Best glass kettles 2024: stylish options for every budget
Aesthetically pleasing, energy efficient and plastic-free, here’s our pick of the best glass kettles, as recommended by Mumsnet users.
By Lucy Cotterill | Last updated Jun 11, 2024
Thanks to their stylish and modern designs, glass kettles have grown hugely in popularity in recent years. Unlike plastic and stainless steel models, these transparent kettles allow full visibility of the water inside, helping reduce water wastage and energy consumption by only boiling the water you need.
Whether you opt for an illuminating glass kettle or the best kettle with variable temperatures, these durable and eco-friendly designs are also a great choice for the hygiene-conscious, visually prompting you when it's time to clean and descale.
To bring you our pick of the best glass kettles you can buy today, we tapped into the tried-and-tested experiences of Mumsnet users, the largest online network of parents in the UK. We sought out their recommendations on the products they’ve used in their own homes and rate for their design, ease of cleaning and overall performance. Then, we scrutinised wider consumer reviews and the opinions of industry experts to ensure we feature top-notch options to suit every home and budget. So, without further ado, here are the best glass kettles for 2024.
Stylish glass design with brushed stainless steel accents
Blue illumination during the boil
Fast boiling time
Concealed element and removable filter
Cord storage
360 base (suitable for right and left-handed users)
The cord on the base unit is short
Blue illumination isn’t quite as vivid as the images suggest
Price on writing: £42 | Min capacity: 250ml | Max capacity: 1.7 litres | Variable temperature: No | Dimensions: 9.45 x 5.91 x 9.25 cm | Power: 3000W
A stylish glass kettle with brushed stainless steel accents, this Russell Hobbs makes a great addition to a modern kitchen. It's powerful and efficient, and we love that it illuminates with a blue glow during the boil. There's also a clearly marked ‘1 cup’ measurement on the exterior to help prevent water and energy wastage.
The concealed element and removable mesh filter on this kettle can help slow limescale build-up, and the transparency of the glass means you have a handy visual indicator of when it's time to use a kettle descaler.
In addition, the convenient 360-degree base is suitable for right and left-handed users. However, the cord is a little on the short side, so you’ll need to position it close to your plug sockets.
Related: The best integrated dishwasher for a tidy kitchen
Budget-friendly price
Large capacity
Fast boil
Stylish iridescent design that illuminates during the boil
Clearly marked water scale
Some reviewers found it noisy during the boil
Iridescent design isn’t completely transparent
Price on writing: £19 | Min capacity: 250ml | Max capacity: 1.7 litres | Variable temperature: No | Dimensions: 14.5 x 25 x 22.4 cm | Power: 3000W
If you’re looking for a budget-friendly glass kettle, they don’t come much more affordable than the Iridescent Glass Kettle from ASDA. Despite retailing at less than £20, this glass kettle has many of the features seen in more costly models, including a powerful 3KW element, boil-dry protection and a clearly marked one-cup indicator so you can only boil the water you need.
While it boils quickly, it runs a little louder than some of our other picks while boiling. It’s also worth noting that the iridescent design isn't completely transparent, so it can be a little trickier to read the water scale when full.
Russell Hobbs Brita Filter Purity Glass Kettle
Concealed element
Brita Maxtra+ Filter Cartridge with clear replacement indicator
Blue illumination
Powerful with rapid boil
Energy efficient '1 cup' feature
Less capacity than our best pick Russell Hobbs glass kettle
Maximum four cups per boil makes it less suited to large households
Need to buy replacement filters every four weeks
Price on writing: £45 | Min capacity: 250ml | Max capacity: 1 litre | Variable temperature: No | Dimensions: 8.58 x 5.91 x 9.37 cm | Power: 3000W
The Russell Hobbs Brita Purity was the clear winner on our best kettle for hard water round-up. Thanks to the Brita water filter, it reduces unwelcome limescale and chlorine, as well as absorbing copper and lead that can affect the taste of your tea and coffee.
While it's worth factoring in the cost of replacement filters (which work out around £4.50 per month from Amazon), many reviewers claim it's worth it for cleaner, clearer water. There's also a handy built-in indicator that alerts you when its time to replace.
We love the energy-efficient 'one-cup’ marker, which prevents you from boiling more water than necessary, while the ‘perfect pour’ spout reduces the risk of splashing when serving up your favourite brew.
However, it’s worth highlighting that the Purity model only has a 1-litre capacity, which may be restrictive for larger families.
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Choice of four temperatures
Blue illumination on boiling
Removable and washable limescale filter
Boil-dry protection
Keep warm feature
Pours slowly due to filter in the spout
Two cups minimum volume
Price on writing: £41 | Min capacity: 500ml | Max capacity: 1.7 litres | Variable temperature: Yes | Dimensions: H24 x W27 x D31cm | Power: 2200W
While most kettles will boil your water to precisely 100°C, the delicate flavours of some drinks can turn bitter if they are served too hot. If you know the difference between your green teas and your oolong, the Cookworks Variable Temperature Kettle allows you to serve your water at one of four different temperatures to keep them tasting their best.
While the minimum boil is two cups, we love the handy keep-warm function on this kettle - it's a great way to reduce your energy consumption by preventing the need to reboil. This stylish glass kettle is also easy to clean and maintain thanks to the removable and washable limescale filter.
