Temperature Control Electric Kettle: variable settings to suit different beverages
Two big reasons for choosing a variable temperature kettle over a conventional one. First, not all beverages requires boiling water. Specialty teas only need between 60-90 and coffee brews best at 95 degrees. Secondly, this will help you save money on your electric bills big time.
What’s out there
Outlook aside, there are two distinct electronic designs for electric kettles with temperature controls. There are those where the controls are on the base (or dock) and those with the controls right on the kettle itself either the housing, on the handle or near the handle. Other features that stand out include the digital LCD displays. Not all of them have it. It certainly helps when setting the temperature especially in small increments but not necessary. Some just use LED light indicators. Having the controls on the base does make the overall unit bigger but easier to navigate and control. Lastly, there is the keep warm or temperature hold function. Again, not all of the kettles have this so if it is a feature you think you need, make sure it ticks the box.
Top 10 Best Electric Kettle with Variable Temperature Settings
1. KITCHENAID Artisan Variable Temperature Jug Kettle
This retro looking jug kettle from KitchenAid Artisan range has a built in temperature gauge. It also comes with a slider for temperature control much like those you find on their mixer and LED indicator for your selected temperature. Use it to set between 7 different temperature settings, lower temperatures for green ash white tea and hotter temperatures for black and herbal teas. And just like the mixers, the stainless steel body and base are available in various colours so you can choose one to match your other KitchenAid appliances.
The housing is double walled to insulate the exterior of the body from the heat making it cool to touch. There is a keep warm function when docked to the base but as the temperature gauge is a conventional one (not digital) and on the housing, you can check the water temperature quickly even when it is off the base to see if you need to boil it again.
- Power: 3000 W
- Hard anodised aluminium with colour exterior
- Capacity: 1.5 litre
- Variable temperature control: 7 settings – 50 to 100° (50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 95, 100) with keep warm function up to 30 minutes
- Other Features: Anti limescale filter, water level indicator, 360 degree rotational base, dual wall cavity, push button lid, temperature gauge
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2. SMEG 50’s Retro Style Jug Kettle
Just like the KitchenAid, this SMEG is a retro unit and would appeal to those who already have SMEG small and big appliances in the kitchen. And, just like KitchenAid, you can colour co-ordinate it in keeping with other appliances. It has a larger capacity at 1.7litre, enough for 7-8 cups.
The seven temperature settings are at the same as those on KitchenAid Artisan above but use the temperature selector lever to choose the temperature, with feedback from LED light array and the backlit power button to start boiling. A separate keep warm function key on the opposite side to the temperature selector lets you keep the water at the selected temperature for up to 20 minutes. SMEG recommends 70-80 for green and white tea and 91 to 96 for coffee.
- Power: 3000 W
- Stainless steel and plastic with smooth colour exterior and chrome detailing
- Capacity: 1.7 litre
- Variable temperature control: 7 settings – 50 to 100° (50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 95, 100) with keep warm function up to 20 minutes
- Other Features: Anti limescale filter, water level indicator, 360 degree rotational/swivel base, soft open lid.
3. NINJA KT200UK Jug Kettle
Moving on to something more modern looking is this Ninja KT200 electric kettle. The kettle supports 50 seconds rapid boil for 1 cup of water to electricity and boiling only what you need. Every controls you need is on the base including a digital LCD display. The digital display is a live one so once you start boiling, it goes up to your set temperature.
Choose from quick preset temperatures for tea, coffee or straight up boiled water. Alternatively, use the plus and minus buttons to manually set your desired temperature at 5 degree increments offering even more controls. There is also a hold temperature button to keep the water warm at selected temperature for up to 30 mins, no need to wait for a reboil.
- Power: 3000 W
- Plastic and Stainless steel with exterior colour in black
- Capacity: 1.7 litre (7 cups)
- Variable temperature control: 6 presets 60, 70, 80, 90 for speciality teas and 95 for coffee or 100 to boil with keep warm function for up to 30 minutes. To manually control the temperature use the + or – buttons for 5 degree increments.
- Other Features: Anti limescale filter, water level indicator, 360 degree rotational/swivel base, push button lid.
