One of the most important factors when buying a kettle for an elderly loved one is weight. A heavy kettle can be difficult, even dangerous, to handle.
Remember it’s going to be even heavier once it’s full of water.
Generally, we recommend getting a kettle that’s less than a kilogram in weight. That ensures that once you add a cup or two of water, it’s still light enough to lift safely.
In this guide, we review the best lightweight kettles on the UK market that are perfect for seniors. They are all less than a KG in weight and are easy to use.
What to Consider When Choosing a Lightweight Kettle for an Elderly
Weight
As we’ve mentioned, 1kg is the ideal maximum weight for a kettle that’s going to be used by someone elderly.
This is not just because a lighter kettle is easier to use; it is also about safety. Someone with reduced grip strength or flexibility is more likely to drop a heavy kettle and scald themselves with the hot water.
If you want a large capacity kettle (1.5l or more), you can easily find one weighing between 600 and 900 grams. It’ll likely be plastic.
If you want stainless steel, you’ll have to do with a smaller capacity kettle to ensure it’s not too heavy.
If you want the lightest kettle you can find, get one of those compact travel kettles. There are some that weigh as little as 500g.
Capacity
The highest capacity you’ll find if you want to stay under the 1kg mark is 1.7 litres. That’s enough to make tea or coffee for a family.
If only one or two people will be using the kettle, you can get a smaller and lighter kettle. A capacity between 0.8 and 1 litre is perfect for two people. A 400-500ml capacity is ideal for a one-person kettle.
A smaller capacity is also better if you want a kettle you can travel with. It’ll be more compact and easier to stuff in your travel bag.
Tip: If you are buying a travel kettle and you plan to travel outside Europe, see if you can find one with dual voltage so you can use it in any country.
Power
If you are buying an electric kettle, check its power rating. It varies between 1000W (1KW) to 3000W (3KW).
The higher the power, the faster the kettle boils water.
More power (2 or 3 KW) is ideal if you are getting a large capacity kettle. It’ll boil a lot of water quicker.
If you plan to buy a small kettle for one or two people, you don’t need that much power. 1000W is usually enough. It’s also more efficient.
Safety Features
Here are a couple of safety features to look for in a kettle.
- Auto shutoff when water boils, when the kettle is lifted off the base or if the kettle overheats (e.g. if you forget to add water or all the water evaporates).
- Non-drip spout to prevent hot water from scalding the user.
Left & Right Hand Use
Get a kettle that has a 360-degree base. That means the kettle can be turned around to position the handle in any direction.
This allows someone to lift it with either their left or right hand, whichever they find most comfortable to use.
Best Lightweight Kettle for Elderly: Top 5 Reviews
1. Our Top Pick: De’Longhi Brilliante Kettle, 1.7L
Our most favourite lightweight kettle for elderly tea and coffee lovers is the De’Longhi Brilliante. It has a large capacity of 1.7 litres but weighs only 0.8KG.
To keep weight low while providing more capacity, the De’Longhi Brilliante combines metal and plastic components.
The heating element is stainless steel and the body of the kettle is plastic. But it’s beautiful and high quality plastic. We especially love the faceted surface and the shiny black finish. Just be careful when cleaning. Use a soft sponge to avoid scratching the shiny exterior.
You can also get the De’Longhi Brilliante in white.
To ensure you can heat a lot of water quickly, the De’Longhi Brilliante has 3,000W of power.
A handy water gauge lets you see the water level inside the kettle. It also comes with a removable scale filter that prolongs the life of the kettle and improves the taste of your beverages.
The De’Longhi Brilliante comes with a 360-degree base, so you can lift it with either hand.
As for safety, the kettle has auto shutoff that activates when water boils, when the kettle is lifted off the base, or when it gets too hot.
What we like about it:
- Lightweight.
- Large capacity.
- Safety auto shutoff.
- Looks stylish.
2. Best Travel Kettle: Russell Hobbs 23840 Compact Travel Electric Kettle, 0.8L
If you want a compact kettle you can easily travel with, we recommend the Russell Hobbs 23840 travel kettle.
