Whether you’re looking to beat the depths of winter’s cold with a hot cuppa or you like to sip warm beverages year-round, electric kettles are a quick, efficient way to heat water without a stove. With most models offering variable heat settings, they’re the best way to get precise brews on pour-over coffees and specialty teas.
To find the best electric kettles, we spent this early winter making ourselves countless cups of tea and pour-over coffee, and in the end we found four great electric kettles to help you brew the perfect cup, whatever your taste and budget.
The Willow & Everett Gooseneck Electric Kettle is a steal for $40. It’s the only kettle we found in its price range that has multiple temperature settings, and it heats water in under 6 minutes. This kettle was also the best-constructed of any gooseneck we tested.
It may be no-frills but the?? Amazon Basics Stainless Steel Electric Kettle gets the job done and is very affordable. Plus, this petite model boils water faster than any we tested.
The best electric kettle overall: Cuisinart CPK-17 PerfecTemp Cordless Electric Kettle
$100 From $70 at Amazon
The sleek Cuisinart CPK-17 PerfecTemp Cordless Electric Kettle, is a simple-to-use electric kettle that has the best combination of capacity, features and control, with useful temperature settings and auditory cues to indicate the beginning and end of its heating cycle — features that other kettles either lacked or didn’t handle as gracefully. This 1.7-liter electric kettle heated up faster than others of similar capacity (and as quickly as many smaller kettles). The only fault we could find is that the Cuisinart is likely not suitable for people hoping to prepare well-extracted pour-over coffees or tea services that require precision pouring, as the spout is wide and stout.
We appreciated the simple, functional design of the Cuisinart far above competitors’. When powered on, the control panel (with six temperature settings, a start button and a keep warm function) illuminates. The capacity measure, gracefully hidden behind its handle, is also illuminated in blue light, so you can easily see how much water has been added. At the beginning and end of each cycle, the Cuisinart kettle beeps, conveniently indicating that warming has begun and finished. The keep-warm setting stays active for 30 minutes. These features — small touches in themselves — add up to a product that feels more useful than the other kettles we tested.
The Cuisinart was one of the fastest electric kettles we tried. It heated to a 212 degree Fahrenheit boil at full capacity in a bit under 6 minutes. Many similarly sized competitors took upwards of 10 minutes to heat. Although it seems like this might not be a big deal, the speed is notable in moments when you’re looking for hot water right away. Plus, the larger capacity is great for situations where more people will be using the kettle, whether that’s in the office or to serve a house full of tea drinkers. We also found the temperature settings to be accurate overall. When the keep-warm setting was activated, the Cuisinart occasionally heated slightly above the marked temperature setting, but otherwise we had no issues.
Although certainly not a deal breaker, the Cuisinart’s large, blunt and wide spout may disappoint people who regularly drink pour-over coffees, or otherwise require slow, higher-precision pouring. We had no issues using it to dispense water into mugs generally, but you can’t pour as slowly and carefully as you can with a gooseneck kettle.
The best gooseneck electric kettle: Willow & Everett Gooseneck Electric Kettle
$71 $40 at Amazon
The Willow & Everett Gooseneck Electric Kettle was one of the best gooseneck electric kettles we tested and at $40 it was easily the best value among them. This kettle was easier to use than many others we tested, with settings that were intuitive and straightforward. The heating element is among the quickest we tried, with one of the highest degrees of accuracy. Plus the design of the heating element and gooseneck themselves are clean, and will look good displayed on a kitchen counter.
The Willow & Everett comes with the features you’d expect from a top-performing kettle, including five preset heat settings and a keep warm function that maintains your chosen temperature for up to half an hour. Like the Cuisinart, each preset temperature displays a legend describing what beverage it’s best suited for. We preferred the Willow & Everett’s preset temperature settings because they let us prepare drinks without the fussiness of dealing with the more granular settings available on the more customizable kettles such as the Fellow Stagg.
Although with a capacity of only 1 liter this kettle is smaller than many others we tried, it was also quicker to heat and its temperature settings were more accurate. The Willow & Everett heated the water to within 1 degree of its stated setting on every test. Additionally, it fully heated the maximum water capacity (1L) in around 5 1/2 minutes, which was among the quickest we tried, even among other small-capacity kettles.
We tested a number of gooseneck kettles for this piece, and among them, the Willow & Everett provided the best combination of features, value and aesthetics. Other models — across the price spectrum — offered far fewer features, didn’t have variable temperature control and were overall slower to heat.
