The best electric kettles in 2020 for tea, pour-over coffee
JoriPress
Want hot water without the wait? One of these kettles will do the trick.
One seriously underrated kitchen workhorse is the electric kettle. I use mine regularly to brew French press coffee, for tea, and to add boiling water to a simmering stockpot. While many basic kettles have minimal options, there are also many models that have specialty features such as dedicated tea-steeping baskets and hold temperature buttons. They all have the same goal, which is to boil water fast, but what is the best electric kettle for your specific needs?
I tested eight modern electric kettles, ranging in price from the $22 AmazonBasics MK-M110A1A to the $280 Breville BTM800XL. Let's see which ones stood out the most.
Best electric kettle overall
Cuisinart CPK-17
The Cuisinart CPK-17 is our favorite electric kettle. It's sturdily built, it boiled water pretty quickly during my testing -- and it has the largest capacity of all eight models. This stainless steel electric kettle also has a lot of buttons, including an open button that releases the lid and several temperature buttons to customize the water temperature. They range from a 160-degree/delicate button to a 190-degree/oolong button and even a "keep warm" button, as well as your standard boil button.
This cordless kettle automatically switches to "keep warm" after it reaches boiling and turns off after 30 minutes.
At $80, the CPK-17 stainless steel electric kettle is a bit of a splurge, but it does much more than your standard kettle and feels like it will last a long time.
The $38 Miroco MI-EK003 isn't exactly cheap, but it's the best electric kettle we tested under $50. It has a large 51-ounce capacity, a simple on/off lever and It boiled water quickly. I also like the look of its glossy black finish and stainless steel interior.
A button on the top of the handle makes it easy to open the lid safely so you won't get hit with any steam. This model shuts off when it starts to boil.
Best tea kettle
Breville BTM800XL
The $280 51-ounce capacity Breville BTM800XL with its stainless steel base is technically a kettle -- but it's also a tea brewer and is by far the most decked-out electric tea kettle we tested.
It features hot water and tea buttons, with options to specify the perfect temperature to brew green, black, white, herbal, oolong or custom and delicate teas. You can also select if you want the tea to be strong, medium, mild or custom. A digital display gives you a readout of what the brewer is doing and it has a keep warm button that helps your water stay hot for up to 60 minutes.
In addition to that, the BTM800XL comes with a basket for your loose leaf tea that automatically lowers when you select your options, as well as a teaspoon measuring spoon. As a tea lover, I really liked these options, but it's a luxury appliance that's only worth it if you're a daily/regular drinker of loose leaf tea.
Best gooseneck kettle
Oxo 8717100
The $100 Oxo 8717100 is a great kettle in general, but its gooseneck spout is particularly appealing for pour over -- or other manual coffee making that requires a steady, controlled pour.
I also like that the Oxo 8717100 electric gooseneck kettle has a temperature hold function, making it possible to specify that you want your water to hold at 200 degrees Fahrenheit. When the temperature begins to drop, the 8717100 turns itself back on, reheating your water.
It has a smaller 34-ounce capacity, perfect for just over 4 cups of water. This gooseneck kettle shuts off automatically after 30 minutes.
