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The best budget kettles under £45, tried and tested by experts
Here are the best budget-friendly kettles that don't compromise on quality
Tested by Blossom BoothroydHomes Testing Manager
Whether you’re brewing a comforting cup of tea, filling up a hot water bottle, or boiling water to cook pasta, everything is made easier by flicking the kettle on.
You don’t have to splash out, though, to find one that will do your cuppa justice. In fact, here at the Good Housekeeping Institute, we’ve done enough boiling and brewing to know that you shouldn’t judge a kettle by its cost; we've gone back through the best kettles we've ever tested and some of our top buys perform just as impressively as those with a premium price tag.
If you’re in a hurry to find the best budget kettle for your counter, here are our top tried and tested picks for under £45 in a handy list. Read on for our detailed reviews.
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If you’re replacing an existing kettle, there are plenty of places for you to safely recycle your old one. Find your nearest electrical recycling point, or read our guide on how to donate or dispose of your appliances and tech for extra guidance.
How much should you spend on a kettle?
We’ve tested top-scoring kettles ranging from a pocket-friendly £18 all the way up to a whopping £200, so what exactly are you paying for?
Often, it’s a question of aesthetics. Some of the bigger brands use high-quality materials with a more luxurious finish, and in a rainbow of colours or decorative metallics, while the cheaper own-brands often have plastic exteriors and perhaps only one or two colour choices.
Splashing out more on a kettle can buy you smart features, variable temperature settings and cool-touch walls, but these fancy details aren’t essential and won’t make much difference to your everyday cuppa.
How we test kettles
Our kettle testing is thirsty work. Over the years, we’ve put 202 kettles to the test at the Good Housekeeping Institute, boiling enough water to brew 6,060 cups of tea.
We do more than simply unwind with a brew, though. In our kettle tests, we look at everything from how easy it is to fill each one accurately from a tap to the pouring precision into a hot water bottle, checking for splashing and spillages.
Next, we measure how long it takes to boil each kettle at different capacities. We also take the temperature of the external casing when water is freshly boiled and we look at how easy the kettle is to use based on how clear the water level gauge is to see, if the filter is easy to remove for cleaning and refit, and how comfortable the kettle is to hold.
Finally, we take into account the overall design, as well as how clear and concise the instructions are.
Score: 91/100
This supermarket kettle shouldn't be overlooked. It may be just £18 but it scored just one point less than the overall winner of our best kettle crown.
With an easy-pour spout and lightweight design, it impressed our testers straight away. But it sealed the deal with its speedy boil times – 45 seconds for its minimum capacity and three-and-a-half minutes for full 1.7-litres.
Key specifications
| Maximum capacity | 1.7 litres |
|---|---|
| Minimum capacity | 280ml |
| Weight when empty | 681g |
| Colours available | Black, white, grey |
| Matching toaster | Yes |
Swan Symphony Collection 1.7L Jug Kettle SK31050
Score: 90/100
This kettle is among the most compact we’ve tested and the wide, rounded spout means it's easy to fill quickly and has an accurate and clean pour. When boiling a full kettle, the external casing temperature also remained cool to touch.
While Swan says it's a "rapid boil" model, we didn’t find it faster than others here. It took on average under two minutes to boil one litre of water and a little over a minute to boil half a litre.
Key specifications
| Maximum capacity | 1.7 litres |
|---|---|
| Minimum capacity | 500ml |
| Weight when empty | 725g |
| Colours available | Black, white |
| Matching toaster | Yes |
Russell Hobbs Inspire Kettle
Score: 87/100
This Russell Hobbs kettle is easy to fill through the spout and is also lightweight, at under 1kg when empty. It boils one cup of water in under 45 seconds, so it’s ideal for people who usually only make one hot drink at a time.
We found that it pours cleanly and accurately with no splashing, too. The water gauge is behind the handle, which means you can’t see it well while you’re filling the kettle. But, overall, it's a reliable pick at a reasonable price – and it comes in three colours.
Key specifications
| Maximum capacity | 1.7 litres |
|---|---|
| Minimum capacity | 235ml |
| Weight when empty | 935g |
| Colours available | Black, white, red |
| Matching toaster | Yes |
Russell Hobbs Honeycomb 26051 Kettle
Score: 87/100
Here's another great-value Russell Hobbs model that comes in a good range of colours. This one also has an illuminated water level gauge that lights up when it's boiling and switches off when it’s ready. We found it fast for smaller volumes too, taking a speedy 46 seconds to boil 240ml. At full capacity, though, it took almost four minutes to boil.
It has markers for one, two and three cups on the inside, which are helpful if you want to boil specific amounts. It's worth noting that while the handle remained cool, the kettle's exterior reached 63C, so you should take care when handling it.
Key specifications
| Maximum capacity | 1.7 litres |
|---|---|
| Minimum capacity | 240ml |
| Weight when empty | 650g |
| Colours available | Black, grey, white, cream |
| Matching toaster | Yes |
Score: 87/100
Weighing just 741g when empty, this was one of the lightest kettles we’ve tested and even when filled to the max, our testers found it manageable to carry and pour. Boiling took just under a minute and there was no spitting, dripping or leaking when brewing the water for a cuppa.
The main downside with this kettle is its minimum capacity. At 600ml, you’ll always have to boil enough water for two cups. This is something to consider if you mostly make tea for one but if you’re in a household where the kettle is always on, then this is a reliable buy.
Key specifications
| Maximum capacity | 1.7 litres |
|---|---|
| Minimum capacity | 600ml |
| Weight when empty | 741g |
| Colours available | Black |
| Matching toaster | Yes |
Score: 87/100
Another great option from Salter, this has an expert-pleasing lightweight and ergonomic design, which makes it easy to pour. Our testers also appreciated the indicator light and easy-to-read water level gauge.