The best budget electric kettle: Amazon Basics Stainless Steel Electric Kettle
$30 at Amazon
For boiling water for a quick cuppa, you can’t beat the ??Amazon Basics Stainless Steel Electric Kettle. It’s small and has a capacity of just 1 liter — or about 4 cups — but that’s enough to boil water for a few mugs or a typical pot of tea. There are no settings on this kettle, not even one to keep water warm. However, it has a water window that’s clearly marked with maximum and minimum fill lines and a button that pops open the lid. To turn on the kettle, you press a large plastic lever, which glows red until the water’s boiled.
In our boil-off, the Amazon Basics was the fastest of all the kettles we tested. Compact in size and resembling a plain old-fashioned stovetop percolator, it’s unobtrusive on a countertop. Tea drinkers who make just a cup or two at a time and don’t come back often for refills will appreciate this speedy, no-frills and very affordable model.
The best splurge electric kettle: Fellow Stagg EKG Electric Gooseneck Kettle
From $165 at Amazon
If you’re looking for a top-of-the-line kettle that offers finer-grained control over temperature, quieter performance and the best looks of anything we tested, the Fellow Stagg EKG Electric Gooseneck Kettle is the best choice. Starting at $165 (some of the fancier finishes cost $20 or $30 more), this kettle isn’t for most people. But those who are particular about the temperature at which they brew coffee or tea and value the ability to adjust temperature in single-degree increments up to 212 degrees Fahrenheit, the Fellow is worth the investment. Along with that adjustability, you get a hold/keep-warm setting and the ability to switch between Celsius and Fahrenheit readings.
The Fellow wasn’t the fastest kettle we tested, but it performed well, heating water to a boil in about 6 minutes. It was also quieter and emitted less steam than every other kettle we tested. The boil seemed to exude a level of calm that no other kettle was able to achieve, and it barely rumbled or shook when it reached the boiling point. While some kettles were very noisy and steamy during their heating process, the Fellow was nearly silent — a sort of jet-black water-heating spaceship. It also has a keep-warm feature that remains active for 60 minutes — one of the longest of any we tried.
Of course, a big part of the appeal of this kettle is that its appearance will please design-minded users. The kettle itself comes in nine finishes (ten, if you count their Broccoli green collaboration with Great Jones). Unlike other kettles, the Fellow Stagg EKG sits on a minimalist square heating element marked by two cleanly integrated circles. The leftmost circle is a small digitized screen that displays the temperature settings in the metric of your choosing (Celsius or Fahrenheit). During heating, it shows what temperature the kettle has already heated the water to, and after heating, it displays what temperature the remaining water is at. The circle on the right is a knob that powers the kettle on with a tap, and then spins to adjust to the desired temperature. Along the back of the heating element are two switches: One activates the keep-warm functionality, and the other toggles between temperature metrics (Celsius or Fahrenheit).
The Fellow Stagg EKG’s handle and spout are placed at slightly different angles from most other gooseneck kettles we tested, but it is pleasant to use and handles comfortably. It poured hot water smoothly at a slow but even pace, perfectly suited to making pour-over coffee. We had some issues initially with sputtering, but found that keeping the lid’s ventilation holes pointed toward the handle let water flow smoothly.
While we do expect to see more user complaints from an expensive item like this, we noted some users reported that their Fellow Stagg EKG kettles have failed entirely, out of the blue, after only a few months, while others encountered temperature screen glitches or failures. That said, the kettle is covered by a one-year warranty.
How to pick an electric kettle
Good to know
All the models we tested brought water to a boil and didn’t leak. It took them between almost four to just over six minutes to boil 900 grams or about 3-3/4 cups of water. That means, unless you are in a huge time crunch, there’s not a huge difference in how long it takes them to come to a boil. What distinguishes electric kettles are the features they offer and their design. Below are things to think about before you make a purchase.
What will you use an electric kettle for?
If you’re strictly a tea drinker and pretty much stick to steeping traditional black tea bags or leaves, you don’t need a fancy kettle with a gooseneck spout and a variety of temperature settings. On the other hand, if you regularly brew pour-over coffee, you’ll love the way a thin curvy spout lets you direct the water slowly and precisely over ground coffee in a filter. Tea gourmets who want to brew specific varietals at optimal temperatures will appreciate a kettle with multiple temperature settings.
Do you brew a cuppa or a pot?
