Top rated
Top rated
- best buy
- Speed
- Quietness
- Minimum fill
Full Access first month £5, then £10.99 per month, cancel at any time
By clicking a retailer link you consent to third party cookies that track your onward journey. If you make a purchase, Which? will receive an affiliate commission which supports our mission to be the UK's consumer champion.
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.
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.
Full Access first month £5, then £10.99 per month, cancel at any time
Full Access first month £5, then £10.99 per month, cancel at any time
Full Access first month £5, then £10.99 per month, cancel at any time
Full Access first month £5, then £10.99 per month, cancel at any time
Full Access first month £5, then £10.99 per month, cancel at any time
To see all our Best Buy and Great Value recommendations, head to our kettle reviews.
The Which? App puts Best Buys in your pocket – browse expert reviews from your phone and enjoy full access to Which? magazine
Find out moreWhen buying a new electric kettle, there are three key things to think about:
From the essential to the optional, here are some of the key features to consider when choosing a kettle.
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.
Some kettles have fill indicators that are hidden behind the handle, making them hard to read. Look out for a large, clear windows if you want to be able to see at a glance how much water is left.
See our round-up of the Best easy-to-use kettles.
A loud whistling 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 electric kettle reviews and filter for those that score four stars or more for noise if you’re after a quiet operator.
These allow 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 work better when brewed at slightly cooler temperatures.
For our top picks, see our guide to the Best variable temperature kettles
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.
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.
Some kettles have built-in water filters, although these can be slow to fill and need to be replaced fairly regularly. We test how effectively every kettle filters limescale, and how easy it is to clean. For kettles that hold up to hard water, check our Best Buy kettles.
Find out more about limescale in How to descale a kettle.
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).
There aren't many around, but if you're keen, check our review of the WeeKett Smart Wi-Fi KE4071TB-GS to see what we thought of the smart features - and if it gets the basics right, too.
For more on kettle features, see Kettle features explained.
An increasingly popular (and rather expensive) alternative is to install a hot water tap and do away with your kettle altogether.
Hot 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. Hot water taps, 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 hot water tap brands compare, go to Quooker, InSinkErator, Grohe and other boiling water taps compared
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. It is possible to get stylish cheaper sets, though, such as the budget Argos copper kettle and toaster set (pictured above.
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.
Sort by price on our kettle reviews page to discover the best cheap kettles.
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.
See our round-up of the most reliable kettle brands.
Unlike some larger appliances such as dishwashers and washing machines, only a small portion of a kettle's environmental impact will come from day-to-day use. You can make a big difference by opting for a kettle that will last you a long time before it needs to be replaced.
If you want to make more sustainable choices, you also need to buy a kettle that boils quickly and has a low minimum fill. This means you don't need to waste energy boiling water you may not end up using, which is better for the planet and your pocket.
Sadly, just because a kettle is 'sustainable' that doesn't necessarily mean it's a good all-around model - that's where our Eco Buy kettles come in. These are models we've chosen because they're excellent performers and are energy efficient. We also prioritise kettles from brands that perform well in our product experience surveys.
To find the most sustainable models, head to our kettle reviews and use the Eco Buys filter.
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.
According to Recycle Now, around one million tonnes of electrical and electronic waste are generated every year. Every item that has either a plug, a charger, batteries or carries a crossed-out wheelie bin logo can be recycled, and that includes kettles.
If your kettle is still in working condition and you've simply gone off the design, you can donate it to charity, sell it to someone else or take it to a council reuse centre.
Kettles that are completely broken need to be disposed of correctly. Some shops, such as Currys PC World, will take your old kettle off your hands and recycle it on your behalf, but otherwise, you'll need to make other arrangements. You could book a slot for your local council to come and collect the broken item, but in most cases, it's cheaper to take it to your local recycling centre yourself.
In some cases, you may need to obtain a permit before dropping off broken items, so check this on your local council's website before you travel anywhere.
Find your nearest recycling location (including stores and council sites) using Recycle Now’s electrical recycling locator.
Find out more about recycling small appliances in How to recycle electrical items.