The Best Electric Kettles in 2023 Tested & Reviewed
An electric kettle is a must-have, especially for fast boiling times in ratio to water volume. Make the right choice from our best electric kettles based on data driven testing.
Electric kettles are still the most efficient appliance for making any hot beverage or getting hot water quickly when you need it. Our trusty electric kettle at Healthy Kitchen 101 has been on the ready for rehydrating dried mushrooms, softening noodles, or reconstituting stock cubes—so we know how important its job is.
Most of all, electric kettles are handy for their rapid boiling time in ratio to water volume—faster than a stovetop kettle or even an induction cooktop. An electric kettle trumps a water boiler too because it pours faster, easier, and cordless kettles can be carried to any point.
How We Test
Hands-on testing has given our team at Healthy Kitchen 101 insights and perspectives that we could never anticipate.
We evaluate an electric kettle’s performance based on its boiling time, energy consumption, noise level, and ability to keep warm.
For the kettle’s design, we check the material, construction, and the features on its carafe, handle, lid, and base.
The design features will dictate how high the kettle’s usability is. We assess how easy the user control is, as well as how easy it is to fill, lift, pour, and clean.
You can read in more detail how we test and score electric kettles.
How We Picked
Choosing and ranking the best electric kettles incorporates a number of things. First and foremost is our hands-on experience combined with expert technical knowledge from our test design team. In addition, we also scour user reviews to find out what matters most to people and we use this to devise our scoring table.
Our Top Picks
The best electric kettle to buy is our pick of the best all-rounder. Other selections will suit different preferences from materials, to design, accessories, and also price.
1. Best Overall: Cuisinart Electric Kettle 6 Presets CPK-17P1
Our Rating See all our test results ↗
- Performance (40%)8.5
- Design (25%)7.6
- Usability (35%)8.4
Things We Like
- Stainless steel carafe
- 5 preset temperatures
- Keep Warm function
- Relatively lightweight
- Top performance
- Intuitive to use
Things We Don’t Like
- Pricey
- Narrow lid opening
The Cuisinart Stainless Steel Electric Kettle CPK-17P1 PerfecTemp with 6 preset temperatures is our supreme champion. Its most outstanding feature is its excellent ability to keep the water as hot as 209°F / 98.5°C for up to 30 minutes after switching off.
In addition, it had the fastest boiling speed in our tests, less than 7 minutes to bring 1.5 liters of room-temperature water (80°F) to a full rolling boil. It was more energy efficient than most, consuming only 148 Wh for the task.
The stainless steel carafe is not only excellent for keeping the water hot, but also for dampening noise during boiling, resulting in just over 70 dB. It’s also surprisingly light and the handle is textured which makes pouring easy.
The Cuisinart has all the desirable features such as an indicator light, water level markings, and a removable mesh filter—all high quality too. Its distinctive control panel has 6 temperature presets from 160°F to 212°F, making the price well worth it.
We thought, however, a couple of improvements could be a wider carafe opening and a stainless steel underside to the lid instead of plastic.
Read our full Cuisinart Electric Kettle 6 Presets CPK-17P1 in-depth review
2. Best Glass: Mueller Ultra Electric Kettle M99S
Our Rating See all our test results ↗
- Performance (40%)8.1
- Design (25%)7.9
- Usability (35%)7.5
Things We Like
- Fast boiling time
- Low energy consumption
- Quite when boiling
- Maintain temperature well after boiling
- Inexpensive
- Easy to use
Things We Don’t Like
- Handle not ideally shaped
- Cord wrap loosely
The Mueller Ultra Electric Kettle M99S is our best glass option, notably for its performance and attractive price tag. Moreover, it has all the design features you’d want in an electric kettle, all of which are high quality.
We were pleasantly surprised with the performance of the Mueller across all four of our tests. Compared to many of its competitors, it had a faster boiling time than the average 8 minutes, consumed less energy than the common 150 Wh, and was quieter than the usual 75 dB. Also, it could retain considerable heat for up to 5 minutes, maintaining 203°F / 95.5°C.
The Mueller is well-constructed with all desirable features including a mesh filter, an LED ring, water-level markings, and more. Its performance surprised us since everything, besides the uncommon shape, was pretty standard.
The Mueller is simply straightforward to use. We had no problem with the controls, filling or pouring water. However, the handle could be slimmer or curved at a more favorable angle to have more space for holding.
Read our full Mueller Ultra Electric Kettle M99S in-depth review
3. Best Stainless Steel: Secura Electric Kettle SWK-1701DA
Our Rating See all our test results ↗
- Performance (40%)7.8
- Design (25%)7.6
- Usability (35%)7.6
Things We Like
- Cool-touch exterior
- Double-walled heat retention
- No plastic contact to water
- Rapid boiling speed
- Affordable
- Large lid opening
Things We Don’t Like
- Energy consumption
- No water-level markings
In terms of having a stainless steel body, the Secura Kettle SWK-1701DA is even better than the Cuisinart. Its double-wall construction keeps the water hot and prevents accidental burns.
