The humble kettle is a staple in every Aussie kitchen. It makes your morning cuppa and speeds up the boiling process. But there is a large range to choose from and it becomes overwhelming to pick the right one. Everything from electric kettles, stove top kettle, and glass kettles. So what is the best kettle
in Australia?
In this article we take a deep dive into the world of kettles to bring you the best of the bunch. Our picks are chosen after many hours of research comparing and reviewing dozens of options.
Best electric kettle
If you're looking for a kettle that lets you control your brew temperature, look no further than the Breville Smart Kettle. It comes with 5 temperature settings to match your tea or coffee type. It also has excellent build quality.
Best cheap kettle
This kettle does one thing and cheaply - brings water to boil. The Kambrook is a no frills kettle that is a fraction of the price of the Breville above. It's a good choice for people that just need to boil water and don't need extra features or design elements.
Stylish choice
Smeg is known for its great looking appliances and their kettles are no different. The Smeg kettle comes in a wide range of colours and gets your water to boil quickly.
Best glass kettle
In case you don't want stainless steel to be in contact with your water, the Breville Compact is a glass kettle that allows you to brew water quickly. It also comes in a larger size if you need more capacity.
How We Decided
We started our search by researching what types of kettles existed on the market by visiting popular retail websites. What we found is that there is a wide range of kettles to choose from - everything from smart kettles to simple boilers. Kettles can be divided into three categories: simple boil kettles, kettles with temperature controls, and kettles with selective build material (like glass or stylish design).
We next visited Australian public forums and groups to see what kettles Aussies used in their own homes. This allowed us to get a better understanding of what kettle the typical Aussie used in their home. Most Aussies used a normal kettle. The next most popular are temperature control kettles that are ideal for brewing tea and coffee. After this research we created a list that catered to needs of specific use types. Our selections were chosen after comparing features, build quality and price points points for various kettles.
2023 Update
We've updated this guide for the year 2023 and reviewed if there was any new options on the market. We review our guides every 6 months to make sure the content is relevant.
Best Kettle Australia: Top 10
- Best electric kettle: Breville Smart Kettle
- Budget kettle: Kambrook Kettle
- Stylish pick: Smeg Retro Kettle
- Glass kettle: Breville Compact Glass
- Best smart kettle: Russell Hobbs Addison
- Stove top kettle: Whistling Kettle
- Best quiet kettle: Sunbeam Maestro Quite Shield
- Kettle for coffee: Hario V60 Buno Gooseneck
- Kettle and toaster combo: The Breakfast Pack
- Best camping kettle: Tentock Outdoor Tea Pot
Best kettle Australia
Breville Smart Kettle
What we like
5 temperature controls
Keep warm setting
Specifications
Capacity: 1.7 litres
Material: Stainless steel
Size: 23.2 x 25 x 15.6 cm
If you're looking for a kettle that allows you to control the temperature of your water then take a look at the Breville Smart Kettle. The Breville is ideal for the person who loves to brew coffee or tea. This is because different types of tea and coffee taste better when brewed at certain temperatures. The Breville comes equipped with five variable temperature settings to match what you're making. It also looks great in any kitchen with it's brushed steel design.
What we like
5 temperature controls
The Breville is pre-programmed with 5 brew temperatures buttons - 80, 85, 90, 95 and 100 degrees. Each setting is suited for a particular tea or coffee. These variable temperature settings are accurate and have been tested by many home users.
Keep warm button
The smart kettle comes with a handy "keep warm" button, allowing your water to stay hot throughout the day. Many Australian kettle users commented how they like this setting as it allows them to quickly keep making hot tea and coffee throughout the day.
Great design
We love how the Breville looks. It's made of stainless steel and has curves in all the right places. It's smart Aussie design.
What we don't like
A bit more expensive
This kettle is one of the more expensive ones. However it's extra features and good build quality justify the price.
Who's the Breville kettle for?
The Breville is perfect for the person who wants to be able to control the temperature of their kettle while also having great product design.
