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Things Got Hot While We Tested the Best Tea Kettles

Hot water should be easy, no matter if it's for tea or coffee

Best tea kettles displayed on countertop

The Spruce Eats / Jennifer Causey

The timeless whistle of a kettle has long been synonymous with tea itself. Today’s tea kettles do more than whistle, though. Some are electric and can be programmed to reach (and hold) specific temperatures; others have handy features like gooseneck spouts, trigger-action lids, and more. Even materials vary, from steel to stoneware to glass. To help you figure out which is best for you, we put some to the test.

How We Tested Tea Kettles

Based on the results of previous testing—along with extensive online research—we chose a total of 25 tea kettles to purchase and compare side-by-side. This included seven stovetop kettles and 18 self-heating electric models, which we tested using slightly different procedures.

We Observed

  • Heating speed: We added a liter of water at 50 degrees to each kettle and then timed how long it took to come to a boil, using a medium flame with stovetop models and the high setting with electric ones. We also tested how well the kettles could keep water hot by taking the temperature of the water 10 and 30 minutes after removing from the heat.
  • Heating accuracy: For electric kettles only, we tested accuracy by measuring the water temperature in each kettle at four different settings. (We used 175, 185, 190, and 200 degrees, the most common temperature options on the models we tested.) We also tested the keep warm mode on kettles that had one by heating to 200 degrees, then setting to keep warm and measuring the temperature after 15 and 30 minutes.
  • Water flavor: After boiling water in each kettle (and letting it cool back down, of course!), we gave it a taste test. We looked for any chemical, metallic, or other off flavors compared to water fresh from the tap.

We Rated

  • Ease of use: As we performed the heating tests, we noted any difficulties with filling and transporting the kettle, as well as with the controls for electric models. We specifically evaluated pouring by using a full kettle to fill a mug on the counter. Models that splashed and spilled lost points, and more accurate spouts gained them.
  • Safety: Throughout testing, we checked kettle sides, lids, and handles to see if any got too hot to touch or if heatproof materials worked as advertised. We also looked for any other design factors that could make spilling hot liquid more or less likely.
  • Ease of cleaning: After boiling several rounds of water in the kettles, we washed them following the manufacturers' directions, noting whether there was any mineral buildup in the kettle or spout, or any stains on the interior or exterior. With electric models, we also noted any difficulties cleaning the heating base or other parts that can't get wet.
  • Value: After concluding all of our other tests, we revealed the retail prices of the kettles. Stovetop kettles are generally less expensive than electric ones, so we looked at the categories separately, comparing individual prices to the average for each type.
OXO Brew Cordless Glass Electric Kettle

The Spruce Eats / Fred Hardy

Best Overall

Cosori Electric Gooseneck Kettle

Cosori Electric Gooseneck Kettle

Amazon

Our Ratings
  • Ease of Use
    5/5
  • Performance
    5/5
  • Design
    5/5
What We Like
  • Very accurate heating and temperature holding

  • Beautiful design that fits in any kitchen

  • Gooseneck spout is easy to pour from, stays cool

What We Don't Like
  • Small capacity

  • Outside of kettle gets quite hot

Many electric kettles did well in our tests, but the Cosori Electric Gooseneck Kettle still stood out. Its simple push-button base lets you heat water to five different temperatures designed for specific beverages, from 170 degrees Fahrenheit for white tea to 205 degrees Fahrenheit for coffee (and, of course, 212 degrees Fahrenheit if you just want boiling water). The kettle heats very accurately and fairly quickly and will hold its set temperature for half an hour or more.

The Cosori's gooseneck spout design with a counterbalanced handle makes it easy to pour hot water into any vessel without spilling, and its matte black finish doesn't pick up fingerprints when touched. It's also fairly affordable for an electric kettle, especially one that works this beautifully.

The main downside we found is the kettle's small capacity. At a bit short of a quart, it's only able to make two or three cupfuls of tea or coffee at a time. If you're the kind of person who needs a mug of hot beverage all day long (or if you're brewing for a whole caffeine-loving family), you might find yourself having to refill and reheat multiple times. And while the kettle doesn't show fingerprints, it is quite hot while in use so be mindful.

