Many electric kettles are simple: hit the switch, wait for the water to boil. But you can also find kettles with a number of convenient features, including preset drink options, temperature holding, and automatic shutoff. Figuring out what features you want will also provide a clearer idea of your price point. How To Make an Espresso It's the big kahuna of our How To guides, and the basis on which to build hundreds of drinks: our Espresso How To! Updated Oct 1, 2023. Pouring at Half Capacity: We repeated the above test, this time filling each kettle with .75 quarts of water, and observed if this changed how far we had to tilt the kettle, how hot the kettle was to touch, and if it poured with precision and control. If you use a stovetop kettle on a gas burner, you may end up with some pesky burn marks. These are tough to remove and may need a couple of different cleaning tactics. First, soak the kettle in hot water and dish soap for 30 minutes to two hours. ( Do not do this with an electric kettle.) Second, lightly cover the kettle’s exterior with baking soda, then scrub with a sponge or brush and a combination of water and dish soap until clean. Finally, rinse and dry the kettle as normal. Zojirushi Ve Hybrid Water Boiler and Warmer: This machine holds more than a gallon of water, but it took a long time to bring it to a boil. We also found it complicated to use. (If you get this, do not to throw out the instruction manual.) But if you need a lot of hot water all at once for a crowd of coffee and tea drinkers, it might be a good solution.

I have been using the OXO daily ever since, typically twice a day to make tea or heat water for drip or instant coffee, and find it a satisfactory replacement for my old kettle, and in a couple of ways better.The shape of the kettle is awkward looking to me and not one I am fond of. The finish as well is brushed stainless steel, and I believe it would have made a much classier looking kettle had it sported a polished finish, despite its unconventional shape. The shape of the lid, especially its hollow rim (the bulge above the O-ring seal) traps about a half cup of condensed steam, and I've not yet succeeded in removing the kettle lid - which is a tight fit and takes some force to remove - without splattering this condensed water. Even tipping and shaking the kettle won't get all of it out before you take the lid off. This is another good reason to cool the kettle before removing the lid, and for drying the inside of the lid well after use.

Chantal Anniversary Enamel on Steel Whistling Tea Kettle: This stovetop kettle has a similar look and is available in a similar assortment of colors as the Le Creuset model, which was our top choice, but at a lower price. However, it performed somewhat worse on our tests. This electric kettle boils water fast and can be set to six specific temperatures, each one suited for a different variety of tea. Made of durable glass, it holds 1.7 liters of liquid and has an auto-shut-off function for safety. You can serve hot tea or other beverages directly at the table; the kettle lifts off of the base easily, and you won’t have to worry about it being attached to the cord. There’s also a mesh filter built into the spout, a wide opening for easy cleaning, and a handle that won’t get hot. You'll always know when the kettle is running, too, as it illuminates a soft blue light when on. According to Shunan Teng, the founder and CEO of Tea Drunk, one way to make better tea at home is to use hotter water for high-quality tea and lower-temperature water for subpar tea. "Hotter temperatures bring out the flavors in better tea," she says, "and lower temperatures dilute the flaws in lower-quality tea. With bad tea, the bitterness and astringency would come out with higher temperatures." Can you heat milk in an electric kettle? Simple ideas are often the best. And for kitchens, bathrooms and everywhere else throughout your home, you can bet there will be a tried and tested 'good grips' solution from those clever people at OXO. Overall, pouring is smooth. Like most kettles, the last couple ounces can dribble a bit, however. We found the 2-quart capacity large enough for anything we used the kettle for, from tea to pour-over coffee.Since it isn't intended for soup (get a saucepan or soup pot!) or other liquids, there should be no need for it to fit in a dishwasher. (I don't have one of those, except me.) Users are not advised to heat milk in a kettle, whether it’s a stovetop or an electric model. Milk often leaves residue inside kettles that is difficult to clean and prone to an unpleasant smell. It can also damage the heating elements of an electric kettle and, in some cases, void the warranty. Heating milk in the microwave or in a pot on the stove are better options than using your kettle. This is a very, very comfortable kettle to use. OXO likes to push the word “balanced” in the marketing for this kettle, and they’re spot on. The handle feels awesome and has the right amount of heft and angles and grippy feel to make it a joy to use and control. The weight, for an electric kettle with a built in heating element, is really good too.

