The Benefits of Switching to a Plastic Free Electric Kettle: 13 Recommended Products To Consider
Electric kettles are regarded as an essential appliance in the kitchen for the quick boiling of water for tea or coffee. Plastic kettles or tea kettles containing plastic fill indicators, spout filters, and plastic lids are harmful to health for many reasons. Plastic starts breaking down when exposed to heat. It can generate small cracks and imperfections on long use, increasing the risk of unwanted chemicals leaching into the hot water boiled in plastic kettles. A 2020 study by the Medical University of Vienna has shown that electric plastic kettles have a higher tendency to provide about 4-29 million microplastics per liter at boiling temperature. Isn’t this a reason enough to stop boiling water in plastic and chose a non toxic tea kettle?
When you think that tea bags may also release microplastics into your cup or tea pot then this becomes a reason more to be alert about your health. If you want to use a tea bag into your cup or tea pots, chose one from an organic tea brand that use plant based sachets with staples.
Related: Plastic-free Tea Bags. Which Brands Are Really Plastic-free?
Are Plastic Tea Kettles Safe?
Many electric kettles are made cheaply with plastic that is not recyclable and not biodegradable. Therefore, the plastic components of a used and discarded electric kettle only add up to the waste and increase plastic pollution affecting the environment. Chemicals in plastic tea kettles, can cause health problems by interfering with the human endocrine (hormone) system. Hopefully, consumers have become aware of these health hazards of plastics and begun to demand products that are free of plastic components, like stainless steel tea kettles for example.
The Effect of Plastic Kettles on Health
You would not prefer tasting water contaminated with plastic and chemicals. Bisphenol A (BPA) is one of the most hazardous chemicals often detected in foods and drinks stored or heated in plastic containers. The ongoing research shows that BPA is harmful, and individuals using plastic kettles for boiling water are exposed to the harmful effects of this chemical. If this is to be done daily, we will be under massive exposure to BPA chemicals linked to many health issues.
Is BPA-free Plastic still Toxic?
A lot of plastic products, including tea kettles, are now advertised as “BPA free”, however, please don’t be fooled by the marketing language. It is not just Bisphenol A the issue, there are many other bisphenols (that have replaced BPA, like BPS etc.), phthalates etc. that are endocrine disrupting chemicals.
It is no wonder that companies selling non toxic tea kettles are experiencing a rising demand for their plastic-free electric kettles, i.e. that are free from toxic materials. Some plastic-free kettles use aluminium, copper, or coloured glazed material, which also negatively impacts health as the hot water causes some metal components and colour pigments to infiltrate into the water, which is harmful to health. It is, therefore, highly recommended to use safer materials to reduce the poisoning of our bodies with the nasty chemicals.
Safest Materials For Electric Kettles
Most of the products in the plastic-free range are made of materials that do not produce any toxic effects in contact with boiled water. The best non-plastic electric kettles are free of plastic or have minimal plastic parts, but these do not come into contact with hot water. The safest materials for plastic-free, non toxic tea kettles are stainless steel, borosilicate glass and ceramic.
Stainless steel kettle is recommended because it is safe and does not expose the user to dangerous chemicals. It also avoids rust and is suitable for long use without side effects. Stainless steel electric kettles are easy to clean and don’t affect water with any scent or flavor. However, all grades of stainless steel are not equally effective. You should look for kettles made with 18/8 or 18/10 grade stainless steel.
Borosilicate glass is also a safe material as it is chemical resistant and does not release any metals or toxins. Glass kettles also have better temperature control and don’t do not release any colour or odor in the water. Unfortunately, however, most borosilicate glass kettles are made with a plastic lid which defeats the purpose of not wanting the water to boil in contact with plastic.
Related: Why You Should Switch to Plastic Free Microwave Covers
Plastic Free Electric Kettles
The best plastic-free and chemical-resistant electric kettles are designed innovatively to eliminate plastic parts or avoid contact with plastic elements in hot water. We will provide details of eight plastic-free electric kettle brands that serve the purpose of a healthy lifestyle while allowing you to enjoy the taste of your tea or coffee. Please note: these non toxic tea kettles are not ranked by any means.
This post contains affiliate links, which means we may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. This helps us continue the hard work we put into researching products and solutions.
1. ASCOT Stainless Steel Electric Tee Kettle
Similar design to the borosilicate kettle, however, this one is a food-grade 304 stainless steel kettle, including the lid and the spout, and no plastic is in contact with water hot or cold according to the manufacturer. It’s available in matte or polished silver with no coating for more longevity if wished. If you’re searching for the best electric kettle, this one is definitely to be highly considered.
