Welcome to the Showdown: 
Here’s How to Find the Best Tea Kettle
 [2020 Update] 

Types of Tea Kettles

There are two main types of tea kettles – stovetop kettles and electric ones. To understand which one might be more suited to your needs, let’s take a closer look at each option.

Stovetop Tea Kettles

The one that you may be most familiar with is the stovetop tea kettle – these, after all, have been around forever. As the name implies, you place this kettle directly on your stovetop.

These tea kettles tend to be made of stainless steel, although it isn’t uncommon to find ones made from borosilicate glass. This type of glass is often heat resistant, fire resistant, and much stronger than typical glass. As such, you can use it to boil water without worrying about it cracking.

Recently, tea kettles made from cast iron have also become rather popular. These kettles are a part of traditional Japanese culture and are known as tetsubin. As they have been designed to boil water, these too can be used on top of an open flame or heated surface.

There are tea kettles made from porcelain as well. These often tend to be prettier or even more brightly colored than other materials.

Stovetop tea kettles can also be divided into subcategories. These include:

Whistling Tea Kettle

​There is a good chance that you grew up in a home that had a whistling tea kettle. These are quite popular and this stands to reason. One of the easiest ways to know that your water is boiling is to hear the whistle go off. Thus, they are perfect for busy households.

Tea Kettle with Infuser 

Tea kettles with infusers are only now really entering the market. It is important not to confuse these with teapots with infusers – these are an entirely different product.

These tea kettles are equipped with a removable tea infuser. So, once the water is done boiling, you can simply pop in the infuser filled with tea leaves. The main advantage of these designs is that it saves you the trouble of having to use a separate teapot for brewing.

Electric Tea Kettles 

Then, there are electric kettles. These are gaining favor among the tea-drinking masses because they are pretty easy to use.

You simply have to fill them up, plug them in, and you are done. These automatically switch off once they reach the desired temperature. As such, there is no risk of leaving your water to boil for too long.

These tea kettles may either be made from stainless steel, glass, or high-grade plastic. The newer versions are often equipped with temperature settings so that you can choose your ideal temperature as well. 

What to Consider When Selecting a Tea Kettle

Now, let’s move onto the various features that you should look at when looking for a tea kettle. Here are the most important elements.

Heating Capabilities

Now, your goal with any tea kettle would be to heat your water as quickly as possible. Typically, you will find that electric kettles can heat the water at a faster rate than most traditional stovetop options.

However, this doesn’t mean that stovetop kettles are out of the race. There are now several designs that have encapsulated bases. This refers to a kettle where one layer is sandwiched between two others made from a separate material.

All you really need to know, though, is that tea kettles with encapsulated bases boast enhanced heat distribution. As such, these kettles are able to heat the water faster than others without this feature.

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Safety Features 

​You don’t need to be told that pouring just-boiled water out a tea kettle is a dangerous endeavor. So, how can you make this a safer process for you?

Well, one way to do this is by ensuring that the kettle that you choose is equipped with the proper safety features.
 
To begin with, look for a tea kettle with a handle that is made from silicone, rubber, wood, or any material that doesn’t conduct heat well. Thus, even if the rest of the kettle is hot, this spot will be cool to the touch.

You should also ensure that there is enough space between the lid and the handle. This cuts down on the risk of your hand brushing against a heated portion of the kettle.

Ease of Pouring 

You also need to determine how easy it will be to pour. One way to do this is to look at the spout. Will the hot water gush out? Do you have to tilt the kettle quite a bit to allow the water to come out? While these may seem like rather silly things to consider, you will be glad that you did later on.

Another aspect to consider is how balanced the kettle is, especially when it is full. Are you able to keep the kettle steady using the handle alone? Does it remain in a fixed position or does it swing when you try to pour water from it?

Look for kettles that are easily balanced out by their handles – these are easier to grip and pour with. Also, stick with kettles that remain steady as you lift them into the air.

Durability 

As mentioned, tea kettles are an investment. Therefore, you need to make sure that the product that you select is capable of lasting you for years.

This is where the quality of the material comes in. Make sure that the material is highly heat resistant and that it will not be easily warped or damaged in any way.

If you are selecting a stainless steel kettle, check that it is impervious to rust and discoloration. With glass kettles, make certain that they can withstand cracks and scratches.

Simple to Clean 

You are going to need to clean out your kettle every day. To ensure that it is thoroughly cleaned, you will need access to the entire interior of the kettle.

This is why you should look for one that has a wide opening where the lid is. You can then get into all the nooks and crannies without any trouble at all.

Appearance

​Tea kettles aren’t just functional, they can also be rather beautiful as well. So, if you want your kettle to be a style statement, it is a good idea to select one with an intriguing design or color scheme.

Fortunately for you, there are a number of different options to select from. You just have to make sure that they meet all the above criteria first.