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An electric kettle is a staple of modern kitchen accessories. These self-contained cookers are safer to use because they don’t require an open flame. Plus, they offer more precise temperature control and even boil water quicker than their stove-reliant counterparts—making them essential kitchen tools. While there are several styles from which to choose, the best electric kettles have a gooseneck spout that allows for precision pouring. This is useful for brewing more delicate coffees where a heavier-flow kettle might over-agitate the grinds. Here are the best electric kettles that fit the bill.

How we chose the best electric kettles

While it’s easy to assume that all electric kettles offer similar performance, a number of factors affect their functionality. Several years of experience covering home goods and appliances and extensive recent product research went into choosing our final curated selection. We reviewed over 30 kettles and weighed several practical considerations before making our recommendations.

The best electric kettles: Reviews & Recommendations

Below, you’ll find standard-sized kettles with capacities of between 1 and 2 liters, which are the most popular choice and work best for most users. We opted only to include kettles made with stainless steel or glass and excluded plastic kettles, as growing health concerns make them unpopular with modern shoppers. We also preferred models with added features like temperature control, a keep-warm setting, and a cordless design.

Best overall: Cuisinart CPK-17 PerfecTemp Cordless Electric Kettle

Cuisinart

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Why it made the cut: The Cuisinart CPK-17 PerfecTemp Cordless Electric Kettle allows tea drinkers and coffee aficionados to brew themselves the perfect beverage by selecting one of this model’s six temperature pre-sets.

Specs

  • Capacity: 1.7 liters
  • Material: Stainless steel
  • Power capacity: 1,500 watts

Pros

  • Includes precise temperature controls
  • Features a Keep Warm setting
  • High power capacity means it heats up quickly
  • Includes automatic shutoff

Cons

  • High price

Our top pick is this electric kettle from Cuisinart. What sets this model apart is that it comes with six temperature presets, allowing users to customize their water temperature to best suit the beverage they’re preparing. Cuisinart recommends 160 degrees for delicate teas, 175 degrees for green tea, 185 degrees for white tea, 190 degrees for oolong tea, and 200 degrees for French press coffee.

The Cuisinart heats up quickly due to a 1,500-watt power capacity, taking just a couple of minutes to bring 1.7 liters (7.2 cups) of water to a boil. Additionally, a Keep Warm button maintains the water’s temperature for 30 minutes, which is perfect for those prone to forgetting about the kettle after setting it to boil. Automatic shutoff and a dry boil prevention feature are handy additions for added safety.

Best gooseneck: COSORI Electric Gooseneck Kettle

COSORI

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Why it made the cut: There are a number of gooseneck kettles on the market, but users love the precise temperature controls and trendy look of this model from Cosori.

Specs

  • Capacity: 0.8 liters
  • Material: Stainless steel
  • Power capacity: 1,200 watts

Pros

  • Features temperature control pre-sets
  • Maintains the temperature for 60 minutes
  • Water boils in under 5 minutes

Cons

  • Low capacity

Those looking to pour water over coffee grounds or tea leaves will appreciate the slim gooseneck spout of this kettle from Cosori. It’s made from stainless steel with a trendy matte black finish that will look striking in a modern kitchen. Since it’s designed for coffee and tea experts, it has several temperature presets for different types of beverages: 170 degrees (white tea), 180 degrees (green tea), 195 degrees (oolong tea), 205 degrees (coffee), and 212 degrees (black tea). As an added bonus, a Hold Temp button maintains the water’s temperature for 60 minutes. A full carafe boils quickly, in between 3 and 5 minutes.

Because it’s designed primarily for making delicate teas and pour-over coffee, it has a low capacity of 0.8 liters. While this is sufficient for preparing a couple of hot beverages, it’s not the ideal choice for households that need large quantities of boiling water on a regular basis.

Best glass: Pohl Schmitt 1.7L Electric Kettle

Pohl Schmitt

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Why it made the cut: This glass kettle from Pohl Schmitt is simple but well-made, featuring one-touch control and durable construction.