Capacity: 1.7L
Wattage: 1500W
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2. ASCOT Glass Electric Tea Kettle
This borosilicate glass kettle is designed in Denmark and made of the finest quality borosilicate glass, which resists scratching and scuffing. Being a full glass kettle ensures that no plastics touch the boiling water inside, including the lid. The round spout filter is made of stainless steel and food-grade silicone under strict quality standards. Please note: the circumference at the bottom has a silicone interior incased in the glass.
Capacity: 1.7L
Wattage: 3000W
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3. BELLA Electric Ceramic Tea Kettle
This silver-tiled patterned electric non toxic tea kettle is made entirely of ceramic. It comes with a fully detachable 360 degree power base with cord storage & a safe, easy to use design. This kettle features automatic shut off & boil dry protection. A long gooseneck-style spout is ideal for controlled pours & avoiding dangerous over pours. When looking for the best no plastic electric kettle, this tea kettle should be taken into consideration. Anywhere the water boils or pours is ceramic.
Capacity: 1.2L (available also in larger sizes)
Wattage: 1200
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4. Cosori Electric Gooseneck Pour Over Stainless Steel Kettle
This electric gooseneck kettle always gives you the right temperature, while the gooseneck spout pours water precisely and easily. The kettle interior, the lid and the spout are made of food-grade 304 stainless steel, with no Teflon or chemical lining. The heated water inside the kettle, therefore, doesn’t touch any plastic. It has 5 one-touch presets and keeps the water temperature in the kettle warm for up to 1 hour, making it perfect for your morning cup.
Capacity: 0.8L
Wattage: 1200W
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Related: The 14 Best Plastic-Free Coffee Makers: Enjoy Deliciously, Guilt-Free Coffee Every Morning
5. Fellow Stag Stainless Steel Electric Kettle
This plastic-free electric kettle has a gooseneck that pours as good as it looks though with a minimalist base to save space on the kitchen bench. It offers easy temperature control to the degree and keeps your water warm for up to 60 minutes. It is made with a high-quality 304 stainless steel body and a wooden handle, so it avoids any contamination from plastic. The spot pours water gently, so It is perfect for tea lovers that want their oolong tea.
Capacity: 0.9 L
Wattage: 1200 W
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6. Miroc Cordless Gooseneck Stainless Steel Electric Water Kettle
This tea kettle is made of grade 304 stainless steel and does not use any plastic parts, not even the spout filter. It ensures that the water is free from chemicals or plastic residues and keeps you safe. Its temperature settings allow you to set the desired temperature to enjoy your pour over coffee or black / green tea, all with an efficient heating system. It has a sleek design and brings 1200W rapid heating.
Capacity: 0.9L
Wattage: 1200W.
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Related: 4 Stylish Plastic-free Coffee Cups You Can Take Anywhere
7. Toptier Ceramic Electric Tea Kettle
According to the manufacturer the body of the Toptier leaf design electric ceramic tea kettle consists of durable porcelain and 304 stainless steel. Only the base and the outer decor contain plastics, but they do not touch the water and are BPA-free. This kettle features automatic shut-off & boil dry protection as well as a concealed heating element for maximum safety & ease of use.
Capacity: 1L
Wattage: 1200W.
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8. Ulavov Electric Stainless Steel Gooseneck Kettle
This is an affordable electric kettle with zero plastic in the interior, i.e. in the area in contact with the boiling water. It has been designed in the US (California) with a stainless steel interior, stainless steel lid, and a stainless steel spout to ensure peace of mind regarding microplastics. It is also an energy-efficient coffee kettle as it merely takes 2-3 minutes to heat a full kettle to boiling with 1200-watt power.
Capacity: 0.8L
Wattage: 1200W.
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- Amazon USA
- Amazon Canada
- Amazon Australia (not exactly the same brand/model but same capacity and also plastic-free)
9. Willow & Everett Gooseneck Electric Kettle
This plastic-free tea kettle is designed so that water only touches rust-proof 18/8 stainless steel. The ergonomically designed handle is lined with BPA-free plastic but doesn’t touch the boiling water. The kettle body is made of 100% food-grade stainless steel with no chemical linings and therefore no plastic. It also has a “keep warm” function that will remember and hold the previous preset temperature.
