If you’re an avid fan of herbal tea, an electric kettle is what you need. These countertop appliances heat water to its boiling point at the flick of a switch, no hovering over the stove or standing in front of the microwave required. They’re ideal for heating water for cooking as well as instant hot beverages, such as teas. Although a variable temperature kettle may be best if you prefer herbal teas — these let you set alternative final temperatures to suit different brews. Once you have an electric kettle, you won’t know how you lived without it. But, the performance does vary from model to model.
Ultimately, you want a kettle which is quick to boil as well as quiet in use. Some of these appliances can get very loud, and you don’t want it waking up the household first thing. It’s also important that the design be lightweight as well as comfortable to handle. Don’t forget about the aesthetics too — after all, this will likely be on display in your kitchen. So, how can you tell you’re getting the best electric kettle?
That’s where we can help. We’ve done the research to find the best options for every circumstance. We scoured the market, looking for the models that have the most to offer, taking into account any limitations as well as customer reviews. We then compiled our results to formulate the below list. These are the best electric kettles.
The best electric kettles you can buy today
Why you can trust Tom's Guide? Our writers and editors spend hours analyzing and reviewing products, services, and apps to help find what's best for you. Find out more about how we test, analyze, and rate.
With six different temperature settings, the Cuisinart PerfecTemp Cordless Electric Kettle lets tea lovers heat water to the optimal temperature for a variety of teas, choosing between delicate, green, white, oolong and black settings. And if you’re not content with just tea, you’ll love the French press setting which delivers the perfect water temperature to brew coffee in your French press.
If you engage the 30-minute keep warm function, when it’s time for your second cup the water will still be at the perfect temperature, great for refilling your mug during a zoom call. It’s not the cheapest kettle in our list but the features and large capacity make it a versatile choice and tea geeks will love the variety of temperature options.
If you didn’t know better, you’d think this electric kettle was just a black pitcher sitting on the kitchen counter — it has a streamlined, uncluttered appearance and doesn’t look like an appliance at all. Reviewers love that there’s no plastic inside the kettle, as well as the fact that the outside stays cool to the touch. This is due to the double wall construction that not only keeps the outside cool, but insulates the kettle, keeping the water inside hotter for longer.
It doesn’t have a water gauge, so you can’t check how much water is inside, but the flip top lid opens easily and there are markings inside to indicate different fill levels, including the maximum. Sadly, it’s only available in black or silver which won’t suit everyone, but it’s easy to use and boils water as expected.
Budget kettles aren’t always good-looking — they’re usually functional and basic — but with the Bodum Bistro kettle you can choose from three colors to coordinate the kettle with other appliances in your kitchen. Truly, no one will guess that you’ve spent less than $25 on this electric kettle.
The 34 ounce/ 1 liter capacity is on the smaller side, so if you’re looking for a kettle to fill a large French press, this probably won’t fit the bill. The markings on the outside of the kettle show that it can boil 8 cups of water, but it’s really only enough to fill around four standard mugs. However, it’s great for smaller households or people who just want to make one cup of tea at a time.
Premium appliance brand Breville has a reputation for making high quality kitchen appliances with a sleek stainless-steel finish and this kettle is no exception. It’s the most expensive kettle on our list, but it has plenty of features and reviewers praise the sturdy build quality. The large capacity is ample for making hot drinks for the whole family and the 20-minute keep warm function means the water will still be hot when it’s time for a top-up.
Tea lovers can choose the perfect brewing temperature at the touch of a button, with options for green tea, white tea, oolong and black tea. There’s also a coffee button, so you can heat water to the perfect temperature for pour-over coffee. With all these hot drink options, the kettle is sure to keep everyone in the house happy.
The simple aesthetic and multiple color options make this kettle the perfect choice for lovers of sleek and contemporary design. But, it’s not all form over function though — the gooseneck spout is designed for precision pouring, making it the ideal electric kettle for pour over coffee aficionados. This is the kettle one of our editors bought for all his tea- and coffee-drinking.
