The first port of call for most British people when they arrive anywhere is to stick the kettle on. It’s part of our culture - something that helps us take five, relax, and gather ourselves. Now, imagine arriving at a chalet, hotel, or caravan park to find that there's no kettle in sight... we know, it's like a horror story! Sure, you could boil some water in a saucepan, but it's not quite the same. Instead, we recommend investing in a trusty travel kettle to help you out.
Unfortunately, not all travel kettles are made equal, so we’ve put together a buying guide to highlight the hot water do’s and don’ts. From there, we’ll go on to show you some of our favourites that are available to buy online in the UK at Amazon, eBay, John Lewis, and Argos. Whether you're after something small and lightweight or a cheap cordless jug with a large capacity, we'll help you pick out the perfect one!
Quick List - Top Travel Kettles
Russell Hobbs
From a Trusted British Brand That We All Know and Love
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Table of Contents
In this section, we’ll be looking at the capacity of a travel kettle as well as how this affects its weight and dimensions. Plus, we'll mention other convenient features that are worth keeping an eye out for.
The most important feature when it comes to any kettle is the capacity. Travel versions can vary in size but will usually hold around 0.5-1 litres of water. Of course, how much water you need will depend on how many people you’re brewing up for.
To give you a rough idea, the average cup of tea requires around 150ml of water - unless you’ve got a massive Sports Direct mug out! So, a travel kettle with a 0.6L capacity should provide you with around 4 cuppas.
The dimensions and weight of a travel kettle are directly linked to the capacity - the more water a product can hold, the larger and heavier it will be. In general, this type of product will be approximately 16-20cm in height, 14-18 cm in width, and 8-12 cm in depth.
If you're short on space, you could opt for a silicone foldable kettle that can be flattened and packed away. However, this style of kettle does tend to lack some of the handy additional features that we’re going to mention later on.
In terms of weight, travel kettles typically come in around 0.5 kg, which shouldn’t be too much of an issue when it comes to packing. Larger ones can weigh 0.8 kg or more though, which may make your luggage a bit heavier.
Unsurprisingly, the power of a travel kettle affects how quickly the water will boil - so in this case, bigger is always better. Don't hold your expectations too high though; it won't be anywhere near as powerful as your regular household appliance (which requires 1800W on average), so you’ll have to wait a little longer for your cuppa than you would at home.
Generally speaking, a travel kettle's power can vary from 250-1000W. If you’ll only be brewing for 2 people, you probably won't need that much power. On the other hand, those heading off on a camping trip with the whole family should select a kettle with a higher wattage.
Depending on where you plan on travelling, you might also want to check the voltage. Different countries require varying voltages, so we recommend picking up an option that's dual voltage. Make sure you remember to take a plug adapter along too!
Regardless of where you plan to enjoy your tea, features that make life easier are always a welcome addition to a kettle. Here are some useful extras to look out for when shopping.
Firstly, a water gauge. While these are common, not every kettle will have one so it's always worth double-checking. Making a decent round of brews suddenly becomes difficult when you can't see how much water is in the kettle!
Accessories will also make tea time go much more smoothly. The most popular are cups and spoons, which usually come in sets of two. A container with different compartments that are designed to store tea, coffee, or sugar can come in handy too. Plus, some kettles come with a travel bag, to keep all of your accessories together.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Russell Hobbs Compact Travel Electric Kettle|23840 | ![]() | From a Trusted British Brand That We All Know and Love | |
2 | Gourmia Foldable Travel Kettle|GK360 | ![]() | The Best Foldable Kettle Around | |
3 | Denny International Travel Hot Water Jug | ![]() | Keeps Your Water Fresh and Your Wallet Happy | |
4 | Lakeland Travel Kettle Set | ![]() | A Beloved Buy Among Caravanners | |
5 | Swan Travel Kettle | ![]() | Compact, With a Decent Capacity | |
6 | VonShef Travel Kettle | ![]() | A Stylish Little Number That's Highly Rated | |
7 | Quest Compact Electric Travel Kettle|35690 | ![]() | Worldwide-Friendly and Affordable | |
8 | Topincn In-Car Portable Kettle | ![]() | One for the Road - Quite Literally! | |
9 | Swan Fast Boil Compact Travel Kettle|SK27010N | ![]() | Lightweight, With Plenty of Extra Features | |
10 | POP! Folding Travel Kettle | ![]() | Holds Loads of Water, But Lacks a Plug |
This brilliant travel kettle by Russell Hobbs has pretty much everything a hot drink fan could desire. It's lightweight, holds 0.85L of water, and works with a 1000W wattage. It also has a water gauge for added convenience and a dual voltage plug so you can take it wherever you go on holiday. There are even a couple of cups and spoons thrown in for good measure!
