Why You Should Skip An Electric Kettle In Your Kitchen

At first glance, it is easy to understand the appeal of the electric kettle over it's more old-fashioned stovetop alternative, particularly if you are the kind of person who cannot start their morning without a cup of tea. At the flick of a button, an electric kettle will boil water faster than a stovetop model will, plus it has the added benefit of not letting out a shrieking whistle to let you know when the job's done. Surely there's no competition, right? Regrettably, there are numerous reasons why you should skip an electric kettle.

Let's start with the most mundane reason: an electric tea kettle is only one more single-use appliance, the kind of appliance that's just cluttering up your kitchen. If you've ever found yourself struggling to clear enough room for a chopping board or a mixing bowl because your kitchen counters are crammed with the toaster, the slow cooker, the air fryer, and yes, the electric kettle, getting rid of the latter in favor of a stovetop kettle that can be put away after being used will free up some vital territory.

Electric kettles can also be tedious to maintain. You may have noticed that, over time, an unpleasant-looking layer of white limescale has built up on the kettle's interior. While not toxic, regular consumption of limescale-tainted drinks can lead to digestive problems for those with sensitive stomachs. Additionally, limescale can impede an electric kettle's functionality by affecting its sensors, and no matter what method you use, cleaning the kettle can be time consuming work. 

An electric kettle can be more than an annoyance — it can actually be hazardous, in more ways than one. Due to being relatively inexpensive, many electric kettles are made mostly of plastic. According to a 2025 study from NPJ Emerging Contaminants, plastic kettles can release up to 30 million microscopic plastic particles per liter each time they boil. While research into the long-term health impact of microplastics is still ongoing, concerns have been raised that regular ingestion could impact the human body's digestion, immune system, hormones, and breathing, which is why you may want to consider everyday tips to reduce your consumption of microplastics.

Finally, electric kettles carry some of the same fire hazard risks as many electrical appliances. An investigation into a fire in the town of Waimate, New Zealand — which led to the death of three people in 2015 — attributed its most likely cause to a malfunctioning electric kettle (though it was noted that over 66,000 thousand kettles of this particular model had been sold, with no other known fires linked to them). More recently, Costco implemented a recall of the Zwilling Enfinigy 1.5-l and Enfinigy Pro 1.5-l electric kettles due to a severe risk of burns, as the handle could fall off and spill its hot contents unexpectedly. 

If you are considering a replacement for your electric kettle but can't bear the thought of going without your morning beverage, take a look at Tasting Table's recommendations for the 20 best teapots and kettles to brew the perfect cup.