Capacity: 0.9 quarts | Dimensions: 11.6 x 9 x 7.7 inches (including base) | Weight: 3.5 pounds | Material: Stainless steel | Product Care: Hand-wash

Best Budget

Mr. Coffee Flintshire Tea Kettle

Mr. Coffee Flintshire Stainless Steel Whistling Tea Kettle

Amazon

Our Ratings
  • Heat Source
    4.5/5
  • Ease of Use
    5/5
  • Performance
    3.5/5
  • Cleanup
    3.5/5
What We Like
  • Inexpensive

  • Handle doesn't get hot

  • Available in many colors

What We Don't Like
  • Lid holds water and can be hard to clean

At its most basic, a tea kettle is supposed to heat water, and that's exactly what the Mr. Coffee Flintshire does—and at a great price. Its heatproof handle incorporates a latch for the spout cover and is another nice feature that you'll only find on a few of the more expensive models we tested. The kettle is available in seven different colors, all of them selling for 25 bucks or less.

We found this kettle worked just fine, placing it in the middle range in most of our trials, but we don't love its plain look (though aesthetic may not be top-of-mind for buyers looking for a budget pick so long as it performs well). Plus, it comes in quite a few colors so this isn't a deal breaker. The lid also has an inner rim that traps water, which interferes with fully cleaning and drying the kettle.

Capacity: 1.75 quarts | Dimensions: 8 x 8 x 8 inches | Weight: 1 pound | Material: Stainless steel | Product Care: Hand-wash

Best Electric

Fellow Stagg EKG Electric Pour-Over Kettle

Fellow Stagg EKG Electric Pour-Over Kettle

Amazon

Our Ratings
  • Ease of Use
    4/5
  • Performance
    5/5
  • Design
    5/5
What We Like
  • Stylish

  • Temperature hold function

  • Precise pouring

  • Can program by single degrees

What We Don't Like
  • No indication for reaching desired temperature

  • Small capacity

With their narrow, sloping spouts, gooseneck kettles offer added control when pouring. This makes them an especially useful option for making pour-over coffee or brewing with another manual method like French press. Every detail of the Fellow Stagg EKG Pour-Over Kettle feels high-end, from its sleek silhouette to its many convenient features. Its simple dial and LCD display lets you set the kettle to any specific temperature between 135 and 212 degrees Fahrenheit.

We really like this kettle and believe the spout, exact temperature selection capability, and unequaled design made it worthwhile for both tea and coffee lovers. The Fellow Stagg EKG is one of the more expensive gooseneck kettles on the market, but it's available in a number of stylish designs that combine a variety of kettle colors and handle materials.

One negative is that the item has a small capacity, at just under a quart (though this does help it heat up more quickly). There's also no visual or audible indication that the water has fully heated, so you'll also have to keep an eye on the kettle while it's coming to a boil.

Capacity: 0.95 quarts | Dimensions: 11.5 x 6.75 x 8 inches | Weight: 2.75 pounds | Material: Stainless steel | Product Care: Hand-wash

Best Stovetop

Le Creuset Classic Whistling Kettle

Le Creuset Classic Whistling Kettle

Amazon

Our Ratings
  • Heat Source
    4/5
  • Ease of Use
    3.5/5
  • Performance
    4.5/5
  • Cleanup
    5/5
What We Like
  • Beautiful colors

  • Sturdy handle

  • Works on all stovetops

  • Easy to clean

What We Don't Like
  • Lid is somewhat hard to remove

  • More expensive than other kettles

Looking for a stovetop kettle that's long-lasting and top-of-the-line? Le Creuset has you covered. The company known for its cast-iron Dutch ovens also manufactures a line of stunning tea kettles (among many other kitchen goods). This stainless steel kettle is covered in porcelain enamel and makes an excellent registry gift or opportunity to treat yourself and upgrade your current tea kettle. It holds nearly 2 quarts and comes in nine gorgeous colors, including pale-blue Caribbean, bright-red cerise, and warm-gray oyster.

Along with being stylish, the kettle is highly functional. When we tested it, we found that it heats quickly and efficiently. The spout cap also makes a nice loud whistle when the water boils and is easy to flip back when it's time to pour. Its handle folds down cleverly from a vertical to a horizontal position, which makes it easier to clean and, potentially, store if you want.

