15 best kettles for a faster, better cuppa, tested by experts

Score: 91/100

This stylish kettle impressed us with its speed, taking less than two minutes to boil a litre of water and just 47 seconds to boil the minimum capacity of 250ml – great if you often make one drink at a time. It’s fairly light, with a comfy handle, and pouring felt safe and controlled with no dripping from the spout. We liked that the lid flipped open at the touch of a button, too.

The water gauge is only in increments of cups, not millilitres (two cups equates to 500ml), which could be annoying if you need a precise amount of hot water. The indicator light could also be brighter. However, we wouldn’t let this put you off buying this chic and speedy kettle, which comes in black and navy as well as the creamy stone colour.

Score: 91/100

One of the cheapest kettles we’ve tested, this model is fantastic value for money. We like that it’s easy to fill through the spout and pours accurately with no splashing or spitting. It's lightweight too, weighing just 681g when empty and 2.4kg at full capacity.

The minimum quantity is 280ml – enough for a large cup of tea – which takes just 45 seconds to boil. The maximum 1.7-litre capacity is also speedy, taking just three and a half minutes to boil (only 10 seconds more than the KitchenAid).

Score: 90/100

This kettle comes from Tefal’s new range that prioritises inclusivity. It’s designed to ensure that making a cup of tea is accessible to all.

Large-print water level gauges on each side of the kettle make filling and portioning easier for those with impaired vision, while bigger power buttons and the one-touch opening system are there to help those with mobility issues. The kettle is lightweight too (although not the lightest we’ve tested), and our experts were able to carry it when full and pour it without any fuss or spillages.

Boiling a litre took just under three minutes, which is on the slow side, but the more accessible features, easy pour spout, and cool-touch handle make it worthwhile.

Score: 90/100

This kettle is among the most compact we’ve tested, so it won't dominate your countertop. Our experts liked the wide, rounded spout, which allows it to be filled quickly and provides a clean and accurate pour. When boiling a full kettle, the handle remained cool to touch and the steam emitted from the spout was minimal.

Swan says this model is “rapid boil”, but we didn’t find it faster than the other models here. It took on average under two minutes to boil a litre of water and a little over a minute to boil the minimum capacity of 500 ml. It's a capable, compact option – and great value.

Score: 90/100

This kettle has a handy anti-limescale filter, fills easily through the spout and pours cleanly with no dripping. It’s fast too – the minimum quantity of 250ml boils in under one minute, and one litre boils in just over two minutes. It's also light when empty and has a comfortable handle, which makes it easy to hold and use.

Note that the water gauge only goes down to 500ml, despite the minimum quantity being half that, and the outer casing can get quite hot, so take care during use. However, it comes with boil dry protection, so if it’s empty, it won’t boil and cause damage. Plus, you can choose between five stylish shades, including sage green and mocha.

Score: 90/100

Available in a choice of bright pastel shades, the Eden kettle is a great way to add a pop of colour to your countertop. Our testers loved the lightweight design, easy-pour spout, comfortable handle and rubber feet on the base, which mean it won’t slide around on the work surface.

It’s not the quickest to boil, taking three minutes and 39 seconds for its full 1.7-litre capacity, but there was no spitting from the spout and the handle remained cool throughout.

Score: 89/100

Our experts appreciated the robust-yet-compact build of this geometric-patterned kettle. It's quick too, boiling the minimum 300 ml in under fifty seconds and a litre in just over two minutes. When filled to its full capacity of 1.7 litres, it takes just three and a half minutes to boil.

At the end of the cycle, the kettle clicks off immediately and the rolling boil comes to a stop after a couple of seconds. It does emit a lot of steam and wobbles on its base, while the water gauge stops at 750 ml – but overall, it's a speedy, sturdy buy.

Score: 89/100

With its sleek, lightweight design, smart black finish and ergonomic handle, this Haier kettle is suited to a modern kitchen. It’s speedy, too, taking just 42 seconds to boil its minimum capacity of 250ml – perfect for one cup. In fact, it has a specific single cup setting, which is great for conserving energy. This kettle also has a ‘keep warm’ function and a 40°C setting, which can be used to warm water for a baby’s bottle.

It's on the more expensive side and the volume markings are on the inside of the handle, making it tricky to fill to the desired capacity. However, if you like a kettle with extra bells and whistles – including seven highly accurate temperature settings and an accompanying app with a range of tea recipes – this is a great buy.

Score: 87/100

This Russell Hobbs kettle boils one cup of water in just 42 seconds, so it’s ideal for people who usually make just one hot drink at a time. We found that it poured cleanly and accurately with no splashing, and the handle is comfortable to hold.

Our testers appreciated the limescale filter, which is easy to remove and wash – great if you live in a hard water area. It’s a bit annoying that the water gauge is behind the handle, so you can’t see it while filling, but this is a good kettle at a reasonable price – and it comes in a range of colours, too.

Score: 87/100

This great value kettle has a handy illuminated water level gauge, which lights up when it's boiling and switches off when it’s ready. We found it fast to boil too, taking a speedy 46 seconds to heat 240ml. At full capacity though, it took almost four minutes.

It has markers for one, two and three cups on the inside, which are helpful if you want to boil specific amounts. It's worth noting that while the handle remained cool, the kettle's exterior reached 63C° – so mind your fingers.

Score: 87/100

This modern Salter kettle stood out for its ease of use, boasting a handy removable limescale filter, 360-degree swivel base and a boil-dry sensor. It's quick to boil too, taking an average of 58 seconds at minimum capacity and under three-and-a-half minutes at its maximum capacity of 1.7 litres.

Filling through the spout resulted in a little spilling and splashing, so we recommend filling through the top instead. The exterior also got quite hot during boiling. But overall, it's a simple, well-made kettle at a good price.

Score: 87/100

Another Salter model and, with a simple, compact design, this kettle won’t take up much space on your countertop. It also features several handy safety features, including an auto shut-off function and a boil-dry sensor.

Note that its minimum capacity of 600ml means it can’t be used for boiling a single cup, making it better suited to medium to large households.

Score: 86/100

This sleek Ninja kettle impressed our testers with its accuracy, heating water to within one degree on nearly every temperature setting we tested. It also boiled the minimum 250ml in just 50 seconds, making it ideal for a quick cuppa, while six preset temperatures (plus manual controls) help you get the best results from drinks like green tea or pour-over coffee.

The cupped spout pours precisely with no dripping, and the live digital temperature display (perfect for baby formula!) is clear and easy to read. At 880 grams, it’s also fairly light for a metal kettle. Our testers would have preferred a thicker handle with a more grippy material, but its generous design keeps your hand well away from the kettle – which is just as well, when the exterior casing can reach 84°C.

Overall, it’s a stylish buy for those who like a high degree of control.