The Best Electric Kettles, According to Coffee and Tea Experts
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Electric kettles are a handy appliance for coffee lovers, tea drinkers, and more. They not only heat up faster than traditional stovetop kettles but are far more adjustable, leading to higher-quality drinks. Their speed and simplicity also makes them convenient for dishes like oatmeal and instant noodles.
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Considering that electric kettles can be used in a variety of ways, we made sure to select an array of options that fit different needs. Some picks are based on budgets, while others accommodate smaller kitchens. All provide hot water with the touch of a button.
What the Experts Say
SPY reached out to three experts, all in the coffee or tea industries, to gather info on electric kettles and create the list below. We interviewed Steve Schwartz, the founder of the tea company Art of Tea, as well as the author of the book Art of Tea: A Journey of Ritual, Discovery, and Impact; Robin Shelley, VP of Marketing at Steeped Coffee; and Cary Wong, the Director of Coffee at Partners Coffee and an instructor for the brand’s Brew School. These experts told us about their favorite electric kettles and offered tips for buyers, plus features to look out for.
Overall, electric kettles run anywhere from $25 to $250, but Schwartz says you don’t need to spend a ton of money to find a worthwhile option. Instead of focusing on a specific price threshold, he suggests going with a brand you already trust. “There are so many electric kettles hitting the market today,” he says. “I think the value of a brand becomes really important. For me, I’m a fan of a brand that has some legs behind it and can continue to last and stand out among the crowd.”
Like with most appliances, though, it costs a little extra to get the highest-tech features, which is why some kettles crack triple digits. Perhaps the main example is temperature control, which Schwartz calls “extremely valuable.” Shelley echoes this thought: “If you’ve got high-quality tea, you don’t want to ruin it with water that’s the wrong temperature.” And so, in some cases, it’s worth paying more for a feature that you think will make a difference.
Shelley listed a few other features she prioritizes in a kettle: automatic shutoff, a gooseneck spout, a keep-warm setting, and a sound that indicates when the water is ready. All of which are represented in our picks below. Be sure to also check out our in depth review of Fellow Stagg here.
BEST OVERALL
Fellow Stagg EKG Electric Kettle
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The Fellow Stagg EKG Pro is the runaway choice for the top electric kettle today. It was recommended by all three experts that SPY interviewed, and for good reason. It allows for water temperature adjustment by single digits ranging from 104 to 212 degrees. There’s also a gooseneck spout which, as Wong explains, “has a flow restrictor that allows for more fluid and consistent pouring.”
Such precision lets users get more flavor out of pour-over or French press coffee, along with bagged or loose-leaf tea. In fact, it’s easy to find the Fellow Stagg EKG Pro for sale on the shelves of artisan coffee shops because of its stellar performance. “I’ve been using the Fellow Stagg for a few years now,” Wong adds. “It’s my kettle of choice for daily use at home and the cafe.”
Cost-wise, it’s on the pricier end of the spectrum, but it has every touch, including a stylish design.
BEST VALUE
Krups Smart Digital Kettle
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This kettle from Krups is the perfect middle ground for customers who want versatility without breaking the bank.
It has five preset temperatures which cover the basic varieties of tea — white, green, black, and herbal — as well as coffee. The 195-degree setting is on the low side for brewing coffee, though, so you may need to let the water boil and cool down to experiment with your pour-over.
The aptly named Smart’N Light kettle is a great option if you’re tight on counter space, as well. “It’s a tall, slim kettle,” says Shelley, who recommended the item after two-plus years of use. “That design, for me, has been very helpful for ease of handling on a daily basis, multiple times a day.”
BEST GLASS
OXO Brew Adjustable Temperature Kettle
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Glass kettles serve a purpose in regard to design, as they create a more open kitchen aesthetic, and function, since users can easily see how much water is left. OXO’s glass kettle is our favorite due to the durability of its materials and many user-friendly elements.
The temperature can be set anywhere between 170 and 212 degrees. (Just keep in mind that this range is a tad too hot for some white and green teas.) It also lacks a gooseneck spout, but Schwartz, who has used the kettle for over five years, says that its pouring is still smooth, albeit not as accurate as a gooseneck.
One detail that particularly stands out about this kettle is its whopping 60-ounce capacity. That’s plenty of water for large pour-over coffee makers, like a Chemex, as well as multiple cups of tea when company is over. Schwartz says it “heats up very quickly,” which is a bonus considering its large capacity.
BEST FOR GOOSENECK
Brewista Artisan Electric Gooseneck Kettle
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The narrow, swooping spout on this kettle feels precise enough that it could write your name. This allows users to saturate both coffee grounds and tea leaves evenly, resulting in richer, more balanced flavors.
Wong, in particular, recommends this kettle: “The Brewista is easy to handle with a comfortable grip and it feels stable while pouring,” he says. He also praised the LCD panel, which is the hub for settings like temperature control, the keep-warm function, and a timer that’s helpful when following specific brewing or steeping instructions.
The Brewista Artisan is fairly expensive, so customers who are primarily interested in hot water and don’t need extra features are likely best looking elsewhere.
BEST FOR EASE OF USE
Cuisinart Cordless Electric Kettle
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Electric kettles are, by and large, easy to use, but it doesn’t get much easier than Cuisinart’s PerfecTemp. It has six pre-set temperature options, all clearly labeled with different suggested uses.
The author of this article has used this kettle firsthand and found its construction extremely solid — not that it’s a major concern, given that it also has a three-year warranty. The PerfectTemp is also the best of both worlds because it has a large, 58-ounce capacity yet heats up in a similar amount of time as smaller kettles.
Maybe the only downside is that it doesn’t have a gooseneck spout. Otherwise, most customers will be happy with the kettle’s performance, and even happier with its reasonable price.
Frequently Asked Questions About Electric Kettles
How do you clean an electric kettle?
It’s recommended to regularly clean an electric kettle’s scale filter, if it has one, and perform a more thorough cleaning process, known as descaling, every few months. Even though it’s a little annoying, it’s best to empty all excess water from a kettle after use. To keep the exterior pristine, wipe it with a soft cloth and, if needed, use water and vinegar too.
Can you put milk in an electric kettle?
The short answer is no, you shouldn’t put milk in your electric kettle. Manufacturers warn against this because it could cause damage. That said, some people out there heat milk in electric kettles without issue, likely because they thoroughly clean it after every use. Overall, however, it isn’t worth the risk and there are better ways to heat milk.
What temperature water should I use for coffee and tea?
No matter what brewing device you use, coffee is ideally brewed with water that’s between 195 and 205 degrees. Tea, on the other hand, varies a lot. Two teas of the same variety can have wildly different recommended steep temperatures. In general, white tea is best steeped with water under 160 degrees, green tea between 150 and 180 degrees, black tea between 180 and 212 degrees, and herbal tea at 212 degrees or slightly less.
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