Capacity: 1L
Wattage: 1000W.
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10. Chantal’s Mia eKettle – Electric Water Kettle With No Plastic Interior
Chantal is a US cookware brand that offers a stylish electric water kettle with no plastic interior made of brushed stainless steel (and available in other colors) called Mia eKettle. It has a unique gooseneck slow pour spout for a handcrafted coffee or tea perfection. The spout cools boiling water to the ideal brewing temperature of 205° F when pouring. This no plastic electric kettle even has an interior water gauge made entirely of stainless steel!
Capacity: 2 pounds
Wattage: 1000W.
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11. Cooktron Electric Kettle
We included the Cooktron Electric kettle at the end of this list because it is an affordable electric kettle that doesn’t have any plastic touching the boiling water. We want to make sure that even those who are on a very tight budget have access to safer products. If you can afford a better option, please do. The complete interior of the kettle, the inner lid with a wide opening, the rim, spout and even the filter of the tea kettle are all made of 100% food-grade 304 stainless steel, ensuring safe drinking water for your family even if you’re on a budget. Yes, the outside shell is BPA-free plastic, but as mentioned, it doesn’t come into contact with hot water. The kettle has a large family-size capacity and heats the water quickly and quietly.
Capacity: 1.7 L
Wattage: 1500W.
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Plastic Free Stovetop Kettles
For completeness, we’d also like to suggest some stainless steel kettles that can be directly placed on your stovetop and don’t require an electric connection to heat water but do require external heat. These non toxic tea kettles are light unlike a cast iron kettle that is better for a campfire but heavy to handle in the kitchen. Copper kettles are also not recommended as they can be dangerous when used to heat water daily. For all these reasons, we prefer to recommend stainless steel options because they are durable, crack- and rust-resistant. There are many tea kettles that heat water efficiently from your stove, we’ve selected here a few of the best stainless steel kettles on the market.
12. Alessi Tea Kettle – Il Conico 90017
This designer Alessi tea kettle can be used on a gas or induction stovetop. It is a tea kettle that uses only high-quality 18/10 stainless steel even in the outside handle. This whistling tea kettle has been designed by Aldo Rossi and made in Italy. Considering the price point, we wouldn’t label it as dishwasher-safe.
Capacity: 2 litres, 7 cups.
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13. Gipfel International Whistling Tea Kettle
This non toxic tea kettle is very efficient as it takes only a very short time to boil water due to the high thermal conductivity, the energy-efficient design, and the multilayer bottom technology (tri-ply capture bottom). The 2.2L capacity is perfect for a family or for surprise visitors. This stovetop kettle is 100% plastic free, dishwasher safe and designed in Germany.
Capacity: 2.2 litres
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Electric Kettles vs. Stovetop Kettles. What is More Energy Efficient?
Tea kettles account for around 35% of energy used when cooking, so it’s important to make a decision also considering their carbon footprint.
In fact, from a sustainability standpoint, in terms of energy used, it’s worth noting that stovetop or hob kettles are capable of heating the water way above the boiling point, therefore using more energy than required. The heating element of electric tea kettles is immersed in the water so there’s very little heat loss. The same is true for a tea kettle used on an electric induction hob. Whereas with a kettle on the gas stove, energy is wasted heating up the body of the kettle first, so it’s less energy efficient.
So, at the point of use, and particularly if your home is running on renewable energy, an electric kettle or an electric hob kettle is more energy efficient than a gas hob kettle.
Further Tip 1: Check the Underside of the Lid and the Spout Filters Before Buying (Many Are Plastic!)
With the recommendations in this article, we have gone the extra mile and have analyzed many features of non toxic tea kettles including the underside of the lids and the filters to make sure there is no contact of plastic with the boiling water. Please note: a lot of glass and stainless steel kettles on the market that claim to be plastic-free still show that the underside of the lid and part of the mechanism that opens the lid is plastic. They also have a (mostly) removable plastic filter on the spout. These parts defeat the purpose of buying non toxic tea kettles because of the hot steam in contact with the plastic lid or the boiling water flowing through the plastic filter when pouring it.
Further Tip 2: What To Do Before the Product’s First Use
Wash the inside and the outside of the tea kettle with hot soapy water, rinse, and dry. This step will make sure that any leftover residues from the production process will be gone.
Conclusion
The electric kettle is an important kitchen appliance that must be safe and not pose any health-related hazards to the user. Ideally, a good electrical kettle should not contain any plastic because it may contain BPA and other chemicals which leak out at high temperatures and may contaminate the water, which will cause health concerns.