It was quick at boiling up to a litre of water but you’ll have to wait three and a half minutes if you need a full kettle’s worth. Note that the casing was quite hot after a long boil. That niggle aside, it was easy to clean, and its modern aesthetic should fit into any kitchen.
Key specifications
| Maximum capacity | 1.7 litres |
|---|---|
| Minimum capacity | 500ml |
| Weight when empty | 714g |
| Colours available | Blue-grey |
| Matching toaster | Yes |
Score: 86/100
A simple yet classic kettle, this is a great buy for small households thanks to its speedy 50 second boil for one cup of water. When full, it took four minutes.
Our testers found the sharp spout made it easy to avoid spillages and they liked the way the water gauge tells you the number of cups inside. Just take care to avoid touching the outer casing after boiling as it was hot on test.
Key specifications
| Maximum capacity | 1.7 litres |
|---|---|
| Minimum capacity | 500ml |
| Weight when empty | 749g |
| Colours available | Cream, red, black, grey |
| Matching toaster | Yes |
Score: 86/100
This unique stainless steel design will stand out in modern kitchens. Its flip-top lid was easy to remove, which made filling the kettle simple and our testers praised the spout for its clean pouring, even when full.
With a minimum capacity of 235ml, solo tea drinkers can enjoy an energy-efficient boil without heating more water than necessary – plus, it only takes an average of 45 seconds, meaning you can be enjoying a cuppa in no time at all.
Just be aware that the outer casing got hot on test and it also emitted a lot of steam from the spout.
Key specifications
| Maximum capacity | 1.7 litres |
|---|---|
| Minimum capacity | 235ml |
| Weight when empty | 920g |
| Colours available | Gunmetal grey |
| Matching toaster | Yes |
How to choose a kettle
They have a crucial job in our kitchens, but there’s a lot more to a good kettle than meets the eye, so we’ve broken down the different things to consider when you’re shopping for your next one.
Speed
When you’re in need of a morning cup of tea or coffee, you don’t want to be waiting around. A power element of 3kW is generally the best for a quick boil and all of our top-scoring kettles have this wattage.
Capacity
Want to know how many cups of tea you can get from your kettle? Most hold between 1.5 and 1.7 litres of water. An average cup of tea is 250ml, which means you should be able to boil enough for six to seven cups at a time.
If you normally brew one cup at a time, then double check the minimum capacity of your kettle – most have a minimum level clearly marked and any with 300ml or less are the ones to look out for.
Matching toaster
For a co-ordinated kitchen, look for a kettle that has a matching toaster. Most do and they can often be bought separately, coming in a range of styles, colours and prices.
Other kettle features to consider
It's also worth taking a moment to consider which design details and features are most important to you. You may take them for granted, but they can make all the difference when it comes to ease of use. Here are a few things you may want to prioritise.
Water level indicator
Being able to see the water marker is crucial if you want to be precise with the amount of water you’re boiling. Most kettles have this clearly visible on the exterior, but some are more awkwardly placed behind the handle.
Weight
To avoid having a kettle that’s too heavy when full, look for a model that weighs no more than one kilogram when empty. This is because for every millilitre of water you add to your kettle, you add an extra gram of weight, which can add up quickly!
Grip
It's worth checking the position and shape of the handle, which can affect the balance when pouring and filling. Some handles have a soft, rubberised area to make it more comfortable.
Filters
If you’re looking for the best kettle for hard water, make sure the one you buy has a removable, washable anti-scale water filter. These sit at the base of the spout and collect pieces of limescale from the water to stop them being poured into your drink. They also stop scum forming on the surface.
Boil dry protection
This feature will make your kettle last longer as it automatically switches off if there isn't enough water inside, reducing the risk of it burning dry and causing damage. It’s also important to check the water gauge to make sure your kettle hasn’t been overfilled – risking it boiling over and becoming a safety hazard.
Safety
With some kettles, the outer casing gets extremely hot – this is worth thinking about if you have little ones in your kitchen. Often, those with a brushed stainless steel exterior reach hotter temperatures than other materials, while kettles with an auto shut-off feature will automatically stop when water begins to boil or if the kettle is lifted from its base.
Energy efficiency
If you’re looking for a greener kettle, keep an eye out for "quick boil", "one cup" or eco-friendly models. These can boil a cup's worth of water in less than a minute and use up to 50% less energy. Kettles with auto shut-off features also limit electricity wastage.
Megan is the Good Housekeeping Institute’s senior homes and lifestyle writer. She loves diving into the latest product releases to find the very best buys on the market and has written hundreds of product reviews on everything from the best vacuum cleaners and coffee machines to the best ice cream makers and robot window cleaners.
When she’s not writing about the newest gadgets and gizmos for your home and garden, you’ll find her running every distance from 5km to 100km or relaxing at home with her cat – there really is no in between.
Megan has an MA in Magazine Journalism and has previously written for Stylist, Glamour, Women's Health, TimeOut, SquareMeal, and YOU magazine. You can find Megan on Instagram @meganlouisegeall.
Blossom is passionate about finding the best home products and appliances for GH readers. As head of the homes testing team, she has led reviews across multiple categories, from pizza ovens, and smart plugs to portable fans and hobs. She enjoys delving into the intricacies of products and refining testing protocols to ensure we’re testing them against their claims. Her aim is to find the top-performing products on the market, to help take the hard work out of housework. Blossom’s most notable accomplishment in the lab has been toasting 528 slices of bread in her quest to find the best toasters money can buy. In her free time, she openly admits to being a music geek and indulges her creative side through crocheting, baking, singing and writing.
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