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By Anna Shults Held, Sarah Zorn and Michael Sullivan Stainless Steel Water Kettle
We tested Cuisinart’s CPK-17P1 PerfecTemp Cordless Electric Kettle (the latest version of our longtime pick). The kettle weighs less but otherwise performs identically to the older version.
Electric kettles provide a swift and easy way to heat water without using a stove. Many models let you set a precise temperature—key for getting the best flavor from coffee and tea. Of all the models we’ve tested since 2013, the Cuisinart CPK-17P1 PerfecTemp Cordless Electric Kettle continues to be our favorite, thanks to its winning combination of speed, accuracy, and simple controls—and all at a better price than that of most competitors.
This 1.7-liter kettle heats water quickly and accurately to the various temperatures needed to get optimum flavor from teas and coffee.
Despite the price bump, this intuitive, easy-to-use kettle probably won’t provide more longevity than you get with the Cuisinart, but this model is sleeker and slightly more ergonomic.
We recommend this precise-aim gooseneck kettle for anyone preparing pour-over coffee or for tea lovers who will geek out over its spot-on temperature accuracy.
With delayed shipping (deal on black)
Sam's Club membership required
This no-frills kettle lacks the bells and whistles of the variable-temperature models we recommend, but it gets the job done on the cheap.
May be out of stock
Our picks can boil up to 1.7 liters of water in seven minutes, but of course they’ll boil smaller quantities even faster.
Set the kettle to the ideal temperature for your oolong tea or pour-over, and it’ll maintain the temp for 20 to 30 minutes.
Most kettles automatically shut off after boiling or keeping warm for a set amount of time. Some also have boil-dry protection.
Boiling water repeatedly is hard on electrical components, so failure rates can be high for electric kettles. Good warranties help.
This 1.7-liter kettle heats water quickly and accurately to the various temperatures needed to get optimum flavor from teas and coffee.
The Cuisinart CPK-17P1 PerfecTemp Cordless Electric Kettle has been our top pick since 2013 because of its consistent performance and easy-to-use interface. In our tests, it reliably brought a full kettle of water to a boil in about seven minutes. We were also impressed with this kettle’s accuracy in holding water at a set temperature. It has six preset temperature choices, each with a dedicated button, plus a “keep warm” function, which holds water at the set temperature for 30 minutes. The three-year warranty is generous compared with those of similarly priced electric kettles.
Despite the price bump, this intuitive, easy-to-use kettle probably won’t provide more longevity than you get with the Cuisinart, but this model is sleeker and slightly more ergonomic.
The Breville IQ Kettle looks great and works well, too. It has five temperature presets, each with a button on the base of the kettle, and a 20-minute “keep warm” function. And rather than being a closed loop, the handle is open at the bottom, making it just a little more accessible. We don’t think these features are worth the price jump over the Cuisinart CPK-17 (especially since the IQ has only a one-year warranty). But for someone who prioritizes a more streamlined look or an ergonomic handle, the price difference might be worth it.
We recommend this precise-aim gooseneck kettle for anyone preparing pour-over coffee or for tea lovers who will geek out over its spot-on temperature accuracy.
With delayed shipping (deal on black)
Sam's Club membership required
The Cuisinart GK-1 Digital Gooseneck Kettle is accurate and fast, and it’s more comfortable to use than other similarly priced gooseneck kettles. The willowy spout gives you the control necessary for executing the perfect pour-over, and the rounded handle is easy to grasp, resulting in a smoother, more precise pour. The controls are intuitive and allow you to adjust the water temperature in five-degree increments, and a “keep warm” function holds the temperature for 30 minutes before automatically shutting off. The kettle has an all-steel body and lid, which makes it a great option for the plastic-avoidant. Also, in matte black this kettle looks attractive when kept on the counter.
This no-frills kettle lacks the bells and whistles of the variable-temperature models we recommend, but it gets the job done on the cheap.
May be out of stock
We recommend the inexpensive Hamilton Beach 40880 Stainless Steel 1.7 Liter Kettle for anyone who’d prefer not to break the bank but wants a decent kettle for boiling water. This model is very straightforward to operate, with a simple on/off switch at the base of the handle. In our tests, it heated water just as quickly as the Cuisinart CPK-17P1, and it shuts off automatically as soon as it reaches a boil (this is a good safety feature, but you’ll need to stay close, since there’s no beep to alert you when it’s done). The large, heat-safe handle stays cool, and the spout doesn’t dribble when you’re pouring.
Anna Shults Held is a writer and editor who’s worked on several Wirecutter guides and has extensive barista and coffee experience.
