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Looking for an electric kettle? We've got you covered. Our comprehensive review ranks the top 13 options available on the market. We spent hours researching the most popular kettles before purchasing the leading models for in-house comparative testing. The kettles range in design from general-purpose to specialty use, and we used them with our favorite pour over coffee makers and to make instant hot cocoa. While performing our tests, we evaluated each contender for various performance qualities, such as boil time, pouring ease, temperature accuracy, material quality, and included features. So, please grab a cup of tea and read through our review. We can help you find the best kettle for your needs and budget.
Boil Time (4 cups): 7 min 1 sec | Temperature Selection: Yes, (140º - 212ºF)
REASONS TO BUY
Precise pour
Simple interface
Temperature controls
REASONS TO AVOID
Inconsistent reaching target temp
No audible boil notification
Pour-over lovers and tea brewers alike will appreciate the Bonavita 1.0L for its variety of presets and capable performance. This sleek, well-designed gooseneck offers a controlled and balanced pour thanks to its ergonomic handle that allows you to easily manipulate your pour speed. Beyond the pour, the Bonavita base has a screen displaying the current temperature and offers a built-in timer for dialing in that perfect pour-over coffee. And for tea drinkers, the temperature controls allow for heat adjustments in 1º increments to brew different tea varietals adequately.
Overall, we're very impressed with this kettle's performance, but we observed a few shortcomings. For example, the Bonavita lacks an audible alert indicating when you reach your desired water temperature. Also, compared to other models we tested, this one takes the longest to reach the desired temperature at maximum fill capacity. However, decrease the kettle by half a cup (3.5 cups of water instead of 4), and the boiling speed is a whopping two minutes faster. Also, we noted temperature discrepancies in the "keep warm" feature, which kept the temperature stable at 4 degrees lower than the selected preset. These flaws may not matter for brewing at home but can be potentially frustrating for high-volume service. Despite these limitations, the Bonavita's merits far outweigh its flaws. If you like the gooseneck style but hope to save a few bucks in outfitting your coffee and tea service kit, we highly recommend taking a look at the high-performing Willow & Everett Gooseneck. Other than its boiling speed, it scored just a hair less than the Bonavita in most categories and even outpaced it when it came to pouring speed. It also sells for about a third less in cost.
The classic Bonavita continues to be our favorite kettle for all manner of hot-water needs.
Boil Time (4 cups): 3 min 60 sec | Temperature Selection: No
REASONS TO BUY
Simple
Easy to fill
Cool to the touch
REASONS TO AVOID
No presets
Slow boiling speed
The Secura Stainless Steel is a good option for anyone looking for a simple, affordable electric kettle. This model offers fun colorways, automatic shut-off, and sturdy insulation at a price that will not break the bank. In addition, this remarkably inexpensive kettle has a large water reservoir making it the easiest to fill out of all the reviewed models.
The pitcher-style spout on the Secura pours relatively smoothly but lacks the precision of a gooseneck kettle. It's lightweight but difficult to keep balanced, creating a challenge when attempting to slow down the speed of your pour. In addition, this kettle does not have water temperature controls or a temperature-holding function. Precise pour and temperature controls are essential for specialty coffee, so this kettle is not a good option for pour-over coffee brewers. However, if you're looking for a straightforward kettle just to boil water, the Secura is an easy choice. If you have the budget to spend a bit more and wouldn't mind a few upgrades, allow us to point you to the larger capacity Hamilton Beach kettle. This Professional Digital model offers a handy temperature-holding function, a 1.7-liter reservoir with a water level indicator, and a number of temperature presets to choose from, all wrapped up in an equally uncomplicated kettle design.
Fun colors and a friendly price-point make the Secura Stainless Steel a good value purchase.
