10 Best One Cup Kettles 2023

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Best One Cup Kettles

1: Breville VKJ142 Hot Cup

If you grew up during the Tang dynasty, in China, we have you to thank for making tea the popular drink it is today. Of course, you would have to have lived 1500 years ago to do so. ‘For all the tea in China’ is an accurate phrase, as tea did indeed originate in the East. Anyway, enough of the history lesson (although you may get more – be warned) – this one-cup hot water machine comes from Breville, a well-known name in kitchen appliances. It provides a fast boil from a 3kw element, so you get your morning brew as fast as you wish.

This one can boil enough for five cups, so you fill it up and use it for your daily refills, and is energy-efficient and designed for the purpose. It’s easy to clean and has a drip tray for added cleanliness, and is a neat and tidy appliance that will fit nicely into any kitchen.

It could also be great for the office, where it will be used all the time. It has an illuminated tank so you can see how much water is in it and – well, that’s about it, it does the job it’s made for! At around £30 it is also sensibly priced for a well-known brand.

2: Breville VKJ318 Hot Cup

It’s safe to say that, had Breville been around in the Tang dynasty, they would have been at the forefront of one-cup kettle design, just as they are today. Be advised you will be reading more about Breville in the reviews to come! What is special about this one? Well, it’s designed to make the morning cuppa less trouble, and with a 2-litre water tank, is easily capable of providing cups of hot water for a full family, one at a time.

That means you can get up, have your cup and go to work, and the kettle will still be ready to dispense when lazy teenager gets up a while later.

It can cope with different cup sizes – you can select nine different ones, in fact – and is energy-efficient and very fast to boil.

You can also choose a manual stop function, which is handy when you accidentally select a bigger cup size than the one you need to fill! As with all Breville products, it’s nicely made, and is of a decent quality. However, it should be, because this one will cost you around £60, which is pricey for a kettle, never mind a one-cup device.

3: Morphy Richards 43922 Accents

This is another brand that would have thrived in ancient China, and we’re willing to bet you probably have a Morphy Richards appliance in your kitchen already. This is a neat and tidy design that offers 1.8litres capacity – more than enough for infrequent refills – and delivers boiling water for one cup in double quick time. In fact, it promises a boil in 45 seconds, which is very impressive.

The energy-efficient 3kw element is about standard, and it has an illuminated dispense system for added easy use.

What else does it do? Not a lot, but then all you want is a cup of boiling water! It does have a manual stop button so you can prevent spillages, it has a fully removable drip tray, and it is designed to be easy to clean and very simple to use. It’s a modern, sleek design that will look good in your kitchen – whatever the style – and it does the job very well.

The price? You pay for the brand at around £45, so it’s not the cheapest here – nor the most expensive.

4: Breville VKJ367 Brita Filter

Legend has it that the Emperor Gaozu liked to fire up his Breville 367 each morning and make a nice cup of Darjeeling! No, it doesn’t really, but we’re sure he would have done if he had the chance. This is the third generation – so they say – from the Breville range of one-cup kettles, and it’s a very clever one indeed.

It works as you expect one of these to do – delivering boiling water in a matter of seconds with maximum efficiency – and has a manual stop in case you select the wrong one from the nine cup sizes. The drip tray is easy to clean, as are all the parts of the machine.

Now, the clever bit: this one is fitted with a filter system. You get a cartridge – that’s the Breville Brita system – that filters out lime scale and chlorine for purer water quality, and it works to satisfaction.

All in all, it’s a very neat machine with some impressive attributes, but again you pay for the brand and the clever bits: this one is around £60, so is a top end model among these.

5: Cooks Professional Hot Water Dispenser

Despite not being as big a household name as the above, this is still a known brand with a great range of kitchen appliances, all of which are of a known and decent quality.

This model boils very, very quickly so is extremely efficient, which is exactly what you want, and it can offer various different dispensing capacities too. It has a drip tray to keep spills in one place, as well as manual override for added safety.

Capacity is enough to provide hot water for up to 10 standard sized cups, so you don’t need to refill very often, and while not the best design around, it is still neat and tidy and won’t look out of place in a modern kitchen setting.