Specs

  • Capacity: 1.7 liters (7.2 cups)
  • Material: Glass
  • Power capacity: N/A

Pros

  • Made with borosilicate glass
  • LED indicator light
  • Features a micro stainless steel filter

Cons

  • Lacks temperature control

Glass kettles are becoming increasingly popular, but they’re not all created equally. This model from Pohl Schmitt is constructed with high-quality borosilicate glass, which is durable and resistant to scratches and scuffs. All plastic components in the kettle’s construction are encased in a layer of stainless steel to prevent them from coming into contact with the boiling water. A micro stainless steel filter prevents sediment and calcium buildup from pouring into your beverage.

It’s able to heat up water in between 3 and 7 minutes. The heating element is concealed, making for a sleek visual appearance. A blue LED light alerts users when the kettle is powered on and turns off when the water has boiled. Thirty seconds after the water has boiled, the kettle shuts off automatically. The kettle can also detect when there’s no water inside and will not power on to prevent dry boiling.

Best retro: Smeg KLF03PBUS Electric Kettle

Smeg

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Why it made the cut: This kettle from Smeg merges style and function, featuring a vintage-inspired design, stainless steel construction, and modern technical features.

Specs

  • Capacity: 1.7 liters (7.2 cups)
  • Material: Stainless steel
  • Power capacity: 1,500 watts

Pros

  • Fun retro design
  • Available in 7 colors
  • Includes automatic shutoff

Cons

  • High price
  • Lacks temperature control

Kettles aren’t exactly known for being remarkable in terms of their aesthetics. Still, Smeg has made a name for itself by creating vintage-inspired appliances that stand out in any kitchen. The company’s products merge modern technology with nostalgic design, and Smegs’ kettle is no exception. It’s constructed from stainless steel but features a powder coating that gives it its distinctive appearance. The kettle is available in 7 colors to best suit the style of your kitchen: red, pastel blue, black, white, pastel green, matte champagne, and pink.

Its practical features include an automatic shutoff, a non-slip base, an integrated cord wrap, and a stainless steel filter. While this model doesn’t provide temperature control, the brand does offer another model that allows users to control the temperature. And it sure looks good on Instagram.

Best splurge: Fellow Stagg EKG Pro Studio Electric Gooseneck Kettle

Fellow

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Why it made the cut: Sleek, with precise controls, the Fellow Stagg EKG is the kettle that most makes you feel like you’re a professional barista, allowing you to achieve the perfect steep, though the price is steep, too.

Specs

  • Capacity: 0.9 liters
  • Material: Stainless steel
  • Power capacity: 1,200 watts

Pros

  • Presets for the most common coffee preparations/tea styles
  • Clock/stopwatch on the stand
  • Intelligent keep-warm function
  • Receives firmware/feature updates over WiFi

Cons

  • High price
  • No easy way to know if it needs to be refilled
  • Chimes are a bit soft

As elegant as it is effective, the Fellow Stagg EKG kettle assures that you get a precision stream of water at its optimal temperature, no matter what beverage you want to brew. A statement piece, this kettle screams championship cupping while its quick heating is just as perfect for that last-minute craving for some bedtime chamomile.

Sure, you’re paying over $200, but it comes on a pleasingly minimalism metal and glass base with a single control knob and a full-color LCD that displays the time, to-the-degree temperature control, or stopwatch to time extraction. And with multiple presets, the ability to schedule a boil, and the ability to set altitude and how long water stays hot, this kettle is worthy of its counter space. Plus, the controlled pour assures all your grinds/looseleaf tea achieves equally beautiful expression. Sure, the best drip-coffee makers may be more set-and-forget, but there’s just something about tasting the result of getting it just right.

Best budget: Mueller Ultra Kettle: Model No. M99S

Mueller

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Why it made the cut: The Mueller Ultra Kettle is made with durable borosilicate glass and allows users to watch the water boil with the added effect of blue LED light.

Specs

  • Capacity: 1.8 liters
  • Material: Glass
  • Power capacity: 1,500 watts

Pros

  • Features automatic shutoff
  • High power capacity
  • Constructed from borosilicate glass

Cons

  • Lacks temperature control

A high-quality kettle doesn’t need to be a major financial investment. This one from Mueller features translucent glass construction, allowing you to watch the water boil, and it’s lit with a blue-toned LED light, which enhances the visual effect. It’s made with borosilicate glass, which is an ultra-durable type of glass that is crafted to withstand dramatic temperature fluctuations, like the ones a kettle experiences when it boils cold water. This prevents the glass from shattering.

