Passionate about your coffee or tea and looking for the best travel kettle for your next trip? For travelers who recharge with a good cup of tea or prefer to bring their french press for quality coffee on their next trip, a good electric travel kettle is the perfect companion. In the below list, we provide the best portable electric kettles to take on the road or in your luggage while not sacrificing much space or features.
Why do you need a travel tea kettle?
Clearly, a portable tea kettle is not a travel essential for everyone. It is only necessary for frequent travelers who prefer a convenient and hygienic way to boil water for their morning cup of tea. Depending on your travel habits, you may find a small electric kettle in the hotel rooms that you stay in. However, in some regions or hotel brands, it’s more common to find a coffee maker but no kettle, which limits the ability to make hot enough water for a proper cup of tea.
Tea enthusiasts can often find from time to time that previous guests may have misused hotel rooms that may have an electric water kettle. Such as a residue left from instant noodles that had been cooked in a stainless steel kettle by previous hotel guests can ultimately add a starchy taste to your tea.
A portable electric kettle can also add flexibility to travelers that prefer to cook their own food with limited in-room amenities while traveling. With fast boil times, those who like to get creative with in-room cooking, such as when you boil eggs, make instant noodles, and reheating of food, will find that a mini travel kettle is an excellent choice for saving money while traveling or sticking to a specific diet on the road.
For a list of the most important features, click here to skip to the key feature list.
The Ten Best Portable Travel Kettles
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Loutytuo Collapsable Electric Travel Kettle
One of the best electric kettles available in terms of important features, the Loutytuo Collapsable Electric Travel Kettle is made of BPA free food grade silicone and won’t take up much space due to its compact design once folded. As a dual voltage travel kettle, the Louytuo offers six different pre-set temperature settings. This variety makes it a good choice for those looking to use it as a regular kettle to bring water to a rolling boil or for specific temperatures for cooking food or steeping fine teas.
In addition, with a 555 ml or 18.7 oz capacity, the design as a foldable electric kettle is a good choice for those looking to save space. Beyond its size, the Loutytuo also offers essential features such as a detachable cord, auto shutoff, and safety controls like a boil-dry protection feature to shut it off if there is no liquid in the kettle.
Balbali Portable Tea Kettle
Doubling as a thermos, the Balbali Portable Tea Kettle offers an alternative to the collapsable kettle design and materials as a stainless steel travel kettle. With a 350 ml or 12 oz capacity, the Balbali doesn’t offer as large of a capacity as other options but makes up in features with its 5-minute fast boil setting, ease of use, and ability to substitute as a water bottle. In addition, the double-wall design provides insulation to carry it after it has finished boiling. Finally, with a detachable cord, the model offers the convenience of boiling water, adding tea bags, and setting out for your day. Considering the different materials provided amongst the portable kettle options, the Balbali is worth consideration among the stainless steel models.
Sekaer Small Portable Tea Kettle
Another travel water kettle in a stainless-steel design, the Sakaer Small Portable Tea Kettle features a thermos-style design with a detachable cord that allows you to quickly heat water, grab the kettle, and go. With four different temperature pre-set options and a water temperature display on the side, the Sekaer offers fast heating and boiling water in as little as 5 minutes. Its compact size won’t take up a lot of space in your bag but still offers 380ml or 13 oz capacity.
With double-wall insulation, you won’t scald yourself on its sides, and the boil-dry protection stops it from overheating. The only limitation compared to the above options is the lack of dual voltage, making the Sekaer an option that should only be considered for those traveling domestically in countries with a 110-volt power source.
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Hödel Travel Electric Kettle
The largest capacity electric travel kettle on this list, the Hödel can hold up to 1 liter or 34 oz of water, yet it can still fold down to a compact size with its unique design. Made of food-grade silicone, BPA-free plastic, and stainless steel, the Hödel is a dual voltage kettle. Also, it comes with a travel adapter, making it the most international-ready of the options available. In addition, the foldable small travel kettle offers a speed boil feature, boiling water in 5 minutes, matching the other smaller kettles on this list. The most complete option for those looking for a higher boiling capacity, the Hödel is the closest to a normal kettle that you will find yet compact enough for travel.
Brentwood Collapsible-Travel Kettle
The only travel kettle on this list that comes from a brand that offers a wide range of appliances, the Brentwood Collapsible-Travel Kettle features the foldable silicon design that is seen in other travel kettles, with dual voltage, 800 ml or 27 oz of capacity, and a stainless steel heating plate. Relative simple in features, the Brentwood is also one of the more affordable options available, coming in at half the price as many others on this list. While the handle is not as sturdy in design, the compact size makes it an easy addition to your bag for traveling.
Teqooza Portable Travel Electric Kettle Mini Thermos
With a sleek minimalist design, the Teqooza Portable Travel Electric Kettle Mini Thermos is excellent as a stainless steel travel kettle that doubles as a thermos and can easily fit into a car cupholder. With a relatively limited set of features and no dual voltage, the Teqooza is best for those looking for an electric kettle for road trips. Combined with a car outlet adapter, this is perfect for getting consistently hot water for tea or coffee during cold weather travel.