If you want a simple, no frills hot water dispenser, this could be the model you may choose, and at around £35 it’s not expensive.

6: Andrew James Purify Dispenser

We reckon that the good Emperor from the Tang dynasty would have loved this one from the renowned Andrew James brand, as it’s big, bold and beautiful! Its finished in a brushed metal casing which looks superb, and is almost an industrial look. It’s also industrial capacity, as it offers a huge 4-litre capacity that is beyond anything we have seen so far.

The fact it is so large makes it a professional-standard device, but it would look great in your kitchen as it is an imposing and impressive machine.

Now, what is clever about this one is that it also uses filters to purify the water, so you get excellent water quality for your tea or coffee. It can also purify water without boiling, so you get dual-purpose with this one.

You don’t have to boil the water – you can choose different temperatures – and it has a child safety lock for added security. You get two filters with it, each with 150l usage, so you won’t have to replace them for a while, and at less than £40 we think it’s great value.

7: Vivo Instant Hot Water Dispenser

One of the main benefits of these devices is that they are infinitely safer than a traditional kettle; this is because they remain in one place and dispense water automatically, so you don’t have the risk of carrying a kettle full of boiling water, which can be dangerous if you trip or spill it. This one, from known brand Vivo, has a 2.5l capacity which is more than adequate, as well as a 2.6km heating element that provides instant hot water when you press the button.

It’s a neat and modern design that will fit easily into any kitchen layout, and is finished in a black and silver casing. It heats very quickly, is energy-efficient, and uses far less electricity for a boil than a standard kettle. This one has rubber feet so it doesn’t slip, and two on-off switches for added safety.

A removable drip tray is also a benefit, so this one comes highly recommended. At around £35 it’s also good value among the competition.

8: Excelvan Instant Hot Water Dispenser

Back in Tang dynasty China there was no electricity, so water for their morning cuppa would have to be boiled over a fire. That would take ages, which is probably why drinking tea over there is something of a ceremony! This model, from Excelvan, boils the water in just a few seconds thanks to its powerful 3kw element, and is a safe alternative to the traditional kettle.

It is a one-touch device so is very easy to use, and you will appreciate its sleek good looks, and the silver matt finish.

It can dispense at 500ml per minute, which is more than adequate for dealing with large families or even a small office, and will do away with the need for carrying boiling kettles around. A slide-out drip tray makes this a low-maintenance machine, while the clear sides give you a full view of how much water you have in the appliance.

All in all, it may not be a name brand, but it’s a perfectly decent and well-made one-cup kettle which, at around £35, is also sensibly priced.

9: VonShef Instant Dispenser

There are many similarities between these appliances, so it’s probably going to come down to a couple of important factors when you make the decision: namely, looks and price. If what you are going to be doing is dispensing single cups of hot water, capacity is not really that much of an issue, and the smallest of these can deliver around eight to 10 cups.

This one is typical of the breed, and is a stylish design from a brand that has a full range of kitchen appliances and a strong reputation.

It has a large capacity so can deliver plenty of cups over a day, heats very quickly thanks to a powerful yet efficient element, and is easy to use and simple to clean.

You also get a jug with it so you can fill it easily, and the drip tray is simple to remove. If a fast-boiling and stylish hot water dispenser is what you are looking for, this could possibly be the choice for you, and it is priced sensibly at less than £40.

10: Russell Hobbs Brew and Go Coffee Machine

We thought it only fair that the coffee lovers among you get something to enjoy, so here’s our final choice: it’s not a water heater, but a full-blown coffee machine from the highly-regarded Russell Hobbs brand. It’s not only stylish, but very clever, and will provide you with fresh coffee from fresh grounds.

It has a 400ml capacity so is perfect for one cup, and works very efficiently and quickly. It’s also a stylish design, and is perfect for a modern kitchen setting.

One of the most impressive elements of this machine is that is programmable; you use the 24-hour timer to set when you want your coffee, and it does the job automatically – your coffee is ready when you want!

