The 7 Best Electric Tea Kettles of 2023 | Tested by Food & Wine

To achieve an accurate, precise water temperature, an electric kettle can’t be beat. With this in mind, we tested 15 popular electric kettles, noting factors like boiling time, heat retention, capacity, and how easily they pour. The Zwilling Enfinigy Cool Touch Stainless Steel Electric Kettle Pro stood out as the overall best option for its sleek design, precise pours, and helpful features. Read on for our full list of the best electric kettles on the market today.

Whether it’s a Japanese sencha blend, black tea from India’s Assam and Darjeeling regions, or a cuppa English breakfast or Earl Grey , different teas are best steeped at different temperatures. Dousing delicate tea leaves with water that’s too hot, referred to as burning tea, results in an overly tannic taste. Water that’s too cold results in a weak cup. When it comes to coffee, fresher beans should brew at a hotter temperature for proper extraction.

Best Overall

Zwilling Enfinigy Electric Kettle Pro

4.8

Amazon

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Pros: It’s cool to the touch and chic on the counter. 

Cons: It’s hand wash only. 

The Zwilling Enfinigy was far and away the top-scoring electric kettle in any category for our testers. With seamless German engineering and a sleek design, this top-performing kettle also has the added feature of cool touch (electric kettles can get very hot) thanks to dual-walled insulation and a brushed stainless steel outer layer. It also comes in pink, black, and gold. Efficient and precise, it has six pre-set temperature settings for all your hot beverage needs, from coffee to tea to cocoa. According to testers, the kettle takes about six minutes for the water to boil and has a handy keep-warm feature that lasts for 30 minutes. 

Price at time of publish: $130

• Material: Stainless steel, plastic (exterior)
• Window for water level: No
• Capacity: 1.5 liters
• Keep-warm or auto shut-off feature: Keep-warm
• Temperature control: 6 pre-set programs

Food & Wine / Fred Hardy

Best Value

COSORI Double Wall Electric Kettle

Amazon

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Pros: It automatically shuts off when it’s dry, and its two-level lid prevents spills when pouring.

Cons: The material of the packs can rip and seems to collect dirt more easily than others.

Cosori, known for its gooseneck kettles, designed this classic kettle with a non-drip spout and two-level lid for easy pouring. The interior of this double-walled kettle consists of a single piece of stainless steel, which is easy to clean and helps to heat water quickly, while its outer shell protects from hot temperatures. A blue LED light signals that the kettle is on. It takes this kettle about four to six minutes to come to a rolling boil and automatically shuts off after 30 seconds of boiling. In addition, a sensor shuts off the machine when there’s no water left. Its lid opens to 45 degrees Fahrenheit with the push of a button and then 80 degrees Fahrenheit for cleaning and filling. All in all, testers found the Cosori easy to use and even easier to pour. 

Price at time of publish: $40

• Material: Stainless steel, plastic (exterior)
• Window for water level: No
• Capacity: 1.5 liters
• Keep-warm or auto shut-off feature: Auto shut-off
• Temperature control: No

Food & Wine / Fred Hardy

Best Gooseneck

Fellow Stagg EKG Electric Pour-Over Kettle

4.7

Amazon

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Pros: Its temperatures are the most precise of the bunch, and it comes with a Fahrenheit/Celsius toggle feature.

Cons: It doesn’t hold as much water as other models and takes longer to boil.

Born on Kickstarter in 2013, Fellow responded to a need for innovation in coffee. The gooseneck design of its Stagg EKG kettle is ideal for pour-over coffee and loose-leaf tea, as it offers precise pouring and to-the-degree temperature control. In addition, the handle is reinforced for extra sturdiness, which means your pour can be as steady and slow as you’d like. Set a temperature between 135 and 212 degrees Fahrenheit on its LCD display, and use its built-in “brew stopwatch” to time the extraction. It can hold its temperature for as long as 60 minutes. 

Price at time of publish: $165

• Material: Stainless steel, plastic (exterior)
• Window for water level: Yes
• Capacity: 0.9 liters
• Keep-warm or auto shut-off feature: Keep-warm
• Temperature control: Yes

Food & Wine / Fred Hardy

The 7 Best Pour-Over Coffee Makers of 2023, Tested and Reviewed

Best Smart Kettle

Breville Smart Kettle Luxe

Breville

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Pros: It has five settings for teas and coffees as well as a keep-warm feature.

