Price Points: Energy efficient kettles

Energy efficient kettles

I don’t think that there’s currently anyone in the country that’s not worrying about their gas and electric bills. We’re all looking at ways we can reduce our energy usage; from switching off lights as we leave a room to lowering the thermostat by a degree.

One of the appliances most of us have in our homes is the electric kettle. Brits are famous the world over for enjoying their cuppas! But how much does it cost each time we brew up?

According to recent workings out by Which:

Based on the average capped energy price as of April 2022 (28p/kWh for electricity and 7p/kWh for gas), we’ve estimated that your kettle could cost you around £32 per year (based on boiling a litre of water three times per day). This is going to be a lot more than charging a phone or tablet, but slightly less than using your oven regularly or running an American-style fridge freezer.

A top tip you’ve probably already heard is to only boil as much water as you need. However, if you have a feeble old kettle whose element is caked in limescale, it will still cost you more than needed. Using one of these energy efficient kettles that we’ve featured will be quicker and cheaper in the long run.

I especially like the hot water dispenser (not strictly a kettle, I know). It’s like having one of those instant boiling water taps in your kitchen… without the hundreds or even thousand pound price tag! Plus, I’ve read lots of buyer reviews from people who can’t lift heavy objects calling it a godsend.

  1. Breville HotCup VKT124 8-cup hot water dispenser – black: £39.99, Currys

    Patented design for super-quick heating
    Large 1.7 litre capacity makes 6-8 cups
    Ideal if you don’t want to lift a heavy kettle, the HotCup has one-touch operation and a hinged lid. Manual stop function gives you more control with different cup sizes – just press the button when you’ve topped up your cup or mug to the desired level

  2. Dusk kettle ZJP30 slate grey: £54.99, Kenwood

    With 3KW of power, you’ll enjoy a rapid boil and your hot water in a hurry.
    The 1.7L capacity is perfect for larger households, although with the clear water window it’s just as easy to heat water for a singular cup, meaning you only boil the water you need, saving time and energy.

  3. Sage The Compact 1L kettle Pure BKE395UK: £76.60, Lakeland

    The kettle’s element is hidden in the base, and can boil as little as a cup and as much as 1L. This lets you save energy by only boiling the amount you need, but means, if needed, there will be plenty to keep you and your friends’ mugs topped up.

shop energy efficient kettles

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Prices & links correct at time of publication.

Sage The Compact 1L kettle Pure BKE395UK
Sage The Compact 1L kettle Pure BKE395UK
£76.60
Dusk kettle ZJP30 slate grey
Dusk kettle ZJP30 slate grey
£54.99
Breville HotCup VKT124 8-cup hot water dispenser – black
Breville HotCup VKT124 8-cup hot water dispenser – black
£39.99
Sage The Compact 1L kettle Pure BKE395UK
Sage The Compact 1L kettle Pure BKE395UK
£76.60
Dusk kettle ZJP30 slate grey
Dusk kettle ZJP30 slate grey
£54.99
Breville HotCup VKT124 8-cup hot water dispenser – black
Breville HotCup VKT124 8-cup hot water dispenser – black
£39.99
Sage The Compact 1L kettle Pure BKE395UK
Sage The Compact 1L kettle Pure BKE395UK
£76.60
Dusk kettle ZJP30 slate grey
Dusk kettle ZJP30 slate grey
£54.99
Breville HotCup VKT124 8-cup hot water dispenser – black
Breville HotCup VKT124 8-cup hot water dispenser – black
£39.99
Sage The Compact 1L kettle Pure BKE395UK
Sage The Compact 1L kettle Pure BKE395UK
£76.60
Dusk kettle ZJP30 slate grey
Dusk kettle ZJP30 slate grey
£54.99
Breville HotCup VKT124 8-cup hot water dispenser – black
Breville HotCup VKT124 8-cup hot water dispenser – black
£39.99
Sage The Compact 1L kettle Pure BKE395UK
Sage The Compact 1L kettle Pure BKE395UK
£76.60
Dusk kettle ZJP30 slate grey
Dusk kettle ZJP30 slate grey
£54.99
Breville HotCup VKT124 8-cup hot water dispenser – black
Breville HotCup VKT124 8-cup hot water dispenser – black
£39.99

You are my Sunshine!