Cheap kettle
Kambrook Kettle
What we like
Cheap
Boils water pretty quick
Specifications
Capacity: 1.7 litres
Material: Plastic and Metal
Size: 15.4 x 21.3 x 23.9 cm
The majority of Australians need their kettle to do one thing - bring their water to the boil. The Kambrook is a no frills budget kettle. It's one of the most popular cheap kettles on the market as it looks good while being cheap. It keeps its price down by using a combination of BPA-free plastics and metals.
What we like
It's a budget kettle
This is one of the cheapest kettles you can buy that still looking good. Check out the price here.
Reasonably quick
Users have reported that it takes no more than a couple minutes to bring water to the boil.
The switch lights up
The blue switch on the kettle lights up when its boiling water and turns off when it's done. A handy reminder.
What we don't like
Plastic kettle
In order to keep the costs you have to cut corners somewhere, and for this kettle it's the plastic build. Now this is not a deal breaker. Kambrook uses good BPA-free plastic and the design looks nice. However if you're a fan of stainless steel you will need to spend a little bit more.
Who's this cheap kettle for?
The Kambrook is perfect for the person you wants a cheap good looking kettle that just brings water to the boil.
Stylish kettle
Smeg Retro Kettle
What we like
Great design
Simple to use
Specifications
Capacity: 1.7 litres
Material: Stainless steel
Size: 17.1 x 22.6 x 24.8 cm
The Smeg Retro Kettle is one of the best looking kettles you can buy. It's retro looks gives a pop to any kitchen and comes in a wide range of colours. It's also the authors' personal kettle. In our household the kettle is one of the most used appliances. It's always out in the open. So we wanted something that looks great and complimented the kitchen. Other than the design, this is a no frills kettle. It simply brings the water to boil quickly while looking good.
What we like
Great design
The Smeg kettle comes in six different colours to match your kitchen. We love the retro look. It adds character to any kitchen.
Quick boil
The Smeg brings water to boil rapidly. At full capacity it takes less than 2 minutes to bring water to the boil.
Auto turn off
The kettle turns itself off when it finishes boiling water.
What we don't like
It's an expensive kettle
It is the most expensive kettle on this list as you are paying for the design and great build quality.
Who's the Smeg Kettle for?
The Smeg is perfect for the person who wants a great looking kettle in their kitchen. Although there are cheaper kettles on the market, not all of them look good. You are paying a premium for the design, but if you're going to be looking at it every day it's worth it.
Glass kettle
Breville Compact Glass
What we like
Compact
Glass container
Specifications
Capacity: 1 litre
Material: Stainless steel and Glass
Size: 22.4 x 24.4 x 22.6 cm
The majority of kettles are stainless steel. If you don't want metal touching your water, then you need a glass kettle. The Breville Compact Glass is a great kettle. It looks great, is compact for smaller kitchens, and brings water to boil quickly. It also comes in a bigger 1.7 litre size if you need more capacity.
What we like
Glass kettle
Users have commented that this is one of their favourite glass kettles they've used. Some glass kettles have leaking problems - not this one.
Compact size
We love the small size of this kettle. It's perfect for smaller kitchens. It also has the benefit of boiling water quicker than larger kettles as there is less water to heat up.
Who's this glass kettle for?
This kettle is perfect for the person that wants a glass or compact kettle to fit in a smaller kitchen.
Smart kettle / variable temperature kettle
Russell Hobbs Addison
What we like
5 temperature controls
Good price
Specifications
Capacity: 1.7 litres
Material: Stainless steel
Size: 21.7 x 18.7 x 23.8 cm
The Russel Hobbs Addison is a cheaper version for our top pick, the Breville Smart Kettle. This kettle has all the same features as the Breville but for a cheaper price. The reason why the Breville took first place over this kettle is due to its build and design quality - we think the Breville looks nicer. However if you like the design of the Russell you can save some coin with this kettle.
What we like
Variable temperature kettle
The Russell allows you to heat up water with 5 temperature settings: 70, 80, 90, 95, and 100 degrees. It also has an additional "keep warm" function.