Water, coffee or tea contaminated with plastic components degrades the taste and harms health. When plastic comes in contact with boiling water, it releases chemicals into the water, which is dangerous for anyone who drinks it. Hence it is recommended that you consider buying non toxic tea kettles where plastic parts do not come in contact with boiling water.
Choose a Glass, Ceramic, or Stainless Steel Kettle
It is best to have non toxic tea kettles that are made of high-quality stainless steel, glass or ceramic and do not use any plastic components, at least in the interior. An electric kettle with no plastic components is highly desirable for consumers looking for a plastic-free solution in their daily routine. There are quite a few options of plastic free electric kettles on the market that are mostly made entirely of food-grade and high-quality stainless steel, borosilicate glass, or ceramic. These specially designed kettles serve the purpose of making tasty breweries and also keep you healthy and safe from the detrimental effects of plastic. Plastic free tea kettles can help improve your health in the long run and you will also experience the enhanced flavor in the drinks.
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Browse the I’m Plastic Free platform to discover more plastic-free appliances for your kitchen or read our blogs in the plastic-free kitchen category
Comments
Terri Lee
April 4, 2023 at 4:59 pmThe manufacturer of Fellows Stag kettle lists plastic in the materials used. Will the plastic come in contact with the water?
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I'm Plastic Free
April 5, 2023 at 4:20 pmHi Terri,
Thanks for your question. Our research show that there is no plastic in contact with the boling water. You can see it also from this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6VrQhi3mBU
Kind regards,
Simona
I'm Plastic Free
April 5, 2023 at 4:25 pmHi Terri, our research shows that there is no plastic in contact with the boiling water. You can see it also in this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6VrQhi3mBU
I hope this helps.
Kind regards,
Simona
Summer
May 9, 2023 at 12:58 pmThank-you so much for this brilliant article!
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I'm Plastic Free
May 9, 2023 at 3:17 pmOur absolute pleasure, we’re glad you found our research helpful!
Kind regards,
Simona
Terry
June 7, 2023 at 3:39 amFor me the issue with plastic is not only if it will touch the water but its presence, *period*. There is no reason to be using cheap, lab-derived materials that will doom the entire device to the landfill once it stops working, when there are obvious, “real” alternatives like copper, ceramic and glass.
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I'm Plastic Free
June 7, 2023 at 10:01 amHi Terry,
Thank you for your comment and point of view. We think the same, and those materials like ceramic, glass, and stainless steel, are our choice as well. However, not everyone can afford to spend USD70-100 for a kettle, so we offered one option for people that are on low budget but still want to avoid microplastics in their boiled water. It’s proven that people who are financially disadvantaged are those that suffer more from health issues, being that related to their geographical location next to petrochemical factories or not to be able to afford expensive healthy products etc. We wanted to be inclusive and offer everyone the opportunity to stay healthy. That’s the reason behind the choice.
Kind regards,
Simona
T v
June 25, 2023 at 7:53 amWhat do you think about Hazel Quinn kettles? It looks also plastic-free.
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I'm Plastic Free
June 26, 2023 at 7:03 pmHi there,
We have not inspected this kettle personally, but we found this information that might help:
“This retro electric kettle is crafted with food-grade 304 stainless steel in its interior, lid, and filter. It has no plastic in contact with the water, providing you and your family with BPA-free healthy drinking.”
Here is the link to the product: https://amzn.to/3PvPosX
We might add it to the list of plastic free kettles, thanks for your feedback!
Valerie
July 30, 2023 at 5:56 amThe Ascot glass option has plastic on the interior bottom and inside the pour spout. Possibly the ascot stainless version as well.
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I'm Plastic Free
August 3, 2023 at 11:23 amHi Valerie,
Yes, we do mention this in our product description: “The round spout filter is made of stainless steel and food-grade silicone under strict quality standards. Please note: the circumference at the bottom has a silicone interior incased in the glass.”
We havn’t come across this in the stainless steel version as of yet.
Kind regards,
Simona
Merry Lee
November 3, 2022 at 10:25 pmMost of these are not electric…unless you put them on the stove.
Simona Paganetto
November 4, 2022 at 3:27 pmHi Merry, yes you’re right for now. We literally just published the article only a few days ago! However, we’ll continue to work on it and add products that are plastic free electric kettles as this is the product most people search. Thanks again for your feedback. Simona