This text is machine translated.
About water kettles
There is too little investment in some kitchen appliances, although they are used daily. These include the kettle: For tea, mocha, baby food and snacks, it is constantly in use, should be quick, handy, safe and easy to clean. Modern water kettles also bring practical extras such as a keep-warm function or temperature pre-selection and look stylish at the same time. If you know what is important when choosing a high-quality water cooker, you will also find the best price-performance ratio - so there is no longer any reason not to replace the wobbly 10 euro plastic kettle!
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Your next kettle should have these characteristics
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The material: Noble glass, shining stainless steel, high-quality plastic
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The performance: Up to 3,000 watts for express hot water
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The capacity: Up to two liters of hot water at the push of a button
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More than just hot water: Convenient special functions
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Checklist: In 4 steps to the right kettle
Your next kettle should have these characteristics
Almost all modern electric kettles are wireless through a separate base and can therefore be used very flexibly. Many models can be rotated 360 degrees on their base, so even careless storage of the water tank is not a problem.
The differences between water kettles of different price levels and manufacturers are mainly in material, performance and capacity.
The material: Noble glass, shining stainless steel, high-quality plastic
Most kettles are made of plastic, the lightest and easiest to clean material. But those who think of cheap plastic devices with a chemical smell are mistaken: Water kettles in the medium and higher price segment are made of high-quality plastics, which are absolutely odorless and durable. Even in their appearance, such plastic kettles have become more valuable and fit well into any kitchen.
Stainless steel kettles are also widely used. Either the exterior and the interior of the water tank are made of stainless steel, or the metallic finish is attached as a design element only on the outside. In both cases, water stains and lime residues are more visible on stainless steel than on plastic, but cleaning is just as easy. More important than worry about stains, the safety aspect is that stainless steel housings should not heat from outside when the kettle is in operation. Depending on the manufacturer, this function is called "Cool Touch" or simply "heat-insulating housing" – caution is required here, especially in households with children.
The trend is currently toward glass kettles. What was at first glance after a risk of breakage and a lot of cleaning work was absolutely unproblematic: The special safety glass is very break-proof, heat-resistant and easy to clean thanks to the extremely smooth surface on which lime can only be deposited. Last but not least, glass kettles are also a real visual highlight and have a modern look.
Modern kettle in elegant design.
The performance: Up to 3,000 watts for express hot water
The average power of water kettles is between 2,000 and 3,000 watts. The higher the power consumption, the higher the power consumption – but more power often means that the water is boiling faster. In the very good middle field you will find a kettle with about 2,200 watts of power.
The capacity: Up to two liters of hot water at the push of a button
Between one and two liters, the average capacity of a water kettle is between two liters. There are also less versions with only half or more than two liters. The challenge: The filling quantities are not uniform, but vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, making it difficult to compare them.
Practical advice
Beat how many cups of hot water you need per day and calculate this value. In case of doubt, it is less annoying to fill a larger kettle only half way than to refill a kettle that is too small.
More than just hot water: Convenient special functions
As with any everyday or kitchen item, manufacturers are also trying to bring innovative innovations to the market in water cookers. For tea lovers and families, for example, the temperature setting can be useful: The perfect water temperature can be selected for different types of tea or baby food at defined levels (usually between 40 and 100 degrees). Many of these kettles also have a keep-warm function that allows you to keep the water temperature for up to 20 minutes.
Go one step further "smart" kettle: You can control them via app without having to be in the same room. Turn on your kettle when lying in bed and brew fresh tea right after you get up.
Checklist: In 4 steps to the right kettle
1. Fast and powerful
Choose a powerful kettle that is not much larger than needed and check the product descriptions and customer reviews to see if it is not noisy.
2. Easy to use, easy to clean
Your kettle should be filled with only one hand – this is guaranteed by a hinged lid with a large opening. In order to be able to easily clean and descale the kettle from the inside, flat heating elements on the bottom are more suitable than the well-known heating spirals.
3. - Secure
A good kettle has at least three protection mechanisms: An automatic cut-off, a dry-boil protection and an overheat protection. While the automatic switch-off deactivates the appliance when the heating process is completed, the boil-dry protection ensures that an empty kettle does not heat up. As the name suggests, the overheating protection protects the components from excessive heat.
4. Processing & Design
Glass, stainless steel or plastic – high-quality workmanship can be found in all three material classes. It is important to ensure that all components are securely connected – nothing should shake or rattle – and that the water tank sits well on the base and has a sufficiently long power cable. A material-independant question is the practicality of the design: Some design kettles, such as those in the form of a classic teapot, may be an optical highlight, but are often awkward to use and therefore not suitable for everyday use. Before you buy, check whether the design and benefits are in balance and, if in doubt, choose a model with a large opening and easy to clean shape.
Kettles are the perfect solution when hot water is needed for coffee or tea.
Our practical tip: Cleaning
You should also clean the scale filter of your water kettle, which is located in the spout, regularly. This scale filter is not only very fine but also removable in medium and higher priced models – this makes cleaning enormously easier.