9 Best kettles 2023 UK; tried and tested
LET’S be honest: for us Brits, the kettle is often our most-used home appliance.
That means that it makes sense to get a model that looks nice and gets to work quickly, without costing you an arm and a leg in electricity.
That’s why we’ve gone out and tested kettles from some of the most popular brands so you can work out which one is the best one for you.
So whether you want something cheap and cheerful or a designed piece to stand out on your countertop, check out our round-up of the best kettles below.
Best kettles at a glance:
- Most environmentally friendly: Vektra
- Most precise: Bosch
- Best quick-boil: Tower
- Best value: Argos
- Most chic design: George
Salter Pyramid kettle
- Salter Pyramid Kettle, £29.99 from Amazon – buy here
There’s no denying this kettle’s stylish design – in on-trend matte grey (in person, the colour has a lovely eggshell blue tinge to it), this Salter pyramid kettle with rose gold plating will look lovely on your kitchen countertop, and you can get a matching toaster, too.
Just be aware that because of its pyramid design, it takes up a decent amount of space, so it’s best for larger kitchens.
It has a 1.7 litre capacity, which is ideal for families, and it sits on a 360-degree swivel base, which makes it easy to lift on and off from any direction. Given that the handle is at the top of the kettle, we feel it’s slightly easier to use if you’re taller.
The water level indicator is easy to read and the whole area lights up when the kettle is in use.
With 3000W of power, the water boils very quickly and there’s also a boil dry sensor for safety.
We found that this kettle needs a bit more care during use, though, as the matte surface is easily scratched. It’s not noticeable unless you’re close up, but it does mean that over time it won’t look as good as new if you’re not careful.
Weight: 1.56kg, Dimensions: 25 x 22. 5 x 31cm, Capacity 1.7L, Power: 3kW
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Breville Edge Electric Kettle
- Breville Edge kettle, £40 from Amazon – buy here
The understated silver design of the Breville Edge Electric Kettle means it’s likely to slot neatly into most kitchens — especially if you also opt to buy the accompanying two-slice toaster.
Sure, it doesn’t have the statement rose-gold accents of the Progress or Salter kettles, but the minimalistic silver and black design will pair with almost anything, making it perfect if you’re a renter who moves between kitchens fairly frequently.
Its 1.7L capacity puts it on par with the Progress and Salter and means it can easily make a round of teas for a crowd, while a 3kW element means that you’re not stuck standing tapping the kitchen counter for too long.
However, the standout feature for us is an illumination that gradually turns the translucent side of the kettle red as it boils; the light then remains red for as long as the water temperature is above 80°C, cutting down on unnecessary boiling, which wastes time and precious energy.
The only downside is that the reflective silver surface needs the occasional wipe-down, but this only takes a couple of seconds while your tea is brewing.
Weight: 1.32kg, Dimensions: 9.04 x 5.94 x 9.84cm, Capacity 1.7L, Power: 3kW
Breville Bold Black Electric Kettle
- Breville bold black kettle, £30 from Amazon – buy here
This isn’t one for silent types – it is a noisy kettle that lets you know when it is working up a steam.
But it is pretty swift to reach 100 degrees, although the ridged textured finish may not be to everyone’s taste.
You can also remove the filter to clean off any limescale, which makes it one of the easiest kettles to keep clean.
Amazon shoppers also agree and praise how small and efficient it is.
One commented: ‘I find it quiet, quick to boil and easy to pour with no excess splashing out of the spout, or dribbling from it.’
‘After filling to the maximum and boiling three times, as recommended, and using fresh water after each boil, there was no plasticky taste.’
Weight: 1.1kg, Dimensions: 9.06 x 6.3 x 9.45 cm, Capacity: 1.7L, Power: 3 KW
Vektra Series 1 Kettle
- Vektra Series 1 kettle, £79.86 from Amazon – buy here
This eco-friendly vacuum kettle takes a while to boil but it should help lower your electricity bills as the water stays hot for up to four hours without using any more energy.
It is pricey, though, so if you’re willing to spend a bit more cash, then this is the kettle for you.
We liked that we could also use this kettle as a carafe and keep it on our dining table to refill cups of tea.
It’s definitely made with some of the highest-quality materials as its Stainless steel design is durable and will see you through years to come.
Shoppers agreed with one saying: ‘It really does keep the water hot enough to make tea/coffee for a good few hours (I’ve not timed it properly) so as soon as I fancy a cup I can make one instantly.’
Weight: 1.58kg, Dimensions: 22 x 15 x 23 cm, Capacity: 1.2L, Power: 1.35 KW
Bosch Styline Kettle
- Bosch Styline Kettle, £64 from Amazon – buy here
The advantage of the innovative Styline is that you can heat the water to lower temperatures such as 70 degrees.
It was also the fastest to reach boiling point in our testing, leaving drinkers waiting just 37 seconds.
In addition, there are four different temperatures to suit different types of beverages; suitable for black tea, green tea, coffee and more.
This kettle is one of the safest designs with an auto shut-off feature, which is handy if you have children in the house.
Amazon shoppers have also praised its temperature control, flavour, energy efficiency as its best features.
Weight: 1.6kg, Dimensions: 22 x 15 x 23 cm, Capacity: 1.5L, Power: 3KW
Tower Cavaletto Kettle
- Tower Cavaletto Kettle, £34.99 from Amazon – buy here
This “rapid boil” kettle lived up to its promise to boil enough water for one cup of tea in “under 45 seconds.”
Lookswise there were some admiring glances at the copper trim and the matte black is particularly stylish.
It’s one of the lightest kettles available, making it ideal if you’re only boiling water for one or two.
But it’s also incredibly sturdy and while it can be slightly noisy, its price tag makes it one of the best value-for-money kettles out there.
One shopper also added: ‘Really well constructed, pouring is excellent. Very pleased with this product. Bought the matching toaster and bread bin as a result.’
Weight: 0.9kg, Dimensions: 8.35 x 5.98 x 9.49 cm, Capacity: 1.7L, Power: 3KW
Cookworks Variable Temperature Glass Kettle
- Cookworks variable temp kettle, £30 at Argos – buy here
The blue lighting is eye-catching, which is handy because you’ll need something to look at while you wait for it to boil.
The glass design makes it easy to see exactly how much water you need and it’s probably one of the best kettles at helping to prevent overboiling.
Shoppers have rated that it’s excellent for a fast boil and has a huge capacity.
However, keep in mind that this is the second slowest and least energy-efficient of the eight tested.
Weight: 1.09kg, Capacity: 1.7L, Power: 2.2KW
Russell Hobbs Groove Kettle
- Russell Hobbs Groove Kettle, £38 from Argos – buy here
This kettle claims to “save up to 66 per cent energy” by boiling the water super-fast and it does use the least energy of all the kettles.
It’s not the cheapest but it could pay off in the long run.
Plus, it’s super easy to clean, simply wipe over stains with a damp cloth.
97% of Argos shoppers said they would recommend it to a friend.
One added: ‘It is lightweight, holds a good amount of water and pours really well without spilling over the spout.’
Weight: 0.91kg, Capacity: 1.7L, Power: 3KW
Cookworks Plastic Kettle
- Cookworks plastic kettle, £8 at Argos – buy here
This affordable kettle from Cookworks is also surprisingly energy efficient, using 38kWh to boil one cuppa.
If you are looking for all-round cost effectiveness this gets a thumbs up.
One of its best features is its quiet boil, which is handy if you have babies that need sleep or work from home.
Plus, it’s the cheapest kettle and also cordless which makes it an ideal addition for small kitchens.
Weight: 0.7kg, Capacity: 1.7L, Power: 2.2KW
Scandi Fast Boil Kettle
- Scandi fast-boil kettle, £24 at George – buy here
Chic, quick and cheap, Asda is ticking lots of boxes with its sleek, matte white and wood effect kettle.
The Scandi is one of the most eco-friendly in terms of watts consumed – and it looks good, too.
The fast boil is excellent for making large portions of water for cooking, and it’s functional design will last you for years.
One happy shopper commented: ‘The lid is easy to get off and it pours nicely. Not too loud. Nicer than the more expensive kettles we’ve had in the past.’
Dimensions: 16.57 x 22.65 x 25.38cm,Weight: 1.2kg, Capacity: 1.7L, Power: 3KW
Where can I buy kettles in the UK?
If you’re looking for a kettle, then you can find it online at most mainstream retailers. Depending on the type of kettle you’re looking for, you can also find it at supermarkets or more specialist kitchen appliance shops. Here are some of the best places to buy a kettle.
How much do kettles cost?
Kettles come at a variety of price points, with more basic kettles priced from just £8 up.
Most will range from £20 – £40, depending on what functions and sizes you’re looking for, and the average price is around the £30 mark.
The most expensive kettle tested in our article is the Vektra at almost £80, and it’s designed with a vacuum design, energy-saving functions and is incredibly efficient.
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