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From large kettles for a big household, to quiet, small models - we’ve found the best kettles on the market

8 best kettles: limescale filter, glass, and quiet models

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For a nation that’s as pernickety about tea preferences as we Brits tend to be (Yorkshire only. In a chunky mug with a handle that fits all four fingers. Milk absolutely comes last), we appear not to pay much mind to the kettle within which we boil our brew water when, not to be dramatic, but it could make or break our morning cuppas.

There are a million and one kettles on the market – it’s no surprise many of us aren’t up for the tedious task of sifting through them all to find the top contenders. Fortunately for you, if you’re in the market for a new kettle, we did the hard work for you by collating 8 of the best kettles available to buy right now.

A key thing to consider when shopping for the best kettle is water capacity. Kettles typically hold between 1.5L and 1.7L of water so, should a standard tea run involve the making of 6-odd cuppas in your home or office, then a kettle with a larger water capacity is going to be much more efficient. That said, the more water added to a kettle, the heavier it’s going to be – something to bear in mind if you have difficulty lifting heavy objects.

Most kettles have boil dry protection, which prevents the kettle from boiling if there isn’t enough water, and a removable filter in the spout which collects limescale particles. On the subject of safety, though, it’s important to consider the kettle exterior before buying. Stainless steel designs feel hotter to the touch than those made from some other materials, which could be a potential hazard.

Finally, think about kettle design preferences, yes (any colours or shapes that take your fancy, or whether or not you can snag a matching toaster, too), but also consider whether you might like a kettle that offers variable temperature, so you can pour the perfect cup of herbal tea, smart features, so you can pop the kettle on using your phone, or one that has energy efficiency settings, such as quick boil mode.

Now you’re clued up on how to shop a new kettle, browse our roundup of the 8 best kettles.

Interested in kitting out your kitchen further? We have detailed guides to the best non-stick woks, best rice cookers, or consider a multi-cooker for a great hands-off kitchen tool.

Love cooking? Check out our guide to the best charcoal BBQs UK 2022, or brilliant ice cream makers for conjuring perfect gelato.

If hot drinks are your poison, the Hotel Chocolat velvetiser is revoltuionary.

Pros: Adjustable temperature, boil dry protection, concealed heating, cool to touch, keep warm function, matching toaster available.

Cons: Quite large in size.

For the tea and coffee connoisseurs, Bosch’s Styline kettle is ideal. The temperature control feature allows you to choose from four heat settings, depending on your steeping needs, and the keep warm function maintains your chosen water temperature for up to 30 minutes – perfect for when your morning brew gets sidetracked.

It boasts a super-fast boiling time, you’ll be delighted to hear, and a cool-touch exterior – handy for anyone whose instinct is to touch the kettle to remember whether or not you set it to boil (0/10 do not recommend).

It has a faff-free push button operated lid, and it looks pretty sleek too. That said, as many kettle designs taper toward the top, this one does look quite large and chunky in comparison – bear that in mind if you have a compact kitchen with limited counter space.

Colours: Chrome, rose gold pink, cream, white, black, grey.

Pros: Large capacity, fast-boil, retro appearance, matching toaster.

Cons: Can get quite heavy.

Don’t ask us why, but, something about the Funky kettle makes us think it resembles a chicken. A cute one – but a chicken, nonetheless. Poultry likeness aside, it’s raking in rave reviews online for its seamless function and retro-style appearance – and for good reason. It boils really rapidly – but, still quietly – and has a generous 1.7L capacity – cuppas for the whole family in one swift boil.

There’s a rear water level window, which accurately displays the kettle’s contents and glows blue when it’s boiling, and a wide spout for splash-free pours. Matching toasters are available. The main downside is that it gets quite heavy when full.

Pros: Sustainable design, lightweight, modern appearance

Keen to make your daily rituals a little kinder to the planet? Philips’ 5000 Series kettle wins points for its eco credentials. Its design, made from 100% bio-based plastics, reduces its CO2 footprint by an impressive 25% – without compromising on style. Modern in appearance, its neutral tone, feature handle and wooden lid tap into current minimalist-meets-Japandi interior trends.

The 5000 Series has a huge capacity, which is handy, and an easy-to-read water level gauge that also indicates the exact amount of water required for one standard mug of tea – helpful for reducing water waste and energy consumption.

