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The best-performing kettle and toaster combos

They may look good on your kitchen bench, but which matching pairs deliver the best performance?

best matching kettle and toaster combos
Last updated: 14 January 2022

They say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so a good toaster and kettle are important purchases. A breakfast of burnt toast and tepid tea isn't exactly the best way to get going in the morning. 

While there are plenty of individual toasters and kettles that'll start your day off right, you can take your kitchen appliance game to the next level with a matching pair – purchased either as a set, or individually from the same collection. 

Is it better to mix and match brands to find the best performers? Or is a matching set going to bring balance to your kitchen? We'll talk you through the pros and cons of buying aesthetically pleasing kitchen appliances.

Plus, for CHOICE members, we'll tell you which matching toaster and kettle pairs performed the best in our tests. 

Do you need to buy a matching pair at all?

If you opt for classic styles, you might find that you can find a way to approximately match your kettle and toaster while still having the freedom to buy the brand and model you prefer. 

"Stainless steel items are usually similar looking so you needn't worry too much about having the same brand," says CHOICE appliance expert Kim Gilmour. 

"You may be more inclined to stick with matching products if they have very distinctive patterns (eg, a 'diamond' design on a kettle) or unique colours or metallic shades to go with your kitchen. 

"You could get different branded appliances that are inspired by the same look but are cheaper and/or better performing."

delonghi brillante exclusive kbjx2001bk

Appliances with distinctive patterns are probably better as a matching pair.

Some brands will have different size options within the same range, for instance, you can choose your style of kettle and a two- or four-slice toaster. 

"Think of quality as well," says Kim. "If a toaster looks good but doesn't rate well, are you prepared to sacrifice style for functionality?"

Appliance purists will be inclined to choose performance over prettiness. "Performance is the most important thing to me," says CHOICE expert tester Adrian Lini. 

"I would always aim to get a simple design like stainless steel or black so that it'll match with everything."

The pros of buying a matching toaster and kettle

  • Discounts: Because you're buying two products at once, you might receive a discount off the RRP that you won't get if you purchase separately. 
  • Exclusivity: Some brands will sell products in a bundle that aren't sold separately. 
  • Aesthetics: This is an obvious one! Matching appliances can really lift the look of your kitchen and complement your interior design. For aesthetes, this is more than worth spending a little extra money on. 
  • Fewer options: For the indecisive among us, this can actually make life easier. When you have your heart set on a matching pair, that will rule out a fair chunk of the market – which will make it easier for you to choose. (Well, as easy as these things get for those who struggle to make decisions!)

The cons of buying a matching toaster and kettle

  • The trade-off: To buy the kettle of your dreams in a set, you might need to settle for a less-than-perfect toaster – or vice versa. The chances of finding the perfect kettle and toaster in the same set are slim, but not impossible. 
  • Changing fashions: That matching retro pastel set with rose gold finishes might be fashionable now, but what about in a few years' time? You don't want to have to replace your appliances every couple of years to keep up with trends. 
  • Availability: If one appliance dies before the other, it could be difficult to find a replacement, especially if they were sold as a set. You also might not find the same model if that particular series is discontinued. 
  • Less choice: If you're committing to buying from a particular brand or range, then that limits your options. If, for instance, you really love that Smeg kettle and you're committed to having a matching set, then that will significantly decrease the pool you have to choose from. Whereas if you're happy to just go with a kettle and toaster that are approximately the same style, then you'll be spoilt for choice and can find exactly the right appliance for your needs. Of course, that does mean you'll have to do more research!

Questions to ask yourself

  • What size do you really need? Don't buy the bigger set if you don't really need it – a four-slice toaster for a two-person household might just be overkill. Some brands will offer a two-slice and a four-slice toaster in the same range, so you can choose whichever one works best for your situation. 
  • What's most important to you? If you're a coffee or tea nerd, then buying a kettle with special features should be high on your list of priorities – but perhaps a toaster is less important to you. If you're just using your kettle to make basic cups of tea throughout the day, but you have a family of six to feed every morning for breakfast, then a good toaster is probably more useful. 
  • How important is it to you to have a matching set? So important that you'd sacrifice performance for aesthetics? (No judgement – it's a totally valid choice.) Or would you be happy with a kettle and toaster that are similar enough that you probably won't notice in a week or two? Or do you just want the best performing kettle and toaster, regardless of whether they match?

The best-performing kettle and toaster combinations

We've trawled our extensive testing data to find the kettle and toaster combinations that perform the best. 