It’s packed with features and reviewers love the keep warm setting which will maintain a set water temperature for up to an hour. The easy dial control allows you to set the kettle to heat the water to any temperature between 135 – 212oF giving the most precise temperature control of all the kettles on this list. The LCD display on the base shows the real-time temperature inside the kettle as it heats and once you’ve poured the hot water over your coffee or tea bag, the built-in brew stopwatch gives you a quick and convenient way of timing your brew or extraction. What more could you want from a kettle?
KitchenAid is one of those trusted American brands that you can rely on to produce excellent quality appliances. There’s always a great selection of colors to choose from as well and this kettle is no exception — it comes in five colors that you can coordinate with other KitchenAid appliances. The 42 ounce/ 1.25 liter capacity is big enough for most people’s needs, but it’s not the biggest capacity kettle available.
Reviewers like the traditional style of the kettle and the sturdy metal construction, but they noted that the outside of the kettle gets hot to the touch. However, you can rest assured that despite the metal construction, the handle stays cool. If you’re just looking for a bog-standard electric kettle, and you don’t need variable temperature control, then this KitchenAid kettle should fit the bill.
With its retro shape, this 50s inspired Smeg kettle is definitely a showstopper and with eleven amazing colors to choose from, there’s definitely an option that will suit most kitchens. The colors include standard safe options like black, white and cream as well as pastel green, pink and blue and even gold or rose gold — for the more adventurous, there’s even a Dolce & Gabbana patterned version of this kettle. Reviewers particularly love the style and shape of this kettle, but there’s no denying that it’s expensive for an appliance that just boils water.
The 57-ounce/ 1.7 liter capacity means you’ll be able to boil enough water for several hot drinks or a large French press all with a flick of the cute ball switch. There’s a handy water gauge behind the handle that lets you check how much water is inside. The stainless-steel construction gives this kettle a reassuringly durable quality, but the outside does get hot to the touch, which is an important safety consideration.
If you’re a fan of herbal tea, the Chefman 1.8 liter electric glass kettle is the one to get. With a removable tea infuser, you can add your tea leaves directly and brew straight from the kettle. And because the design focuses around tea, this is a variable temperature kettle with seven presets to choose from, ranging from 160-212°F. Plus, there’s a useful keep warm function which lasts for up to an hour once the water has reached its temperature.
There are a few flaws to be aware of with this design though. As you’re brewing tea directly within the kettle, it will require regular cleaning, versus a kettle which simply holds water. And this kettle isn’t the easiest to clean, according to reviews. Some have also flagged that the tea infuser can be tricky to fit as well as remove, which could prove frustrating. Other than that, this electric kettle offers a lot considering its reasonable price. If brewing tea is your predominant reason for buying an electric kettle, it’s certainly worth your consideration.
It might be one of the least expensive kettles on our list, but the Hamilton Beach Electric Kettle has a small 34 ounces/ 1 liter capacity, so it won’t suit large households or people looking for a kettle that will fill a large French press. Having said that, the small capacity means this kettle is also small in size, which makes it the ideal choice for a single person or for a dorm room or RV.
However, this kettle isn’t lacking in safety features. With auto shut-off and boil dry protection, you can rest assured that it’ll switch itself off once boiled or if it boils dry. The 21 ounce/ 0.6-liter minimum fill level does mean you might have to boil more water than you need though. Reviewers like the small size and speed of boiling, but note that the exterior gets hot.
This basic kettle doesn’t offer the kind of sleek style that will please design lovers, but it’s functional and inexpensive — so if these things are at the top of your priority list, then it’s worth considering. The large 57-ounce/ 1.7-liter capacity will give you enough boiling water to make several hot drinks in one go, plus there’s a water gauge so you can easily check whether it needs topping up before you switch it on.