ECTY Portable Travel Kettle
Those looking for a more traditional design of an electric kettle and an entirely stainless steel interior will find the ECTY Portable Travel Kettle to be the best option. Built in the same style as a typical kettle, the ECTY comes in a more compact 500ml capacity or 16.9oz size. The ECTY does not feature dual voltage or pre-set temperature settings but offers a whole metal boiling environment for those who prefer more traditional materials for their kettle.
Spardar 12V Car Electric Travel Kettle
The Spardar 12V Car Electric Travel Kettle is made for road trips and comes with a 12v charger that can power directly from your car. Coming in multiple colors and at a 350ml or 12oz capacity, the Spardar can fit into a car cup holder and is the perfect choice for road trips. With safety features like automatic shutoff and boil dry protection, the only downside of the Spardar is the lack of ability to use it outside your car.
Tayama Travel Foldable Electric Kettle
Offering a familiar foldable silicone design, the Tayama Travel Foldable Electric Kettle is one of the better value options on this list. With simple features, though including all of the standard safety features, the Tayama offers a 600 ml or 20 oz capacity, and with dual voltage is made for international travel. Priced at the budget-friendly end of the range, this is a great compact option at a reasonable price.
CHACEEF Travel Electric Kettle
One of the more entertaining options available, the CHACEEF features a temperature-triggered LED light on its side that shows the temperature of the water inside. In addition, the CHACEEF offers a stainless steel design and a 350ml or 12oz capacity to make it easy to tell how hot the contents are. While not offering dual voltage, the kettle does offer three boiling modes and a keep warm option to maintain a warm temperature for extended hours. Similar in style to the other thermos-like models, the CHACEEF is priced fairly, given its features.
Features to Consider
Not all electric travel kettles are designed or made the same for a good reason. Different features have their pros and cons depending on the travel preferences and behaviors of consumers. When considering what makes the best travel tea kettle for your own situation, make sure to consider the below features and design options.
Dual Voltage
One of the easiest decisions for those shopping for an electric travel kettle is if you need dual voltage functionality, which should be based on your travel plans. For example, suppose you are planning on traveling internationally. In that case, you should opt for a dual voltage model that won’t burn out in countries with electric systems running on a higher voltage. On the other hand, if you have primarily domestic travel plans, leaving out the dual voltage requirement may provide you with more options and more affordable prices.
Materials
Travel tea kettles are nothing like the sturdy stovetop tea kettles made from metal or ceramic long ago. Instead, due to the need to keep them both light and functional, most travel kettle options are made from some combination of plastic, stainless steel, and food-grade silicone. With the collapsible options, you will find the silicone, which allows the kettles to expand and boil more water, though it offers a flimsier experience that is more prone to wear. On the other hand, the solid and less flexible designs are sturdier, though they will require more space when packing.
Capacity or Size
Whenever you talk about the size of a travel accessory, there is bound to be a trade-off between functionality and packing space. In the case of travel kettles, it’s between capacity and storage, with the bigger capacity kettles often taking up more space. Fortunately, there are collapsible options, which are small and fold into a more suitcase-friendly shape. However, there will be limitations for anyone looking primarily for stainless steel options.
Generally, the size of travel kettles ranges from as little as 300 ml of water or 10 oz and more oversized capacity kettles as large as 1 liter or 34 oz. It’s essential to be realistic about how much capacity you need in your kettle. Can you not boil more than once if it’s a lower capacity, or is making a larger kettle of boiling water essential for your needs?
Easy Storage
Storage of your travel kettle can make a big difference when packing. Some options come with small cases, allowing you to tuck away the power cord and pack the kettle without the risk of getting dust, fuzz, or anything from your bag into it. Others have tight screwing lids and can be put into a bag similar to a water bottle.
Collapsible Design
One of the most common designs in travel kettles is evident with the variety of electric collapsible travel kettles available. The collapsible kettle is the optimal choice for those looking to minimize packing space yet still have the luxury of bringing a tea kettle on their trip. Typically made from a combination of plastic, metal, and silicone, these designs are some of the more popular styles, providing a great mix of capacity in a small package.
Power Cord
There are two primary designs for the power cord on a portable kettle. One is a detachable power cord that will pull out of the kettle to be stored separately, while the other is winding cord storage, where the cord will tuck into the base. Both offer flexibility, though if you are a traveler prone to losing things, it’s worth opting for the model that doesn’t have a removable power cord.
The Compact Size vs. Material Trade-off
For many consumers, the collapsible style of travel kettle may feel a bit flimsy and not as durable. This style will undoubtedly be a turnoff for those hoping for a long useful life. On the other hand, the stainless steel options will also be less than optimal for consumers who prefer to avoid the extra weight and packing space. It’s tough to find a perfect balance, but it should be considered with each traveler’s needs and preferences.
Traveling on the Road or in the Air
One final consideration is the mode of transportation you plan on taking with the kettle. Those planning on traveling primarily on the road in cars, trucks, campers, or RVs will find that the stainless steel options are sturdier and better to use as a thermos so that you can get a more durable design for your travel.
Those planning to pack their kettle primarily for flights should opt for lighter materials and more compact designs, like the collapsible options on this list.
Bottom Line
While the most common features of the best travel kettles vary, with plenty of different sizes and designs available, choosing the best portable travel kettle for yourself depends on your travel preferences and the features you value. There is not one option that is perfect for everyone, so choose a kettle based on your travel preferences and the style of travel you most often take.