4. BOSCH Sky Jug Kettle
BOSH Sky Jug Kettle is another stylish and modern kettle with a two tone design. Choose between white or black accent with stainless steel body. The controls are on the blocky square base, with touch sensitive temperature slider to select from 7 different settings. Set the temperature to 70 or 75° for white tea, 80 to 85° for green tea 90 to 95° for coffee and 100° for black tea.
It also comes with keep warm setting to stay warm for up to 30 mins at a selected temperature. Safety features include automatic shut off when it hits boiling temperature, overheat cut off and boil-dry protection. The double walled body keeps the outside cool to touch while insulating the heat, keeping water inside hot for longer.
- Power: 3000 W
- Stainless steel body
- Capacity: 1.7 litre
- Variable temperature control: 7 settings – 70°, 75°, 80°, 85°, 90°, 95° to 100° (digital touch control) with keep warm up to 30mins
- Other Features: Anti limescale filter, water level indicator, 360 degree rotational base, double walled body with cool touch outside, push-button lid.
5. SAGE SKE825 The Smart Jug Kettle
This smart kettle from sage has a lower power output, which can only be good when you are watching the electric bill. At a maximum output of 2400W, it is a shade lower than the standard 3000W but still has a big capacity of 1.7 litres. There are five temperature settings to choose from, each with its own dedicated button and recommendation right on the control panel. the presets are for Black, Green, White or Oolong teas and French press coffee. A keep warm feature can be activated with a touch of a button to hold the temperature for 20 minutes longer. Another interesting feature of the Sage Smart Kettle is its see through part glass lid with soft open. This allows you to quickly check what the stats is of your boiling water.
- Power: 2400 W
- Stainless steel body with part glass lid
- Capacity: 1.7 litre
- Variable temperature control: 5 settings – 80°, 85°, 90°, 95°, 100° (tactile buttons) with keep warm for 20 mins
- Other Features: Anti limescale filter, water level indicator, 360 degree rotational base, soft open lid
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6. Dualit 72960 Pour Over Kettle
This is a specialist kettle so you have got to have a perfectly good reason to be looking for this. You would only know to pick this if you brew your coffee the manual drip through way. The kettle boils the water to a precise brewing temperature for pour over brewer. The brewing method is said to extract the maximum flavour and aroma from the ground coffee. The long and curved gooseneck spout makes it easier to control the flow rate with the slightest tilt.
As for the variable temperate controls, pick from 38 to 100° with a temperature hold function to keep the hot water at the selected temperature for five minutes. The level of controls is just amazing. Use the know and digital display to set the desired boiling temperature by 1 digit increment. The digital LCD display shows live, current temperature and hold temperature countdown timer. Lastly, it supports Celsius or Fahrenheit too and the key tones can be muted for those early risers.
- Power: 1300W
- Stainless steel
- Capacity: 0.8 litre
- Variable temperature control: manual setting in one degree increment between 38 – 100° with keep warm up to 5 mins.
Other Features: pour over kettle with small and long spout
7. BREVILLE Selecta VKT159 Jug Kettle
I have to admit that this is not the most interesting looking kettle but it is the features that counts. The Breville Selecta lets you set one of five different temperature settings right on the touch sensitive control panel on the base. It doesn’t come with a keep warm function but that is reflected in its price. It has a stainless steel body and chrome handle and the lid lifts off with a grip handle.
- Power: 3000 W
- Stainless steel body
- Capacity: 1.7 litre
- Variable temperature control: 5 settings – 80°, 85°, 90°, 95°, 100°
Other Features: Anti limescale filter, water level indicator, 360 degree rotational base, easy grip lift off lid.
8. RUSSELL HOBBS Attentiv 26200 Jug Kettle
Also around the ball park of the Breville Selecta above is our next entry. The feature that lets this Russell Hobbs Attentiv jug kettle stand out from the rest is the glass body and the inclusion of a removable infuser basket. As it is made of glass, you can see the water level clearly. The basket lets you add tea leaves straight into the kettle when it reaches the desired temperature to make your tea right in the kettle.