Good price saving
You can typically find the Russell a good $50 or so cheaper than the Breville. Put this money towards your tea or coffee!
What we don't like
Lower build quality
Since this kettle is cheaper than the Breville they had to reduce the cost in parts of its design. For example some users have said that the print above the buttons get rubbed off, and the design is not as nice.
Who's this smart kettle for?
This kettle is perfect for the person that wants to have a temperature control kettle but doesn't want to spend too much money for it.
Stovetop kettle
Whistling Kettle
What we like
Black kettle design
Large capacity
Specifications
Capacity: 2.5 litres
Material: Stainless steel
Size: 22.5 x 19.5 cm
The stove top kettle has not gone away. There are Aussies that still prefer using their gas stove to make their tea and coffee. This is because gas is much cheaper than electricity, even though the energy use is more or less the same. Stovetop kettles also tend to have larger capacity, making them perfect for larger households. Our pick for this category is the Whistling Kettle. It comes in multiple colours including a stunning black.
What we like
Large capacity and nice design
The whistling kettle allows you to boil up to 2.5 litres of water. It also comes in three different colours to match your kitchen
It whistles!
True to its name the whistling kettle whistles when its reaches temperature.
It saves money
Australian electricity prices are very high compared to gas. If you're looking to save some money on your energy usage you should consider a stove top kettle like this that has good energy efficiency.
What we don't like
Slow to boil
Due to the nature of stove top kettles, they bring water to the boil slower compared to electric kettles.
Who's this stove top kettle for?
This electric kettle is ideal for the person looking to boil water with their gas stove top.
Quiet kettle
Sunbeam Maestro Quite Shield
What we like
Quite to use
Stainless steel build
Specifications
Capacity: 1.7 litres
Material: Stainless steel
Size: 20.7 x 20.6 x 29.2 cm
Kettles can be loud appliances, especially in smaller homes. If sound is an issue for you then consider getting a kettle designed to keep quiet. The Maestro comes equipped with Sunbeam's "quiet shield" technology that reduces the size of the water bubbles produced by boiling. This in turn makes less noise and makes it the quietest kettle on this list.
What we like
Quiet
This kettle is noticeably boils quietly when compared to normal kettles. It's perfect if you don't want to wake someone up in the morning.
Good build
The Sunbeam is a good looking stainless steel kettle. It'll look good in any kitchen.
Who's the Sunbeam kettle for?
This sunbeam kettle is best suited for the person who wants a quite kettle or lives with a light sleeper.
Coffee kettle
Hario V60 Buno Gooseneck
What we like
Perfect for brewing coffee
Retains heat well
Specifications
Capacity: 1.2 litres
Material: Stainless steel
Size: 53.3 x 45.7 x 33 cm
Did you know there are kettles specifically designed for making pour over coffee? The Hario is the industry standard in this niche. What makes the Hario great for brewing coffee is its gooseneck spout. The spout allows you to pour an even distribution of water over ground coffee.
What we like
Great design for coffee making
The Hario is designed to get the perfect pour over your coffee or tea. Its a great choice for a home barista or tea enthusiast.
Good size
The Hario is the ideal size to keep your water temperature steady when brewing coffee.
What we don't like
You need a second kettle
The Hario is not an electric kettle. You need to pour your boiled water into it after brining it to the right temperature. If you want the Hario to heat up your water for you too, there is a more expensive version that can do this for you.
Who's this coffee kettle for?
This kettle is made for the coffee enthusiast. If you love making coffee at home then you need this kettle for your coffee set up.
Top kettle and toaster combo
The Breakfast Pack
What we like
Great value package
Good design
Specifications
Capacity: 1.7 litres
Material: Stainless steel
Size: 51 x 26.5 x 47 cm
What's a kettle's best friend? The toaster of course. A cup of tea with some toast is a delicious pairing. There are a lot kettle and toaster combos on the market. If you need to buy both it is a good idea to pick them up at the same time to save a lot of money. Our pick for this combo deal is Breville's Breakfast pack. It comes with a well built kettle and matching toaster.
