Kettles have moved on rapidly from their boil on the hob whistling days, and there is now great diversity of style and function to choose from, with aesthetic quality not usually detracting from quality. Making the right choice of kettle isn’t always simple; you need to consider the circumstances you will be using the kettle in, as well as what you want to use it for.
The buying tips below should help to make the choice easier.
Kettle style and capacity
Kettle capacity for both traditional and jug kettles tends to lie in the 1.5-1.7litre range (a litre is about four cups of water), and is entirely dependent on the kettle itself. Travel kettles are all jug style and have capacities of 0.7-1litre. There are also several ‘mini’ versions available which may be suitable if you live alone. You may wish to choose the style of your kettle according to the style of your kitchen, picking a colour of look that seems to suit it. Similarly, if you are going to be using the kettle for boiling water for cooking with, you may want a larger capacity than if you were just going to be making cups of tea with it.
Corded or cordless?
Corded kettles are attached directly to a power point by a cord, and cordless kettles rest on a base which is then attached to the power point – this gives greater flexibility for removing and replacing the kettle. If you have children, you might consider buying a kettle with cord storage in the base, as this will reduce the chance that they might accidentally pull the cord and tip the kettle over.
Wattage
The higher the wattage of a kettle, the more powerful the kettle is and the faster it will heat water up. As a rule, kettles with wattage over 3000W are classed as ‘rapid boil’ because they will boil a full kettle of water significantly quickly. This may be a buying consideration if you will regularly need to heat up water quickly.
360 degree swivel base
The presence of this base means that the kettle may be replaced from any angle, making it a feature particularly suited to left handed users.
Element
The element is the piece of the kettle which heats the water up, and is located at the bottom of the kettle. Most are stainless steel, although there are also gold versions available (which are more resistant to scale). Concealed elements are easier to clean and de-scale.
Filter
If you are concerned about lime scale and particles appearing in your water, then the presence of a filter can act in two ways. Filters in the kettle attract limescale particles out of the water, and filters in the spout filter out and last particles from going into your drink. Removable and washable filters allow you to clean out the limescale from time to time.
Water guage
Water gauges mean that you can see on the side of the kettle how much water is in there, which prevents you boiling too much or too little. If there is a dual water guage, this may be an advantage for left handed users.
Safety features
These include boil dry safety cut out to prevent your kettle boiling dry, cool touch handles and lids to prevent you burning yourself and locking lids.
Convenience features
Include on/off lights, spout OR lid filling and boil ready signals.
