Kettles aren’t the most high-tech of kitchen items, but it’s worth looking out for safety features such as an auto shut-off function – should you accidentally put too little water in the kettle, this will stop it boiling dry. While we liked the Russell Hobbs Attentiv best overall, the Bosch Styline is no slouch, providing a great alternative for anyone not quite won over by the Attentiv. Differentiating it from the Russell Hobbs model are its dual-walled insulation, keeping it at a cool exterior temperature of 31.9°C in use, as well as its chic plastic and stainless steel body, which won’t get as visibly grubby as a glass kettle. If you’re a fan of herbal tea, the Chefman 1.8 liter electric glass kettle is the one to get. With a removable tea infuser, you can add your tea leaves directly and brew straight from the kettle. And because the design focuses around tea, this is a variable temperature kettle with seven presets to choose from, ranging from 160-212°F. Plus, there’s a useful keep warm function which lasts for up to an hour once the water has reached its temperature. For every millilitre of water you add to your kettle, an extra gram is added to its overall weight, meaning they can get quite heavy. If lifting may be an issue, look for a model that weighs no more than a kilogram when empty. It's no surprise if you need help with choosing an electric kettle. In fact, I test appliances for a living and I’m surprised electric kettles aren’t more popular in the U.S. So, these appliances are a learning curve for most.

We’d definitely suggest a cordless model on 360˚ swivel base, for ease of use. A cord store will keep things tidy on a worktop, and an easy-to-view water indicator is handy.Aesthetics aside, the Artisan also proved itself in our tests. It took just 2 mins 22 secs to boil 1l of water, which is on par with the rest of the 3,000W models tested. It also excels when it comes to keeping the noise down. During boiling, it only reached a maximum of 52.2dB, making it the quietest kettle on our list. What’s more, once the water’s boiled, there’s no worrying about burning your fingers on the sides. The outside of the Artisan reached an exterior temperature of just 33°C, owing to its dual-walled insulation. Our overall best kettle was the De'Longhi Ballerina Kettle, which we rate for its usability and temperature-control functions. The Dualit Architect kettle also wins our approval for its sturdy build and good looks, and the Russell Hobbs Emma Bridgewater Kettle is the quietest kettle we tested. Why do I need a kettle? Whenever I fancy a cup of tea, I can call out ‘Alexa, turn on the kettle’ and it will start the boil without even having to get up. Further features that make this smart kettle superior are its two-hour keep warm function, dry boil protection, and the fact you can set up routines in the app so your kettle boils at certain times of the day, which can also make it more energy efficient. A power element of 3kW is generally considered best for fast boiling and all of our top-scoring kettles have this wattage. Most kettles tend to be bright white, chrome, silver or otherwise have some degree of colourful “pop”. For anyone looking to engender a calming atmosphere in their kitchen, the Kenwood Dusk provides a great, visually soothing alternative to these more attention grabbing kettles.The Dusk has a rotund, matte body lined with glossy stripes and is available in three aesthetically pleasing, muted colours: Slate Grey, Olive Green and Twilight Purple.

Another added: “Use this with Alexa routines. I have one where my Echo Flex rings the alarm, switches on my smart bulb, and boils the kettle. When I get downstairs, the water is boiled. For some reason my kettle doesn't beep when boiled, but I prefer that. Instead I just added a command to the routine and Alexa announces "The kettle has boiled".” The kettle fills just over five large mugs of tea each time - bigger households may need to boil it twice, or opt for a larger capacity device like this one from Sage - with four temperature options between 40 and 100 degrees that make it great for coffee and various green teas.

How we tested

Next up is useability. We test how easy the kettle is to fill, hold and pour, its weight and whether the fill lines are easy to read. If the kettle has any additional features beyond boiling water, we also look at how useful these are. Finally, we take into consideration each kettle’s build quality and design, and whether these reflect its price. Here’s what I thought when I tried out the Ember Smart Mug, vs the Swan Smart Kettle. Ember Smart Mug

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. Finally, think about noise. The difference between our quietest and loudest kettles, which measured in at 52 and 63 decibels, is considerable, although everyone’s tolerance to noise is different. Safety — Most electric kettles automatically shut off when the water boils, making them safer than stovetop options. But, for added peace of mind, some also have boil dry protection, which means they’ll shut off if there’s no water remaining. And if you want a kettle that doesn’t get too hot on the outside, look for one with a double wall or plastic construction.Another added: “These mugs are a game changer. Hot to the last drop.” With a third so impressed that they have more than one, writing: “I love my beautiful new ember mug! I now have two that I use everyday.” For me, this is a slightly better investment than the Ember Smart Mug, and a cheaper one, too. Being able to turn the kettle on while I’m mid-task means that when I complete it, the water is ready to pour and my tea ready to drink shortly after. Although the mug keeps my drink at the right temperature, I’ve let far fewer cups of tea go cold since getting the Swan device, and as it keeps the water warm, by the time I want a second cuppa it’s already at optimum drinking temperature straight from the kettle. We’re also big fans of the old-fashioned temperature gauge on the front, which proved both charming and practical. We also like the smooth-acting temperature setting lever on the bottom, which allows you to heat water to between 50°C and 100°C, in 10°C increments, ideal for a variety of drinks. Once set in action, the kettle emits a soft white light and a calming low beep – it might sound silly, but the Artisan gives boiling water a truly luxurious feel thanks to deft design touches like these. Temperature settings — If you just want to boil water, then a simple no-frills kettle will do the job, but tea geeks and coffee aficionados will appreciate a kettle that can heat water to a range of temperatures for optimum brewing. Some also have a keep warm function, so the water temperature is maintained and ready for when you need a top up.

KitchenAid’s Artisan kettle comes in as the most expensive model on our list, but we found it to be worth every penny of its premium price tag. Its sleek, matte finish and general design are beautiful and the range of colours available make it easy to tailor its look to suit your kitchen. One very basic thing to look out for is how a kettle is filled: a button-operated flip-top lid is worth having as it means you don’t need to put your hand anywhere near the spout (or any steam coming out of it) when you’re refilling it. The technology in this kettle will impress you with every use. During testing, we loved the temperature gauge lever and the fact that the dial on the body of the kettle lets you know the temperature even when it's away from the base. We also enjoyed how speedy the boiling was, and the light-up design as it climbs in temperature was great for making sure it was actually switched on, and knowing when it had finished boiling. 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.The first time I used it, I was fascinated by the technology, watching the temperature change on the app until it reached my desired 58°C. Off its pad, the mug keeps my drink hot for around an hour and a half before the battery is low, but when on charge, it would keep it hot all day long if I wanted it. Sometimes it really does feel like magic. Simply press the lever on the base to switch between heat settings and a digital beep will alert you when the temperature is reached and the kettle will automatically shut off. (A long press of the base lever also turns off the beep if you prefer to start your mornings in silence). However, is it the first thing I reach for every morning? Not really. There are times it comes in incredibly handy, but how do you know when you make that cup of tea that it will be the one you forget about? Meanwhile, its short battery life means it has to be on the charging pad for most of the day and the skim on the top is a little off-putting when you leave it too long. That said, for some who work from home or from a busy office and are constantly despairing at a mouthful of cold tea or coffee, it really is a great bit of kit to treat yourself to while it’s reduced - or the perfect Christmas present for that religiously forgetful person who is always groaning when they realise they’ve left their cuppa too long.