Boil Time (4 cups): 5 min 49 sec | Temperature Selection: Yes, 6 preset temps
REASONS TO BUY
Well-insulated exterior
Option for bottle warmer/sanitizer
No contact with plastic
REASONS TO AVOID
Must hold down the power button to turn on
Difficult for pour-over brewing
The Zwilling Enfinigy Cool Touch Pro is a standard spout electric kettle with a timeless design that will look good on any countertop. The control panel on the baseplate offers useful preset functions to adjust brew temperatures for baby milk/food, teas, coffee, and a full boil. The water reservoir is double-walled, holding in heat while staying cool to the touch on the outside. This model is tall enough to heat a bottle and, paired with the cool-touch design, is a good option for anyone with young children.
While the Zwilling design speaks to many, specialty coffee fans may want to think twice. The opening of this pitcher-style kettle is a bit larger than others, resulting in a broader-streamed pour — it is not nearly as easy as a gooseneck to keep your pour steady and even. Those habitually in a hurry may also see the long boil time — just over 5 minutes for four cups — as an inconvenience. Finally, our testers found that holding the power button down for a few seconds to turn the machine on was an extra nuisance. Yet, this unit has a lot to offer if you're not too particular about your pour. If cool-touch tech isn't a top priority and you are less concerned with pour-over functionality than you are with boil time for your early morning starts, we think you will find a lot to like in the slightly larger Hamilton Beach Professional Digital. It performs even more impressively on most fronts and sells at nearly half the price.
The Zwilling Infinity Cool Touch Pro's double wall design keeps water hot and the outside cool.
Boil Time (3.8 cups): 6 min 38 sec | Temperature Selection: Yes, (104º - 212ºF)
REASONS TO BUY
Excellent control
Well balanced
Integrated stopwatch
REASONS TO AVOID
Slower to heat
Lacks audible boil notification
The Fellow Stagg EKG is an excellent sidekick for brewing pour-over coffee and has become the standard at many high-end specialty cafes. Whether sitting on your desk or coffee bar, this kettle is a statement piece. The EKG offers a beautiful modern design and minimalist base that guarantees not to overcrowd your setup. The narrow gooseneck spout and counterbalanced handle restrict water flow to a slow, steady and controllable stream. These features significantly help in the pursuit of brewing the perfect pour-over coffee. This model also has adjustable temperature controls, a built-in timer, automatic shut-off, and temperature holding — all great features for anyone aiming to hit manual brew recipe targets. You can also upgrade the handle and lid knob to wood for an even classier aesthetic.
On the downside, the EKG has a smaller holding capacity (0.9L) and a relatively long boil time. At first, the temperature rate of rise is pretty fast, but then it creeps slowly up to the 200-degree mark. As a result, it's not great for uses outside the specialty drink realm. However, if your primary hot water need is for pour-over coffee, this kettle is a true pleasure. If you like the EKG's pour-over performance but don't want to stand around quite so long waiting to reach a boil, the well-priced Bonavita 1.0L came in a close second and was our favorite kettle in the lineup due to its superbly precise pouring capabilities and simple, easy-to-use interface.
The Fellow Stagg EKG is our top choice for pour-over brewing.
Credit: Laura Casner
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We've tested all shapes and sizes of kettles to help you find your perfect match.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Why You Should Trust Us
In our pursuit of detailed, data-driven consumer electronics evaluations, we perform extensive and continual research on the most compelling products on the market. In this case, we scoured the web for the most popular electric kettle units, read manufacturer specifications, and consulted experts in the tea and coffee business. Then, after much deliberation, we purchased the best kettles we could find for comparative testing in our lab.
Our exhaustive testing puts every electric kettle through a multi-point performance analysis to rate the most important functions we think users will want to know more about. Each kettle is subjected to more than 15 individual tests to analyze and compare its performance. Our review also utilizes exhaustive research and observations from various testers to develop a well-rounded perspective of use and functionality.
