Best Electric Kettles in Canada – Reviews & Buying Guide

Quick overview

With 72% of Canadians drinking at least one cup of coffee per day, the average consuming 2 cups per day and more than two thirds of it being prepared at home, and spending more than $1.8 billion on tea per year, choosing the right kettle is vital to starting your morning off right by brewing the perfect French press coffee or steeping a fine black tea.

So, if you are on the hunt for the most convenient and functional kettle in Canada you’re in luck.

For background information, see our comparison table and buying advice.

Best electric kettles list

• Best overall – Cuisinart PerfecTemp
• Best for value – AmazonBasics Electric Kettle
• Best for style – Black + Decker Electric Kettle
• Best glass – Hamilton Beach Glass Kettle
• Best for tea and coffee – Bonavita Gooseneck Kettle
• Best ceramic – Bella Ceramic Kettle

Best electric kettles comparison

Our pick for best overall – Cuisinart PerfecTemp Kettle

This Cuisinart model is one of the most advanced kettles available. It has a keep-warm function that works for 30 minutes, and a preset menu for water at the right temperature.

This kettle has a memory, so when you lift it from the base, it still remembers the settings you chose for up to 2 minutes before resetting itself. And the settings include; green tea (175 degrees Fahrenheit), white tea (190 degrees Fahrenheit, and Black tea (212 degrees Fahrenheit. 

It has a 1.6-litre capacity and a 1,500 watt motor for super-quick heating. The  concealed element stops mineral build-up, and the handle is cool to touch, no matter what the water temperature. 

You also get a 3-year limited warranty, so that should give you peace of mind when purchasing. Plus, it has a drip-free spout, a removable filter, and an easy-open lid. This kettle looks good and brings the humble kettle kicking and screaming into the 21st-century.

Best for value – AmazonBasics Electric Kettle

If you are looking for a basic kettle with one eye on the budget, you can’t go far wrong with this AmazonBasics model. It retails for over half the cost of the Cuisinart kettle.

So, what do you get? It has a concealed element to reduce mineral build-up, a removable filter, and it is BPA-free, so you shouldn’t get any nasty chemical tastes in your coffee.

While the kettle is cordless and sits on a circular power base, the base has a 30-inch cord. The motor is 1,500 watts, and it even has a boil-dry shut-off to stop the element burning up.

What it lacks with its 1-litre capacity, it gains with the overall price. This kettle boils water. What more do you need?

Best for style – Black and Decker Electric Kettle

Black and Decker have styled this kettle to look like the type your parents had in the 50s and 60s. It has a retro feel. It has a 1.7-litre capacity, which should get you approximately 7 cups of tea or coffee, and it even comes with a removable whistle to complete that vintage look. 

And if you don’t want to boil a full kettle, you can also heat a small batch for 2 to 3 cups. The sizeable curved handle stays cool to the touch and is easy to grip, and the limescale filter is removable for easy cleaning. Also, the Black and Decker rapid boil function heats water at twice the rate of stovetop kettles. 

The only minus point about this kettle is the price. It costs double the money of the AmazonBasics model and almost as much as the Cuisinart. And yet it lacks all that technology. However, if you want a kettle that looks stylish, this is the one to choose.

Best glass – Hamilton Beach Electric Kettle

This Hamilton Beach glass kettle is mesmerizing to watch as the water boils. They say a watched kettle never boils, but this is proof that they do. It has a 1.7-litre capacity, auto shut-off and boil-dry facility, and a stylish blue LED to backlight the water as it boils.

This kettle is popular, with over 4,500 sold on Amazon alone. The other impressive thing about this kettle is the warranty. It comes with a 5-year limited warranty, which knocks the Black and Decker warranty out of the park. 

The only downside is that you need to fill the kettle to the minimum water level to engage the steam switch. If you like sleek lines and watching hypnotic boiling water, this kettle will be hard to beat.

Best for tea – Bonavita Gooseneck Kettle

This kettle looks like an old fashioned teapot. But that’s where the similarities end. This gooseneck kettle is ideal for making your favourite cup of Earl Grey in the morning’s thanks to the extra pouring control of the thin neck. 

It is a programmable kettle with the emphasis on getting the right water temperature to cater to tea and coffee aficionados. You can choose your favourite custom settings or rely on the preset menu to select the temperature for you. 

You also get a 60-minute heat and hold function that keeps the temperature of your water steady even after the kettle has boiled. The model featured has a 1-litre capacity, but it is available in a 1.7-litre model.

Be prepared to spend big if you go for the larger kettle, as it will set you back over twice the price of the Black and Decker. That said, the smaller model is perfect for heating enough water for 4 Canadian-size cups of tea or coffee.

Best ceramic – Bella Electric Kettle

For those people who want something different, how about trying this Bella ceramic kettle. The advantage of having a ceramic kettle is you avoid any contamination that comes from plastic materials. 

So, you can be sure this kettle is BPA-free. It has a 1,200-watt motor that heats in double-quick time, and boil-dry protection to preserve the heating element from burning out. 

This kettle has a smaller capacity than others featured, but what it lacks in size, it more than makes up for in its distinctive styling. You also get a concealed element to reduce mineral build-up and a long pouring spout for better control.

Ceramic kettles may not be as common as other varieties, but if you want to avoid your boiled water coming into contact with plastic, it may be the way to go. 

Bottom line

What to consider when looking for an electric kettle

Speed

When buying an electric kettle, you want the water to boil quickly. You could argue that it is the primary function of any kettle. The more expensive models have rapid boil functions and typically heat the water in minutes.