Previous updates also relied on research and testing by Sarah Zorn, a cookbook author, recipe developer, and tester, as well as senior staff writer Michael Sullivan, who has covered everything from toaster ovens to air fryers.
Getting a variable-temperature electric kettle is the key to immediately improving your hot-drink game, whether you’re a tea connoisseur or a coffee nerd.
Different varieties of tea are intended to be brewed at specific temperatures—more-delicate leaves require cooler water. So green tea, for example, should steep at a temperature that is markedly lower than the rolling boil black tea requires.
The ideal temperature for brewing a clean, balanced cup of coffee—whether with a pour-over dripper or a French press—is also below boiling: The National Coffee Association recommends between 195 °F and 200 °F. If you’re mainly interested in brewing coffee, consider purchasing an electric gooseneck kettle, specifically designed for pour-overs. The thin, angled spout aids in assuring a slow, controlled pour.
If you’re not a coffee or tea aficionado, you may want a no-frills basic model that simply boils water. We have a pick for that, too. In either case, an electric kettle also works for people who hate the alarming sound of whistling kettles and want a fast, more automatic path to their morning cup of caffeine. It’s also useful for those who don’t have easy access to a stove, such as students living in a dorm.
A great electric kettle should hit temperatures quickly and accurately, and it should come with a few special features that make it pleasant and easy to use. We looked for the following qualities.
Simple controls: We preferred intuitive controls that were simple to start at the push of a button.
For kettles with multiple temperatures, we looked for clearly marked and easily adjustable settings. And we appreciated when kettles include guides with ideal temperatures for various beverages printed visibly on the machine.
Accuracy: We picked kettles that heat exactly to or close to their target temperatures.
Speed: You don’t want to wait forever for your water to heat. We looked for models that brought a liter to a boil in five minutes or less.
Clean pouring: Basic kettles should be able to pour into a mug without splashing or dribbling. With gooseneck kettles, which are primarily intended for making pour-over coffee, we looked for models that gave us a high level of control over the speed and direction of the stream.
Minimal plastic: We tested kettles made primarily from stainless steel, glass, or ceramic. Some people, including our experts, complain about plastic kettles imparting a funny taste or smell to the water. Plus, plastic kettles are more prone to warping over time, so we decided not to include them. Most models we've tested, however, contained some minor plastic elements, such as parts of the lid, a filter, or the water-level window. All of our picks’ manufacturers assured us that the plastic components in their kettles were made from heat-resistant plastics.
If you’re especially concerned about plastic components in your kettle, our pick for the best gooseneck kettle, the Cuisinart GK-1 Digital Gooseneck Kettle, has an all-steel body and lid. And three other kettles we like, the OXO Brew Gooseneck Electric Kettle, the Fellow Corvo EKG, and the Fellow Stagg EKG, have all-steel bodies with only a silicone gasket around their temperature probes.
Safety features: Kettles should have handles and lids that stay cool to the touch and keep your hands well away from any scalding surfaces. A functioning automatic shut-off is another important safety feature.
Easy cleaning: All kettles need to be descaled from time to time, since lime deposits build up inside. To make that process easier, we looked for kettles with wide openings that are easy to reach into for cleaning. A scale filter in the spout also helps to keep bits of the deposits (which are harmless) out of your cup.
Solid warranties: Our research has shown that even high-quality kettles can have a somewhat short lifespan. Spending more may get you nicer features or a sturdier housing, but it won’t ensure that your kettle lasts longer. So it’s best to find a model with a good warranty. A year is standard; two or more is excellent. (The Cuisinart PerfecTemp, our top pick, offers three.)
Nice extras: We preferred kettles that have audible cues when the water is ready but are otherwise relatively quiet. Other extra-credit additions include timers, real-time temperature indicators, and toggles that let you switch from Fahrenheit to Celsius.
We started our original testing by timing how long it took each kettle to bring a liter of water to a boil. With the variable-temperature kettles, we also used a reliable instant-read thermometer to check the accuracy of their various temperature settings. We performed both tests multiple times on each kettle.
Some models we tested had a warming feature that could hold set temperatures, so we checked their accuracy after letting them sit on hold for a period of time. We tested automatic shut-off features and took note of any excessive or annoying beeps while using each kettle. We tasted the water from each model after boiling to see whether it had any off flavors caused by plastic components.
We tested gooseneck kettles by making pour-over coffee, and by tracing specific patterns onto a dry paper towel to assess how much control each kettle’s spout and handle provided over the pour.
This 1.7-liter kettle heats water quickly and accurately to the various temperatures needed to get optimum flavor from teas and coffee.
Cuisinart’s PerfecTemp Cordless Electric Kettle has been our top pick since 2013, thanks to its ease of use, speed, and accuracy.