There are no messy papers involved, either, as this one has a permanent filter fitted. If coffee is your chosen drink, at less than £30 this one is a good buy.

That’s nine hot water dispensers and a coffee machine for you to choose from, so before you go and make yourself a brew, let’s recap on some of the most important factors to consider when choosing the right one for you.

Important Features to Consider

A hot water dispenser is for one purpose – to give you instant hot water without the need to boil a kettle. Here are some of the features to consider:

• Capacity – you don’t want to be filling it up too often, so make sure you have a sensible capacity model.
• Boiling speed – you want the water boiled quickly, so look for one with a suitably powerful element.
• Style – while ultimately a practical item, you want your water heater to look good, and there are plenty of stylish designs to choose from.
• Safety – many of the above have certain safety features, and added safety is certainly a reason for buying a one-cup kettle.

That’s just a few of the main features to consider when choosing the best one-cup kettle or water heater, and you may have your own.

Are you a tea or a coffee person? The debate rages throughout the nation! Of course, tea is the stereotypical British hot beverage; you won’t find many a US show depicting an Englishman who is not drinking tea, bearing a stiff upper lip, and probably still wearing a bowler hat, which is why Americans are routinely disappointed when they come over here, and find no such hats in sight! You might be a fan of traditional breakfast tea – or maybe you prefer a cup of Earl Grey (did you know it was created by accident? You learn something every day with us!) but that first cup of the day is always refreshing.

Then there’s coffee; now, I must say I’m a fan of both. I tend to wake up with a strong cup of tea, and then have a coffee later on in the morning. The problem I have with coffee is, whenever I decide to have one in a coffee shop, there’s a simply bewildering choice; I just want a coffee! Anyhow, whichever you prefer – tea or coffee – you are joining simply millions of people across the nation who boil their kettle at the same time every morning. Indeed, there have been proven increases in power demand when the breaks in popular TV shows come in, such is the popularity of the national cuppa!

So, why are we talking about tea and coffee? Well, we’re going to tell you about some great appliances that are designed to make your life easier – one-cup kettles! Think about it – you probably have a full-sized kettle that you use to boil just enough water for one (especially if you live alone) and that is immensely inefficient. Surprisingly, a kettle uses a lot of electricity in comparison to other appliances, so these one-cup versions are designed to cut down on that. Are they worth having? Let’s have a look at what they are all about.

How It Works

That morning cup of tea, it’s what you need to wake up! For those who live alone – or for students who have little time between getting up and getting to college – it’s routine to boil a kettle with just enough water in, drop a tea bag in a mug and away you go. But that is extremely inefficient. That’s why some clever man or woman came up with the one-cup kettle. When you think about it, it’s a brilliant idea: you have on tap enough boiling water for just one cup of tea – and what more could you want?

These appliances come in many different designs, and are from a number of different manufacturers, but essentially, they all do the same thing: they give you hot water to make your morning brew. They are energy-efficient and give you your hot water quickly, and are often quirky designs that look the part, too. But, do you really need one? Well, yes and no: how often do you boil your kettle? Most of us have several cups of tea or coffee a day, so one of these will certainly be used.

Right then, let’s sum up: one-cup kettles are the in thing; they save you electricity; they make you a great steaming hot cup of tea, and they are not even expensive, so you need one, yes? Of course you do, so that’s why we are going to tell you about the top 10 best such appliances on the market today. So, sit back, enjoy the review, and make sure you take notes as you read so you can decide which one is best for you!

Let’s Wrap It Up!

Can you imagine a world without tea? It’s not a great thought, so we should thank the wonderful people of Tang dynasty China for their foresight! As for these devices, which would we choose?

As always, that comes down to personal choice, as one person’s requirements will differ from another. However, there are some models we particularly like; for example, the very impressive and stylish Andrew James model, with its large capacity and professional-style looks, is very neat, while the Breville model with the purifier is an excellent choice.

In fact, each of these models has its merits, so it really is up to you to make the decision. So, why not go and make yourself a nice cup of tea, read through the review again, and make your decision when you are relaxed and ready!