Water contains minerals and as the water boils, some of those minerals get left behind and fall to the bottom of the kettle. After the water is boiled over and over in the kettle, this limescale will build upon the heating element and cause your kettle to be super inefficient. To clean the bottom of the kettle of all limescale, simply add a solution made of equal parts water and distilled white vinegar until it is halfway full. Bring to a boil and then allow the boiled vinegar-water mixture to sit in the kettle for 15 or 20 minutes. Pour off the mixture and rinse the kettle. If there is still some leftover limescale inside the kettle, you can use the rough side of a sponge to remove it.

Before getting into the details of the electric kettle buying guide, let’s discuss the various benefits of this smart appliance. 1. Energy efficient: If you compare water heating in an electric kettle to heating it on a gas stove, you will realise that it is much more energy efficient to use an electric kettle than a stove or even microwave heating. 2. Easy-to-use: Electric kettles are extremely easy-to-use. All you have to do is press a button and you are good to go. Most kettles have an automatic switch off feature which gives you a signal once the water is fully heated. 3. Safe: A stainless steel electric kettle is extremely safe to use. Most of these kettles are shock-proof and can be easily used even if you have kids at home. 4. Fast: Electric kettles are faster than either a stove-top or the microwave. If you want your morning cuppa to be ready faster each day, then this is a huge selling point in favour of electric kettles.

Not straight away. Prior to first use, rinse the inside of your kettle thoroughly, fill just below the centre seam. Boil the water and discard. Do not be alarmed if the bottom section appears discoloured after the first use, this is due to the polishing compound which is used during the manufacturing process. Once your kettle has cooled, the area can be wiped over with a soft lint-free cloth and warm water to remove most of this. We would suggest repeating the process a couple of times before first use.

Depending on the amount of water inside, an electric kettle can take between two to four minutes to boil water. In order for water to boil effectively, be sure to only use as much water as you need. The more water, the longer it can take to heat up.

Kettles are noisiest when they first start to boil and the hot bubbles have to move through very cold water, so collapse faster. Limescale is an insulator. Allowing it to build up slows down the transfer of heat, so the kettle takes longer to boil and is noisier while it boils.