It has a helpful, simple interface. Each of the six temperature settings has its own button on the handle, labeled with the temperature and beverage it’s best for. If you don’t know the ideal water temperatures for making specific types of tea, this is very helpful (though the kettle’s settings for white and black tea vary a bit from the recommendations of our experts).
The CPK-17P1 is one of the easiest kettles to operate. All you need to do is add water, select the temperature you want, hit start, and wait for the kettle to beep when it’s done. Then it kicks into an automated 30-minute keep-warm cycle (there’s also a Keep Warm button, if you’d like to select this option manually, or turn the feature off). Another button on the handle lets you easily open the lid with one hand.
This kettle boils quickly and hits its target temperatures accurately. On average, it brought 1 liter of water to a boil in around four minutes, speedier than most kettles we tested. Additionally, the Cuisinart CPK-17P1 proved to be impressively accurate in our tests: Water measured just 2 degrees over the set temperature of 185 °F after 30 minutes on the keep-warm setting.
It pours cleanly and easily. The wide handle is comfortable to hold. The spout pours in an even stream, with no dribbling.
This kettle beeps just the right amount. The Cuisinart CPK-17P1 beeps once when you press a button on the control panel, as well as several times when it reaches a temperature setting, so you don’t have to stay near the kettle to know when it’s done heating. As a safety mechanism, it beeps raucously (and automatically shuts off) if the kettle is on but the pitcher is empty.
It’s easy to clean. The kettle’s lid opening is large enough for you to get a hand inside, which makes for easier cleaning and descaling of the kettle’s interior. Clean the handle with a damp cloth and mild dish soap when necessary, as harsher cleaners may cause the labels on the buttons to fade.
It comes with a generous three-year warranty. This limited warranty is the best of any kettle we’ve tested in this price range. Considering that constantly boiling water can be rough on a gadget, having triple the warranty coverage of the rest of the pack is impressive.
Wirecutter staff who use the predecessor to the CPK-17P1 say it has held up for years without issue. One person shared that the kettle has been in daily use for six years and counting, and that the scale filter works wonders for the hard water in their home. Another person said that they had issues with the lid sticking and were able to get a replacement within warranty. We use the kettle in our high-traffic office kitchen without issue. The labels remain good as new, and the lid opens smoothly.
The Cuisinart CPK-17P1 is less accurate at lower temperatures. The kettle hit a couple of degrees over when set to 160 °F but still had better accuracy than most of the other kettles we tested.
Some people report the kettle has longevity issues. We’ve received feedback from readers and have seen reviews about this Cuisinart model breaking down after about a year, or of the lid breaking off at the hinge. Based on our analysis of Amazon reviews, it’s common across brands that a small percentage of kettles break prematurely within a year or two. The Cuisinart’s generous three-year warranty should cover these issues—while other kettles with one- or two-year warranties could leave you in the lurch. And anecdotally, the Cuisinart kettles we’ve continued to use have lasted years.
The printed-on button labels may wear off with rough cleaning or usage. A number of Amazon reviews complain that the labels on the buttons wear off over time. We haven’t experienced this issue with the kettles we’ve been long-term testing or with the ones we use in the staff kitchen in Wirecutter’s offices. But a couple Wirecutter staffers have encountered the problem with this model. A representative from Cuisinart suggested it may have to do with how people clean their kettles, and they advised us: “The only cleaning solution that should be used is a damp cloth and a mild dishwashing soap. Any other cleaners (Windex, Fantastik, Lysol) have harsh chemicals and may remove the paint/printing.” That said, some folks told us they experienced this issue with their kettle even if they hadn’t used any harsh cleaners or cleaned their kettle handle at all. Based on review analysis, we don’t think it’s a widespread problem.
Despite the price bump, this intuitive, easy-to-use kettle probably won’t provide more longevity than you get with the Cuisinart, but this model is sleeker and slightly more ergonomic.
The Breville IQ Kettle is a great-looking kettle that works just as well as the Cuisinart CPK-17 PerfecTemp, if not better in a few small ways. But the IQ normally costs at least $30 more, and it comes with only a one-year warranty, compared with the Cuisinart’s three.
The IQ has a streamlined look and ergonomic design. TheBreville IQ is unobtrusive on the counter. This kettle’s open handle makes it more accessible than closed-handle kettles, and in our tests we found pouring with it was more comfortable.
Elecctric Appliances It boils quickly and accurately. The IQ boils water just a bit faster than and just as accurately as the Cuisinart kettle. The IQ has five presets, as well as a temperature alert, a 20-minute keep-warm hold, and boil-dry protection.