What we like
Brevile design
We love how Breville designs its products. Their kettle and toaster perfectly match and will look great in any kitchen.
You save money
You save a good amount of money getting a bundle deal rather than buying each item individually.
Who's this kettle and toaster for?
This kettle and toaster is perfect for the person needing to buy a new kettle and toaster or if you are looking to upgrade from your old one.
Best camping kettle
Tentock Outdoor Tea Pot
What we like
Ideal for camping
Sturdy
Specifications
Capacity: 1.6L
Material: Aluminium and silicone
Size: 9 x17.5 cm
Our final kettle on this list is another niche kettle - a camping kettle. This kettle is designed to be taken with you when camping in Australia's great outdoors. The Tentock is a great value and compact kettle that allows you to heat water over a fire or portable stove.
Capacity
A lot of camping kettles are on the small size. This kettle holds 1.6 litres of water making it ideal for a family.
Firepit friendly
You can use this kettle over a open fire or portable stove, making it ideal for camping and hiking.
Who's this camping kettle for?
This kettle is perfect for people who love to have hot drinks in the great outdoors. Pack it next time you go camping or hiking.
Kettle Buying Guide
Now that we've reached the end of our kettle reviews, below is our kettle buying guide where we outline the most important features to look out for when buying the best electric kettles. Although a kettle is a simple appliance, there are some important features and factors to consider before you buy.
Budget
This is the first question you will ask yourself. How much money are you willing to pay for a kettle? You would have noticed in this guide that the price of most kettles in Australia range from $30 to the hundreds of dollars. If you're looking for a straight forward kettle you will not spend much money. If you are looking for extra features or great design, then expect to pay a premium. It's important to get value for money when buying a kettle.
Kettle capacity
How much water do you need to boil at a time. Most electric kettles boil around 1.7 litres of water. If this is too much for you, consider getting a smaller compact kettle.
Temperature control
If you drink a lot of tea you will know that certain tea is meant to be brewed at particular temperatures. For example green tea should be made with 80 degree water. If this is important for you then you should consider getting a kettle with variable temperature control. Not all kettles have this feature.
Water gauge / water level
Being able to see how much water is in your kettle is a simple yet very handy feature. It helps you with your cooking as you can boil the exact amount of water for your meal. Most kettles come with a water level indicator.
Auto shut off
Most kettles turn off automatically when they reach boiling point. However smart kettles have a keep warm function. You want to make sure these turn off also after a while.
Soft opening lid
A soft opening lid is a simple but nice feature to have. This is because it stops any boiled water splashing onto you.
Cord storage
A good kettle will have good cord storage. You don't want to have one too long unless you need extra reach. The best kettles these days are cordless kettles so you get the best of both worlds.
Comfortable to use
A kettle gets a lot of use through the week. You want to make sure it is comfortable to hold and not too heavy.
BPA free materials
If you're looking at plastic kettles you want to make sure that they are BPA free.
Boil dry protection
You want to make sure you kettle has boil dry protection in order to prevent it from getting water burns at the bottom of the kettle.
Build quality
Depending on your price point electric kettles can be made from a wide range of materials. We recommend spending a little bit more to get a steel kettle so it lasts longer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Got a pressing kettle question? Get in contact with us and we will get back to you with an answer. Below are some common questions people ask about kettles.
How to clean a kettle?
To clean a kettle simply quarter fill the kettle with water, add a quarter of white vinegar, boil the kettle, leave for an hour, then rinse well!
How many watts does a kettle use?
Energy consumption varies between kettles, but the typical kettle uses 1200 to 1500 watts of power.
How to descale kettle?
Descaling a kettle means giving it a good clean. Just fill one fourth of the kettle with water and one fourth of white vinegar. Boil. Let it sit for an hour and then rinse well.
Sources
1. https://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/2614644
2. https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/530225
3. https://www.theguardian.com/notesandqueries/query/0,5753,-2452,00.html
4. http://www.aselfsufficientlife.com/are-whistling-hob-kettles-more-efficient.html
5. https://www.originenergy.com.au/blog/how-stuff-works-your-kettle/