Yellow vintage Cathrineholm kettle | H is for Home

We bought this yellow Cathrineholm kettle with a view to it going into our webshop, but as soon as Adelle saw it emerge from its brown paper packaging, she went all Gollum from Lord of the Rings on us. “Come to me, my precious!”, she exclaimed. The chances of it ever being re-sold slid away rapidly as the golden enamel glow filled her eyes!

Gollum holding the ring from Lord of the Rings

It was added to our shelves of vintage Scandinavian loveliness – high up so it couldn’t easily be removed!

Yellow vintage Cathrineholm kettle with cup & saucer | H is for Home

Another design we’ve been waiting to get hold of for a while is this Op Art crockery by Seltmann Weiden. We had it in stock previously and sold it all. This time we’ll sell some, but keep a piece or two. By coincidence, they appeared in the same week. They work very well together don’t they? The perfect combination for a bright and cheery afternoon tea we think.

Forthcoming Attractions: Late April 2015

'Forthcoming Attractions' blog post banner

vintage collectables shortly to be listed in the H is for Home webshop

We’re not great fans of getting up early, but if you want to find good shop stock you just have to make the effort sometimes. In the depths of winter it’s just tooooo painful!! But something felt like it was the right time to hit the markets & car-boots again this weekend – like hedgehogs emerging after hibernation from their pile of leaves! We dusted off the alarm clock and got going at 5am on Saturday morning. Here are some Forthcoming Attractions from the week’s search for vintage collectables.

vintage Chad Valley clock tin shortly to be listed in the H is for Home webshop

The early bird might indeed catch the worm, but we caught some birds of our own. This gorgeous 1960s egg cosy set comprises two teak egg cups and linen cosies with wonderful chicken decoration – what a cheery way to start the day. We also picked up a lovely Lord Nelson Pottery rolling pin from the classic ‘Gaytime’ range with its psychedelic flower and bird design.

vintage egg cosy set shortly to be listed in the H is for Home webshop

More fauna with this cute little Chad Valley savings tin featuring the nursery rhyme ‘Hickory Dickory Dock’. The lid has a clock face with movable hands. Kids can learn a nursery rhyme, how to tell the time – and the value of saving the pennies!

vintage orange daisy enamelware shortly to be listed in the H is for Home webshop

We were actually talking about this range of enamelware the day before we went to Saturday’s market – ironically saying that we didn’t come across it as often as we used to! Lo & behold, we find a coffee pot and a kettle. They date from the 1960s/70s and were produced in the former Yugoslavia. We love the simple daisy pattern.

vintage rattan basket enamelware shortly to be listed in the H is for Home webshop

And how about this gorgeous repeating apple design? This vintage basket has its fabulous original cotton liner and waterproof/stain-proof cover. A real favourite find this one!

vintage replacement deck chair slings shortly to be listed in the H is for Home webshop

Summer must be just around the corner if we’re picking up garden accessories. These vintage replacement deckchair covers might be just the thing if your outdoor seating needs sprucing up.

vintage paper ephemera shortly to be listed in the H is for Home webshop

Last but not least, is the striking Blackpool Illuminations brochure featured in the main photo. Amazingly, it’s from 1930, so not far off being a hundred years old! It’s part of a wonderful collection of ephemera we bought last week. It all dates from the 1920s to the 1950s. We’ve just started sorting through it, but there are all kinds of fabulous brochures, magazines and advertisements from this early to mid twentieth century period. The photo above is just a small sample, so we think we’ll have to return to it in more detail in a future post.

Gimme Five! Orange kettles

'Gimme Five!' blog post banner

selection of five orange kettles | H is for Home

We’ve got a brand new kitchen now that the post-flood building work is finally finished. Our current kettle now looks very out of place. It was used for three months in what was effectively a building site – it’s completely plaster and paint splattered! We plan on treating ourselves to one of these orange kettles – one that will suit the orange Dualit we got from Selfridges. We’re veering towards the Kenwood kMix on the top right!

  1. Morphy Richards Accents 43778 Pyramid Kettle, Copper: Amazon – £39.97
  2. Kenwood 0WSKM037A1 kMix Cordless Kettle: Curry’s – £56.99
  3. Kenwood SJM047 Cordless Kettle: Curry’s – £54.99
  4. Orange Essentials Pyramid Kettle: BHS – £25
  5. Morphy Richards 43828 Orange Accents Kettle: Dunelm – £44.99