The most popular method to clean a tea kettle uses simply water and white vinegar. Just fill your kettle with equal amounts of both, bring it to a boil, and then dump out the water-vinegar mixture. Once the kettle is cool, scrub the inside with a non-abrasive cloth or brush. Finally, rinse the kettle thoroughly (or boil plain water in it) until all traces of vinegar are gone. This process is suitable for both electric and stovetop kettles and removes any potential limescale buildup. It’s important to thoroughly clean inside a kettle at least once every three months; otherwise, mineral buildup can alter the taste of your tea or coffee, and it may prevent some electric kettles from working properly. Other household products like baking soda and lemon juice are effective descaling agents, too, and many household cleaner brands sell descaling solutions in liquid or powder form.

Do not fill the kettle above half way up the spout opening on the inside of the kettle. I didn't need to read that myself as I am familiar with steam engines and also have been using kettles for 6 decades. OF COURSE THE KETTLE WILL SPLATTER YOU IF YOU FILL IT BEYOND THAT POINT: the steam will be under maximum pressure (DUH), unable to escape except through the tight lid seal and through the spout by pushing the water out the spout. Properly filled and not used with more heat than necessary to bring to a boil, this is not a problem. Oxo Brew Cordless Glass Electric Kettle: This glass kettle heats up fast, and its lights look neat, but we found it bulky and somewhat awkward to use. It also didn't hold its heat as well as other kettles we tested. Superkop Lever Espresso Machine One of the most unique espresso makers currently on the market, this is our First Look at the Superkop ratchet lever espresso machine. The whistle is rather weak, but does its job. Opening and closing the whistle can also lead to burns if you left the kettle boil too long, a s the hot water condenses on the whistle and when you flip it open to pour, you can be splashed with scalding water.

Also attached to the handle of the kettle when you take it out is a simple half fold information card (I assume to provide information when the kettle is on display at a department store). It echos much of the box’s marketing info and some basic instructions for use. Chantal Anniversary Enamel on Steel Whistling Tea Kettle: This was the only model that matched the Fellow Clyde in ease of pouring thanks to its ergonomic curved handle design. We could get every last drop of water out with just a small tilt, and we also liked that the water didn’t stream out too fast or splash. It was also easy to clean because of its wide opening and round shape. The whistle trigger was the kettle's fatal flaw: it got very hot and our fingers kept sliding off it. If you have hard water, you might have to occasionally clean it with vinegar or a descaling solution to prevent mineral buildup. But that’s good advice for all of the electric kettles featured here.With its combination of style and performance, the Fellow Corvo EKG Pro Studio Edition is one of the best electric kettles you can buy. It's equipped with an array of features—like a built-in stopwatch and temperature holding up to one hour, just to name a couple—and yet the item remains intuitive and easy to use. The Fellow brand sent us the kettle for testing purposes and we were highly impressed by the results. When crafting Good Grips tools, OXO focus on the turning, twisting, pushing, pulling and pouring actions they’re put to, and come up with the ingenious, reliable, soft-grip handles that put you in control even when your hands are wet. You really have to get your hands on an OXO Good Grips utensil to appreciate how wonderfully designed they are. OXO Good Grips kitchen utensils Our Lab team has spent collective decades working in professional kitchens, developing recipes, and testing kitchen gear. The spout opening is oval and the whistle spout lid is round, so the lid isn't a good fit for the spout, and when the water is really boiling, some steam leaks around the edge. The SCAA only certifies home brewers that meet their rigorous technical requirements to brew a Golden Cup of coffee. According to the SCAA: