Whistle-Free Tea
In Electric Kettles

Boiling water seems like such a simple task: water, pot, stove. Could there be a better way?

Electric water kettles have long been popular in European homes, where tea drinking is more common than it is here, but they've been unusual on these shores. Lately, however, U.S. sales have started to simmer. Sales of the Calorius electric kettle rose 10% over the past year, according to manufacturer Bodum, and retailers Crate & Barrel and Best Buy have added models in the past seven months.

To see how convenient these kettles actually are, we ordered five and put them to the test. First, we poured three cups of water into each, and timed them from start to boil. Then we asked two tea lovers to help evaluate them on design and ease of use.

As it turns out, they weren't much -- if any -- faster than the stove-top kettle we added to the test, which started whistling in just 105 seconds. (The electric kettles took from 81 to 117 seconds.) But in the end, we found that we liked the stove-free boiling -- and the fact that all of our models shut off automatically when the water was ready. The benefit: No more running to the kitchen to turn off that nagging teakettle whistle.

Getting Steamed

They weren't all easy to use, though. The stainless-steel Bodum Calorius, for $40 from the manufacturer, was our speediest model, heating the water in 81 seconds, and it had an attractive transparent top. Still, unlike the other models, you can't open the top to fill the kettle with water. Instead, you have to add water through the narrow spout and insert a removable plug into the spout every time you want to boil. And although the design was eye-catching, one tester remarked, "I can see my fingerprints all over it." Plus, there were no measurement lines on the kettle, to determine exactly how much water was inside.

The $74 DeLonghi Electric Kettle from Macy's wasn't much easier to use. We had a hard time putting on the rubberized lid -- you have to twist it in just so using a little metal ring at the top -- and it also didn't have any measurement lines beyond a maximum-fill line. We did like its retractable cord though, which rewound neatly into the base.

The three other kettles had water-level indicators, making it easier to fill them to the right spot. You might have to refresh your memory of the metric system, however. The water marks on the Dualit Water Kettle, for $95 at Stonewall Kitchen, were in liters -- not cups -- but they were visible on each side of the rounded body. This polished stainless-steel kettle was also our slowest, finishing in just under two minutes -- longer than even the stove-top model we put on our gas stove.

The Braun kettle, for $90 from Best Buy, was the only model that featured water lines measured in cups, which is helpful if, say, you need two cups to add to soup. The stainless-steel pitcher was lightweight and poured easily, too. If only storing the cord weren't so difficult -- it was a trying chore that involved squeezing the cord into some tight slots in the base of the unit.

Finally, the design and features on the Breville kettle won everyone over. The water lines (although they were in liters) were clearly marked on an illuminated panel. The kettle, with a lid that flipped open by a button on the handle, was easy to fill and pour, and a pleasant bell sounded when the water was ready. Even the wiring was convenient -- a ring pull helps you remove the plug from the wall socket, and the cord easily wraps around the base for storage. One tester called it "sturdy, fast and intuitive," and we'd be happy leaving this modern, brushed stainless-steel kettle out on our counter. At $70 from Crate & Barrel, it's our Best Value and Best Overall.

Email your comments to rjeditor@dowjones.com.