Which kettle brand is the most reliable?

We investigated the performance and reliability of some of the most popular kettle brands, including Asda, Breville, DeLonghi, Kenwood, Morphy Richards and Russell Hobbs.

In our unique small appliance survey, we asked more than 12,000 Which? members and members of the public if they’re happy with their kettle, and if they’ve experienced any problems, so you can see which brands are worth the money.

Our round-up of the best kettles will help you decide on the right one for you.

Which kettle brands develop the fewest faults?

This table summarises what we found about how quickly brands develop faults, based on kettles bought in the past seven years.

Only logged-in Which? members can see the full results of our kettle brand survey. If you're not yet a member, join Which? to get instant access.

Looking for a speedy brew while saving money on your electricity bills? See our guide to the best energy efficient kettles.

Which kettle brands do owners recommend?

As well as faults, our survey also revealed which kettle brands owners feel happy with and which they’d recommend to a friend.

These results are shown as each brand’s customer score and are based on kettles bought in the past seven years.

Only logged-in Which? members can see the full results of our kettle brand survey. If you're not yet a member, join Which? to get instant access.

Go to our kettle reviews to compare all the kettles we've tested.

The three most common kettle faults

Taking good care of your kettle, such as regularly cleaning out the limescale filter and using the correct mechanism to open the lid every time, could help you avoid falling victim to the three most common kettle faults identified in our survey.

1. The switch breaks (13% of faulty products)

In our small appliance survey covering kettles, the most common fault was related to a broken switch.

If the switch on your device becomes unresponsive, try unplugging the device for a couple of minutes, then turn it back on to reset the electronics. If a full reset doesn’t solve the problem, the issue might be internal.

2. The lid stops working properly (12%)

The second most common problem encountered is a faulty lid. This includes issues such as the lid failing to open or even the lid popping open during the boiling process.

You can prevent issues with the lid by never forcing it open or slamming it closed.

3. Complete failure (11%)

If you have no way of repairing it yourself, you'll need to check if it's still under warranty and contact the retailer to arrange a replacement.

How easy is it to repair a broken kettle?

Sadly, kettles tend to be among the most unrepairable small appliances out there. Indeed, some we've seen seem to be engineered to prevent repairs.

For two of the top three faults on this year's list – switch faults and complete failure – we wouldn't recommend attempting a repair unless you know what you're doing.

Alicia Day, Which? scientist, says:

'Luckily, faulty lids and limescale problems can often be easily rectified without needing to call in the experts. If you're in any doubt, check your appliance's instruction manual for a troubleshooting guide.

'For more serious faults, such as a broken heating element, you may need to make a call on whether it's worth even attempting a repair. If your kettle is pretty basic, you may be better off buying a new one.' 

When buying new, consider a repairable brand, if possible.

• Ninja sells kettle parts such as bases and spouts, but no internal components.
• Philips stocks filters, bases, lids and more.
• Tefal has a spare parts shop worth exploring if you're experiencing issues with your kettle.

If yours is beyond repair, take it to your local council recycling/reuse centre.

See our guide on how to recycle electrical items.

Which kettle brands offer the best guarantees?

If your faulty kettle was purchased recently, you may be entitled to a repair or replacement.

Most kettle brands have a guarantee between one to two years, but there are a handful of brands that offer longer cover, including:

• Tower offers a three-year guarantee when you register the product after purchase.
• Russell Hobbs offers a two-year guarantee from the date of purchase as standard. To claim an extra year, you can register your product online.
• Smeg offers guarantees of up to five years, depending on the model.
• KitchenAid offers guarantees of varying lengths, depending on the model. We've tested one kettle with a guarantee of three years.

Dealing with a faulty product? Find out how to get a refund, repair or replacement.

How we discover the most reliable kettle brands

Which? has a wealth of information on Britain's favourite brands. Every year, we ask Which? members to tell us about the home appliances they own – from how likely they would be to recommend a brand, to how reliable the products are once they get them home.

This year, 7,643 Which? members and 6,978 members of the public told us about more than 48,000 individual products. We calculate each brand's customer score, fault rate and reliability rating using the results of our annual survey.

Our surveys, combined with our extensive lab tests, mean that we can recommend the best kettle to buy.

To find out more about our lab tests and what makes a Best Buy, see how we test kettles.