While the kettle is functional overall, one downside is that the lid is difficult to remove. It's also more expensive than average, but we think it’s a worthwhile splurge, especially because of its durability and the brand's five-year guarantee to cover manufacturing defects.

Capacity: 1.7 quarts | Dimensions: 10 x 8 x 7 inches | Weight: 3 pounds | Material: Enamel on steel | Product Care: Hand-wash

Best Stovetop Gooseneck

Hario V60 "Buono" Drip Kettle

Hario V60 Buono Drip Kettle

Walmart

Our Ratings
  • Heat Source
    4/5
  • Ease of Use
    4/5
  • Performance
    4/5
  • Cleanup
    4/5
What We Like
  • Easy to use

  • Beautiful pour stream

  • Striking design

What We Don't Like
  • Kettle and lid get very hot

  • Can overflow or boil over when full

If you're a caffeine nerd who loves the ritual of making pour-over coffee or other manual brewing methods, the Hario V60 Buono is the kettle for you. Its long, elegant gooseneck spout and ergonomic handle give you perfect control over the water stream. The Japan-based Hario brand is known worldwide for its high-end coffee- and tea-brewing equipment, and this model's scalloped look is iconic.

But just as you have to use care with pour-over coffee, you'll need to be cautious with the Hario V60 in general. The kettle doesn't have a fill line marked, and we found that it tends to boil over if filled up all the way. The kettle's base is also smaller than many other stovetop models, which means that you should use a lower heat level on a gas stove to make sure flames don't flow up around the sides and potentially melt the handle.

Capacity: 1.25 quarts | Dimensions: 12 x 18 x 13 inches | Weight: 1.44 pounds | Material: Stainless steel | Product Care: Hand-wash

Best Style

Caraway Whistling Tea Kettle

Caraway Whistling Tea Kettle

Amazon

What We Like
  • Stylish design

  • Solid, durable parts

  • Consistent pouring

  • Heats well on all cooktops

What We Don’t Like
  • Expensive

  • Spout must be closed to remove lid

  • Pot holder recommended when touching handle

The Caraway Whistling Tea Kettle makes a great first impression. Right out of the box, we loved the matte coating and simple, somewhat tapered silhouette. We could feel how hefty and durable the stainless steel parts are, too, which helps justify the kettle’s high price tag. Although, there are better value-for-money options out there.

Overall, pouring is smooth but, like most kettles, the last couple of ounces can dribble a bit. There’s another minor design flaw—or, at least, hindrance—which is that you can't remove the lid if the spout is open. It didn’t affect our experience very much, but it bears mentioning.

Another slight criticism we have, and one that more directly affected our experience, is that the handle can get too hot to touch depending on the stovetop temperature. The brand recommends using low to medium heat to best protect the kettle and, presumably, to ensure the handle doesn’t get too hot. While testing, we typically used medium-high or high heat when boiling water, however, and a significant amount of customers would likely do the same. On high heat, the water reaches a boil at almost exactly 10 minutes on both a gas burner and an electric burner.

All that said, the Caraway Whistling Tea Kettle is a beautiful kitchen appliance that should last for years, even though it has some quirks we didn’t expect given the price. I also found the 2-quart capacity large enough for anything from tea to pour-over coffee.

Capacity: 2 quarts | Dimensions: 7.5 x 8.5 inches | Weight: 3.1 pounds | Materials: Stainless steel | Product Care: Hand-wash recommended

Fastest-Boiling Electric

Smeg Electric Kettle

Smeg Electric Kettle

Amazon

Our Ratings
  • Ease of Use
    5/5
  • Performance
    4.5/5
  • Design
    5/5
What We Like
  • Heats water super-fast

  • Striking design available in many colors

  • Large capacity for an electric kettle

What We Don't Like
  • Expensive

  • Not many features

Smeg is known for its high-end kitchen equipment—from stovetops and refrigerators to coffee makers and toasters—that combines modern technology with a retro look. The Smeg Electric Kettle is no different, offering super-fast heating with a design that looks like it fell right out of a mid-century modern museum. Even though it's one of the largest-capacity electric kettles we tested, with a volume of nearly 2 quarts, it was also the fastest to heat up, bringing that water to a boil more quickly than any other model. And you can get it in any of six adorable colors.

