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Some kettles have additional features that can make tea breaks a pleasure rather than a chore. They can save you time when you use or clean the kettle, or allow you to lift and dump the kettle more comfortably. 

Here, we explain which functions are useful and which can be ignored. Or if you just want to know which kettles have the highest scores in which style? To test, jump directly to our Best Buy kettle.

This is a mesh filter commonly found in water outlets, and is especially important if you live in hard water areas.

It should be easy to remove for cleaning, and the mesh should be fine enough and appropriate to prevent any limescale from entering your cup.

Our kettle reviews rate the effectiveness of each kettle's scale filter and whether it is easy to remove, clean and replace.

If the kettle does not have enough water, this will automatically turn off the kettle.

The power of the kettle ranges from approximately 2.2kW to 3kW-higher wattage kettles have more power and therefore boil faster. Most kettles now have a wattage of 3kW, but we found that kettles with similar power levels do not always boil at the same speed.

Each of our kettle reviews will tell you how long it takes for the kettle to boil one liter of water, so we can guide you to choose the fastest model.

All kettles have a recommended minimum boiling water volume, but not every test model has a clearly marked minimum water level.

If both right-handed and left-handed people will use the kettle, look for water level windows on both sides of the kettle. If there is a window under the handle, make sure that the mark is still visible when you hold the handle during filling.

Our kettle reviews rate how easy it is to check the water level based on whether each kettle has one or two windows or gauges, their location, and the clarity of the markings.

Most kettles are now "wireless". The power cord is connected to a separate power base, so you are not limited by the length of the power cord when filling and dumping. Most of the kettles we reviewed have cord lengths ranging from 65 cm to 80 cm, but can be up to 1 meter long-useful if your electrical outlet is in an inconvenient location.

Most kettles have some kind of lighting display when they are turned on. The most basic type is a simple lamp, but glowing blue switches are all the rage recently. Illuminated water level gauges or bases are also common, which can be helpful when using the kettle in low light conditions.

In order to persuade you to give up more cash, some kettles now illuminate the entire transparent body of the kettle. As the water boils, the color changes-usually from blue to red.

Some kettles allow you to change the temperature to which the water is heated. If you want to use a kettle to make coffee or green tea, this feature is especially worthy of attention. 

Coffee is best brewed with water at around 90-95°C, and green tea is best brewed with water at 70-80°C, so pay attention to kettles that can set the temperature within these ranges.

Some kettles have a built-in water filter, so you don’t have to use a separate water filter to fill the kettle. Pour the water into the top container and filter it into the main body of the kettle. They use replaceable ink cartridges, which usually last one to two months between replacements.

When you press this button, the kettle will keep the water warm by gently heating the water after you boil or by re-boiling it regularly.

The keep warm function can keep a liter of water for 30 minutes and then boil it again, which consumes more energy than simply re-boiling it after waiting for half an hour. So it's best to cook only the amount of water you need at a time.

The 360-degree base means you can replace the kettle on the base to face any direction. Most kettles now have this function.

Most of the kettles we tested have hidden components, which makes them easier to clean, but there are still some kettles with exposed components.

Some kettles have an insulated body so that even if the water inside is boiling, the outside can remain cool enough to touch.

The soft rubber area on the handle makes gripping and lifting more comfortable.

Check out our kettle reviews now to find the kettle that suits you best.