A temperature control kettle heats water to a set point below boiling, such as 70°C or 80°C, instead of always going to 100°C. That matters for some drinks and not at all for others. Read on to find out whether your tea or coffee habits justify one, whether presets or exact degrees suit you, and which extras are worth having, from keep warm to a gooseneck spout.
What to look for
01Who needs a kettle with temperature control?
A kettle with temperature control is worth having if you drink green, white or oolong tea, or brew coffee by pour-over or cafetière. Water at a full boil can make delicate teas taste bitter, and green tea is usually brewed at around 70°C to 80°C. Coffee is often brewed just off the boil, at around 90°C to 96°C. If you drink black tea, instant coffee or use the kettle mostly for cooking, boiling water is what you want, and a standard kettle such as the Swan Windsor or the Russell Hobbs Honeycomb does the job. Temperature control kettles still boil when you need them, so one kettle covers both. The Russell Hobbs Addison, for example, runs from 70°C to 100°C.
02Presets or exact degrees: which kind of control suits you?
Presets suit most tea drinkers, while a kettle you can set to the degree suits people who follow brewing recipes closely. The Russell Hobbs Addison has 5 presets between 70°C and 100°C and an LED display, and the AddAcsaCi 1.5L has 6 presets. Both work with one or two presses, which is handy first thing in the morning. The FOHERE kettle covers a wider range, 40°C to 100°C, which also takes in warm water for jobs well below tea temperature. The KitchenAid 5KEK1701BBM and the HOMCOM 1.7L are both sold as variable temperature kettles, but their listings don't give the range or the number of settings, so check the product details before you buy if you have a particular temperature in mind.
03Is a keep warm function worth having?
Keep warm is useful if you make several cups across a morning, because the kettle holds the water at your chosen temperature and you skip reheating from cold. The FOHERE kettle keeps water warm for up to 2 hours, and the Russell Hobbs Addison, the Ex-Pro 1.7L and the AddAcsaCi all list a keep warm function. It suits someone working from home who tops up a teapot of green tea through the day. Keep warm uses power while it runs, so switch it off when you step away for longer. A double wall body, which the AddAcsaCi has, helps the water hold its heat between cycles. The Ex-Pro lists an insulated, cool touch body, which also keeps the outside safer to handle.
04Gooseneck or standard spout: which do you need?
Choose a gooseneck if you make pour-over coffee, because the thin curved spout lets you pour slowly and steadily over the grounds. A standard spout is fine for tea, cafetière coffee and everything else. The TIMEMORE Electric Gooseneck Kettle holds 600ml, has variable temperature control for coffee and tea, and TIMEMORE gives a heat-up time of 192 seconds to 88°C. That 600ml is enough for one or two brews, so it sits alongside a main kettle rather than replacing it for a household. The full-size temperature control kettles here, including the FOHERE, Ex-Pro and Russell Hobbs Addison, hold 1.7L with a conventional spout and pour quickly, which suits filling a teapot or several mugs.
05Do you need a smart kettle with an app?
An app-controlled kettle is only worth it if you want to start the kettle from another room or by voice. The Nedis Smart Wi-Fi Kettle is 1.7L stainless steel with variable temperature from 70°C to 100°C and 2200W, and it works with an app and with Alexa and Google voice assistants. You can ask for the water to be heated while you are still upstairs, but the kettle needs filling first, so you still have to plan ahead. For most people a kettle with presets on the base, like the Russell Hobbs Addison or the AddAcsaCi, is quicker day to day. If you already run a smart home and like routines, the Nedis fits in with the rest.
Our top picks
Best everyday temperature control kettleRussell Hobbs Variable Temperature Kettle
The Russell Hobbs Addison has 5 presets from 70°C to 100°C, an LED display, keep warm and a 360 base, in a 1.7L body with a 3000W element. It covers green tea and a full boil for pasta with the same kettle. The finish is matte black.
Best for the widest temperature rangeElectric Kettles
FOHERE's 1.7L kettle runs from 40°C to 100°C and keeps water warm for up to 2 hours. It has a detachable filter, auto shut-off and boil-dry protection, and it is sold as a quiet kettle. Choose it if you want control well below tea temperatures as well as the usual settings.
Best for holding heat through the morningAddAcsaCi Electric Digital Kettle 1.5L |
The AddAcsaCi digital kettle has 6 presets, keep warm and a double wall stainless steel body, with a STRIX thermostat. At 1.5L it is smaller than the 1.7L kettles here, which suits one or two tea drinkers. Its 2200W element is sold as fast boil.
Best gooseneck for pour-over coffeeTIMEMORE Electric Gooseneck Kettle 600ml
TIMEMORE built this 600ml gooseneck for pour-over, with variable temperature for coffee and tea and a precision spout. TIMEMORE quotes 192 seconds to reach 88°C. Keep it next to your main kettle for the morning brew.
Best smart kettle with voice controlNedis Smart Wi-Fi Kettle
Nedis's Smart Wi-Fi Kettle holds 1.7L, has variable temperature from 70°C to 100°C and runs from an app or through Alexa and Google. The body is stainless steel and the element is 2200W. It is for people who already control lights and heating by voice.
Frequently asked
Can I use a temperature control kettle for baby formula?
NHS guidance is to boil fresh tap water and make up the feed within 30 minutes, while the water is still at least 70°C. So set the kettle to 100°C and boil it rather than heating straight to 70°C. Boil fresh water for each feed rather than holding water on keep warm at 70°C, and follow the instructions on the formula packet as well.
What temperature should water be for green tea?
Follow the packet if it gives a figure. Most green teas brew well somewhere below 80°C, and delicate Japanese greens often lower still. The Russell Hobbs Addison and Nedis both go down to 70°C, and the FOHERE goes to 40°C. Steep for a shorter time than black tea, as green tea turns bitter if left too long.
Does a temperature control kettle fur up faster?
No more than a standard kettle, since scale forms whenever hard water is heated. A removable filter, like the detachable one on the FOHERE, stops flakes reaching your cup. Descale regularly if you live in a hard water area.
Is a temperature control kettle slower to boil?
It boils at the same speed as a standard kettle with the same wattage, and heating to 80°C finishes sooner than a full boil. The Russell Hobbs Addison is 3000W and the FOHERE and Nedis are 2200W. Only fill it with the water you need.
Does a temperature control kettle still switch off at the boil?
Yes. Set to 100°C, it boils and switches off like a standard kettle, and at a lower setting it stops at that temperature or holds it if keep warm is on. The FOHERE lists auto shut-off and boil-dry protection, so it also cuts out if it is switched on empty.