There are two main types of kettle: jug and dome. Jug kettles are taller, tend to have handles located on the side and will generally hold a larger volume of water. For kettles, we time how long it takes to boil a full kettle of cold water from the tap, as well as 1l for comparative purposes. Each litre of water was measured using the same jug, as it’s not uncommon for litre markings on a kettle to be incorrect or unavailable. Firstly, design — is it going to colour co-ord with your existing scheme? Secondly, speed, because we have *not* got time to hang around waiting for our brew, and finally, noise, because no one wants a kettle that sounds like it’s about to take off. It may look like an old-fashioned stove-top kettle but it’s got all the mod cons. The multiple temperature settings let you heat water from anywhere from 50 degrees up to 100 in 10-degree increments, and it also has a temperature gauge so you can see how hot the water is at any time, even when not on its base.

The mirror-like stainless-steel parts of the kettle at the top will be more of a challenge to keep spotless – during testing, I found that watermarks and fingerprint smudges tended to show up daily. It scored well in terms of insulation, with the water temperature still measuring 71.6°C an hour after boiling — so you could return later for a second cup of tea if you wanted. It’s easy to pour a small amount of water out of the spout without any dribbling, and the accuracy is easy to control too. We noticed that if you remove the lid soon after boiling, you can catch and burn your hand on the steel parts, however. Kenwood Mesmerine Jug Kettle review: Ease of use and manualCharley has an MA in Journalism & Media Studies and undertook an internship at a travel magazine in Iceland. She still writes occasional travel and lifestyle stories when the inspiration strikes now, with work published in Cosmopolitan, Stylist, ELLE and Women’s Health, among others. Each toaster and kettle set undergoes real-world testing in a typical domestic setting, taking into consideration their usability, convenience, capacity and how easy they are to maintain and keep clean. The kettle’s weight when empty and full, is also noted. Variable temperature kettles can heat the water to different temperatures to provide the best results when brewing different types of tea and coffee. It’s a handy feature if you like to drink more delicate herbal and green teas, which should be brewed below boiling, at around 80C. Breville kettles also come highly recommended and, while none of them made our final cut, we also heard lots of good things about De’Longhi during our research process. Whatever your cup of tea (or coffee), we’ve done the hard work for you, scouring the Mumsnet forums and beyond to find the best kettle.

Smart features: The fanciest of kettles now have smart features, meaning you can switch on your kettle from your app or keep it warm so your cup of tea is only seconds away when you walk in the door. How much should I spend on the best kettle? Most kettles have this clearly visible on the exterior but some are more awkwardly placed, such as behind the handle. Kettles with large viewing windows are best if you want to know exactly how much water is in the kettle at any time. Bagels are best toasted in a model with v ariable width slots that won't squish them, while a high lift function does what you'd expect, meaning no burnt fingers. Do your kettle and toaster have to match? The kettle’s stainless steel body is more of a benefit inside, where it should make descaling easier. Even the kettle’s internal minimum and maximum markers are made from steel – although, disappointingly, they’re the only water markers the kettle has, and the minimum is hard to see while filling. The Russell Hobbs Structure Kettle is easier to fill thanks to its rear window.Given how regularly our kettles get used, it’s worth thinking about what features you want and those that you can pass by. Here are the key things you need to consider. Energy efficiency: One-cup or eco-friendly kettles are better for the environment and will use much less energy than standard kettles. An auto shut-off feature will also help to save energy. Integrated cord storage keeps everything tidy and safe, and it’s very easy to use. Not only is it lightweight (ideal if you have weak wrists), it also sits on a 360-degree base, which is handy if you’re left-handed or live with a leftie as you can swivel it to wherever you want it to sit.