Choosing The Best Electric Kettle

Deciding on an electric kettle

How difficult can it be to decide on which electric kettle to buy? Not very, but hopefully we can give you some tips in this article that you may not have thought about before and thus make your electric kettle purchase an excellent one.

Perhaps you are either moving into your first home, a new home or your existing kettle is either problematic or is unrepairable. Maybe you have just renovated your kitchen and your old kettle looks pretty unsightly against the backdrop of a gleaming new kitchen. Maybe you are buying an electric kettle as a gift. Whatever the scenario, we hope the following simple pointers make buying your electric kettle as satisfying, fun and well considered as possible.

What to look for when buying an electric kettle

Electric kettle base station – many electric kettles are cordless and have a home base station that they click into. This is very convenient, nevertheless be sure to inspect the base station to make sure that spilled water can drain away from the electric connection on the base and not pool around it. This should be a standard safety design. Also ensure the base has a long enough cord to reach your power outlet easily and that the unused length of power cord stores neatly underneath the kettle base.  

Electric kettle lids – the lid of your kettle can be either a thing of simplicity and ease to use, or, highly frustrating. The last thing you need is to struggle with a stuck burning-hot lid, or, a lid that tumbles off when you don’t want it. Also, modern kettle lids should be heat insulated and have hinges or release mechanisms that work smoothly under all conditions.

Electric kettle spouts – the spout of your kettle needs to be fit-for-purpose. If you like accurate slow pouring (like for pour-over coffee), then go for a gooseneck spout. If you need maximum flow of hot water when pouring, then a standard lip spout will be ideal.

Electric kettle handles – the handle of your kettle must stay cool even if it is metal. Most modern kettles have a small insulator between the body of the kettle and the handle. This is just design safety basics.  Additionally the kettle handle should be well balanced and act as a natural counterweight for the design of the kettle. Consider the handle design to ensure there are not awkward pouring actions or painful wrist maneuvers – this will be obvious by just looking at the design.  Some larger kettles have two handles to ensure a safe smooth pouring action

Other considerations – also look at the reviews of any kettle you are buying. Reviews can quickly identify a problematic product no matter how lovely it looks. Check out the returns policy, the warranty, the materials it is constructed from and the country it is made.  Think about how easy the kettle is to fill and clean. Other things like delivery times and shipping may influence your purchase. You need to be comfortable and confident with all these factors.

What size electric kettle is the best?

Often our kettles are much bigger than we need. Think about how your kettle gets used during the day – this will give you clear guidance of the size kettle you will need. Are you serving beverages to a crowd all day or are you making yourself a small cup of coffee once only in the morning and evening? Let this be your guide.

By choosing the right size kettle you will save water and save energy by only using and heating the exact amount of water each time.

Other options besides an electric kettle

As part of your research you might want to also have a look at variable temperature kettles and/or stovetop kettles. You might find that either of these types of kettles may serve your needs much better than a standard electric kettle. It’s worth considering the options – there are unique benefits to all three basic types of kettles.

Happy electric kettle shopping.