If there is a harder working kitchen appliance than an electric kettle, we can’t think what it is.
From early morning to late at night, we fill up the jug and flick on the switch of our electric kettle, and come back a few minutes later to boiling water.
You don’t even realise how much you rely on it until the day your electric kettle gives out and you are left hunting around for a saucepan to boil water in.
A good kettle is a household essential and there are plenty to choose from ranging from basic plastic kettles through to more expensive smart kettles with features like variable temperature settings.
HOW WE CHOOSE PRODUCTS
Our team of experienced writers spend hours researching products to include in articles. We find out what factors make a good product by talking to experts, reviewing test results and analysing thousands of customer reviews, often with the help of a specialist customer rating tool, Find Our View. Once the list of important features is narrowed down, the search starts for the products that rate well against this criteria.
WHAT WE LOOKED FOR IN ELECTRIC KETTLES
Functions: Some of us just want an electric kettle that boils water for a hot drink, while for others the best electric kettle will have variable temperature settings for making tea and coffee.
Noise: You don’t want to wake up the whole house or have to turn up the television every time you boil water.
Price: Our list includes highly-rated budget models as well as more expensive electric kettles.
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TOP RATED ELECTRIC KETTLE
Top-rated
Russell Hobbs Stone Textured Kettle RHK62STN
BEST BUDGET ELECTRIC KETTLE
Kambrook Pour With Ease Electric Kettle, $39 at The Good Guys
Budget Buy
Kambrook Pour With Ease Electric Kettle
Russell Hobbs Montana Stainless Steel Electric Kettle, $63.70 (down from $74.95) at Harris Scarfe
Budget Buy
Russell Hobbs Montana KettleÂ
Morphy Richards Verve 1.7L Black Jug Plastic Kettle, $99 at Appliances Online
Morphy Richards Vevre Electric Kettle
BEST SMART KETTLE
Russell Hobbs 1.7L Addison Digital Kettle, $76.45 (down from $89.95) at Harris Scarfe
Smart Kettle
Russell Hobbs Addison Electric Kettle
Breville the Smart Luxe Stainless Steel Kettle, $249 (down from $329) at Amazon Australia
Smart kettle
Breville The Smart Luxe Stainless Steel Kettle
Smeg Variable Temperature 50s Style Electric Kettle Pastel Blue, $269 at Myer
Colourful
Smeg Variable Temperature 50s Style Electric Kettle KLF04PBAU
BEST DESIGNER KETTLE
KitchenAid 1.7L Artisan Kettle Empire Red, $199 (down from $249) at The Good Guys
Splurge
KitchenAid Artisan Electric Kettle 1.7 Litres
De’Longhi Icona Capitals Electric Kettle Yellow, $139 at Amazon Australia
De'Longhi Icona Capitals Electric Kettle
BEST GLASS KETTLE
Sunbeam Morning Frost Glass Kettle, $89.95 at Myer
Glass kettle
Sunbeam Morning Frost Glass Kettle
HOW DO I CHOOSE A KETTLE?
There are a few factors to take into consideration when choosing your perfect kettle.
• Budget: A smaller budget may get you a model with fewer features, but it will still deliver boiling water.
• Style: Would you prefer a traditional stovetop model, or an electric kettle?
• Capacity: If you’re frequently entertaining, a larger model will allow you to serve up multiple cuppas at a time. But if you’re short on space, a smaller model may be ideal.
• Features: Spend a little more, and you can get high-quality features – including quiet boil, adjustable temperatures, and ergonomic designs.
• Aesthetics: Let’s face it – looks matter. Retro style kettles from brands like Smeg are a little more expensive, but their vintage-chic style is very on-trend and will brighten up your kitchen.
HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU CHANGE YOUR KETTLE?
A kettle should last you between four and six years, so if it’s been that long, consider upgrading. You should also upgrade as soon as your kettle begins to show any signs of serious wear or malfunction, like rusting or excessive scaling.
HOW DO I CLEAN A KETTLE?
They may only be used for boiling water, but kettles can get grimy and require cleaning in order to keep them in top-notch quality for as long as possible. Products like the Breville Kettle Cleaner ($8.95 at Amazon Australia) are a super effective and easy way to remove scale build-up and stains and will give your kettle a new lease on life.
Keep on upgrading your kitchen set up by checking out our roundups of the best bread makers and the best slow cookers for delicious home-cooked loaves and meals.
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Originally published as 10 kettles that will help you make a perfect cuppa every time
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