Unfortunately, Smeg appliances carry a price tag to match their famous name, design, and quality. This model doesn't offer any temperature settings or other features beyond heating water to boiling very quickly, and we also weren't thrilled that it doesn't have any way of indicating it's done heating. Stovetop kettles whistle and many other electric models have lights or sound, but the Smeg Electric Kettle just makes a click when it shuts off, and it doesn't hold heat very well once it does.

Capacity: 1.8 quarts | Dimensions: 6.75 x 9.75 x 8.9 inches | Weight: 3 pounds | Material: Powder-coated stainless steel | Product Care: Hand-wash

Fastest-Boiling Stovetop

OXO Brew Classic Tea Kettle

Oxo Brew Classic Tea Kettle

Amazon

Our Ratings
  • Heat Source
    5/5
  • Ease of Use
    3.5/5
  • Performance
    5/5
  • Cleanup
    3.5/5
What We Like
  • Classic design with modern features

  • Rotating handle stays in place

  • Large opening for easy filling and cleaning

What We Don't Like
  • Stainless steel lid and spout get very hot

  • Kettle is quite heavy compared to others

If you're looking for a versatile stovetop kettle to help you prepare a delicious cup of tea, the OXO Brew Classic Tea Kettle is a great pick. It fits perfectly on a standard stove burner and was the fastest to heat to boiling out of all the stovetop kettles we tested. We liked its silicone-grip handle, which is comfortable to hold and pour, even when the kettle is full, and rotates to the side for easy storage. The large opening on top also makes it easy to fill and clean—it's large enough to fit your whole hand inside to get to all those hard-to-reach corners.

With the spout cap flipped down, the kettle makes a loud whistle when the water is ready, so there's no need to set a timer. In addition to the silicone handle, the kettle has a silicone lid handle and spout cap to protect your fingers from the hot steel surface, but unfortunately, we found that they can still get pretty hot when the kettle's on the stove. You may need to use a dish towel or hot pad when taking the kettle off the burner.

This kettle has a unique shape that suits both retro and modern kitchens, and the brushed stainless steel fits any decor. We also found the material to be truly stain-resistant. While there are some more affordable kettles out there, this is an excellent value for money overall.

Capacity: 1.7 quarts | Dimensions: 9.75 x 8 x 9.75 inches | Weight: 2.65 pounds | Material: Stainless steel | Product Care: Hand-wash

Best Large-Capacity

Susteas Stove Top Whistling Tea Kettle

Susteas Stove Top Whistling Tea Kettle

Susteas

Our Ratings
  • Heat Source
    4/5
  • Ease of Use
    4/5
  • Performance
    3/5
  • Cleanup
    5/5
What We Like
  • Huge capacity

  • Heatproof handle and spout cover latch make pouring easy

  • Inexpensive

What We Don't Like
  • Doesn't hold temperature well

  • Handle doesn't fold down

If you find yourself going back to the stove to make a second batch of coffee or tea every day, you might need a larger kettle. This one can hold far more water than any of the other stovetop kettles we tested but brought it to a boil nearly as quickly as the other models. Its tall handle has a heatproof coating, along with a clever latch that lets you open the whistling spout cover without having to touch it directly. Besides matte black, it's also available in metallic Champagne and rose colors.

We found the heatproof handle on the Susteas kettle to be very effective, but it doesn't fold down, which makes it take up a lot of shelf space. (On the other hand, it looks nice enough to live on the stovetop.) With that huge capacity, this kettle is fairly heavy and awkward when full, and we found that it doesn't hold heat for very long.

Capacity: 2.64 quarts | Dimensions: 7.16 x 7.16 x 9.25 inches | Weight: 2.71 pounds | Material: Stainless steel | Product Care: Hand-wash

Best Splurge

Zwilling Enfinigy Cool Touch Electric Kettle Pro

Electric Kettle

Zwilling

What We Like
  • Outside stays cool

  • Wide range of temperature options and settings

  • Sleek, modern design

What We Don't Like
  • Not dishwasher-safe

The design-forward Zwilling Enfinigy Electric Kettle Pro looks like it came from an art museum, but it's also highly functional. Its impressive six different temperature settings range from boiling all the way down to 104 degrees Fahrenheit for warming up baby formula, as well as a keep-warm function that can hold a temperature for 30 minutes. Other electric kettles we tested heat up faster, but this one's big advantage is its double-walled configuration, which keeps the outside cool to the touch no matter how hot the inside gets. If you've got inquisitive kids around the kitchen (or if you're a little klutzy), it's a nice safety feature.

