What to Check When Buying an Electric Kettle

An electric kettle is a great addition to any kitchen, providing easy and convenient access to boiled water. Whether you’re making coffee, tea, or simply want to speed up your cooking, an electric kettle on hand is a game changer. However, not all electric kettles are created equal and it’s important to know what features to look for when choosing one.

What to Check When Buying an Electric Kettle

Appropriate power

When it comes to choosing an electric kettle, there are a few features you should consider. You want an appliance that has the appropriate power and capacity for your needs, is safe to use, and is easy to clean. From temperature control to automatic shut-off, let’s take a look at the key features you should look for when selecting an electric kettle. The electric kettle models available these days come in various shapes, sizes or materials, for, mostly, affordable prices, the latter depending on the material and dimensions of the appliance.

Check out our buying guide for this very useful device. Find out in the following post how to choose well your electric kettle. What are the points to check and the choices available for you?

The Benefits of an Electric Kettle

An electric kettle provides a fast and efficient way to heat up water. Convenient and easy to use, it has become an essential appliance in most kitchens, both commercial and private. It can save time, energy, and money when compared to traditional methods of boiling water. In addition, there are several safety features that make electric kettles an ideal choice for any kitchen.

An electric kettle consumes less energy and heats water faster than a traditional pot. In fact, the appliance heats the water according to the principle of the Joule effect. An electric resistance immersed in water or integrated under its base transforms the electric current into heat and thus heats the liquid by heat transfer.

Practical and Simple Features

For easy and convenient use, manufacturers have provided the kettle with various features. For example, there is an insulating handle, which is non-slip and wide enough to facilitate grip. A spout allows an easy flow of water while a filter catches any mineral deposits that might occur.

Some models offer exact temperature control via a thermostat, ideal for preparing tea or coffee that require specific conditions for a perfect brew.

Most models come with a water mark to make it easier to boil specific water volumes.

Considering the wide choice the market has to offer when it comes to electric kettles, it is useful to know these few criteria in order to make the perfect choice. From a purely functional and/or qualitative point of view, take into account the available space and the type of material the kettle is made of.

Container Capacity

A kettle’s capacity is a decisive factor when deciding to buy such an appliance. To avoid dissatisfaction make sure you know your needs! By capacity we refer of course to the boiler’s dimensions and it’s ability to accommodate certain quantities of water in the boiling chamber. There are various electric kettle models available with just as many tank capacities, and if you know the user’s quantitative and practical needs, making the correct choice should be easy.

If some people use the appliance only to boil water for tea, infusions or coffee (i.e. the primary use that inspired the design of the kettle), others also use it to bring the water to the right temperature in order to boil the pasta faster than using a traditional saucepan, or any other cooking ventures.
Among the different capacities we can draw up three large groups: 500ml, 500 to 1.2 L and 1.3 to 1.7 L., so small, medium and large capacity electric kettles.

If you want to prepare tea for the whole family it is obvious you will need a medium to large capacity kettle. If you want to prepare a single drink and not waste a lot of water, a smaller kettle should do the trick.

When choosing the kettle also consider how much counter space you have and where you will store it to avoid too much clutter.

Best Material for an Electric Kettle: Plastic, Glass or Stainless steel?

Another thing to keep in mind when buying an electric kettle is the quality of the materials from which it is made. Since the kettles comes in contact with water at high temperatures it can easily deteriorate or get damaged if poor materials are involved. What is even more worrying, however, is that they can eventually release toxic substances which are dangerous both to ingest and to breathe.
Traditionally, the materials used for the kettles are steel, plastics and, to a lesser extent, Pyrex, one particular blend of Borosilicate glass, which is able to effectively resist sudden changes in temperature. If the plastic models are the cheapest, it is still necessary to verify that they is BPA free, i.e. non-toxic. Furthermore, it is necessary to make sure that the handle is well thermally insulated, so as to avoid burns and other accidents.

The Structure and Design

As far as the structure is concerned, this is a parameter capable of influencing not only the kettle’s practicality, but also its price. On the market we can find cordless models, which certainly cost more, but which at the same time are able to guarantee great freedom of movement and extreme handling. Others, on the other hand, are equipped with a 360° rotating base thus allowing maximum freedom of movement for the kettle, allowing it to be placed on all sides, without having to necessarily fit it correctly on the base, a bonus when you are lacking generous countertop space. Safety features like auto-shut off and boil dry protection should not be overlooked.
Some modern add-ons like LED display for the temperature, the option to select a certain temperature for your tea, keep- warm function, come in pretty handy.

In addition to these, it is also necessary to evaluate elements such as the presence of an anti-limescale filter, which, ideally, should be removable and washable and that of a handle capable of allowing a comfortable grip in any condition.
As far as design is concerned, it is an aspect increasingly taken into consideration by manufacturers. In the last years we could see on the market a variety of models, not only functional, but also very pleasant from an aesthetic point of view. You can thus find products with a retro taste while others showcase extremely modern lines. Check out below some models that really caught our attention design-wise!

To conclude, buying an electric kettle is certainly not rocket science, but in order to get the most of your appliance and enjoy a pleasant and extended period of use paying attention to key details certainly makes a difference.

Even if they use different materials, most products pass quality controls that guarantee they are safe to use for cooking. Of course, over time, plastic can behave differently from stainless steel, it can discolor or retain odors. Maintaining the product and cleaning it constantly, according to the manufacturer’s recommendation, can extend the life of that appliance. By studying a minimum of reviews and user experiences on the big sales sites, you can make a clear opinion if that is the product you want. Features such as extra safety functions, a wide mouth for easy cleaning, an anti-calc filter, temperature maintenance option, display for specific temperatures can mean a lot to some users, willing to pay extra for them, while others want a basic product that boils water quickly and safely, without much fuss. Having said that, we hope that we have managed to clarify some key aspects that will facilitate the purchase of the perfect electric kettle.