Cons: It’s relatively heavy, and its exterior shows fingerprints.

If you’re on a mission to make the perfect cup of tea — quickly and quietly, no less — this beautiful Breville smart kettle should top your list. Testers found that the Breville’s brewing settings’ precision was spot on, made great beverages, and was intuitively easy to use. During testing, the kettle took only four minutes to reach a boil. It has temperature pre-sets for black, green, white, and oolong teas as well as French press coffee. Its dual-sided water window allows you to easily heat an exact amount of water, while its automatic shut-off will kick in after the water has come to temp. Its soft-opening lid gently releases hot air, preventing any accidental steam facials. And to top it off, its power switch is illuminated for visibility. 

Price at time of publish: $200

• Material: Stainless steel, BPA-free materials
• Window for water level: Yes
• Capacity: 1.7 liters
• Keep-warm or auto shut-off feature: Both
• Temperature control: 5 pre-set programs

Food & Wine / Fred Hardy

Best Glass

Mueller Premium Electric Kettle

4.8

Amazon

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Pros: Its blue LED lights let you know it’s on, and the kettle automatically shuts off when no water is detected.

Cons: It does not have any temperature control settings.

For an affordable kettle that performs consistently well, look no further than the Mueller Ultra Kettle. Made of heavy-duty borosilicate glass, stainless steel, and heat-resistant plastic, it allows you to see exactly how much water you have and when it comes to a boil. The kettle has a boil-dry security sensor to turn itself off if it’s empty, and its thermostat control automatically kicks in after 30 seconds of boiling. Testers found this kettle very easy to use, with glowing blue LED lights to indicate that it’s on and working. Water boiled quickly at just under four minutes, and the kettle is cordless when removed from the base. The heat-resistant handle was also easy to hold and pour. 

Price at time of publish: $30

• Material: Borosilicate glass, stainless steel, plastic (exterior)
• Window for water level: Yes
• Capacity: 1.8 liters
• Keep-warm or auto shut-off feature: Auto shut-off
• Temperature control: No

Food & Wine / Fred Hardy

Best Classic Look

KitchenAid 1.25-Liter Electric Kettle

Amazon

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Pros: It’s compact for storing, but you’ll likely want to display this retro-inspired kettle on the counter at all times.

Cons: Top lid of the kettle becomes warm when the water is boiling.  

Complete with a removable lid, the classic design of the KitchenAid Electric Kettle will never get old. Made of durable stainless steel and available in both modern and retro colors, from matte black to pistachio green, this is a compact electric version of the classic whistle kettle with a few added upgrades. Our testers loved its removable limescale filter in the pouring spout as well as its rotating base. It boils water in just about four minutes and has an automatic shut-off system. 

Price at time of publish: $90

• Material: Stainless steel, plastic (exterior), BPA-free plastic filter (removable)
• Window for water level: No
• Capacity: 1.25 liters
• Keep-warm or auto shut-off feature: Auto shut-off
• Temperature control: No

Food & Wine / Fred Hardy

Best Design

Smeg Electric Kettle

4.8

Amazon

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Pros: Its nostalgic design will turn heads, and it works efficiently.

Cons: It’s on the larger side, so counter space is a consideration. 

The Smeg Electric Kettle channels 1950s design with the modern perks you want in a small appliance. It boils water quietly and quickly at well under four minutes to the perfect temperature, while its auto shut-off feature kicks in at 212 degrees Fahrenheit or when there’s no more water. Our testers liked how easily it pours, with its soft-opening lid allowing steam to escape before pouring. In addition, a removable limescale filter makes all the difference in taste and cleanup. For added convenience, its base has non-slip feet and can swivel a full 360 degrees. The Smeg is the kind of kettle you want people to notice, and testers gave it top marks for aesthetics.

Price at time of publish: $190

• Material: Stainless steel, plastic (exterior)
• Window for water level: Yes
• Capacity: 1.7 liters
• Keep-warm or auto shut-off feature: Auto shut-off
• Temperature control: No

Food & Wine / Fred Hardy