Our testing of electric kettles is divided across five rating metrics:
Pour-Over Ability (30% of overall score weighting)
Pouring Speed (30% weighting)
Boiling Speed (20% weighting)
Added Conveniences (10% weighting)
Filling (10% weighting)
Every member of our test team has spent years developing their in-depth research, analytical, problem-solving, and objective assessment skills, whether through individual studies or diverse life experiences. Director of Testing Austin Palmer took all he learned about research and truth-seeking while studying Criminal Justice at Sam Houston State University and now channels that expertise into building comprehensive testing and reporting plans to vet a wide range of consumer products, including treasured kitchen staples like the electric kettle. He is joined by three others to craft this review: Senior GearLab Editor Penney Garrett, specialty coffee roaster and coffee professional, Liz Nelson, and tea enthusiast Genaveve Bradshaw. Both Penney and Liz know every aspect of the coffee and cafe world inside and out. Together they bring a unique analytic approach and creative flare to the assessment process, with Penney pulling from her background in fine arts (having earned a BFA from the Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design) and Liz from her research-heavy studies in Sociology and Human Services. Gena has conducted hundreds of kitchen appliance tests during her time with GearLab and brings an appetite for understanding the nuances of the best-performing products at the friendliest price points with each category she dives into. Together this crew makes a dynamic team and brings a wealth of knowledge to the table.
We made a whole lot of coffee with each kettle to fully understand the strengths and weaknesses of each model.
Each kettle got filled and refilled to assess the ease or annoyances of this crucial part of the process.
Every component was analyzed in each test.
Analysis and Test Results
Our testers agree that one of life's most wonderful pleasures is enjoying a freshly brewed coffee or tea each morning. An electric kettle can be an excellent investment to enhance your morning ritual. We've tested the top products on the market to help you find the right model for you.
Value
Our rule is never to factor in the price of a product during our testing process. We always want to get a clear picture of the pure performance of a product — and score based solely on this — before considering the price. For this reason, price isn't part of our final scores. The cost will surely be a limiting factor for some, but many folks just want to know how good a product is and base their purchase decision on that, cost aside. However, we know that price is a huge part of deciding what to buy, so we consider it after wrapping up our testing. We believe a high-value product is one that expertly balances cost and performance.
There's no better pick for those truly on a shoestring budget than the Secura Stainless Steel. This basic kettle doesn't have any fancy features (it just heats to boiling and then shuts itself off), and the pour spout will make high-end coffee nerds cringe with the lack of finesse, but if all you need is a large kettle that will get your water to boiling temp, this is the one. If you can spend a little more and want features like temperature holding or preset temperatures for various beverages, the Bonavita 1.0L is one to consider for all-around great performance. For those that know they want a gooseneck kettle for making properly detailed pour-over coffees, the Fellow Stagg EKG is by far our top recommendation. The price is high but fair, and you'll gain features such as single-degree temperature control, a timer, and quick switching between Fahrenheit and Celsius, so you can get as detailed and nerdy as your heart desires.
While not the most precise or high-end, the Secura does its job and comes in some really fun colors to boot.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Pour-Over Ability
Balance, weight, and ergonomics are essential components for creating a properly brewed pour-over coffee. It might seem silly to dive this deep into how a kettle feels when most people only hold them for a few seconds a day. However, for cafe use or specialty brewing at home, a nicely balanced kettle makes a world of difference.
The Fellow Stagg EKG grabbed a perfect score in this metric for being the best pour-over kettle in our review. The counterbalance design of the EKG creates a delicate pour as close to perfection as you can get.
The Fellow's counterbalance design makes it our top choice for pour-over brewing.
Credit: Laura Casner
Although most tend to use these products lightly, we found some kettles clunky and difficult to pour. Given the option between a comfortable, balanced model or an awkward, heavy one, we assume that most prefer the latter. Unfortunately, larger, heavier kettles without a gooseneck spout do not provide the accuracy that manual brewing requires. Conversely, the Fellow, Bonavita, Willow & Everett, and Cosori all feature gooseneck spouts (that discharge from the bottom of the kettle and have a slower pour rate) and handle designs that naturally tilt the unit into a pouring position. As a result, these kettles feel good to hold and, at the same time, promote smooth and precise pours.
Pour-over brew methods require a precise pour to properly extract coffee.
