Chefman Electric Kettle Review

We purchased the Chefman Electric Kettle so our reviewer could put it to the test. Keep reading for the full product review.

The convenience of an electric kettle is vast. Not only is it ideal for when you don’t have access to a stove, but many electric kettles heat water much quicker and quieter than stovetop kettles. Some varieties even have the ability to precisely control your water’s temperature, a convenient feature to extract the best flavor from your coffee or tea. One model that can do this and much more is the Chefman Electric Kettle. I tested this kettle’s heating speed, overall design, extra features, and ease of cleaning. Keep reading to see what I thought. 

Design: Simple and convenient

The Chefman Electric Kettle is convenient because it is electric. If you're ever somewhere without a stove, such as a dorm or an office, this kettle is an easy solution. It’s great for making soup, instant noodles, coffee, tea, and more. 

Additionally, the design of this kettle is very simple and intuitive. The lid opens at the click of a button and is attached to the kettle itself. There’s also a removable tea infuser, convenient for making tea with either tea bags or tea leaves. The control buttons, located on the handle, are clearly labeled. There are five different temperature settings to select from: 175, 185 , 195, 200, and 212 degrees Fahrenheit (the default). This is perhaps one of this kettle’s best features because the user has more control over the water temperature, which isn’t always a given for electric kettles.

A fun feature of this kettle is that each temperature setting is associated with one of five different LED color settings, including green, blue, yellow, purple, and red. The entire kettle lights up, and it looks really cool when it's dark out. 

When it comes to size, this kettle was designed to not take up much counter space, measuring 5.5 x 10 x 4 inches. The cord wraps neatly under the base to make for convenient storage. 

Material: Lightweight 

The Chefman Electric Kettle is made of stain-resistant borosilicate glass, stainless steel, and BPA-free plastic. I liked the transparent glass, as it gave the unit a clean and sleek look. It was also fun to watch the water transform from water into tea through the glass. 

Overall, the entire unit is lightweight, weighing just over 2 pounds. Although I liked that it was easy to move around due to its small size, I found that the kettle felt like it wasn’t made with the highest-quality materials. This may partly be due to its plastic components, such as the electric base and lid, giving it an all-around cheaper feel. 

Setup: Takes about 20 minutes

To set up this kettle, the instructions recommend filling it with water to the max line, bringing it to a boil, and then discarding the water. This process should be repeated two more times. In total, this took about 15 to 20 minutes because it took at least 5 minutes for the water to come to a boil each time. After this process has been completed, it’s ready to go. 

To use this unit, simply open the lid, add the water, close the lid, place the kettle on the base, and select the desired temperature setting. The unit will make a beep and turn off automatically when the water has reached the selected temperature. The kettle will also keep the water at the set temperature for the next 30 minutes.  

Performance: Best for making tea for larger families 

In testing this electric kettle, I made tea using tea leaves and tea bags, and made coffee with a French press. I found that the Chefman Electric Kettle excelled in making tea.

I really liked the included tea infuser because it worked so well. Once the water reached my desired temperature, I placed the tea leaves (or tea bags) into the infuser and closed the lid to let them steep. The holes on the infuser were small enough so that no leaves ever seeped through, offering a leaf-free cup every time. I found that it’s important to insert the tea infuser into the kettle before placing the entire kettle onto the base and turning it on. This will prevent the user from getting burned in attempting to add the diffuser after the water has already come to a boil. 

The Chefman Electric Kettle also excelled in heating large amounts of water rather quickly (it holds up to 1.8 liters). Every time I used the kettle, it took an average of about five minutes to heat 2 to 3 cups of water. It took slightly longer for larger amounts. 

I also really liked the temperature presets. This worked well for making different types of tea, as certain varieties do better at specific temperatures. However, I wouldn’t recommend using this kettle for making specialty coffee. The spout is not precise, which is less than ideal for making pour-over coffee, although it’s fine for French press coffee because there's no need for a precise spout.  

Another downside is that this kettle must be filled to the minimum line if attempting to make tea with the infuser (which is equal to 0.5 liters or about 2 cups). If the water isn’t high enough, the tea leaves won’t get penetrated by the water. I found this to be somewhat of a nuisance because I often only needed to make a single cup of tea at a time, so it felt like I was wasting tea leaves. For a larger family, this might not be an issue. 

Cleaning: Difficult to clean out all crevices 

For best cleaning practices, the instruction manual recommends wiping the kettle’s exterior and base with a damp, soft cloth regularly. The actual kettle should be rinsed or washed after each use. I found that it was difficult to thoroughly clean both the inside of the kettle and the interior of the tea infuser. The openings of the kettle and the infuser are rather small, making it difficult to get inside with a typical kitchen sponge. I had to purchase an additional thin cleaning brush to be able to reach the inside of both components. 

On occasion, the unit will need to be decalcified to remove mineral deposits. To clean this off, it requires a simple cleaning process involving vinegar. After using it just a few times, I already noticed mineral deposits forming on the bottom of the kettle. 

Price: Affordable

The Chefman Electric Kettle retails for around $60, which is a fair price. Considering it has five preset temperatures, a removable tea infuser, a large capacity, and the ability to heat water quickly, it’s well worth the price.  

Chefman Electric Kettle vs. Balmuda The Kettle 

Balmuda The Kettle: Balmuda The Kettle is one of the more splurge-worthy electric kettles available, retailing for around $179. This kettle features a gooseneck spout, which ideal for making pour-over coffee. It's also much smaller than the Chefman and boasts a more elegant design.

Ultimately, it comes down to what you’ll primarily be using the kettle for in your home. If using the electric kettle for tea, the Chefman is your best option. However, for coffee drinkers, Balmuda The Kettle is well-designed for this purpose.