What to look for in a kettle

You may think all kettles are the same, but you’d be wrong.

In 1952, Russell Hobbs introduced the world’s first automatic electric kettle and every subsequent kettle introduced over the next 70 years came with improvements that made everyday life just a little bit easier. Features such as a perfect pour spout so you don’t splash hot water everywhere when you’re filling cups, or rapid boil markers so you can enjoy a hot drink in under a minute, and much more.

We know everyone is different. Which is why we make kettles in a range of designs and sizes to suit your personal taste as well as the size of your household. Maybe you want a kettle that matches your toaster or your coffee machine? Maybe you want a kettle to complement your home style? Many of our kettles are designed as part of a range so you can enjoy matching kitchenware.

For example, our Groove range, with its tactile 3D finish, is inspired by the trend for textures while our Emma Bridgewater Polka Dot collection adds a pop of colour to contemporary countertops. A popular choice has been our timeless K65 Anniversary Kettle. Inspired by the shape of our very first automatic electric kettle, it’s packed with all the modern features you’d expect.

Just when you think we must have thought of everything we turn our attention to kettle lids! Because we talk to our customers, we know some people prefer to push a button so that the lid pops up, while some people prefer completely removable lids. This is personal choice that won’t impact the way a kettle works – we’ve just designed them both ways to give you even more choice.   

All our kettles have a base or stand to keep steady and stable. It also makes it easier for you to lift your kettle without being held back by a cable.  Most of our kettles come with 360° base suitable for left or right handers, with cord storage underneath to keep wires tidy when it’s not in use.

Rapid boil markers are there to make sure you don’t overfill the kettle – when you boil the exact amount of water you need you use less energy and that could help save you money over time. A kettle with a water window will also be helpful as you can see how much water is inside.  

Boiling water can be noisy so if a bit of ‘sssh’ is on your list of must-haves, watch out for kettles in our range that have a Quiet Boil function – it may seem like a small thing, but if you’ve a sleeping baby in the house or you enjoy a late-night cuppa when everyone is in bed, you’ll be glad you have a quieter kettle. In fact, we put our aptly named Quiet Kettle through lab testing, to prove just how quiet it really is.

Where you live will have an impact on how much limescale can build up inside your kettle. If you live in a hardwater area, an anti-scale filter will keep the water in your kettle clearer, anti-scale filters are in many of our kettles, just look for it on the list of features before you buy.

We hope we’ve helped you to have a think about what’s important to you in your next kettle and we’re sure, after all the research we’ve done over the past 70 years, you’ll find your perfect kettle in one of our beautifully considered collections.