Credit: Laura Casner
Brewing Like a Pro
This review is not a guide to proper coffee brewing techniques. However, we will touch on this subject because it provides the background for the importance of certain electric kettle features. Coffee drinkers vary considerably in palate and attention to detail in their brewing methods. In our tests, we brewed coffee following the industry's highest standards for extraction. If you're looking to up your coffee game, we suggest engaging with a local cafe or roaster and following their recommended extraction parameters. A visit to a specialty shop may also inspire you to invest in brewing equipment if you haven't already. Namely, a top-ranked coffee grinder, dripper, an accurate kitchen scale, and a gooseneck kettle with adjustable temperature settings.
If you really want to up your coffee brewing game, this simple-yet-effective setup can take a mediocre cup of coffee to another level.
Credit: Laura Casner
Coffee experts have long experimented with particle size, water temperature, and brew time to extract the unique flavor profile each coffee region offers. If the variables in the extraction process are limited, you can isolate the factors contributing to desirable flavor outcomes. The result is a procedure that — as a general rule — sets the coffee-to-water ratio at 1:17 (1:15 or 1:16 for those that prefer a stronger cup) and the brew time to three minutes per 360 grams of water. Like many culinary pursuits, merely following directions is not enough. A certain degree of craft is required to achieve the best results. Every region, harvest, and roast will vary ever so slightly and require slight changes in your brew recipes as well. The intention is to deliver hot water to the brew bed in a slow, circular pour with pauses between full saturation and drainage. This method yields an even extraction and maximum flavor.
To evaluate each kettle's pouring accuracy, we placed a carafe and cone dripper with 21 grams of ground coffee on a scale and zeroed it out. Next, we attempted to pour water over the grounds in an even, circular pattern until we achieved full saturation. We then wet the brew bed every 10 - 15 seconds until our scale registered 360 grams of brewed coffee in the carafe.
Dialing in a perfect brew with the incredible finesse of the Fellow Stagg EKG.
Credit: Laura Casner
This coffee-to-water ratio combined with proper pouring technique is known to produce a pour time of approximately three minutes, so it wasn't a surprise that our tester's practiced hand managed to get all the kettles to cluster around this time. However, the raw data does not show the quality of the pour itself. The kettles with chunky proportions and pitcher-style spouts tended to slosh their way to 360 grams faster, leaving the final cup slightly under-extracted. We experienced mixed results regarding pouring ease and accuracy. Only gooseneck models — the Bonavita, Fellow, Willow & Everett, and Cosori — supplied an even flow that saturated the grounds rather than plunging the water through them and pooling underneath.
Gooseneck kettles provide a controlled pour, perfect for manual brews.
Credit: Laura Casner
Pouring Speed
This analysis is primarily for tea drinkers, but hot chocolate lovers may be interested too. In this simple test, we timed how long it took to make a controlled pour of 360 grams (just over 12.5 ounces) of hot water from a kettle directly into a glass, just as one would do when pouring tea with a simple tea bag. Here the results were almost the exact inverse of the pour-over metric above.
The range of pour times was relatively wide, with the Amazon Basics and the Fellow Stagg bookending the class at 5 seconds and 30 seconds, respectively. The Hamilton Beach Professional Digital and Zwilling Cool Touch tied for a close second. Simply put, a gooseneck will pour slowly, and a pitcher-style spout will get water out of the kettle and into your cup faster.
The Fellow Stagg EGK offers great control and balance for manual brewed coffee but the slow pour isn't ideal for other uses.
Credit: Laura Casner
Again, the models with goosenecks pour much slower than those with a pitcher-style spout, but they offer a more controlled pour. However, we think it should be noted that the Willow & Everett and Bonavita kettles pour quickly for a gooseneck — particularly the Willow & Everett. This speed can pose issues for pour-over brewing but can work in your favor for filling a teacup.
Pitcher-style spouts provide a more rapid pour than a gooseneck kettle.