Even when full, it remains fairly easy to lift and manoeuvre around. The central drawback is the reduced wattage, which means it doesn’t boil quite as rapidly as some other kettles on this list.

Colours: Grey, cream, black, stainless steel

Pros: Boil dry protection, quiet boil technology, rapid boil feature

If cheap and cheerful is your cup of tea, look no further than Russell Hobbs’ Quiet Boil Kettle, which sports some handy features, given its price.

The nifty rapid boil function allows you to heat 1, 2, or 3 cups’ worth of water at impressive pace (45 seconds to boil 235ml), whilst the quiet boil technology, which reduces the size of bubbles produced, lessens boiling noise by up to 75% – helpful for the early risers in busy households.

It has a large capacity of 1.7L, equivalent to 6-7 cups of tea, and there’s integrated cord storage within the base, so it can be neatly tidied away between uses, if you favour clear countertops. It comes in four colours, and matching toasters are available.

One thing to be aware of, though: it requires regular descaling to ensure the lid closes properly and the features all work efficiently, so it may be too high maintenance for some.

a lightweight, large capacity kettle

Colours: Mulberry Purple, Sage Green, Earl Grey, Black Treacle, Clotted Cream.

Pros: Large capacity, rapid boil, lightweight, matching toaster.

The Elegancy kettle is Kenwood’s answer to contemporary kitchen appliances. It’s sleek and stylish, with a feature handle and a decorative base, but no less functional. A large 1.7L capacity makes it fit for a busy family home, whilst its ability to boil briskly means it’s a pleasantly efficient option.

It’s lightweight, so it’s fairly easy to manage even when full to capacity, and the wide spout pours smoothly and without splashing.

The water level indicates the ideal amount for a single cuppa, helping to keep water waste down and minimise energy consumption. It’s available in five colours, each as elegant – as the name suggests – as the next.

Colours: Green, black, white, yellow

Pros: Pretty design, large capacity, matching toaster

If you feel unenthused by typical kettle appearances and you’re after something a little more enjoyable to the eye, look no further than DeLonghi’s Ballerina kettle. Inspired by Venetian glasswork, the exterior has a textured glass-like appearance and a tutu-esque shape (hence the name).

It doesn’t have as many fancy features as some of the other kettles on this list, but it does have a generous 1.7L capacity and a 360° swivel base for ease of use. Another bonus: the cords match the kettles in colour, so there’s no jarring contrast that makes the cable stand out.

It comes in four colours and matching toasters are available. It does get quite heavy when full, so bear that in mind before buying. Also worth noting that the tutu shape makes it a little wider than traditional kettles, and therefore requires more counter space.

Colours: Empire Red, Pebbled Palm, Cast Iron Black, Pistachio, Ink Blue, Almond Cream, Imperial Grey, Onyx Black, Candy Apple, Medallion Silver

Pros: Adjustable temperature, soft grip handle, keep-warm function, cool-to-touch.

Cons: Heavy, lower water capacity.

If you take steeping seriously, then KitchenAid’s Artisan kettle should be on your radar. At £179, it doesn’t come cheap, but it does come with a range of impressive features.

For starters, there’s the adjustable temperature, which allows you to choose a temperature, from 50° to 100°, depending on your requirements, then there’s the keep-warm function, which ensures water temperature is maintained for up to 30 minutes (there’s even a handy gauge which lets you know exactly how warm the water is at any given time – even when the kettle is off its base).

We love that the kettle exterior and base remains cool so it can sit on the dining table, ready for tea top-ups, with no worries of damaged surfaces or burnt fingertips, and we love the retro-meets-modern design. That said, at 2.15kg it’s the heaviest kettle in this list, so shouldn’t be your first choice if you have issues with lifting.

Pros: Contoured spout, rapid boil, matching toaster available.

Cons: Can’t think of one.

There’s no questioning the Domus kettle’s quality – it really is superior, and it looks the part, too. It boils quickly and pours well, without water dribbling down the side of the kettle, and it has not one but two measuring windows – one indicates the amount of water in litres, the other one in cups – both of which are easy to read, since they aren’t tucked beneath the handle.

Speaking of handles, this one is heatproof, and has an easy-grip silicone coating, which further improves the pouring experience.

Compared with other models, the Domus kettle is rather compact, so it’s ideal for kitchens where surface space is limited. And, since it has a slightly lower capacity than other kettles available, it’s not quite as heavy – even when full.