Kettles

Kettles

Capacity is the first thing to get right, and 1.7 litre is the standard size that suits most households, giving enough water for several cups without a long reboil. Beyond that, the differences are mostly about control and material. Variable temperature kettles let the boil be set below 100 degrees, which matters for green tea and delicate infusions that a full rolling boil scorches, and a gooseneck kettle gives the slow, controlled pour needed for pour-over coffee rather than a splash from a standard spout. Stainless steel bodies hold heat a little longer and resist scratching better than plastic, while a retro-styled kettle trades some of that practicality for a design that matches a specific kitchen look. A rapid boil kettle prioritises speed above all else, which is the more useful spec for a busy morning than any amount of styling. Quiet boil is the feature worth looking for in an open plan kitchen or a house with an early riser, and a stovetop whistling kettle is the one that still works during a power cut.

Smeg supplies the 50's Style kettle across several colours. Russell Hobbs covers the Bronte, Snowdon, Textures, Stylevia and Quiet Boil ranges. Morphy Richards supplies the Boutique and Illumination kettles, Bosch the DesignLine Ergo and Sky jug kettles, and Ninja the Perfect Temperature rapid boil kettle. Narrow the range by stainless steel kettles, variable temperature kettles, retro kettles and whistling kettles, and see matching toasters.

A kettle is usually replaced rather than chosen, which is why most people buy the first one they see at a price they accept, and why a sale is the moment to trade up to the finish and the features you actually wanted. The retro and colour-matched models go first because they are bought as gifts and as kettle and toaster pairs. Prices are live all year, so see what is reduced now on kettles on sale, or the Black Friday kettle deals.