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The 16 best kettles. tried and tested for your morning brew
The kettle is a staple in the British kitchen, usually accompanied by a matching toaster. As a nation, we love few things more than a well brewed cup of tea, whether it’s for first thing in the morning, a mid-afternoon pick-me-up or to wind down before bed.
If you’re looking for a new kettle, it can be hard to know where to start. We’ve come a long way from a copper kettle on the stovetop and while some models are straightforward, kettle designs and features have diversified over the years. Now, there are even variable temperature models available which let you select the level to which your water is warmed.
To help you find the best kettle for your kitchen, I’ve trialled models from leading brands including Sage, De’Longhi and Salter, with prices ranging from £30 to over £200. You can find my in-depth reviews below, but first, here’s a quick list of the best performers,
The best kettles: At a glance
How to choose the best kettle
First, consider your budget. Kettles range hugely in price, so it’s important to have a top line figure in mind before you start looking. The models tested for this guide range from £30 to over £200.
Then, think about how you use your kettle. If you regularly make different types of tea and coffee, a variable temperature function will let you tailor your water temperature to your drink. Capacity is important for larger households or for those who entertain often, while kettles with integrated filters are useful in hard water areas where limescale is a common blight.
Of course, it’s also worth considering the look of your kettle. There are rustic, retro, industrial, modern and neutral styles to suit all sorts of kitchen designs, and many models come in plenty of colours to match other appliances such as your fridge-freezer.
Finally, if you’re concerned about the energy consumption of your kettle, we have listed wattages below. It’s not an exact indicator of how much electricity your kettle will use, as this will vary based on how much your boiling and which setting you use, but generally the higher the wattage, the more it will cost to run.