Of course, all those lovely features (along with the Zwilling brand name) are things you have to pay for. The kettle also can't go in the dishwasher like many stovetop models, though its stainless steel interior is easy enough to wipe down with a soapy sponge.

Capacity: 1.6 quarts | Dimensions: 10.3 x 8.7 x 12.9 inches | Weight: 4.97 pounds | Material: Stainless steel | Product Care: Hand-wash

Best Glass

Mueller Premium Electric Kettle

Mueller Premium Electric Kettle

Amazon

Our Ratings
  • Ease of Use
    5/5
  • Performance
    5/5
  • Design
    4.5/5
What We Like
  • Heats quickly

  • Holds temperature well

  • Cool LED lighting

What We Don't Like
  • No light or sound when water is ready

  • Bulky

When you turn on this glass kettle, its blue LED lights kick on, and it's just cool to look at. It was also one of only a handful of kettles that managed to boil water in under four minutes in our tests. We liked that its heavy-duty glass body held heat well, and we appreciated the auto-shutoff safety feature that turns off the heat within 30 seconds of the water coming to a boil.

However, you really do have to watch this pot: There's no whistle, beep, or light indicating when the water is ready. We also found that the kettle pours well but is a bit heavy and awkward for its size.

Capacity: 1.9 quarts | Dimensions: 8.62 x 6.25 x 9.64 inches | Weight: 3 pounds | Material: Borosilicate glass | Product Care: Hand-wash

Final Verdict

Fast heating, smooth pouring, many temperature settings, and a beautiful design made our testers' top pick the Cosori Electric Gooseneck Kettle with 5 Variable Presets. If you're looking for a more basic stovetop model, we recommend the Mr. Coffee Flintshire Stainless Steel Whistling Tea Kettle, an inexpensive option that nonetheless holds up to its pricier competitors in performance.

About Our Testers

  • Our Lab team has spent collective decades working in professional kitchens, developing recipes, and testing kitchen gear.
  • Cheyenne Elwell has been writing about coffee (and lots of other food topics) for The Spruce Eats since 2018. She runs a coffee blog called Baked, Brewed, Beautiful, and she tested the Cosori and Fellow Stagg kettles at home prior to our Lab testing.
  • Rebekah Joan has tested and written about everything from homebrewing kits to meat thermometers for The Spruce Eats. She tried out the Le Creuset Classic Whistling Kettle at home.
  • Kimberly Holland is a former editor for Cooking Light and has written for publications including Southern Living, Eating Well, MyRecipes, and more. She reviewed the OXO Brew Classic at home.

Other Options We Tested

  • Zojirushi Ve Hybrid Water Boiler and Warmer: This machine holds more than a gallon of water, but it took a long time to bring it to a boil. We also found it complicated to use. (If you get this, do not to throw out the instruction manual.) But if you need a lot of hot water all at once for a crowd of coffee and tea drinkers, it might be a good solution.
  • Chantal Anniversary Enamel on Steel Whistling Tea Kettle: This stovetop kettle has a similar look and is available in a similar assortment of colors as the Le Creuset model, which was our top choice, but at a lower price. However, it performed somewhat worse on our tests.
  • Oxo Brew Cordless Glass Electric Kettle: This glass kettle heats up fast, and its lights look neat, but we found it bulky and somewhat awkward to use. It also didn't hold its heat as well as other kettles we tested.
  • Circulon Morning Bird Tea Kettle: Pouring wasn't very smooth with this kettle, and it was difficult to get the last few ounces out. Water dribbled haphazardly from the spout, especially closer to when the kettle was empty.

What to Look for in a Tea Kettle

Electric vs. Stovetop

The first decision to make when buying a tea kettle is choosing between an electric or a stovetop model. Electric kettles are more convenient because they heat up faster, and some even have preset temperatures to suit specific types of tea. However, they are more expensive on average and will take up counter space. In contrast, stovetop kettles are cheaper, easier to find, and available in far more design options. Which style should you pick? Are you a frequent tea drinker who wants hot water fast, or do you gravitate toward a more traditional aesthetic and don't mind waiting an extra minute or two?