Most electric kettles are generously sized, and we’re guessing you’ll use yours?regularly, so you’ll want to give it dedicated space on your countertop near an electrical outlet. Plus, the larger the capacity, the heavier the kettle. If you primarily make a mug or two of tea, look for a smaller model that will take up less of your precious countertop real estate and be easier to lift and pour.
Other things to consider
A keep-warm setting is a real benefit for a household of tea drinkers that don’t sit down to breakfast together and come back to refill their cups.
On most electric tea kettles, the body gets too hot to touch. If you use your kettle throughout the day and are concerned about accidental contact burns, opt for a kettle with an insulated stay-cool surface.
The aesthetics of the kettle are a personal choice. It’s up to you to decide if it’s worth paying top dollar for a stylish appliance. While a well-designed kettle may also be more durable, you could replace a basic model several times for the price of some of the fancier kettles.
How we tested
We tested each electric kettle by filling it to its maximum fill-line and setting it to boil (for most kettles we tested this was the only setting). We noted how long each kettle took to boil when filled to capacity, and checked the temperature of the water using a probe thermometer immediately after each heating cycle was completed. For kettles that had multiple temperature settings, we tested each level individually, filling the kettle with cold tap water each time, and measuring the temperature of the water immediately after the heating cycle completed. We also tested the keep-warm setting on kettles that had one by waiting around ten minutes after the initial warmup, and periodically checking the temperature of the water with a probe thermometer for consistency. Beyond functionality tests, we also assessed the following:
- Design: We evaluated how the kettles looked, and noted if there were any features or placements that were especially pleasing or frustrating.
- Alerts: Did the kettle have any visual or auditory cues to indicate the warming cycle was complete? How did they compare to other models’, and were the cues helpful or just annoying?
- Ease of pouring: For gooseneck kettles, we tested pour-over coffee performances over a Kalita Wave for consistency of pouring. For the standard design kettles, we noted how smooth or choppy the water stream was coming from the kettle, and whether it splashed when pouring.
- Ease of cleaning: While this was a non-issue for most kettles we tried, we took note of any design flaws or construction quirks that might make it easier or harder to keep the kettles clean.
Other electric kettles we tested
Ninja Precision Temperature Kettle KT200
From $80 at Amazon; $92 $80 at Wayfair
The stainless steel Ninja Precision Temperature Kettle KT200 was a very close runner-up for best overall electric kettle. Reasonably priced yet solidly constructed, it has pretty much everything you could want in a kettle. It missed the ultimate cut because it’s slightly less stylish than the Cuisinart PerfecTemp and the control panel is on the base where it’s a little harder to read than on the handle. Of the 1.7-liter/7-cup kettles we tested, it’s the most compact in width and height. In addition to tea, coffee, boil and hold temp settings, it has pads to adjust the temperature in five-degree increments. While it’s heating, the Ninja displays the water temperature as it rises, so if you want to “watch the kettle boil” you can. The fill marks are very easy to read and marked in cups as well as liters, and there are also easy-to-see max- and min-fill lines inside. The lid snaps open with the push of a button, and when a heat cycle is complete, the kettle sounds a low beep.
As to performance, the Ninja was among the fastest kettles we tested and extremely accurate at each of its settings. On its 30-minute hold-temp setting, it kept water just under a boil.
We can highly recommend this kettle to just about anyone and particularly to those who want a large capacity but are looking to conserve as much countertop space as possible.
Breville The Smart Kettle Luxe
$200 at Amazon; $300 $200 at Wayfair
From the minute you lift it out of the box, you can sense that the 1.7 liter (7 cups)?Breville The Smart Kettle Luxe is a high quality product. It’s beautifully finished in stainless steel with a handle that looks like it could open a fridge. When you press a button, the lid rises slowly and smoothly. The design of the spout helps water to flow out in a thin directed stream. While you can’t pour as slowly and steadily as from a gooseneck, this kettle would be a fine choice in homes where?both coffee and tea are often served. On the control panel, there’s a choice of four temperature settings in addition to boil and a 20-minute keep warm button.
However, the Breville’s performance was just average in terms of speed and the accuracy of temperature settings. And then there’s definite downsides. Yes, it’s well constructed but it’s also heavy. We love that the measurement markings on one of the water windows are in cups but they’re difficult to see. And lastly, the Breville costs more than twice as much as the Cuisinart. You have to really love its look and feel to pay $200 for what’s basically a “pot to boil water”. In addition to stainless steel, you can choose from eight other sophisticated finishes including red velvet cake, champagne and damson blue.