Manufactured by a trusted British brand, with favourable reviews on many different websites, we feel confident in saying that you'll be extremely satisfied with this teatime travel companion!
This foldable product surely has to be one of the best travel kettles available to buy online. The silicone design pops up to hold an admirable 0.8L of water, which is more than enough for a morning cuppa or two. Safety features like boil dry protection and a locking lid also mean that you can prepare tea without worrying about being scorched.
While there isn't technically a water gauge, the whole silicone part of the kettle is translucent, so you should be able to see exactly how much water is inside when you're filling it up. That's good enough for us!
Compared to the other options in our ranking, this is by far the most cumbersome to use as it takes around 8 minutes to boil. That said, you do get a whole lot of brew from the huge 1L capacity, plus 1000W of power - a killer combination for hot beverage lovers on the move! Moreover, the kettle will automatically switch off once it has boiled.
Best of all, this product has a removable and washable filter that makes sure the water you're boiling is nice and pure. All that for less than a tenner - a total bargain!
This option from Lakeland seems to be a solid favourite among caravan lovers, and we can see why! It's small but comes with loads of additional features, such as cups, spoons, and a divided container to hold your precious cargo. All of this makes it ideal for long trips where you might still need a caffeine fix.
As this kettle has a high power outage, you won't be hanging around for long while waiting for your cuppa. In fact, some people have even been known to opt for this model at home due to its low footprint when it comes to the electricity bill.
This travel kettle has been reviewed over 1400 times on Amazon alone, which is a testament to its inclusion on our shortlist. We think one of the biggest selling points is how compact it is, especially considering that you still get a solid capacity of 0.5L.
This is a dual voltage number that comes with boil dry technology, meaning that it automatically shuts down when fully boiled or empty. We also like that the lid has a lock, so the device shouldn't open in transit and get damaged.
This offering from VonShef is one of the highest-rated travel kettles on the whole internet, so it must be doing something right to convince the crowds! The design is sleek and it comes with a water gauge as well as 2 handy travel cups.
Again, the power isn't anything to write home about, but if you're patient then it shouldn't be too much trouble. One issue that reviewers raise, however, is that it can spit water when it's at maximum capacity - so be careful when filling it up!
This travel kettle from Quest is perfect for sticking in your suitcase when you're about to head abroad, as it's compact and has dual voltage capabilities. At less than £15, it's very affordable too.
The respectable 0.5L capacity will yield several cups of tea, but the 600W power does mean that you'll have to wait a few minutes for the kettle to boil - which isn't ideal when there are sights to be seen!
This is a rather unique product, even among the niche market of travel kettles. It's designed to work with a car 12V battery, making long rides that little bit more enjoyable. Thankfully, it turns off once it's reached the correct temperature, so you can keep your eyes on the road. Still, we'd recommend asking your passenger to pour the tea while you're driving, just in case!
Moreover, it also has a solid 1L capacity, so it'll keep you feeling refreshed as you journey down the M62. Plus, due to the power source, it can only function at a low output which means it won't blow the fuses in your car.
We think it's fair to say that this option from Swan has a lot going for it. At just over 0.5kg, it's relatively lightweight but has an impressive wattage of 1000W. It's got practically all the additional features you could desire too, like a water gauge, dual voltage plug, and 2 cups.
Unfortunately, the 0.4L capacity is small and will only provide around 2 cups of tea. This will be enough for couples, but if you're travelling with several people then you'll need to boil it more than once!
The first offering in our list is this foldable kettle from POP! We should point out straight away that it can only be used when camping or caravanning as there is no plug. Luckily, the design works with most gas stoves.
This product has the largest capacity in our ranking, holding a massive 1.3 litres. However, the manufacturer recommends that you only fill the kettle to a maximum of 1L. We were also unable to find the exact dimensions or weight, which is a shame.
If you're feeling like a cuppa after reading all about kettles, we've got some tea-tastic suggestions for you. From soothing chamomile and refreshing matcha to spicy chai, we're sure you'll find something to your liking amongst our recommendations.
For those on the move, finding a place to have a good cuppa in the morning can be a daunting task. Luckily, that doesn't have to be the case anymore - purchase one of the handy travel kettles on our list and you'll be able to start (or end) your day with your favourite hot beverage!
Author: Lewis Clark
No. 1: Russell Hobbs|Compact Travel Electric Kettle|23840
No. 2: Gourmia|Foldable Travel Kettle|GK360
No. 3: Denny International |Travel Hot Water Jug
No. 4: Lakeland|Travel Kettle Set
No. 5: Swan|Travel Kettle
View Full RankingThe descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.
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