I test appliances for a living — this speedy electric kettle is worth every penny

As a home writer for Yahoo, I'm constantly testing products to see which ones are worth the hype (read: your hard-earned cash). I come across a lot of useful, shiny items in the process, many of which would make a nice permanent addition to my place. Thingamabobs? I'd have plenty ... if only I didn't have such a small kitchen.

There is, however, an exclusive group of items that has managed to make its way onto my limited counter-space and stay there. Among them is a gadget that I fell in love with while testing for our story on the best electric kettles. It turns out the Breville The IQ Kettle is just what my kitchen needed. It's smart, it's speedy — and it doubles as an extra (very polished) pitcher in a pinch.

In my Breville The IQ Kettle review below, I share more of what makes this electric kettle such a hot commodity and how I'm using it to help streamline my day-to-day.

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Table of contents:

Breville The IQ Kettle review

My first impression

The IQ came secured in a white box with feature callouts, along with a base and an instruction manual. The kettle is made mostly of brushed stainless steel, with a round glass panel on the lid and two narrow, vertical glass panels with measurement lines on each side.

Its base has the same brushed steel finish and houses the cord, which can be wrapped into a groove underneath so it doesn't wobble on your counter. The base also contains the kettle's controls, including a "Start/Cancel" button, a "Keep Warm" button and presets for different beverages/temperatures including Green Tea (175°F), White Tea (185°F), Oolong (195°F), French Press (200°F) and Boil/Black Tea (212°F).

The kettle and base look polished and sleek and fit in well with my brushed steel toaster and other appliances.

Putting it to the test

To evaluate the best electric kettles, I measured room-temperature water and filled each kettle to their max line. Then I heated them up, according to the instructions and various settings.

The IQ held 7 cups of water, as promised, and delivered temperatures consistent with each of its varying heat settings, as confirmed by a thermometer. It did this all quickly: In Boil/Black Tea mode, the IQ was able to punch its maximum temperature of 212°F in about four-and-a-half minutes.

Once the water reached the peak temperature, the kettle's warming function kicked in automatically and kept temps steady for another 20 minutes. Despite the warmer shutting off after that period, boiled water still hovered in the 160°F range about an hour later, speaking to the kettle's impressive insulation.

The final verdict

The IQ kettle proved incredibly easy to use during testing and has been a cinch since. While the kettle gets hot, the ergonomic handle stays cool. It's comfortable to hold and boasts a rubber coating for a non-slip grip.

I like how the five tea/coffee presets allow you to select a drink type and temperature without having to put much thought into things, especially helpful for groggy mornings — plus they light up, particularly helpful in low lighting. As an avid coffee drinker, I also appreciate that there's a French Press setting: I just heat up the water and pour it over grinds in my Bodum French Press Coffee Maker, and I have a full pitcher of coffee in under five minutes.

Because the body of The IQ is cordless, when it's not on the base it looks and functions just like a regular pitcher. When I'm not tapping it for coffee, I use it to boil water with tea bags, let it cool, then put the pitcher right on my table or in the fridge. I've also relied on The IQ to boil water for noodles, which takes significantly less time than it does on my stovetop.

As an added bonus, this shining star of an appliance has a "soft top lid" that gently releases steam, so I don't worry about any splashing. It also features an automatic shutoff function and boil-dry protection, meaning that, unlike with a stovetop, I don't need to worry about leaving the heat on and/or boiling the kettle without enough water in it.

What others are saying

It's not just me! Breville's The IQ Kettle has racked up more than 1,500 perfect ratings from Amazon customers who hail its performance and versatility:

"Great kettle!" exclaimed one five-star fan. "Love this electric kettle and use it every day. I like that there are different settings for temperature for tea and coffee. Beeping is minimal and useful."

"Very nice looking and heats water perfectly!" gushed another. "This unit is perfect for us as it's easy to handle, looks great and does its job as intended! We looked at other top-rated units, but some had the control in the handle which made it larger to grasp. This unit has a manageable handle and is lighter as the controls are in the base."

"Intuitive, beautifully designed and fast," wrote a third. "Got this recently after my old kettle broke. For the price, this is a great kettle. It looks brilliant, but it’s got wide functionality and works very quickly."

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