However, because the infuser basket does not reach deep enough to the bottom of the kettle, you have to make a big pot of tea. It won’t work if you are trying to brew one or two cups of tea. As for the variable temperature control, use the knob and digital display panel on the base to choose from 40 to 100° temperature. Finally, it plays a tune when it hits the selected temperature.
- Power: 3000 W
- Glass and stainless steel body
- Capacity: 1.7 litre
- Variable temperature control: 5 settings – 40° to 100° (digital control knob) with keep warm up to 30mins
- Other Features: Anti limescale filter, water level indicator (on glass), 360 degree rotational base, removable infuser basket, push button lid.
9. CUISINART Signature Collection Jug Kettle
First on our list with the Integrated Circuits onboard the kettle instead of the base is this Cuisinart Signature Collection. Buttons and digital LCD display on the handle lets you quickly set the desired temperature. Two quick preset buttons takes you to 85 or 100°. Otherwise, you can use the plus button to manually set temperatures upwards of 85°C. It continues to show the temperature of the water inside the kettle even after boiling so you know not to keep boiling if the water left inside is already hot. Unfortunately, like the Breville Selecta above, the Cuisinart does not support keep warm function.
- Power: 3000 W
- Brushed Stainless steel body
- Capacity: 1.7 litre
- Variable temperature control: 2 settings – 85° – 100° (tactile button on the handle with LCD display)
- Other Features: Anti limescale filter, water level indicator, 360 degree rotational base, double walled body with cool touch outside, push button lid, illuminated water window.
10. DREW & COLE Digital Pro 01570 Jug Kettle
This Drew & Cole kettle a smaller capacity unit at 1.5 litre and more efficient heating element, consuming a maximum of only 2.2kW lower than even the Sage kettle above. Don’t be deceived by its black and plain design, hidden under the double walled cool to touch body are the digital display and touch sensitive buttons. The buttons let you select a temperature and start or cancel the boiling.
It supports 4 different temperature settings between 40 to 100. There is even a 30 minute keep warm setting. Use the 40 for hot lemon, 80 for coffee, 90 for tea and 100 for boiling water. Other standard features include 360 degree rotational base, cordless design, automatic swift off, water level and LED lights indicators and push button lid. Tefal has a similar design with silver handle. They call it the Tefal Smart’n Light Kettle also at a smaller 1.5 litres capacity.
- Power: 2200 W
- Plastic body
- Capacity: 1.5 litre
- Variable temperature control: 4 settings – 40°, 80°, 90° 100° (touch control with digital display) with keep warm up to 30mins
- Other Features: Anti limescale filter, water level indicator, 360 degree rotational base, cool touch double wall housing, push button lid.
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OTHERS:
HADEN Dorchester Jug Kettle
The Haden Dorchester comes in a few exciting colour combinations. This here is the sage green model with wooden grain trim on the handle, lid and base. Like the Drew and Cole and the Cuisinart jugs above, the controls are right on the kettle. This one also has a backlit digital display so you can set the desired temperature and track the progress. There are temperature settings are available from 40 to 100. Use the plus and minus buttons to increase or decrease the temperature by 5 degrees. There is also a keep warm function.
- Power: 3000 W
- Stainless steel body with coloured exterior and wood effect finish
- Capacity: 1.7 litre
- Variable temperature control: 4 settings – 40 – 100° (tactile buttons and digital display on the handle), 5 degree increments, keep warm function up to 40 mins.
- Other Features: Anti limescale filter, water level indicator, 360 degree rotational base, pull open lid, wooden effect on handle and base.
AEG Gourmet 7 Temperature Control Kettle
Switching back to where the controls are on the base is the AEG Gourmet 7 kettle below. In a sparkly grey finish, the kettle sits seamlessly on its base, with user friendly buttons to select the desired temperate, start or stop boiling and activate the keep warm function. One simply has to pick the temperature setting based on the light indicators and press start to go.
- Power: 2400 W
- Plastic body
- Capacity: 1.7 litre
- Variable temperature control: 7 settings between 40° to 100° (40, 60, 80, 85, 90, 95, 100) with keep warm function for 40 mins
- Other Features: corelsss, water level indicator, limescale filter, boil dry protection concealed elements, 360 degree swivel base, smooth opening lid.