Beautiful by Drew Barrymore 1.7L Programmable Temperature Kettle with Touch-Activated Display
$40 at Walmart
The Beautiful by Drew Barrymore 1.7L Programmable Temperature Kettle with Touch-Activated Display offers a lot for the money. As soon as you plug it in, an electronic control panel appears right on the body of the kettle where it’s easy to see and program. You’re given a choice of 212 degrees or three other preset temperatures and can also adjust the temperature in 5 degree increments as well as activate a keep warm setting for 30 minutes. While the water’s heating, the rising temperature is displayed so you can track the water’s progress.
With a matte finish in a choice of black, white or five other colors and a gold accented handle, this kettle is attractive although we’ll leave it up to you to decide if it’s beautiful. It’s also very well insulated and one of only two models we tested with an exterior that stays cool to the touch. However this is a tall and bulky kettle and at about six and a half pounds filled to capacity is heavier than most.
Zwilling ENFINIGY 1.5 l, Cool Touch Kettle Pro
$170 $150 at Amazon and Wayfair
Although the Zwilling ENFINIGY 1.5 l, Cool Touch Kettle Pro has a sleek carafe and a slightly smaller volume (about 6 ? cups) than many kettles, it’s one of the tallest we tested. Plus, it has a control panel that protrudes from the base, so it takes up more room on the countertop. The selection of eight settings includes one for warming a baby bottle and a half-hour keep warm cycle. As the spout is small and the kettle is tall, it’s a little awkward to pour in a steady stream from this model. However, the Zwilling offers a big benefit in that the surface doesn’t get too hot to touch. The carafe is offered in black, silver, gold and rose gold.
SMEG Electric Kettle
From $189 at Wayfair and Amazon
The SMEG Electric Kettle is one gorgeous appliance. It comes in 17 finishes including an ultra-pricey Dolce & Gabbana design. However, although it’s solidly constructed, it has no special features and costs $150 or more depending on which color you choose. In our tests, it was one of the fastest at heating up and we loved the way it poured water beautifully in a thin stream. It holds 57 ounces or about 7 cups. Our only quibble is that the fill lines behind the handle are difficult to see. If you simply want to boil water, but want to do it in style and have the dough, go ahead and splurge.
Aarke Electric Kettle
$259 at Goop
The Aarke Electric Kettle is exquisite: In a world of angular and boxy kettles, the silo-shaped kettle — which looks as if it’s been formed out of a single piece of shiny stainless steel — is a gleaming outlier.
The electric kettle (like its sibling, the Aarke Carbonator Pro) is well designed and feels sturdy at nearly 4 pounds. It’s hefty; yet not too heavy to hold while pouring. The lid releases with the push of a button and there’s an easy-to-see max fill line to make sure you don’t add more than 40 ounces (1.2 liters) of water. The wide spout pours evenly and without dripping, though its shape and size are more suited to filling mugs or bowls than a pour-over coffee set-up, limiting its utility a bit compared to high-end competitors like the Fellow Stagg EKG (which is also considerably less expensive).
Once plugged in, you use the toggle to pick a temperature (five options between 100 and 212 degrees Fahrenheit). The kettle warms with a light whooshing and a LED indicator pulses before going solid at the desired temperature. A full kettle reached 212 degrees Fahrenheit in under 6 minutes. As time passes and the water cools, the temperature updates on the base so you know if it needs to be reheated. There’s also an automatic shut-off if all your water boils off.
The Aarke isn’t exactly easy to clean — it’s a fingerprint magnet — but the included microfiber cloth does a good job of eliminating smudges and dust. Inside, It has a built-in descaling filter that is dishwasher safe; but the manufacturer recommends a descaling once every two months.
The only real downside is that like a sports car with plenty of chrome, you’ll likely suffer some sticker shock at seeing an appliance twice the price of many kettles. But if you like the look and you’re willing to pay for it (and you aren’t into pour-over coffee or other slow preparation methods) it does the job admirably.
Breville Crystal Clear Electric Kettle
$150 $94 at Wayfair; $100 at Williams-Sonoma
We liked the Breville Crystal Clear Electric Kettle and nearly recommended it, but the price is a bit high for such a simplistic kettle, and we have read multiple user complaints about the lid breaking after only a few years of use (plus it’s expensive to replace). That said, if you’re looking for a glass kettle that looks attractive, has simple features and heats up moderately quickly, the Breville is a great option. We liked that the soft-hinge top pops open silently with the push of a button. And the Breville isn’t fussy to use, with a simple on-off switch below the handle. With a 1-year warranty (and extended warranty purchase options from Breville) this kettle is great for light use, if you aren’t worried about the hinging lid breaking.
