Best For Home: Mueller Electric Gooseneck Kettle

Why buy an appliance to boil water? Isn’t it faster to boil water in a microwave?

Electric kettles are great to quickly heat up water to a boiling temperature—often faster than a microwave. (That’s because kettles are 1500 watts, while microwaves are often half that power rating).

And, of course, some folks don’t have access to a microwave (some college dorms ban the use of microwaves).

The average time to heat up 1.7 liters of water in an electric kettle is 4-6 minutes (depending on the initial temperature of the water).

Kettles are great for quickly making soup, French press coffee and (of course) tea.

Another advantage for kettles: many can heat up to 1.8 liters of hot water at a time . . . more than a microwave can handle.

Kettles are quieter than a microwave, which is great if you live in a dorm . . . or want to make your own hot drinks at your office desk (without having to go to the break room and use the communal microwave—and have to visit with everyone).

After testing out an electric kettle model here at our office (and surveying our readers for their favorites), here are a few caveats to think about when buying an electric kettle:

  1. Kettles are to heat up water—and no other liquid. They are just designed for H2O.
  2. You must be careful in cleaning a kettle. Why? The electric element is often built-in into the pot . . . so you can’t submerge the kettle in soapy water, for example. Kettles must be cleaned in a certain way (see the manual for details).
  3. All kettles get hot—even the glass ones! Be careful when handling.

Ok, now that the formalities are out of the way, let’s go over our top picks for electric kettles.

For the best electric kettle for home use, we recommend Mueller’s Gooseneck kettle—it combines the best performance with value.

What We Liked

• Easy to use.

• FAST!

• Good capacity at 1 liters.

• LED light indicates it is on.

• Auto shut-off within 30 seconds of boiling.

• Safety feature turns off unit if it is accidentally turned on, yet has no water.

• BPA free.

• Durable stainless steel.

What Needs Work

• Somewhat louder than other kettles. If you prefer a quieter kettle, we’d suggest our next pick (Best For Office).

Best For Office: Mueller Ultra Kettle

When you use a kettle in an office setting, quietness is important. On that front, we’d recommend Mueller’s Ultra Kettle.

We tried out several kettle-style boilers before deciding Mueller’s is the best of the bunch. In our tests, it heated water from room temperature to boiling in about 5 minutes. And best of all, there is an auto shut-off so you don’t have to worry about over-boiling.

What We Liked

• Quickly boils water.

• Affordable.

• Quiet—great for offices.

• Boil-dry safety feature.

• Anti-slip grip handle.

• Thick glass and sturdy base.

• Auto shut-off when boiling.

What Needs Work

• Could be easier to clean. 

Best For Camping/RV’s: COSORI Electric (BPA Free) Boiler Hot Water & Tea Heater Glass Kettle

We think COSORI’s electric kettle is best for camping or RV’s. Instead of  boiling water on a propane stove, this kettle is quick and efficient.

What We Liked

• Sturdy.

• Quickly heats water.

• Auto shut off.

• 3-7 minutes to boil water.

• 1.7 liter capacity.

• BPA-free.

• LED light helps use at night (camping!).

• Filter is attached to the lid—some folks like this better than when the filter is on the spout. It is easier to clean.

What Needs Work

• Pricey.

Why Trust Us

We’ve been rating and reviewing products for the home and families since 1994. We do extensive research, evaluating products with an eye toward quality, ease of use and affordability. When we purchase a product for hands-on testing, we do so with our own money.

Here’s another key point: we don’t take money from the brands we review. No free samples, no sponsors, no “partnerships.” Our work is 100% reader-supported!