skip to main content

Electric kettle recommendations?

cloudy_christine

7 years ago

Do you have one you really like? My Braun kettle worked for 13 years, and its handle is easy for me to hold. Braun doesn't make them for North American current any more. All the ones on Amazon look like ergonomic failures. Must haves: a handle easy to grip with problem hands, a mesh filter for little calcium particles, a heating unit that's not exposed.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (6)

WalnutCreek Zone 7b/8a
7 years ago
I truly love my Breville. Here is a link: https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/breville-reg-variable-temperature-kettle-trade/3245619?skuId=16292451&mcid=PS_googlepla_nonbrand_kitchenelectrics_&adpos=1o5&creative=43742642989&device=c&matchtype=&network=g&product_id=16292451&gclid=CICHiseD2dACFZK6wAodl74DyQ
hoovb zone 9 sunset 23
7 years ago
I have that Breville also. It has held up over two years of multiple times per day daily use, which I am surprised (and pleased) about.

I have very weak hands and bad wrists. If it is completely full of water it is heavy and I must use two hands. Normal use (two cups of a hot beverage) I only fill it to 705 ml, an amount that is light and easy for one of my hands.
Related Discussions
Which is faster: electric kettle or range
Q
Comments (7)
absolutely the electric kettle. I have a high powered range but the water boiled in the kettle is much faster. The heating coil is IN the water... All the heat goes into the water, not wasted. Even though the water boils faster with the electric kettle, i use the stove top kettle to boil. I am not about to invest in yet another counter cluttering appliance! I just accept the added 2 or 3 minutes as the cost of having tea. I drink alot of tea. What I do like about the electric kettle is that it shuts off when done. I have a whistling tea kettle, so I have to run and shut it off the burner when I hear that whistle.... I am really odd about my tea water. The water must be boiling, not just super hot out of the instant hot water dispenser (I use it at work but I don't like it!). It cannot be heated in the MW either. It makes the tea taste somehow off.
...See More
Do you have an electric tea kettle?
Q
Comments (18)
Wow, I'm 60, and I never realized it was so much trouble, and so dangerous to boil water on the range--been doing it that way all my life. A question to Maura--I understand your concern about your home, of course, but don't you think it would be more important to teach your daughter to be responsible, rather than giving her the tools to be more IRresponsible? She's got a long life ahead of her. Here's a tip--tell her to set the oven timer (or microwave one, if the oven is in use) for about 5 minutes when she puts a pot of water on to boil. Effective, you already have an oven timer, it solves the problem, and you're giving her a tool she can use the rest of her life. I often use my timers for things totally un-kitchen-related--often have 2 of them going at once. When I put in a load of wash, I set it for 30 minutes so I don't forget to put it in the dryer if I've gotten involved in something and am not watching the clock.
...See More
ISO:electric tea kettle with auto cut off
Q
Comments (11)
You can use a coffee maker to make hot water. Just leave out the coffee. When the water gets hot, the thermostat flips to a keep warm setting. One caveat: Turn the pot off when the water gets low. An electric, thermostatically controlled, tea kettle probably better suits your needs. Years ago, I had a gas range from Sears that had one burner with a sensor - I believe it was marketed as "A burner with a brain". This was a thermostatic device that rested against the bottom of a pan or kettle. It adjusted the flame to maintain a user set temperature. If this was set to 150 F, conceiveably, it would keep the burner from melting the bottom of a kettle if the water boiled away.
...See More
Seeking tea kettle recommendations
Q
Comments (20)
Thanks for all the input. I still don't think I'm going to go for electric--I heat up about a cup of water every other day. I will check out the Revere, Chantal, and Le Creuset kettles. I found the Simplex online, and it was WAY out of my price range. I may go to Chinatown and look for the classic Chinese retaurant tea kettle touted in mtnrdredux's link (Top 10 tea kettles). Aliris19: That's why I need one that whistles. I also don't heat up that much water at a time, so it only takes a couple minutes--not enough time to wander off and forget it. Marcolo: Yes, most tea kettles steam when you pour, but the KitchenAid actually spattered. I had to have my daughter stand back 2 feet, and I always ended up with a puddle under her cocoa mug. I think it's a design flaw (neither of my other two recent kettles had this issue). My husband had a tea kettle when we got married that I used for many years. I don't think it was expensive, and it worked fine. No issues, no complaints. But he kept it when we separated. It just never occurred to me that I was going to be fussy about tea kettles, or that there was so much variation in them. Thanks again, all!
...See More
cloudy_christine
Original Author
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
Thank you. That one does look good. Because I drink black tea, I don't really need the different temperature settings. So I ordered a less expensive one. Isn't it frustrating how every product has rave reviews and thumbs-down reviews?
sleevendog (5a NY 6aNYC NL CA)
7 years ago
I have the basic Breville. Not the one with all the panel settings. I was hesitant because of some bad reviews...so far it has been fine and does what it should do quickly. My only complaint is it heats up to a boil with so much steam before the 'ding' and before shutting off. If used under a cabinet it will throw off so much steam that your cabinet underneath will be sopping wet. Daily use would be tragic. Maybe mine is timed wrong. Or a cover over the spout to contain all that steam.

