If you’re in the mood for tea, check out this article to find out what the tea kettles are and why you should be cooking your tea in a kettle all the time.
I had quite a few kettles during my lifetime, but I haven’t thought much about them. They were just something to cook tea in, and any cheap one will do, right?
Best Tea Kettle
Well, once I started getting into green tea and started making my own blends, I found out how important tea kettles were. Without the right one to cook the tea in, the taste would just be ruined.
That’s when I sat down and learned as much as I could and spent quite a bit of cash to get the right tea kettle. That was almost five years ago, and it’s still in good shape.
Today, I’ll tell you all you need to know about tea kettle and how to find your favorite tea kettle for you. Let’s get going!
Why You Should Make Tea in a Tea Kettle
Many individuals today think it’s not a huge issue to just prepare their tea in the microwave or even an instant coffee maker. Just make sure the water is hot, right? The most significant factor is that.
No, it’s not, and there’s a good reason why tea connoisseurs continue to abstain from using microwaves to brew their tea.
Do you require a microwave for purposes beyond brewing tea? Do you swear? Then read over some of our recommendations for the top small microwaves to pick the right one for you.
That’s because every tea is a little bit different, and you need to be able to precisely manage the water’s temperature to obtain the best-tasting cup possible.
The kind of control you would have with a tea kettle is completely absent from a microwave or, heaven forbid, an instant coffee maker. Additionally, if the water is heated unevenly, the flavor will be even worse.
Once I learned the telltale indicators that the water is about that temperature, I can recognize them while heating water in a kettle. Most of the green tea I enjoy has to be steeped at 176 degrees Fahrenheit.
It gives you the most control over how you’re cooking your tea, and that’s why it’s a perfect choice.
Further Reading: Most Recommended Teapots
Tips for Finding the Best Tea Kettle
Finding the finest tea kettle can be difficult since most of us just reach for the cheapest one around by instinct. Here’s what you should watch out for when buying one.
The Materials are Important
Tea kettles used to be mostly iron and porcelain, but these days they can be made out of a lot of different materials, including steel, titanium, and even silver or glass. This is not just a cosmetic difference; it also matters when it comes to the way it heats up water and what the water tastes like on its own.
Stainless steel is the popular and reliable choice – it heats up easily, holds heat decently well, and it is mostly resistant to rust. It doesn’t impact the taste of the water either.
Cast iron is heavy and durable, but it does require careful cleaning of the inside to not scratch the enamel coating. They’re also poor at conducting heat, so it might take a while to get the right temperature with them.
Aluminum is also a good choice, and it heats up even faster than steel does, and they’re even more resistant to scratches and dents. However, aluminum can leak into the water, which makes it a bit unsafe.
Glass kettles are easy to clean, and they have a nice, sleek look to them. However, they are sensitive to sudden changes in temperature, which can make them shatter. You mostly shouldn’t even heat them directly on the stove, not without a metal trivet.
Copper is one of the best heat conductors, and it will help you save some energy. However, it is flimsy and easy to dent, scratch, or break.
Those are most of the common materials, and it’s worth considering all of them before you make a final choice. I do prefer stainless steel myself but to each my own.
Check also: Find the Best Tea Maker
Find the Right Size
Picking the right size is important, and it’s a delicate balance to make.
If you pick a kettle that’s too large, it might take too long to heat the water up when you’re making tea.
If it’s too small, you’ll heat the water up quickly, but you won’t be able to make enough tea in one go, and some of it will go cold.
When you’re the only one who’s a tea lover in the house, a small one will do just nicely – one that’s large enough to make a cup or two. When you’re brewing for the whole family or a group of friends regularly, getting a larger one will pay off.
Consider what it is that you need and pick accordingly.
What’s the Design Like?
When I talk about the design of a tea kettle, I don’t mean just the aesthetics. No, I’m talking about functionality.
Some tea kettles have a seam on the bottom, for example, meaning that it’s separate from the top of the kettle. This might lead to rust appearing in the seam and the bottom separating from the top.
You want kettles that have a smooth curve where the bottom meets the walls, which means they’re made out of one piece of material.
Next up is the handle – you don’t want it to be too low since it will absorb heat from the stove and get too hot to touch. This can be especially bad if the handle is made out of plastic that melts easily, and you have a gas stove.
If you’re a proud owner of a gas stove and you’re looking for a tea kettle that is tailor-made for it, we did an article about that so have a look at what we recommend as the tea kettles for gas stoves!
You also don’t want the opening on the top of the kettle to be too narrow since that will make it too hard to see what’s happening inside.
You also want the spout to be shaped the right way so you can easily pour the water out of it without spilling it everywhere – otherwise, it can be a safety hazard.
Scan your tea kettle from top to bottom before you buy it.
Something Extra
It’s always nice to get a little bit more than you bargained for with your purchase. Tea kettles can come with teacups and other accessories, and they can have some in-built systems that can be useful. One of the leading is a thermometer, for example.
Explore all the options and see what suits you. Sometimes a tea kettle with no extras can be the right choice if it’s good enough.
