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We've tested hundreds of kettles, so that you know which ones will make a great addition to your kitchen – and the models to avoid.
But in case you don't have time to whittle down the choices for yourself, we've rounded up some of our favourite top-scoring Best Buys to help you find a brilliant kettle in a hurry.
Visit our kettle reviews to see all the kettles we've tested.
Each of the kettles recommended in this table aced our rigorous lab tests, which include in-depth assessments of boiling speed, noise, usability and energy use.
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More Which? recommended kettles:
When buying a new electric kettle, there are a few important things to look for:
Outside of these important considerations, you'll also want to factor in your style and budget.
Style-wise, dome or pyramid kettles have a traditional domed shape with a handle on the top while jug kettles have a taller jug shape with a handle on the side. You'll usually find the water gauge is larger and easier to see on a jug kettle, and the lid can be a bit more fiddly to remove on dome models.
Plastic kettles tend to be lighter than stainless steel or glass - look for a kettle that weighs less than 1kg if you want something that's nice and light.
To find the most energy efficient models, head to our kettle reviews and use the Eco Buy filter.
You can buy a no-frills own-brand kettle for less than a tenner, so what exactly do you get when you pay more?
You're often paying for a premium style, materials and finish. You're also more likely to get extra features such as variable temperature settings.
Cheaper kettles usually have a more basic metal or plastic design, and stick to the basic job of boiling water, though we've seen some pretty stylish budget kettles produced by brands such as Argos and Asda. Budget kettles are also less likely to have a one-cup boil feature, although some models buck the trend.
We've found some brilliant cheaper kettles, and some terrible, expensive ones, so paying more doesn't guarantee a good result.
We picked out a handful of sellers that, at the time of writing, are among the most searched-for retailers, have a wide stock of kettles, and do well in our survey of the best household appliance shops.
From the essential to useful and nice-to-have, here are some of the features you'll see promoted by manufacturers when you're shopping for a kettle.
This automatically turns the kettle off if it doesn't contain enough water.
This is the mesh filter that is typically found in the spout of a kettle. It's particularly essential if you live in an area with hard water.
Hard water can wreak havoc on your kettle, damaging the element and shortening its lifespan. It's also no fun getting bits of scale in your brew.
A limescale filter should be easy to remove for cleaning, and the mesh should be fine enough and fit well to stop any limescale from getting into your cup.
Our kettle reviews rate every kettle for how effective its limescale filter is, as well as whether it's easy to remove, clean and put back in. For kettles that hold up to hard water, check our Best Buy kettles.
Find out more about limescale in how to descale a kettle.
All kettles have a recommended minimum amount of water for boiling, but not every model we test has this minimum level clearly marked.
If both right- and left-handed people are going to be using the kettle, look for water level windows on both sides of the kettle. If there is a window under the handle, make sure the markings are still visible when you’re holding the handle during filling.
Our kettle reviews rate each kettle for how easy it is to see the water level, based on whether they have one or two windows or gauges, where they are positioned and how clear the markings are.
A 360-degree swivel base means you can replace the kettle on the base to face in any direction. Most kettles now have this feature.
Most of the kettles we've tested have concealed elements, which makes them easier to clean, but there are still some kettles available that have exposed elements.
Some kettles have an insulated body so that the outside remains cool enough to touch, even when the water inside is boiling.
Most kettles are now 'cordless'. The power cord attaches to a separate power base so you're not restricted by the length of the cord when filling and pouring.
Cord lengths for most kettles we've reviewed and rated range from 65cm to 80cm, but they can be up to 1m – useful if your power socket is in an inconvenient location.
Most kettles have some sort of illumination to show when they're switched on. The most basic types have a simple light, but illuminating blue switches have recently become all the rage. Glowing water gauges or bases are also common, and are helpful when using the kettle in low light.
To persuade you to part with even more cash, some kettles now illuminate the entire transparent body of the kettle. The water appears to change colour as it boils - often from blue to red.
If you often make tea for one, or just want to save energy, look out for a kettle with a low minimum fill level (less than 300ml). Some kettles will force you to boil as many as four cups' worth in one go, leaving you waiting longer and wasting water and energy.
See our picks of the Best energy-efficient kettles.
A loud whooshing kettle can be really annoying, particularly if you have an open-plan kitchen/living area. Some kettles are marketed as being especially quiet, but this doesn't always hold true.
Less than a third of the kettles we test are rated as notably quiet: we measure the noise level in decibels during boiling and note any unusually piercing or annoying sounds.
Check our reviews and filter for those that score four stars or more for noise if you’re after a quiet operator.
A soft rubberised area on the handle can make it more comfortable to grip and lift.
When this button is pressed, the kettle keeps the water inside warm after you've boiled it, either by warming the water gently or periodically re-boiling it.
Keep-warm functions can use more energy keeping a litre of water warm for 30 minutes and then re-boiling it than would be used to simply re-boil it after a half-hour wait. So it's best to boil only the amount of water you need each time.
If you want a matching set with style to set off your kitchen, there are plenty to choose from. Whatever your design preference, there's almost certainly a kettle to match. Check our electric kettle reviews to filter by glass kettles, brushed steel or chrome kettles, copper kettles, geometric pattern kettles and a wide range of colour options including ever-popular black, red and cream.
See our guide to the Best kettle and toaster sets for a round-up of sets to suit different tastes and budgets. Make sure you also check our toaster reviews to get a matching set that scores well.
This function allows you to select a range of different temperatures to heat your water to. This is handy if you're partial to herbal or green tea, and coffee, as these drinks are better brewed at slightly cooler temperatures.
Coffee is best made with water that's around 90-95°C, while green tea is best with water that's 70-80°C, so look out for kettles that let you set the temperature within these ranges.
For our top picks, see our guide to the Best temperature control kettles
Smart kettles work with an app on your smartphone or tablet, allowing you to check how much water is inside, see how hot the water is and set it to boil remotely. However, they tend to be a lot more expensive than other kettles we’ve tested and you'll still need to fill the kettle (and actually make your tea).
Some kettles have a built-in water filter to save you from having to use a separate water filter jug to fill your kettle. Water is poured into a top container and then filters through into the main body of the kettle. They use replaceable cartridges that generally last one to two months between changes.
Buyng a new kettle? Be sure to recycle your old one. Find out more in How to recycle electrical items.
An increasingly popular (and rather expensive) alternative is to install a boiling water tap and do away with your kettle altogether.
Boiling water taps dispense near-boiling water at the touch of a button. They’re a good way to streamline your kitchen surfaces and some claim to save energy as you’ll never have to pay to heat more water than you need.
However, we’ve found that the savings aren’t all that they seem. While convenient and stylish, they are expensive to buy and often have ongoing maintenance costs which outweigh any potential energy savings.
Find out more about the pros and cons, and how the different boiling water tap brands compare, see our guide to the best boiling water taps
Kettles are one of the most unreliable household gadgets you can buy. More than one in five will break down in the first two years, but some brands have a better track record for reliability than others.
Regularly descaling your kettle will help it to live longer, particularly if you live in a hard water area. Read our guide on how to remove limescale from your kettle for advice.
Choose a kettle that goes the distance. See our round-up of the most reliable kettle brands.
We've tested many hundreds of kettles over the years, so we know a thing or two about how to sort the best from the rest. Our tests are independent and objective: we test each appliance to the same standard so it's easy to compare across different models.
We can tell you how fast each kettle boils, how noisy it is and how efficient it is, plus any annoying ease-of-use issues to consider.
Find out more about our testing in How we test kettles.