We Brit’s love a good brew and if your kettle isn’t the most used device in your kitchen then there must be something wrong! As with most appliances in our homes, there’s now a new generation of kettles that come with added smarts.
Why might you need a smart kettle? A smart kettle is great for having boiling water waiting for you when you wake up in the morning or to include in your favourite smart home routines.
In this guide, I’ll share the smart kettles that are currently on sale in the UK and explain which one I’d recommend you consider.
Quick Summary
Image | Summary | |
---|---|---|
Best Overall: Smarter iKettle • Allows you to boil water on demand using the app or voice control• A variety of futuristic designs that would look great in any kitchen |
Smart Kettle Buyers Guide
Before I jump into the full connected kettle reviews, here are a few key things to bear in mind when making your purchase:
- Wi-Fi or Bluetooth – Smart kettles will either have built-in Wi-Fi or connect to your phone via Bluetooth. Keep in mind that a Bluetooth connection requires you to be within range in order to control the device, whereas a Wi-Fi kettle can be controlled remotely and is more likely to have voice control.
- Voice Control – The most important consideration for me is whether the device can be activated with your voice. Smart homes are becoming increasingly reliant on voice commands so Alexa or Google Assistant support is a must-have.
- Design – Of course, you’ll want your smart kettle to blend in with your kitchen so the design is important. Look out for kettles with stainless steel or chrome finishes for a premium look. Having a water meter on the front can also improve the functionality of the kettle for those using it without an app.
Best Smart Kettles UK
There are currently only three smart kettles available in the UK, these are:
- Best Overall: Smarter iKettle
- Runner Up: AppKettle [now discontinued]
- With Keep Warm Function: Mi Kettle
Below are my full reviews of each device and the best use cases.
Smarter iKettle
Pros
Cons
My Rating | 👍👍👍👍 4/5 |
Capacity | 1.8L |
Connectivity | Wi-Fi |
Voice Assistant Support | Alexa, Google Home |
The Smarter iKettle is a clear winner when it comes to Wi-Fi kettles. Not only does it look stylish, but it’s very functional too thanks to the companion app for Android and iPhone.
In the app, you can choose the temperature of the water, this is ideal if you prefer hot chocolates or green tea which don’t require the water to reach boiling point.
The app also tells you how much water is in the kettle although there is no water meter on the kettle itself which might be frustrating for those times that you don’t want to use the app to boil it.
It’s also available in a few different colours to match the rest of your kitchen including light grey, dark grey, stainless steel, and white.
The device has been around for a while and is now in its third generation, compared to previous devices this one is an Alexa kettle which means you can control it with your voice.
Once you have connected your smarter account with the Alexa skill, you’ll be able to boil the kettle by saying “Alexa put the kettle on”. You can also change the temperature or check the current temperature with voice commands. Similar options are also available for Google Home.
You can include the kettle within your Google Home or Alexa routines to have it waiting for you in the morning or when you come back from work. For more advanced automations, there’s IFTTT support which can be used to integrate the device with all sorts of other devices.
Appkettle
Note: The Appkettle has been discontinued, whilst you might still find some retailers with stock, I would not recommend this anymore as you won’t be able to contact the company with any issues and the app will not be updated. I am on the hunt for a suitable replacement to share in this guide.
Pros
Cons
My Rating | 👍👍👍 3/5 |
Capacity | 1.7L |
Connectivity | Wi-Fi |
Voice Assistant Support | No |
The Appkettle looks more like a traditional kettle and will blend in well in your kitchen. Unlike the Smarter iKettle, this one has a water meter on the side which allows you to see the water level without opening it or using the app. At 1.7L it’s roughly the same size as the Smarter iKettle.
Speaking of the app, it uses the AppKettle app which is available for iPhone and Android. You can easily boil the kettle from the app and it provides a countdown timer that gives you a rough idea of when it will reach the desired temperature.
You can also use the app to set specific temperatures which is ideal if you use the kettle for preparing baby milk or making different drinks. You can create favourite temperature settings that are quickly accessible in the favourites tab.
The Appkettle doesn’t have any voice assistant support such as Alexa or Google Home which is a major downside for me. However, you can still create schedules if you want boiling water waiting for you when you wake up or get home from work.
Another nice feature in the app is the energy consumption tab which provides statistics about how much power your kettle uses and how much it has cost you.
Mi Kettle Pro
Pros
Cons
My Rating | 👍 1/5 |
Capacity | 1.5L |
Connectivity | Bluetooth |
Voice Assistant Support | No |
Finally, we have the Xiaomi Mi Kettle. This is very different from the iKettle in terms of how it works as it puts a huge emphasis on it’s keep-warm function. The kettle will boil your water to a set temperature and maintain that temperature for a set period of time.
The companion app is used to set the correct temperature, with various pre-determined options for making tea, preparing baby milk, making rice flour, etc. You can also determine how long you want the kettle to maintain this temperature between 1-12 hours.
Whilst this saves you ever having to wait for the kettle to boil again, it can have a big impact on your energy usage which will cost you more money and isn’t great for sustainability.
Unfortunately, the kettle cannot be turned on or off from the app, this is a big disadvantage for me and is why I would always opt for the Smarter iKettle instead.
I’ll also point out that I couldn’t find a version with a UK plug, so you’ll need an EU-UK adaptor if you’re hoping to use this at home. One final note is that I thought the Mi Kettle looks very cheap compared to the other smart kettles I have reviewed here which isn’t what you want when it costs so much.
Comparison Chart
iKettle | Appkettle | Mi Kettle | |
---|---|---|---|
My Rating | 4/5 | 3/5 | 1/5 |
Capacity | 1.8L | 1.7L | 1.5L |
Connectivity | Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi | Bluetooth |
Boil from App | Yes | Yes | No |
Voice Assistant Support | Yes | No | No |
Where to Buy? | Amazon | Discontinued | Amazon |
Is a Smart Kettle Worth it?
If you love technology and tea equally, then a smart kettle is a great way to smarten up your kitchen. As well as boiling the kettle with your voice, you can add the kettle to routines so that it’s ready to use when you get up in the morning.
The ability to change the temperature at which point the kettle turns off is also useful. For example, if you use it for green tea or for preparing baby milk, you can change the temperature accordingly rather than guessing when it’s ready.
Related Questions
Which Smart Kettle Works with Alexa?
Currently, the only smart kettle that works with Alexa is the Smarter iKettle. Using the Alexa skill, you can command the kettle to start boiling or adjust the temperature settings. For example, you can say “Alexa, turn the kettle on” to start boiling.
Which Smart Kettle Works with Google Assistant?
The Smarter iKettle 3rd generation is the only smart kettle that works with Google Assistant. Once you have set up the kettle, you can add it to the Google Home app. This will allow you to use the kettle as part of Google Home routines or with voice commands such as “Ok Google, set the kettle temperature to 70 degrees”.