Exclusively for CHOICE members, we'll outline the best-performing kettle and toaster combinations we've tested. Consider becoming a CHOICE member to access these details, plus reviews for more than 20+ product categories.

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Stock images: Getty, unless otherwise stated.

The best matching pair

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KitchenAid

kitchenaid 2 slice toaster 5akmt223ob

Both recommended by CHOICE experts, these two KitchenAid appliances are great performers. The kettle in particular impressed our testers, who couldn't find any bad points about its performance to mention. 

Depending on your decor, you can select from a range of colours, including red, cream, white, black and grey. If you're feeding a larger crowd, KitchenAid also makes a four-slice toaster which performed equally as well as the two-slice model, also scoring 75% overall. 

At $174 for the kettle and $239 for the toaster, these products aren't cheap, but if you're looking for a kettle and toaster set that deliver on performance and aesthetics, then this is it. 

russell hobbs honeycomb black kettle rhk700
russell hobbs honeycomb 4 slice toaster rht704blk

Russell Hobbs Honeycomb

With price tags of $70 for the kettle and $80 for the toaster, this set represents good value for money. Our expert testers recommend the kettle – and the toaster only just missed out on being recommended by one percentage point. 

If you're on a budget but still want to make your kitchen look a million dollars, these appliances are a good buy. 

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morphy richards illumination 4 slice toaster 248020

Morphy Richards Illumination

The $150 Illumination was the second-highest scoring toaster in our tests, outclassing even the KitchenAid toasters mentioned above. The $129 kettle wasn't one of the highest scoring in our test, but 71% is still a solid performance score. 

However, for the same price, there are plenty of other kettles that perform better. If you have your heart set on a matching combo, then this is still a good buy. 

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morphy richards equip 2 slice toaster mret02b

Morphy Richards Equip

Another cheaper option, this Morphy Richards set is a little more utilitarian than others in this list – but it certainly delivers in terms of performance. The $55 toaster is recommended by our expert testers, and the $50 kettle scored a solid 72%. 

With classic black and stainless steel styling, this set will suit most kitchens but won't break the bank. 

sunbeam new york jug kettle ke4430kb
sunbeam new york collection 4 slice toaster black bronze ta4440kb

Sunbeam New York

Another mid-price performer, this combo is very on-trend with its retro styling and rose-gold finishes. Both appliances only just missed out on being recommended by our experts, but 74% is still considered "good" in our books. 

Both priced at $169, they're a good buy that'll jazz up your kitchen. 

russell hobbs addison digital rhk510
russell hobbs addison 4 slice toaster rht514blk

Russell Hobbs Addison

This reasonably-priced set probably won't win any design awards, but its simple, straightforward design means it won't go out of style. 

The $90 toaster is definitely the star of this duo, and is recommended by our experts, but the $79 kettle lets the team down somewhat. You could always pair the toaster with a different Russell Hobbs kettle if you wanted to stick with the same brand. 

The Russell Hobbs Montana Kettle, for instance, scored 81% and costs just $70. However, if you just want to boil some water, then the Addison will do the job. 

sunbeam maestro kettle ke6451
sunbeam maestro dark 4 slice toaster ta6440ds

Sunbeam Maestro

With its simple lines and sleek stainless steel designs, this toaster and kettle combo will work in almost any kitchen. It's priced at $90 for the kettle and $109 for the toaster, which isn't the cheapest set going, but for that price you can expect fairly solid performance. 

If a four-slice toaster is too big for your needs, Sunbeam also makes a two-slice version of the Maestro – so even small households can have this matching set. (However, we haven't tested the two-slice version so can't comment on its performance.)

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Smeg TSF01PBAU

Smeg 50s style

Scores in the low 70s aren't terrible, but they're also not amazing. However, if the aesthetics have won you over and you simply must have a Smeg kettle and toaster, we suggest you go for the slightly cheaper versions available. The more expensive models either performed worse (the kettle) or only a tiny bit better (the toaster) than the cheaper models. 

So enjoy the retro look, but save your money. 

We've also tested the Smeg 50s Style variable temperature KLF04 kettle. It's $259, but you certainly won't get $30 worth of extra value from it – in fact, it scored lower than the cheaper Smeg model. 

The more expensive toaster is similarly not worth the extra money. For an extra $40, the Smeg TSF02BLAU toaster only scores one percentage point higher than the TSF01PBAU – hardly worth the extra cash. 

Bear in mind, though, that you might be able to pick up less popular colours at cheaper prices, so keep an open mind if you're on a budget but still want to style up your kitchen. Smeg model numbers are specific to the colour, so double check what the code is before you buy. 

Stock images: Getty, unless otherwise stated.