frying pans, saucepan sets, coffee mugs and the like), we thought we’d put the best kettles to the test to find out which ones are *really* worth your money. Grown-up? Yes. Slightly sad? Definitely. But life-changing? You bet. You’d have thought a shiny new kettle could bring as much joy as Glossier products do…
How to choose a new kettle
Somewhere along the way, we’ve learned a few things about shopping for a new kettle; there are a few things worth considering.
1. Design
Perhaps the most important factor (to us, anyway) is the design. We want our kettle to look just as stylish as the rest of our home, right? There are two main types of kettle: dome and jug. Dome kettles are the more traditional-looking kettles with lift-off lids (that wouldn’t look out of place sat on the top of your stove), while jug kettles are the modern kind with sharp spouts, taller shapes and a long handle down the side.
2. How noisy is it?
How noisy is this kettle going to be? Kettles with a higher wattage tend to make more noise – though they do boil more quickly. If you work on a different schedule to the person you live with, this might be worth considering. Generally speaking, if your kettle has a “Quiet Mark” label, it won’t bring the house down.
3. How quickly will it boil?
Speaking of wattage, those kettles with a higher wattage boil the fastest. Those with a power element of 3kW are generally the speediest. How long are you prepared to wait for your cuppa?
4. What’s the capacity and weight?
Most kettles can hold between 1.5 and 1.7 litres of water, and with this capacity, you should be able to make around six or seven cups of tea at any one time. While it might be your natural instinct to opt for the kettle with the largest capacity, bear in mind that kettles *can* be quite heavy; for every millilitre of water you add to your kettle, an extra gram is added to its overall weight. If you struggle with lifting, it might be best to go for something lighter or smaller.
5. Does it have a water level indicator?
If you want to know exactly how much water is inside your kettle, look at where the water indicator level is placed and how large it is. It’ll make your life much easier.
6. Does it have removable, washable anti-scale water filters?
These sit just inside the spout and are definitely worth looking out for. They collect pieces of limescale and prevent them from being poured into your drink. Gross.
7. Does it have a variable temperature feature?
Kettles with a variable temperature feature will allow you to heat water to different temperatures. If you don’t like to drink your coffee *super* hot, or you love a cup of herbal tea (which should be brewed below boiling), then this could come in handy.
8. Is it safe?
If your kettle is made from brushed stainless steel, the exterior might get really hot which wouldn’t be ideal if you’ve got children in the house. Consider what the kettle is made from if you want to prevent the outside from getting really hot. Also, you should also look for “boil dry protection” which means that the kettle automatically switches off if there isn’t enough water inside.
9. Is it energy efficient?
We’re all about being more sustainable right now, and saving energy where we can. Kettles that promise a “quick boil”, or promise to be eco-friendly, are a more sustainable choice, because they will serve up a mug’s worth of boiling water in less than a minute and use up to 50% less energy as a result.
Are expensive kettles worth it?
You can get a really good kettle for much less than £50, if you don’t want to spend a bomb. You’ll just get fancier features on a more expensive kettle. Case in point: this £119 number which connects to an app and boils water on demand. Cool, but not necessary.
What is the quietest kettle UK?
The DUALIT Chrome and copper classic kettle from Selfridges is a really great quiet kettle. It has a Whisper Boil feature which cuts out a large proportion of unwanted boiling noise. It also look super sleek, has a viewing window with cup indicators so you can boil the exact right amount of water, a non-drip spout and anti-wobble feet.
For more from Glamour UK Commerce Writer Sophie Cockett, follow her on Instagram @sophiecockettx.