There is also no contact between water and plastic parts, which we know some people really appreciate. On top of everything, it only costs a little more than its glass competitors.
The carafe’s large lid opening also makes it extremely easy to fill water and also to clean. However, a silicone band around the lid for tighter seal, a mesh filter, and a water-level window would be nice extras.
Our performance tests confirmed product claims that the double-wall stainless steel helps to boil water faster and retains heat for longer. It took just over 7 minutes to boil 1.5 liters of water and remained at 205°F / 96.5°C after 5 minutes.
As a bonus, the kettle was quiet when boiling, reaching just under 75 dB. However, it consumed 155 Wh, slightly more energy than others.
Read our full Secura Electric Kettle SWK-1701DA in-depth review
4. Best with Tea Infuser: Chefman Electric Kettle with 5 Presets
Our Rating See all our test results ↗
- Performance (40%)6.7
- Design (25%)7.7
- Usability (35%)6.8
Things We Like
- 5 different presets
- Removable tea infuser
- Low price tag
- Quite when boiling
- Removable mesh filter
Things We Don’t Like
- Overly simplified control
- Slow boiling time
- Small opening
- Awkward handle
The Chefman Electric Kettle with 5 Presets RJ11-17-CTI-RL earned its place on our list for its excellent value at a low price. This included a tea infuser and 5 temperature presets (rare enough) plus a well-designed carafe, pop-up lid, control panel, and power base.
Truth be told, however, the kettle’s performance was average at best. Quiet boiling (only 69 dB) was the key to its acceptable performance score. Other than that, it was slow—over 9 minutes to boil 1.5 liters of water—with mid-range energy consumption and heat retention.
Its value propositions might be enough to convince you, but the handle was awkward to hold and the cord storage didn’t wrap well. Also, the lid opening is a little narrow therefore making it difficult to clean inside.
Read our full Chefman Electric Kettle with 5 Presets in-depth review
Close Competitors
- The Zeppoli ZPL-KETTLE is an all-round good performer with an exceptionally quiet boiling phase of 64.7 dB. However, it could be improved with a round three-prong power cord.
- The Comfee CEKG003 is one of our most affordable options and an all-around good glass kettle. It has a fast and very quiet boiling phase, reaching just over 70 dB within the 7 min 30 sec period.
- The Bella 14745 is all about great aesthetics. We chose to feature this kettle for its eye-catching ceramic carafe and practical gooseneck spout. Good looks aside, it was slow to boil.
Things to Consider When Buying
Over the course of us testing different electric kettles, we’ve identified a number of key desirable qualities regarding their performance, design, usability, and lastly, price.
- Aim for 1800 W or above.
- Stainless is best.
- Ideal volume is 1.7 L.
- Temperature control and presets.
- Mesh filter and wide opening.
- Round power cords work best.
- Check the safety features.
Our Expertise
Alan Nguyen is a consumer researcher and writer for Healthy Kitchen 101. His expert insight into kitchen equipment and appliances comes from prior work experience in restaurants, catering, and military kitchens. He is also an avid home cook and foodie.
Working together with the ResearchTesting and Review team (RTR), he began his quest for the best electric kettles by researching countless options before narrowing the race down to 20 distinctive models.
The RTR team then purchased the kettles and ran preliminary test batches before finalizing our testing methodology. Apart from data-driven performance tests, we also evaluated all kettles for user-friendliness and design.
We literally boiled over a hundred liters of water in our testing and evaluation of 20 of the best electric kettles so you will know which is the one for you.
FAQ
Depending on the kettle’s capacity and wattage, it can take from 5 to 9 minutes, with 8 minutes being the average.
Boiling water is one of the most efficient purification methods when you don’t have access to drinkable water or in the case of a service breakdown. And, electric kettles are our number one recommendation for the job. Read more on reasons for using an electric kettle.
To clean the limescale build-up in a kettle, simply boil a mixture of vinegar and water, let it sit for 2 hours, then rinse afterward.
Unless your kettle has an infuser, don’t boil tea directly in it. Put your tea in a teapot and make sure you select the right water temperature from our quick guide.
About your guide
Luna Regina is an accomplished writer and author who dedicates her career to empowering home cooks and making cooking effortless for everyone. She is the founder of HealthyKitchen101.com and HealthyRecipes101.com, where she works with her team to develop easy, nutritious recipes and help aspiring cooks choose the right kitchen appliances.
Alan Nguyen is a writer and product reviewer at HealthyKitchen101. His major in English language teaching taught him to present concise information. In addition to his cooking hobby, he values the practical aspects of household appliances.
Lap is Head of the Research, Testing, and Review Team (RTR Team) at HealthyKitchen101.com, where he directs and supervises the testing of kitchen gadgets and appliances.