Oxo Brew Cordless Glass Electric Kettle
$84 at Amazon
We loved the look and features of the Oxo Brew Cordless Glass Electric Kettle, but it was the slowest to heat of any we tested, and the kettle is likely too tall for most kitchens. At 11.5 inches tall, it is clunky under most kitchen cabinets, and some reviewers even report the height makes this kettle unstable. The Oxo also heated water slower than any other we tested, and it seemed to run a bit hot, often reading 3-5 degrees above the set temperature when its heating cycle was complete.
KitchenAid KEK1222PT
$100 From $80 at Amazon
The KitchenAid KEK1222PT electric kettle was pleasing to look at in its signature minty green color, but its construction was too irritating to overlook. Like a stovetop kettle, this one has a handle that sweeps across the top, but, annoyingly, it doesn’t hinge to either side for cleaning or filling. So in order to access the kettle’s opening, you’re always battling the stationary handle going across the top. If you can overlook this, the KitchenAid kettle is a reasonable 1.25 liters, and performed well in our tests, heating water in just under 6 minutes.
Bodum Melior Gooseneck
$55 $40 at Amazon; $50 $45 at Wayfair
The Bodum Melior Gooseneck is a good value and looks attractive. It doesn’t have any special features, but it pours smoothly for a great pour-over. We found that despite the handle and lid-pull made from cork, the Bodum felt flimsy when handling, like many of the cheaper kettles we tested.
Hario V60 Buono Drip Kettle
$81 at Amazon
If you want a solidly made, no-frills gooseneck kettle that holds its own among pricier options, the Hario V60 Buono Drip Kettle is a decent choice. It doesn’t have multiple temperature settings or a keep-warm function and was solidly average on heating time (around 6 1/2 minutes), but it is well built and, if you don’t mind the basic functions, a good choice.
Hamilton Beach Glass Electric Tea Kettle
$28 at Amazon; $35 $28 at Wayfair
If you’re on a budget and don’t need multiple temperatures or a keep-warm setting but do want a large capacity, the 1.7-liter/7-cup?Hamilton Beach Glass Electric Tea Kettle is worth your consideration. It heats water quickly but costs half the price of most we tested. With its clear glass carafe, it also looks better than other inexpensive models.
The Hamilton Beach has a simple-to-use on-off lever and a hinged lid that releases when you pinch buttons on both sides of the lid at once. To keep it in the open position, you have to press the lid back firmly. While the kettle heats, an attractive ring of blue light appears at the bottom of the carafe and shuts off when the water boils. The Hamilton Beach has a pointy spout that dispenses water thinly, but the kettle is bottom heavy and doesn’t feel well balanced as you pour. All in all, if price is a priority and you like being able to watch your water boil, you’ll be happy with this kettle.
Capresso H2O Plus Glass Water Kettle
$60 at Williams-Sonoma; $100 $53 at Wayfair
The Capresso H2O Plus Glass Water Kettle felt poorly made overall. The lid felt like it was about to break off when we opened the kettle. We also noticed that after a few rounds of testing the heating element was already discolored, despite being basically brand new.
Hamilton Beach 40880 Electric Kettle
$37 at Amazon and Wayfair
We liked the Hamilton Beach 40880 Electric Kettle, but it didn’t stand out in any notable ways. The heating was average and the materials felt fine. If you’ve been considering this kettle over the other Hamilton Beach we recommend, it would be a good alternative option. With a 1.7-liter capacity, this kettle’s capability goes a bit further with every use.
Cosori Speed-Boil Electric Kettle
$40 at Amazon
The Cosori Speed-Boil Electric Kettle is decently attractive, but was among the slower to heat up that we tested.
Mueller Ultra Kettle M99S
$35 at Amazon
Another glass kettle, the Mueller Ultra Kettle M99S took nearly 10 minutes to heat to boiling at full capacity. With a simple design and no other notable features, we’d recommend our top picks instead.
Chefman Electric Glass Kettle
$28 From $22 at Amazon
Although the tea basket that comes with the Chefman Electric Glass Kettle is novel, it also took more than 9 minutes to fully heat up. This kettle works well, though, and if you want something a bit cheaper than our budget recommendation from Hamilton Beach or need a kettle with greater capacity, it might be for you.