Credit: Laura Casner
Boiling Speed
You may have heard the axiom a watched pot never boils. That might have been true in the past, but no longer! Electric kettles seemingly attack the water and force it to change states right before your eyes. To quantify this action, we ran a simple boil time analysis. We took four cups of 57°F water, poured it into each unit, turned it on, and recorded the time it took the water to reach a rolling boil.
Most of the electric kettles we tested boiled water within approximately 4-5 minutes. The Hamilton Beach Professional Digital achieved the same outcome in a fraction of the time, which makes a big difference if you're running late after hitting the snooze button too many times.
The Hamilton Beach Professional Digital Kettle smoked other kettles in terms of boil speed.
Credit: Laura Casner
A Note About Boil Time
Water's boiling point varies based on atmospheric pressure and — all things being equal — atmospheric pressure decreases with elevation. Our test lab sits at about 6,400 feet above sea level, an elevation that yields a relatively low average boiling point of about 200°F. At sea level, this value rises to ~212°F. Accordingly, don't be surprised if you can't match our reported boil times. However, the observed differences between the kettles should remain the same.
The Cuisinart PerfecTemp helps guide you to the right temperature depending on what you're boiling - and it does it all quickly.
Credit: Laura Casner
Added Conveniences
Several kettles offer additional features that are not common to all the products in this review. The following is a rundown of these features and why they may be necessary for specific kettle applications.
Temperature Control
Some models can heat water to a specific sub-boiling temperature — we refer to this function as temperature control. For example, the Bonavita and Fellow have continuous settings within a range of 140° - 212°F (57° - 100°C). Others, like the Zwilling or Cuisinart PerfecTemp, offer preset options at various increments below boiling. And others, like the Mueller or Amazon Basics, have just one option — boil. Specific water temperatures or single-degree settings are primarily the province of specialty coffee and tea drinkers, as each leaf or bean has a particular temperature that unlocks its full flavor profile potential. A temperature control feature allows you to achieve your exact water temperature preference for other endeavors, too — such as slightly warmed water for activating yeast when baking bread.
Bonavita comes complete with temperature control settings.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Temperature Holding
Temperature holding is simply the ability to set a specific water temperature and have the machine hold the water at that value. This feature is particularly nice if you're doing production pouring in a professional setting or for a big get-together. Think hot toddies at a party or bottomless coffee on Christmas morning with the extended family. About half of the models in the class offer this feature, including the Bonavita, Fellow, and Willow & Everett.
Cosori offers many programmable functions including a temperature hold setting.
Credit: Laura Casner
Built-in Timer
A timer will be invaluable if you plan to use your kettle for specialty brewing of any kind. Sure, you can always use the timer on your phone or stove, but having it built into the kettle is a really nice feature. Again, models geared toward craft coffee enthusiasts like the Fellow Stagg and Bonavita include this helpful feature.
The built-in timer on the Stagg EKG is very helpful for those that need to time their brewing.
Credit: Penney Garrett
App Connectivity
Some kettles connect to an app via Bluetooth, so you can control it from across the house, set custom parameters, or schedule brews. The Cosori is a contender that fits this profile, connecting to an app full of features, like a baby formula mode, so the kettle can be ready when you're ready.
The Cosori app allows you to customize more of your brewing experience.
Credit: Laura Casner
Temperature Alerts
Some kettles will alert the user that their water has come to a boil (or predefined temperature). The Bonavita and Fellow turn off unless set to hold the temperature. Others, such as the Breville the IQ and Zwilling Cool Touch Pro, administer a series of beeps. Basic models like the Amazon Basics and Mueller Ultra have an audible click when the on/off switch returns to the off position.
The Zwilling kettle indicates when water reached has reached preferred temp with a series of beeps.
Credit: Laura Casner
Water Level Indicator
Many kettles, like the Hamilton Beach Professional Digital, have a water level window on the side of the container; others have a minimum and maximum waterline on the interior. Others have no indicators at all. This is a convenient feature but not essential since you can simply look inside. It just depends on if this is useful for you personally, though you'll always want to check that you're not trying to heat an empty kettle. Fancier models like the Fellow Stagg can sense this and turn themselves off, but simplistic budget models may not do this, and you could run the risk of damaging the heating element.
