Best kettles 2024: Which? Best Buys and expert buying advice

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 choice 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.

Only logged-in Which? members can view our recommendations in the table below. If you're not yet a member, join Which? to get instant access to all our reviews.

Best kettles for 2024

Each of the kettles recommended in the table below has aced our rigorous lab tests, which include in-depth assessments of boiling speed, noise, usability and energy use. 

More Which? recommended kettles:

• Best kettle and toaster sets
• Best energy-saving kettles
• Best variable temperature kettles

How to buy the best kettle

When buying a new electric kettle, there are a few important things to look for:

• A minimum fill of 300ml or less Boiling a litre of water often uses more than twice the energy it takes to boil 500ml. So if you’re a habitual tea or coffee drinker, the option to boil water for just one cuppa will save you both time and money.
• A tight-fitting limescale filter It doesn’t matter how good your filter is at catching flakes if there’s a gap that lets limescale slip through. Before buying a kettle, check if you can remove the limescale filter to clean it and look at how snugly it fits the spout. You can read more about limescale filters under Essential Features further down the page.
• A generous maximum fill The bigger a kettle’s maximum capacity, the better. You don’t want to end up hastily boiling another litre because there’s not enough hot water for guests. Most kettles hold around 1.7 litres – enough for around seven cups.
• Quick to boil The power of a kettle ranges from about 2.2kW to 3kW. Higher-wattage kettles are more powerful - they boil faster which uses less energy. Most kettles now have a wattage of 3kW, but we've found that kettles with similar power levels don't always boil at the same speed. Our kettle reviews tell you how long a kettle takes to boil a litre of water, so we can find the fastest models.
• Quick to switch off after boiling A kettle that quickly shuts off once the water reaches boiling point will help to cut your electricity bill. Nearly all new electric kettles switch off automatically but look for a model that overboils for less than five seconds if you want a really efficient kettle. Our kettle reviews will warn you if a kettle is guilty of overboiling.

Outside of these important considerations, you'll also consider 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 Buys filter.

Are cheap kettles any good?

• Kettle prices range from £10 to more than £100
• We've found good and bad models at both ends of the price spectrum

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.

If you're shopping on a budget, use our reviews to find a Great Value kettle. These are at least 20% cheaper than average and score 60% or more, so you can get a decent product at a decent price. 

Where to buy a kettle

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 have a customer score of over 75% in our survey of the best household and appliances shops.

• Amazon offers kettles from brands including Breville, Russell Hobbs, Morphy Richards, and Bosch. You can get free delivery on most kettles if you're a Prime member, with 30 days to return if you're unhappy with your purchase.
• Asda sells kettles from brands such as Swan, Daewoo and Tower, plus several options from its own brand, George. The kettles cost between £13 and £70. Asda offers free click-and-collect from most UK locations, or you can get your kettle delivered from £2.95.
• Currys stocks kettles from Breville, Kenwood, Smeg, and Swan, costing from under £10 to £190 depending on the model. If you don't like the kettle you've chosen, you have 14 days to return it in store, through its partnered pick-up service, or through a DPD drop-off depending on the item and payment method. If you're unsure of how to return your item, you can consult its returns questionnaire.
• DuneIm sells dozens of kettles from a variety of brands including Russell Hobbs, Spectrum and Churchgate. Prices start from £16. It also stocks matching toasters, primarily for its own-brand kettles. You can book a delivery from £3.95, or click and collect in-store for free.
• John Lewis offers kettles from brands including Bosch, KitchenAid, Delonghi and Sage, as well as its own brand. Depending on the model you choose, you might cross the £50 threshold for free delivery. If you'd prefer to collect, it offers free click-and-collect on orders over £30. If you purchase a cheaper kettle, expect to pay £2.50 for click-and-collect, or £4.50 for delivery.

Best kettle features to consider

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.

Essential features

Boil-dry protection

This automatically turns the kettle off if it doesn't contain enough water.

Limescale filter

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.

Water level markings

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.

Useful kettle features

360-degree swivel base

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.

Concealed element

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.

Cool-touch body

Some kettles have an insulated body so that the outside remains cool enough to touch, even when the water inside is boiling.

Cordless design 

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.

Illumination

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. 

Minimum fill/one-cup boil

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-saving kettles. 

Quiet boil 

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.

Soft-touch handle

A soft rubberised area on the handle can make it more comfortable to grip and lift.

Nice-to-have kettle features

Keep-warm function

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.

Matching toasters and other appliances

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.

Multi-temperature settings

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 variable temperature kettles 

Smart functionality

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).

Water filter

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.

Boiling water taps vs kettles

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, are expensive to buy and often have hidden 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 

Which kettle brand is the most reliable?

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.

Choose a kettle that goes the distance. See our round-up of the most reliable kettle brands.

How we test kettles

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 electric kettles.