Size

Tea kettles come in many different sizes, though the ones we tested ranged mostly from 1 to 2 quarts. In general, electric kettles tend to have slightly lower capacity than stovetop ones (and our top-rated electric kettle is also the smallest one we tested). What's important is to match your kettle size to your needs. If you usually make a single cup of tea or fill a small French press, you might not want a huge kettle taking up space on your stovetop or in your cabinet. If you often entertain large crowds, however, it’s nice to be able to serve everyone without waiting for a second batch of water to boil.

Material

For the most part, tea kettles are made from one of two materials: stainless steel or glass. You can't really say one or the other heats faster—each individual kettle's thickness and exact configuration determines how fast it boils—so it's really an aesthetic choice more than anything else. Steel kettles are sometimes coated with enamel for a colorful look, but this doesn't affect their performance very much. Glass kettles can be quite beautiful, though they are less durable, especially if you have rambunctious kids around who might knock yours to the floor. Glass is great on a gas or electric stove, but it also won't work on an induction cooktop, so keep that in mind if there's one in your kitchen.

Spout

When you're moving boiling water around, you want to do it accurately, and that's where a tea kettle's spout comes in. While it's not always easy to tell how a spout will perform just by looking at the shape, it's promising when a spout is longer, tapered, or comes to a point at the end instead of staying perfectly rounded. With their long, narrow spouts, gooseneck kettles fulfill all three criteria and offer the most precise and accurate pouring, especially for pour-over coffee or similar brewing methods. That said, many standard tea kettles have larger, shorter spouts that still avoid drips, splashes, and spills effectively.

Cleaning

Even though you’re only boiling water in your kettle, it can still build up scale and mineral residue. What's most important for cleaning one is being able to access the inside: A kettle with a large opening may let you fit your whole hand into the pot for scrubbing with a sponge, while a smaller opening might require a brush. Glass kettles make it easy to assess cleanliness, while metal kettles are a little harder to examine. It's also worth checking if a kettle is dishwasher-safe or hand-wash only before purchasing.

Handle

The handles of tea kettles take all sorts of shapes and forms, but the most important detail is whether it stays cool to the touch. This mostly affects stovetop kettles because the heating source, whether gas or electric, is more likely to make a poorly designed handle too hot compared to an electric kettle with a built-in heating element. Overheating can also happen from steam inside the kettle rising up to the handle. So, when shopping, keep an eye out for handles that have stay-cool grips or check customer reviews.

Whistle

If a tea kettle doesn't have a whistle, you could end up waiting for the water to heat up without knowing the boiling is going overboard and starting to splash about on the stovetop. Luckily, most stovetop kettles whistle when enough steam builds up inside, and many electric kettles emit a noise when the desired water temperature has been reached. For stovetop models, whistling comes from the spout cap, so make sure yours is down when the water is heating up.

Automatic Shut-Off

Many kitchen appliances, from electric kettles to coffee makers and more, have an automatic shutoff feature that kicks in after the item hasn't been used for an allotted amount of time. It's convenient, saves energy, and makes the appliance much safer in the household. As an added layer of safety for electric tea kettles, look for one with boil-dry protection.

FAQs

How do you clean a tea kettle?

The most popular method to clean a tea kettle uses simply water and white vinegar. Just fill your kettle with equal amounts of both, bring it to a boil, and then dump out the water-vinegar mixture. Once the kettle is cool, scrub the inside with a non-abrasive cloth or brush. Finally, rinse the kettle thoroughly (or boil plain water in it) until all traces of vinegar are gone. This process is suitable for both electric and stovetop kettles and removes any potential limescale buildup. It’s important to thoroughly clean inside a kettle at least once every three months; otherwise, mineral buildup can alter the taste of your tea or coffee, and it may prevent some electric kettles from working properly. Other household products like baking soda and lemon juice are effective descaling agents, too, and many household cleaner brands sell descaling solutions in liquid or powder form.