Reviewers like that even when full, this kettle comes to a boil in around seven minutes, then switches off automatically. They also love the sturdy stainless-steel design, but not that the exterior gets hot to the touch. However, the heat-proof plastic handle is safe to grip even when it’s full of boiling water. It might be a no-frills kettle, but it gets the job done and it’s a great price too.
How we tested the best electric kettles
We found the best electric kettles through extensive online research. To even be considered for this list, these models had to have both imposing and consistent reviews which reflected a brilliant performance and design. We also kept an eye out for any complaints or recurring faults to be sure of the quality of these products.
In addition, the specifications had to be top-notch — we factored in the capacity and weight of each kettle to assess the functionality and comfort. For those with variable temperature controls, we also checked the number of settings on offer was sufficient. Finally, the overall aesthetics of the design was taken into account as well as value for money.
How to choose the best electric kettle for you
It's no surprise if you need help with choosing an electric kettle. In fact, I test appliances for a living and I’m surprised electric kettles aren’t more popular in the U.S. So, these appliances are a learning curve for most.
When choosing your electric kettle, you’ll need to consider a few factors before you buy. The overall aesthetics shouldn’t be dismissed when you’re looking at an appliance that will be visible on your kitchen counter. Also, think about how much you’re willing to spend — prices vary drastically and there’s a kettle for every budget. You should also consider:
- Capacity — The majority of kettles range from 30 ounces/ 0.9 liter to 61 ounces/ 1.8 liters. This difference in size impacts how many hot drinks you can make at once. So if you’ve got a larger household, it’s worth considering a kettle with a large capacity.
- Temperature settings — If you just want to boil water, then a simple no-frills kettle will do the job, but tea geeks and coffee aficionados will appreciate a kettle that can heat water to a range of temperatures for optimum brewing. Some also have a keep warm function, so the water temperature is maintained and ready for when you need a top up.
- Safety — Most electric kettles automatically shut off when the water boils, making them safer than stovetop options. But, for added peace of mind, some also have boil dry protection, which means they’ll shut off if there’s no water remaining. And if you want a kettle that doesn’t get too hot on the outside, look for one with a double wall or plastic construction.
How much should you spend on an electric kettle?
Electric kettles can vary greatly in price, with basic entry level models starting from $20, ranging up to $300 for the most premium brands. If you want a kettle with a quality feel to it, such as a soft grip handle or soft open lid, you need to be prepared to pay for it — entry level models tend to feature a basic plastic or stainless steel exterior which will get the job done, but lacks aesthetic appeal. If you want a variable temperature kettle, so you can better control the temperature for herbal teas, this will likely cost you more for the added technology as well. Variable temperature kettles tend to start from $45 for guidance.
You should only pay for what you need when it comes to electric kettles. So don’t be driven to spend more on special features if you’re unlikely to use them, such as a keep warm setting or smart connectivity. Do take the time to check if it comes with energy claims though — a kettle with a good energy rating will cost less to run over time. How much you ultimately spend will be down to your needs and preferences. We recommend coming up with a budget before you start browsing, and then considering the features you require so you don’t spend more than necessary.
Are electric kettles worth it?
The answer to this question depends on how often you’re likely to use an electric kettle. If you’re often heating up water to boiling point via the stove or the microwave, then an electric kettle can save you both time and effort. Plus, it will use less energy in the process too, meaning it will save you money. In addition, the convenience of heating the water at the flick of a switch can't be emphasized enough.
If you’re a fan of herbal teas, then a variable temperature electric kettle is definitely worth considering. With one of these you’ve got greater control over the final temperature, so you can heat the water to the ideal level for brewing different beverages. For instance, green tea requires a brewing temperature of 175 to 185°F, while black tea brews best in water at 200 to 205°F. However, this will add to the price tag, so you should only opt for it if you intend to use it.
Some electric kettles are naturally better than others, so their worth can also vary from model to model. Some perform more efficiently, heating water both quickly and quietly. If you want some guidance on which electric kettle to choose, check out our shortlist above. We’ve scoured the marketplace to find the best electric kettles.
