Our expert kettle review covers over 70 models to help you decide which is best for you and your budget
All kettles boil water (obviously!) but we test each kettle’s noise level, the energy used, the time taken to boil one litre of water, and how easy they are to operate
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Aussies love a good cuppa, but there’s more to a kettle than just boiling water.
New models on the market are becoming increasingly sophisticated, with features such as temperature control, constant boil and noise reduction, plus a range of pretty finishes and vivid colours.
But if a kettle drips and dribbles, is far too loud, takes an age to boils or is just hard to hold, all the bells and whistles in the world won’t make your tea break the relaxing ritual it should be.
It’s impossible to test a kettle’s mettle just by looking at one instore or online.
That’s why our lab experts put more than 70 popular models through a range of tough tests – from boil time and noise levels, to ease of use and more – to ensure you get the best cuppa you can.
Our tests found some great kettles, both budget and high-end, alongside some really mediocre models that were truly off the boil.
Tea time and testing at CHOICE.
Bugatti Jackie 02-JKCRNU
All style, no substance: the Bugatti Jackie kettle.
CHOICE Expert Rating: 65%
Price: $529
No, that’s not a typo: this kettle costs more than FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS.
And what does your money get you? A kettle that looks like one of those 90s handbags that have come back into fashion. But it’s noisy and is a pain to use.
This Bugatti isn’t from the makers of the wildly expensive car brand (it’s an entirely different company, apparently), but it’s certainly priced as though it is.
What does your money get you? A kettle that looks like one of those 90s handbags that have come back into fashion
In case you thought this was the most expensive kettle you’ve ever seen, think again. This is the cheaper version; the more formally-named Jaqueline sells for over $800.
The $800 Jacqueline connects to an app. Image: Bugatti.
It doesn’t look vastly different to the Jackie but it connects to a Bugatti app, so you can set it to boil for every tea break you have through the day. We haven’t tested it, but based on the performance of its “cheap” cousin, we wouldn’t take the risk.
Why did the Bugatti Jackie receive such a low rating from our experts?
First of all, it’s noisy: it registered at 62dBA when we measured it from 50cm away. By comparison, the quietest kettles we tested boil at around 50dBA.
It might not seem like much difference, but you’d hope that a kettle this expensive would be whisper-quiet.
Or maybe you’d actually want it to make a racket so guests can’t help but notice your swanky new appliance!
Aside from bringing the noise, our experts noted that it’s difficult to see the indicator light, and the water level markings are inside the kettle, rather than on the outside, so you need to remove the lid to see how much water is inside.
And in a clear case of form over function, despite the Jackie’s supposedly sophisticated design, it’s actually quite awkward to use: the kettle only fits into the base in two configurations, so you need to line it up before you put it back on the base.
You could buy an entire coffee machine, not just a kettle, for the price
Considering that you could buy an entire coffee machine, not just a kettle, for the price, we think it’s very much not worth your money. (You should also avoid the Bugatti Volo toaster for similar reasons.)
This kettle sure looks stylish sitting on your countertop, with its vintage design and sleek stainless steel finish.
But if you like to make your tea in peace, be aware that it’s very noisy. CHOICE experts measure the noise at the halfway point when boiling a litre of water, and this kettle received the equal-lowest score in our test (alongside six other models).
It’s also not particularly fast, taking 3 minutes and 25 seconds to boil a litre of water, with a Boil Performance score of 69%. Our experts also noted there is no audible noise to let you know the boiling process is complete, so you’ll have to keep checking in to see if it’s ready.
If you like to make your tea in peace, be aware that it’s very noisy
If you’re willing to fork out a couple of hundred dollars for a good-looking kettle, we won’t judge. But there are plenty of cheaper models our experts rated better in our testing, including ones that will give you a quieter (and faster) start to the day.
The DeLonghi Argento prioritises style over substance.
CHOICE Expert Rating: 66%
Price: $139
It might have the style, but unfortunately this DeLonghi doesn’t back it up with substance.
Our testers found it awkward to use: from removing the lid, to pouring the water, to checking the water level and replacing the filter, it isn’t a great experience.
It might have the style, but this DeLonghi doesn’t back it up with substance
If you’re not irritated by those aspects, the noise will probably get to you. Our experts classify its 65dBA mid-boil reading as “Very noisy”.
Healthy Choice 1.2L Digital Glass Kettle with Tea Infuser SK200
This Healthy Choice kettle sits pretty but doesn’t back up its good looks with performance.
CHOICE Expert Rating: 67%
Price: $80
This glass kettle definitely looks great if you’re having people over for a cuppa and the tea infuser is a nice touch. However, our testers found a few faults.
The biggest issue is how long it takes to boil a litre of water. Over nine minutes! That’s the longest (by far) of any of the kettles we’ve tested, landing this model with a Boil Performance score of only 20%. It also doesn’t switch off when lifted off its base and the metallic lid is too hot to remove right after boiling.
Our testers found another eccentricity about this kettle during safety testing. We conduct a dry boil test, where our testers switch on the empty kettle and wait to see if it switches off automatically (after detecting that the kettle is empty and there is no water to boil). When this test was done on the Healthy Choice, the kettle didn’t seem to recognise that it was empty and even though the kettle remained undamaged, it continued through the entire boiling cycle, only turning off when it reached 100°C.
Alice Richard is a Content creator and marketer. Alice writes on a range of topics, from health insurance to heaters and BBQs to bargain-hunting, always with the aim to help consumers find the best products to buy, and which to avoid.
Alice can take vast amounts of data from CHOICE product tests and turn it into content that is easily digestible and fun for readers.
Alice has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Queensland.
Alice Richard is a Content creator and marketer. Alice writes on a range of topics, from health insurance to heaters and BBQs to bargain-hunting, always with the aim to help consumers find the best products to buy, and which to avoid.
Alice can take vast amounts of data from CHOICE product tests and turn it into content that is easily digestible and fun for readers.
Alice has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Queensland.
Jason is a Content Editor and journalist at CHOICE. He writes about a diverse range of subjects, from solar to robot vacuums to why Easter eggs are a rip-off. He's previously written for Sydney Morning Herald, Rolling Stone and many other publications.
Jason is a Content Editor and journalist at CHOICE. He writes about a diverse range of subjects, from solar to robot vacuums to why Easter eggs are a rip-off. He's previously written for Sydney Morning Herald, Rolling Stone and many other publications.
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