The Hamilton Beach Kettle has a water indicator window inline with the handle.
Credit: Laura Casner
Contact With Plastic?
Most of the kettles in this review have stainless steel interiors, with the exceptions of the glass Mueller, OXO Adjustable Temperature, and Bodum Bistro 34oz. However, water may contact plastic somewhere in the design, even in stainless kettles. For example, the Breville IQ has three points where water contacts plastic, where water in other kettles such as the Bonavita, Fellow, and Secura never come in contact with plastic.
The Secura may be a budget model, but the entirely stainless steel interior certainly helps it level up.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Base
Whether your counter space is large or compact, the base is another factor to consider when choosing your kettle. A solid base that does not move around adds extra ease to your morning. Some baseplate models come adorned with a cord wrap which can alter the stability. Kettles with programmable features are more likely to have a digital display attached to the base. Models like the Bonavita, Willow & Everett, and Fellow have bases that provide clear temperature displays and other features. The Bonavita even comes with a protective cover — a nice feature if your kettle is being used day-in-day-out in a busy cafe or large household.
A nice base with a clear display or buttons (as seen here on the Willow & Everett) can really round out your morning ritual.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Spout
There are two spout types: gooseneck and pitcher-style. A gooseneck spout draws from the bottom of the kettle, whereas a pitcher-style flows from the top. In terms of pouring performance, the main difference between these spouts is the amount of tilt required to pour and the corresponding control over the flow rate. Gooseneck models like the Fellow, Bonavita, Willow & Everett, and Cosori require slight tilting to initiate a pour, and the flow rate is easy to control. The opposite is true for most pitcher-style kettles. We found the Zwilling to be the easiest of the standard pour spouts to use, flowing quite nicely compared to the other pitcher-style models.
The wider the spout the quicker the pour.
Credit: Laura Casner
Capacity
The maximum capacity of the reviewed models ranges from 0.8 - 1.8 liters, with the Cosori Smart Electric being the smallest and the Mueller and Breville IQ tying for the largest. So whether you want a gooseneck or a traditional spout, there is a range of volumes available in each category. Smaller kettles can be easier to control the flow rate for a pour-over; however, most kettles lean towards larger capacities. Kettle size is a factor to consider, especially for anyone who may experience difficulty pouring from a heavy vessel or specialty coffee brewers looking for a precise pour.
If you like to drink cup after cup of tea without refilling or there's a lot of folks all needing hot water at once, a large kettle can keep everyone happy.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Automatic Shut-off
All models in this review turn themselves off automatically when they reach the selected temperature — or a boil — unless set to hold a particular temperature. The automatic shut-off switch on the OXO doesn't engage until 30 minutes after reaching the desired temperature setting, though an extra press of a button will turn it off. The Mueller also delays shut-off for 30 seconds following the boiling point.
This simple kettle has just one push button to turn it on and it automatically clicks off once water boils.
Credit: Laura Casner
Filling
Finally, we assessed how easy it was to fill each kettle. While not a heavily weighted testing metric, this small detail is worth considering since you'll be filling your kettle at least once daily.
We found a theme here: all the gooseneck kettles came with a fully removable lid, while the pitcher-style kettles had an attached lid that flips up. Generally, a fully removable and separate lid made filling much easier. The Zwilling Cool Touch was the one exception, thanks to its large opening and lid that flips up a full 90°.
What size and shape of kettle works best for you?
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Conclusion
This review provides a wide range of information on electric kettles derived from our extensive hands-on testing of these products. Our analysis looks at boiling times, pour rates, and available features. Using these metrics, we highlight kettles best suited to brew pour-over coffee and tea and other kitchen tasks that require hot water in a hurry. Regardless of your budget, this review will help to help match you with a kettle that will satisfy your needs.
—
Genaveve Bradshaw, Penney Garrett, Liz Nelson, and Austin Palmer