Some of the basic models like the AmazonBasics may take a little longer. Most newer kettles have concealed heating elements that reduce mineral build-up and increase the efficiency of the element.

Temperature options

Kettles like the Bonavita and the Cuisinart are ultra-modern and offer a range of adjustable temperatures. This ensures that you get the perfect cup of tea or coffee. They also have preset menu temperatures to lift any confusion about water temperature. 

What it all means is the kettle can boil water at lower heats to cater to lighter teas, like green tea, and then increase the boil for black teas. Some coffees are best sipped at more moderate temperatures too. 

Having heat options means you have a kettle fit for a real tea and coffee lover.

Appearance

The way your kettle looks is important. Many people have a style that reflects in the way they accessorize their kitchens. And the kettle plays its role. Some kettles are glass, some have sleek lines, others are high-tech, and then there is the retro-styling.

Vintage is back in fashion, and kettles like the Black and Decker are reminiscent of old fashioned stovetop varieties. They come in a range of cool colours and fit in with many modern styles.

But while they may look good, these stylish kettles must also be functional. 

Capacity

Do you have a large family? If so, you will want a kettle that holds enough water. Most kettles have a 1.6 to 1.7-litre capacity, which means there is enough boiled water for 7 average size cups. 

You can buy smaller versions that cater to single people or couples, and they typically range from 1-litre to 1.2- litres. Also, if you like specialist teas and coffees like espresso, you don’t need such a large capacity.

Ease of use 

A kettle should be a simple thing to use. It should be something that almost everyone knows how to operate. Fill it up, close the lid, and flick a switch. But with some expensive models, you get smart features. It seems that everything needs to be smart these days!

You get 60-minute heat and hold functions, and customizable temperature control to cater to different teas and coffees. As our gadgets get smarter, they get more complicated.

However, we need to define what we mean by “Ease of use.” Is it one-switch controls and flick and forget, or is the convenience of being able to determine the heat of the water we want and keeping it warm for refills? 

Whichever suits you, a kettle needs to be easy to use. 

Exterior heat

Having a kettle you can touch and not scald yourself on, is vital. Cool touch exteriors reduce the health risks of burns considerably. You also want your kettle to have a large, easy to grip handle that is also heat resistant.

Noise

The volume level of your kettle as it boils will vary significantly between models. Some cheaper brands are louder because reducing the noise your kettle makes is an unnecessary expense for the manufacturer and one that pushes the costs up. 

Most modern kettles produce between 75 and 90 dB. When you consider that a vacuum cleaner produces 85 dB, you start to get a picture of how noisy kettles can be. 

The volume comes from the way the kettle boils water. Bubbles form as the water nearest the element rises to meet the cooler water at the top. These bubbles crash into each other as the water increases in temperature, creating all that noise. 

Safety features

Electric kettles don’t whistle, so you need to have a mechanism in place to shut the kettle off when the water reaches the optimum temperature. Kettles also have boil-dry protections to save the element burning up when there is a lack of water.

Warranty

The type and length of warranty you get depend on the manufacturer. Most are 1 or 2 years, but the Hamilton Beach kettle comes with a 5-year limited warranty. Now that’s impressive!

Which electric kettle is right for you?

You want the highest capacity

Kettle size comes in quarts or litres. Put simply, a kettle with a capacity of 1.8 quarts is the equivalent of a 1.7-litre kettle. And to boil it down even further (pardon the pun), a 1.7-litre kettle holds roughly 7 average size cups.

The only way you can get a more substantial kettle is if you buy a professional catering style model, because domestic kettles peak in size around 1.7 to 1.8 litres.

You want the fastest boil time

The Cuisinart PerfecTemp kettle has one of the fastest boil times around. It can heat cold water to boiling in less time than a microwave takes to do the same thing. To put it another way, you will have piping hot water within a couple of minutes. 

You want a concealed heating element

We’ve all heard of furring up, right? It’s when the hard minerals in the water attach to the heating element and create a dusty white coating. If you run your finger around the inside of your kettle, you will see a residue.

Older style elements had direct water contact, whereas concealed versions do not make direct contact and thus suffer less mineral damage. Having a concealed element will prolong the life of your kettle and save you having to descale every couple of months. 

Are kettles expensive to run?

Electric kettles are efficient at boiling water because, unlike a stovetop variety, there is no vessel to warm before the transfer of heat. The element warms the water directly. This means they boil quickly, reducing the overall costs.

An electric kettle, heating 350 ml of room temperature water for 125 seconds, will consume roughly 0.04 kWh of electricity. Of course, the actual cost depends on your energy plan and the province where you live.

Kettles are about 81% efficient at heating water, so every time you switch it on, your kettle will waste 19% of the energy.

Can you buy a quiet kettle? 

Manufacturers claim that they make quiet kettles, but in truth, many are noisier than some power tools. The 75 to 85 dB created by a boiling kettle is in the same league as a vacuum cleaner. The only saving grace is that kettles only boil for 2 to 3 minutes at a time. Some kettles are indeed louder than others but make no mistake; all kettles are noisy. 

What is BPA?

BPA stands for bisphenol A. and is an industrial chemical developed in the 1960s. It is used to make plastic and resins. BPA is typically found in polycarbonate plastics, commonly used in the food and drink industry for packaging. Think plastic water bottles, and you’ll get the picture.

This chemical is linked to certain medical conditions like cancer. So, since 2010, Canada has banned its use in certain products.

What to read next

• Best Food Processors in Canada

Over to you

We’re interested to know – do you prefer tea or coffee in the morning? Do you care what temperature your water is heated to? Let us know by leaving a comment below!