Soft top lid to reduce splashing
Ergonomic handle
Compact design with a four-cup capacity
Multi-directional base
Concealed element
Costly
Less suited to preparing drinks for larger groups and gatherings
Price on writing: £70 | Min capacity: 250ml | Max capacity: 1 litre | Variable temperature: No | Dimensions: 14.2 x 22.8 x 19.3cm | Power: 2400W
If you have a small kitchen or simply want a glass kettle that doesn’t take up valuable countertop space alongside your toaster, Sage's The Compact Pure is an excellent choice.
While its four-cup capacity makes it less suited to large gatherings, this small but perfectly formed kettle is both stylish and practical, with highlights being its diminutive footprint, ergonomic handle and easy-to-use multi-directional base.
We love the soft top lid that prevents splashing, while the concealed element and durable stain-resistant glass design help keep unsightly limescale at bay.
Related: The best slimline dishwasher for compact kitchens
360-degree base
Illuminates blue during the boil
Affordable price point
Limescale filter in the spout
The minimum volume is more than one cup
Price on writing: £35 | Min capacity: 500ml | Max capacity: 1.7 litres | Variable temperature: No | Dimensions: H25.0 x W23.0 x D15.2cm | Power: 3000W
With a sleek glass and stainless steel design, the Logik L17GK22 Jug Kettle features blue LED lights that illuminate during the boil, helping you brew a comforting cuppa even in low light.
We love this kettle’s affordable price point and the convenient 360 base. While its transparent design makes it easy to see the volume of water inside, the minimum capacity is 500ml (two cups). As a result, it’s not the most energy-efficient choice if you only need drinks for one.
Are glass kettles any good?
While a topic of much debate on the Mumsnet forums, those who love glass kettles praise them for their modern and stylish designs, ease of cleaning and sustainable materials.
The transparent design provides good visibility, allowing you to boil only the amount of water you need, reducing water wastage and saving energy as a result.
The disadvantage, particularly in a hard water area, is that is quickly apparent when limescale has started to build up - so you may find yourself cleaning it more regularly.
Related: The best dishwasher for family homes
Do glass kettles get less limescale?
Unfortunately, just like stainless steel and plastic kettles, glass kettles can experience a build-up of limescale and residue, especially in hard water areas.
One downside is that in a transparent glass design, any limescale build-up is visible - but this does serve as a visual reminder that it's time to descale your kettle.
While they’re likely to need descaling regularly, many glass kettles include filters that can help slow the build-up. You can also prevent limescale from occurring by only boiling the water you need.
What to look for in a glass kettle
If you’re considering adding a glass kettle to your kitchen, here are some features to consider:
Capacity - What is the maximum (and minimum) capacity of the kettle? If you’re regularly making drinks for your entire family or groups of friends, a kettle with a large 1.7-litre capacity should be high up on your wishlist, allowing you to serve a round of drinks without the need to regularly reboil. On the flip side, if you’re regularly preparing drinks for one when working from home, a kettle with a 250ml minimum capacity can prevent you from boiling more water than you need.
Filters - With a transparent design, any limescale build-up will be visible in your kettle. If you live in a hard water area where excess minerals can tarnish your appliances more quickly, you should consider a glass kettle with built-in or removable filters to prevent limescale build-up. Some glass kettles include stain-resistant glassware that can keep your kettle cleaner for longer, too.
360 base - Particularly important if you’re left-handed, how easy is it to access the kettle from all angles?
Variable temperatures - If you know your white teas from your green teas and are also partial to a strong cup of coffee in the morning, a glass kettle with variable temperature controls is a good idea. Not only will this allow you to enjoy your drinks straight away, but it also preserves the flavours and keeps drinks tasting their best.
How we chose the best glass kettle
Recommendations from real Mumsnet users
There is a lot of debate on the Mumsnet forums about how to make the perfect morning brew, with many users sharing their hints and tips on the best tools for the job.
With that in mind, we first sought out the trusted opinions of Mumsnet users, to get their feedback on the glass kettles that they rate, recommend and use in their own homes.
We also looked out for any negative reviews, where Mumsnetters highlighted products that they felt were poor quality, slow to boil or difficult to clean.
Expert feedback
After that, we considered reviews and feedback from trusted industry experts. We want to be confident that the products we recommend are fit for purpose, so we looked out for award-winning kettles or those that were well regarded in the marketplace, including those recommended by food experts, chefs and consumer champions.
Verified consumer reviews
Last off, to bring you our definitive list of the best glass kettles on the market, we thoroughly investigated current, in-depth customer reviews on retailer sites such as Amazon, Argos, John Lewis, and Lakeland to get wider consumer experiences regarding the products on our shortlist.
About the author
Lucy Cotterill is a mum of two and a Content Writer at Mumsnet, specialising in parenting and kitchen product reviews and round-ups. Having written reviews on her own blog Real Mum Reviews since 2012, Lucy loves to research and explore the pros and cons of products, scrutinising expert guidance and consumer feedback to help people make confident purchases.
Lucy knows a thing or two about what to look for in a small kitchen appliance, having written numerous Mumsnet kettle round-ups, including the best travel kettles, most stylish kettle and toaster sets, and top kettle descalers, to name just a few.
Why you should trust us
We work hard to provide honest and independent advice you can trust and we spend hours scouring the Mumsnet forums and online bestseller lists to find products that real parents rate.
Transparency is really important to us and that's why we're always upfront about where we find our recommendations. We write about products that we feel offer the best value to most parents – the ones that our users would recommend to their own friends and family.
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