Most Recommended Tea Kettles: Detailed Reviews 2022
Creative Home 77066 Alexa
This is a heavy-looking tea kettle, let me tell you that, and it’s certainly made to last. It’s constructed out of solid stainless steel, and it is quite resistant to any dents and scratches – at least so far.
The color does seem to rub off rather quickly do, which is a shame since it looks so good – mine used to be bright red.
When it comes to capacity, it’s got plenty of that – 3 quarts in total, more than enough for a whole family, if you have one.
It’s easy to use, too, since it whistles when the water is read, and it seems to heat up rather quickly. However, the handle heats up quite a bit as well, so make sure you wear some protection before you grab it and burn yourself.
Overall, it’s more than a decent tea kettle and one I’d heartily recommend even though the handle is a huge sore point.
Pros
- It heats up rather quickly.
- Durable and resistant to damage
- Looks amazing
- Whistles when the water boils
- Large capacity
Cons
- The handle gets incredibly hot
- The color rubs off after a while
TPC Coffee Gooseneck Pour Over Coffee and Tea Kettle
If you’re into tea kettles with a unique design, then this gooseneck kettle will be your type of thing.
One of the good things about it is the in-built thermometer, which hones in on temperatures between 195 and 205 degrees, but can also be used to check the temperature. That’s because this kettle is primarily made for pour-over coffee and not tea, but it works well either way.
The gooseneck design allows you to slowly pour the water and prevents overpouring and spills.
It’s also durable for the most part and heats up well – it’s made out of stainless steel. However, you shouldn’t use it on high heat since it will warp. It’s also small, so it’s not well-suited for making tea for a bunch of guests – just one person.
Pros
- The in-built thermometer is great.
- It’s easy to pour water with it.
- Durable for the most part
- Comes with a little spoon clip and a small metal cup
Cons
- It’s on the smaller side
- Not for use on high heat or open flame
AlwaysU Whistling Tea Kettle
This rainbow-colored kettle looks great at first glance, but the question is – does it hold up?
Well, so far, it seems to work fine and is good at heating up the water quickly. The handle is also well-positioned, and it doesn’t get hot, so you can grab it without any worries.
It’s also durable, and the color doesn’t rub off. Most of the material is stainless steel, but the outside color is made from titanium, though that doesn’t matter too much.
There are a few problems with it, though. It claims to be a whistling tea kettle – it’s right there in the name – but it doesn’t whistle. Well, to be fair, it does, but I had to get my ear also next to it to hear the whistling, which makes it completely useless.
Using it with higher heat or an open-flame stove is also out of the question – the bottom is thin, and it might warp if you do that.
Pros
- The look is great
- Resistant to damage
- Heats up fast
- It comes with a removable infuser
Cons
- It claims it whistles, but it’s too quiet.
- It can’t be used on high heat
Mega Cook Stovetop Tea Kettle Teapot
One of the first things you’ll notice about this little kettle is the look it has. It’s almost antique-looking, and it will certainly make your tea party look sweet.
However, it’s not only the looks that count – it has something beyond that as well. Since it’s made out of stainless steel with a copper finish, it is able to heat up water rather quickly. It’s quicker than a regular stainless steel kettle.
Sadly, this also makes it easy to damage, and the copper finish might start to come off in a few months if you’re not careful.
The handle is also too thin for the weight of this kettle, and it might break if you’re not careful. It also gets hot and is not insulated at all, so watch out.
Pros
- Heats up lightning-fast
- It has a unique look
- Not too large or too small
Cons
- Too easy to dent or scratch
- The handle is a bit flimsy and gets hot
Tea kettle with iCool
This is a cute little tea kettle with a great look and a nice design. It’s made out of stainless steel and seems to be fairly durable for something that looks so fragile.
It also features a gooseneck spout so the water comes out slowly and there’s almost no chance of spilling it or over-filling your cup.
The water in it seems to heat up rather quickly but so does that handle which can be difficult to hold. Since it’s so small, it’s difficult to pick it up when wearing a heat-resistant glove as well.
Overall, it’s a decent tea kettle if you need a quick cup and you’re living alone, but otherwise, it’s not the way to go.
Pros
- Fairly durable
- Gooseneck spout design
- Heats up quickly
Cons
- Extremely small
- The handle tends to heat up
The Final Word
It was always tricky for me to pick the best product when I started writing these, but I always try to let my personal bias stay out of it and pick them based on merit.
Today, I have to admit I’m a bit biased. For me, the Creative Home 77066 Alexa seems to like the prime tea kettle simply because it’s the one that’s most like my old reliable, the one I bought five years ago, and that’s still going strong.
It’s made out of stainless steel, it whistles, it’s large and in charge – it’s got everything I want. The situation with the handle bothers me, but I can use a glove to grab it safely, so it’s not such a big deal.
What do you think? Do you agree with me or do you have a different opinion? Whatever may be the case, pop down into the comments and tell me what you think.
Until next time, enjoy your tea! 🙂