Many budget kettles are smaller with a lower water capacity, but this one has a high capacity of 1.8 liters. For added safety, this kettle has both automatic shut-off and dry boil protection. One downside is that this model lacks temperature control, so while it’s ideal for those who mostly use boiled water for cooking and making black tea, it may not be suitable for more discerning tea and coffee drinkers.

What to consider when choosing an electric kettle

With so many electric water boilers on the market, choosing the right one for your home requires careful consideration. Keep the following factors in mind while making your purchase:

Size and capacity

The capacity of a kettle is measured in either quarts or liters. It’s important to choose the size that best suits your household’s needs. Generally speaking, kettles have capacities of between 1 and 2 liters (4.2 and 8.4 cups). A larger kettle is handy when boiling water quickly for cooking while a smaller model is a great choice for those with limited counter space.

Temperature control

While the most basic electric kettles simply bring water to a boiling point, more high-end models have advanced temperature control capabilities, allowing users to customize the exact temperature of the water as needed. This comes in handy when you want a lower temperature for brewing delicate tea leaves or making pour-over coffee. Kettles with temperature control tend to be more expensive than those without.

Material

Electric kettles can be made from a variety of materials, but the most popular are stainless steel, glass, and plastic.

Stainless steel kettles are the most commonly available option on the market. They are durable, affordable, and stylish, matching other stainless steel kitchen appliances. One potential downside is that stainless steel may rust over time. Glass kettles are a relatively new innovation and provide a fun visual effect, allowing users to watch the water as it boils. They often have built-in lighting to enhance the experience. Plastic is used for budget electric kettles but is decreasing in popularity because of safety concerns about the potentially harmful chemicals that certain plastics produce, especially when heated.

Pour spout

More interested in large batches of boiled water than control? Get a kettle with a standard spout to fill a teapot, hot water bottle, or other separate vessel. But if you’re looking to make the best pour-over coffee or tea, choose a gooseneck kettle to take advantage of its slow pour.

FAQs

Q: Which is better, an electric kettle or a stovetop kettle? 

Choosing between a stovetop and an electric kettle is largely a matter of preference. Electric kettles are marginally more eco-friendly and work well in an office, dorm room, and other situations where using a stovetop model isn’t possible. 

Q: What temperature should water be for tea? 

When brewing black tea, water should be at a full boil or 212 degrees. More delicate tea leaves—like green tea—are best brewed at a lower temperature of 180 degrees. 

Q: What temperature should water be for coffee? 

Coffee tastes best when brewed at temperatures between 195 and 205 degrees. 

Q: What is a gooseneck kettle used for? 

A gooseneck kettle has a narrow spout and gives users more control when brewing tea or pour-over coffee. 

Final thoughts on the best electric kettles

Our recommendations cover a variety of types and styles of electric kettles to suit different needs best. The Cuisinart CPK-17 PerfecTemp Cordless Electric Kettle is our top pick because of its precise temperature control pre-sets and range of additional features. Our recommended choice for those on a budget is the Mueller Ultra Kettle: Model No. M99S, which offers trendy glass construction at an affordable price.

Why trust us

Popular Science started writing about technology more than 150 years ago. There was no such thing as “gadget writing” when we published our first issue in 1872, but if there was, our mission to demystify the world of innovation for everyday readers means we would have been all over it. Here in the present, PopSci is fully committed to helping readers navigate the increasingly intimidating array of devices on the market right now.

Our writers and editors have combined decades of experience covering and reviewing consumer electronics. We each have our own obsessive specialties—from high-end audio to video games to cameras and beyond—but when we’re reviewing devices outside of our immediate wheelhouses, we do our best to seek out trustworthy voices and opinions to help guide people to the very best recommendations. We know we don’t know everything, but we’re excited to live through the analysis paralysis that internet shopping can spur so readers don’t have to.