KENWOOD 0W21011137 ZJM811PU Mesmerine Stainless Steel Rich Plum Jug Kettle, 1.6L Capacity, Pink/Purple

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Weight: It’s also worth thinking about the weight of the kettle when full. Most of us have no problem lifting a full kettle, but if you suffer with arthritis or carpal tunnel, for example, lifting a heavy kettle can be really difficult and you'll want to go for a lightweight or smaller model. It's double-walled so it’s never too hot to touch - a boon in a kitchen with children about, and its safety credentials are top-notch. It’s got cord storage, a 360-degree, non-slip base and a soft-touch handle that won’t slip in your hands. Not only that, its minimum fill is 250ml: ideal for a standard-sized mug. You may lose a little time taking off the lid to fill, though; there’s no convenient flip-top version here. Swan Tribeca 1.8L Pyramid Kettle and 2-Slice Toaster: Best kettle and toaster set for compact kitchens

Variable temperature: A kettle that offers multiple temperature settings is useful if you use it for coffee and some teas like Oolong, which are both best made at a slightly lower temperature. Warm water can also be used to heat a baby bottle or pouch. Some of the best kettles also have a keep-warm feature. Shape: Consider what sort of shape you want to go for. Most kettles are either a jug style, with the handle at the side, or a dome style with the handle placed over the top. Some people find one easier to use than the other. Size: First, decide where your kettle is going to live in your kitchen as size will dictate your product choice. Whatever your cup of tea (or coffee), we’ve done the hard work for you, scouring the Mumsnet forums and beyond to find the best kettle.Far clearer is the kettle’s removable limescale filter – inside the spout it’s actually labelled ‘filter’, so you don’t forget to give it a regular wash. With five years’ experience as a homes writer, Charley now writes for Good Housekeeping, Country Living and House Beautiful but has also previously worked in print for an architecture magazine. There’s a lot more to kettles than just boiling water for your brew. Here are some features you may want to consider investing in:

First we put our kettle on to see how long it took to make a cuppa – and because we just think more clearly with a mug of tea in our hands. The coordinating toaster has a high lift function to help prevent burnt fingers and even a reheat button, which is a useful extra on an affordable model such as this. Homemade bread fitted in the slots comfortably, even though they’re not the widest, and toast emerged evenly done, with only slight singeing at one corner. This sturdy stainless steel and plastic cordless jug sits on a square base unit and offers four different temperature settings (100, 90, 80 and 70 degrees) and there’s a keep-warm function so you don’t have to reboil water. The kettle beeps when you turn it on and to let you know when it’s boiled too, just in case you forget. The cord is a good length at 71cm and there’s storage in the base if you don’t need it all. Despite its compact size, it is quite a heavy kettle, weighing 1,167g when empty and 2,746g when full — this is heavier than the average kettle in spite of its smaller capacity.The kettle’s stainless steel body is more of a benefit inside, where it should make descaling easier. Even the kettle’s internal minimum and maximum markers are made from steel – although, disappointingly, they’re the only water markers the kettle has, and the minimum is hard to see while filling. The Russell Hobbs Structure Kettle is easier to fill thanks to its rear window.

We all covet KitchenAid gadgets. If you want a bit of the iconic KitchenAid style (in a range of colours) in your kitchen but can’t quite stretch to the stand mixer, this Artisan Kettle might fill a hole on your work surface and in your heart. This set’s glossy faceted exterior with geometric shapes belies its modest price. Despite being one of the more affordable options in our roundup, it still has some premium features, such as a defrost option on the toaster and internal kettle illumination. The double-walled design is spot on - the exterior can't burn you if you were to touch it and the cord can be coiled up inside the base securely, making it a great choice for homes with curious toddlers. The anti-slip grip makes it easy to hold and we love the push-button lid – you won't have to wrestle to open this one. It also features boil-dry protection to help prevent damage.

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Charley has an MA in Journalism & Media Studies and undertook an internship at a travel magazine in Iceland. She still writes occasional travel and lifestyle stories when the inspiration strikes now, with work published in Cosmopolitan, Stylist, ELLE and Women’s Health, among others. Firstly, design — is it going to colour co-ord with your existing scheme? Secondly, speed, because we have *not* got time to hang around waiting for our brew, and finally, noise, because no one wants a kettle that sounds like it’s about to take off.

Fill it at the top and a blue light glows through the glass, getting brighter as it boils, which is a nice touch. It's relatively quiet when boiling too. This isn’t the cheapest kettle you can buy, but for the price, you’re getting one that’s pretty close in spec to more expensive models. Smart features: The fanciest of kettles now have smart features, meaning you can switch on your kettle from your app or keep it warm so your cup of tea is only seconds away when you walk in the door. How much should I spend on the best kettle?The kettle is just as good-looking, with a handle that’s easy to grip and a light-up lever to show when it’s boiling. It’s also surprisingly light to carry around, so less of a struggle when full. A good-sized water window with multiple markings in litres means it’s simple to boil only as much water as required, while the minimum boil, though not marked, is an economical 250ml. In our tests, it performed well, boiling a litre of cold water in two minutes and 15 seconds.