For the outside of the kettle, washing with water and dish soap is generally all that's needed, though the same combination of water and vinegar can be used to clean tough stains outside of a tea kettle. All you have to do is wet a microfiber cloth with either solution, gently scrub the kettle’s exterior, and dry thoroughly. Regularly performing this task eliminates scale buildup, prevents rust stains, and keeps your kettle looking good in the kitchen. If you're cleaning an electric kettle, try to keep the base of the machine (where the electrical components and heating element are) dry. You should absolutely not immerse the base of an electric kettle in water; water can damage it and render it unusable.

If you use a stovetop kettle on a gas burner, you may end up with some pesky burn marks. These are tough to remove and may need a couple of different cleaning tactics. First, soak the kettle in hot water and dish soap for 30 minutes to two hours. (Do not do this with an electric kettle.) Second, lightly cover the kettle’s exterior with baking soda, then scrub with a sponge or brush and a combination of water and dish soap until clean. Finally, rinse and dry the kettle as normal.

Before cleaning any kind of tea kettle, it’s worth consulting an instruction manual to know what products and methods a brand recommends. Individual kettles might have special finishes that might be damaged by certain chemicals.

Person using rag to clean an Amazon Basics Stainless Steel Kettle in a kitchen

The Spruce Eats / Fred Hardy

What water temperature is best for brewing tea?

The ideal water temperature varies widely depending on the type of tea you are making. Gentler teas taste best when brewed at lower temperatures, while bolder teas require hotter temperatures. White tea, for example, is best brewed with water that is 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Green teas range from 150 to 180 degrees. Oolong is best at around 190 degrees. Moving into the stronger teas, black tea ranges from 180 to 212 degrees. Finally, herbal teas sit around the 212-degree mark. (Like black tea, coffee brews best at a relatively high temperature: between 195 and 205.) Many electric kettles can be programmed to reach a specific temperature, and some even come with designated temperature settings for different tea varieties.

Can you heat milk in a tea kettle?

No matter how strong your hot chocolate craving might be, it's best not to heat milk in a kettle, especially an electric one. Milk can damage an electric kettle’s heating element and may not initiate the automatic shut-off feature, which means a mess (or worse) might happen. Although it is not preferred, stovetop kettles can be used to heat milk; just make sure to warm the milk slowly and clean the kettle thoroughly immediately afterward. Heating milk in a pot or in the microwave is a better option than using a kettle.

What is boil-dry protection?

Boil-dry protection is a safety feature that some electric kettles are equipped with. The kettle automatically shuts off if it senses there's no water inside. This protects the kettle and its heating elements from damage like warping or melting.

Can you brew tea inside a kettle?

Unless otherwise specified, it’s not a good idea to brew tea inside a kettle. Tea kettles are pretty much solely designed to heat water. Placing tea bags or loose-leaf tea inside a kettle can leave stains and lingering smells, and the acids in tea can potentially damage the kettle itself. Pouring hot water over tea in a teapot is a superior alternative that will produce a much better flavor.

What are important features to have in an electric kettle?

"When in the market for a stovetop tea kettle, find one that both appeals visually and is also made of durable material, like stainless steel," says Annelies Zijderveld, author of "Steeped: Recipes Infused with Tea." "If you are interested in electric tea kettles, my pick is always for one with variable temperatures, especially when brewing green and white teas—just know there will be some limescale that looks like brown rust developing over time in the bottom of your electric kettle, which you can clean with a vinegar and water solution."

Person looking at a Amazon Basics Glass Kettle on a scale

The Spruce Eats / Fred Hardy

Why Trust The Spruce Eats?

This piece was written by Derek Rose, the coffee and tea expert for The Spruce Eats. He researches a variety of products, from measuring scoops to commercial espresso machines, and interviews field experts for their insight. He tested a number of kettles on this list, including the Le Creuset Classic Whistling Kettle, which he found to be an eye-catching yet functional piece that suits any kitchen.

The culinary professionals in our Lab, located in Birmingham, Alabama, also tested a large number of kettles (seven stovetop and 18 electric). Jason Horn, staff commerce writer for The Spruce Eats, updated this roundup to include the resulting insights and data.

Sources

Originally written by
Anthony Irizarry

Anthony Irizarry writes about home and kitchen products for The Spruce Eats. Previously, he was a writer for Appliances Connection and Appliance Review Editor for BestProducts.com.

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