What I do like is that it is made with the most non-plastic parts of all the electric kettles i researched.
Marilyn Sue McClintock
7 years ago
I bought my hot pots from Aldi when they have them. I have one upstairs and one down. They are plastic but seem to be about the same as the one pictured. They even had some on clearance last year and now I have an extra one on hand. They were marked down from I think around $14.99 to $7.99. They come in white or black. I have used them for some years. Handy to have.

Sue
PRO
Anglophilia
7 years ago
Glad to hear about the Breville as I know that one of these days, my beloved and ancient Russell Hobbs kettle will finally die and they are no longer imported to the US. Boo hoo!

Related Stories

ACCESSORIES Easy Green: Cut Electricity Use With 15 Unplugged Home Devices

By Laura Gaskill

Crank up the energy savings, courtesy of household items that come into power the old-fashioned way: manually

LIFE How to Prepare for and Live With a Power Outage

By Lisa Frederick

When electricity loss puts food, water and heat in jeopardy, don't be in the dark about how to stay as safe and comfortable as possible

KITCHEN APPLIANCES Find the Right Cooktop for Your Kitchen

By KitchenLab Interiors

For a kitchen setup with sizzle, deciding between gas and electric is only the first hurdle. This guide can help

GREEN BUILDING Going Solar at Home: Solar Panel Basics

By Christine Tusher

Save money on electricity and reduce your carbon footprint by installing photovoltaic panels. This guide will help you get started

ACCESSORIES New Classics: The 9093 Teakettle

By Becky Harris

We could spout off about this kettle's postmodern lines and cheeky design note here, but the 28 years in production speak for themselves

PRODUCT PICKS Guest Picks: Good Morning to You

By My Paradissi

Start the day with a smile, courtesy of 20 pieces from a retro radio to an au courant kettle

BATHROOM DESIGN Light-Up Mirrors Offer Bright Design Solutions

By By Any Design Ltd.

If you're taking a dim view of a problem bathroom area, try the flash of design brilliance that is the electric mirror

COLOR Pretty Pink Color Schemes, Subtle to Sensational

By Becky Dietrich, Interior Designer

How do we love pink? Let us count the ways: soft, sassy, with chartreuse and electric blue and, yes, even red ...

BATHROOM DESIGN Warm Up Your Bathroom With Heated Floors

By Tiffany Carboni

If your bathroom floor is leaving you cold, try warming up to an electric heating system

DISASTER PREP & RECOVERY More Power to You: How to Pick the Right Generator

By Marianne Lipanovich

If your home's electricity goes, don't let it take your necessities with it — keep systems running with this guide to backup power

Sponsored

More Discussions

Do you make actual shortcake?

39

Troubleshooting My Baking

13

Lars, give an expiation, please

23

Can I seal vacuum bag with an iron?

4

Food Related Podcasts, Series, and Videos...

11