Jugs and kettles
We put electric jugs through their paces.
We put electric jugs through their paces.
We’ve found some good options for your morning cuppa.
Given the simplicity of an electric jug, it’s hard to believe they’re not all the same. But they’re not. Some are noisy, others not easy to fill and, in some cases, styling impedes function. We’ve tested a range of models for ease of use, noise, boiling performance and energy efficiency.
Already know what you want in a kettle? See which models performed best in our test.
The noise a kettle makes is the sound of collapsing bubbles of steam that expand from the bottom of the kettle and rise up and collapse. Kettles are noisier at the start of the heating process as these bubbles are moving through cold water and collapse faster. This noise reduces as the water heats, because the bubbles stop collapsing (instead they start forming the visible bubbles that you can see).
The noise problem is often worse in areas where the water is “hard” (it has a higher concentration of minerals). The limescale that the minerals leave on the element is an insulator, slowing down the transfer of heat, extending the boiling time, and increasing the noise. Regular descaling of your kettle is therefore recommended.
Quiet boil kettles have a special coating on the inside that change how the bubbles form during heating (making them smaller) which reduces the noise – usually to around 50dB. These kettles still develop limescale though.
You can descale your jug or kettle by half filling it with a 50:50 mix of white vinegar and water. Boil, rinse, then refill and boil with plain water. Boil again if the vinegar smell persists. For more information take a look at our article on making your kettle quieter.
We ask thousands of Consumer members about their products to find out which brands are most reliable and satisfying to own. The results are available to members and Digital Pass holders.
We've tested 45 jugs and kettles.
Find the right one for you.
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