It has a capacity of 0.85L, enough to make 2-3 cups of tea.
Measuring just 18cm high, the Russell Hobbs kettle easily fits in a travel bag. It’s also great for small kitchen counters at home or in a motorhome.
It’s also very light, weighing just 615g.
Another feature that makes the Russell Hobbs kettle particularly ideal for travelling is its dual voltage compatibility. If you travel to the US with its 120V power supply, the kettle will still work fine.
The 1000W power of the base is plenty enough to quickly boil 0.8 litres of water. Note, however, that boiling time is slower when using a 110V/120V power supply.
The kettle is, as expected, mostly plastic. But it’s good quality and lasts a long time.
Alongside the kettle, you’ll receive a water filter that’s removable and washable as well as two cups and spoons. The cups and spoons conveniently fit inside the kettle for easier travelling.
In terms of safety, the only feature mentioned is boil dry protection. The kettle will shut off if you forget to add water and it gets too hot.
What we like about it:
- Compact and lightweight – perfect for travelling.
- Also great for small spaces such as small kitchens, motorhomes, and caravans.
- Includes filter, cups, and spoons.
- Universal voltage.
3. Best Bargain: Russell Hobbs 20415 Stainless Steel Electric Kettle, 1.7L
The Russell Hobbs 20415 is the best value lightweight kettle we found. It has a large 1.7L capacity, it’s stainless steel, has 3KW of power, but it costs less than comparable kettles.
It’s probably not the prettiest kettle you can find. But at least you can select from four colour options: cream, red, grey and black.
What’s most impressive about the Russell Hobbs 20415 kettle is that it’s stainless steel and has a 1.7l capacity, yet weighs under a KG – 980g to be specific. It is heavier than our other picks, but light enough for most seniors to safely lift.
The only drawback is that there are a couple of plastic bits inside the kettle: the strip that indicates water level and the water filter. They even add a bit of a plastic taste to water.
Fortunately, you can remove them to get a truly all-metal kettle.
The Russell Hobbs 20415 has 3,000W of power, enough to quickly boil a full kettle of water. If you are making a cuppa just for yourself, you can boil it in just 45 seconds.
The spout has a non-drip design for safety. The kettle also has auto shut-off.
The 360 base allows right and left handed use.
What we like about it:
- Good value for money.
- Large capacity.
- Stainless steel.
- 360-degree base.
4. Best Personal Kettle: Swan SK27010N Dual Voltage Travel Kettle, 0.4L
If you want a kettle just for one person, the Swan SK27010N is one of the best personal kettles. It has a capacity of just 0.4 litres, enough for one cup of tea and a refill.
The extra-compact size of the Swan kettle also makes it perfect for travelling. It even includes universal voltage, though it takes too long to boil when connected to a 110/120V power supply.
It is also very light, weighing just half a kg (560g).
For easy use on the go, the kettle comes with two plastic cups that fit inside the empty kettle.
With 1000W of power, the Swan SK27010N brings 400ml of water to boil in no time. It has overheat protection just in case you forget to add water or fail to turn it off and all the water boils away.
What we like about it:
- Great for travelling.
- Also good for small spaces.
- Extra lightweight.
5. Best Stainless Steel: Dualit Lite Kettle, 1L
Stainless steel kettles not only look more stylish, they also don’t affect the taste of your beverages.
Our favorite stainless steel kettle is the Dualit Lite. It has a 1L capacity, enough for 2-3 people.
Unlike the Russell Hobbs 20415 kettle, the Dualite Lite has no plastic bits touching the water. Your tea or coffee won’t have a plastic taste.
The only plastic bit in the Dualit kettle is the limescale filter, and it doesn’t touch the water in the kettle. It only comes into contact with cold water when you fill the kettle.
The viewing window, which has handy markings for 2 cups, 3 cups and max, is glass. The base has a 360 design, so you can position the kettle whichever way you want.
The curved handle has a soft silicone cover that provides a strong grip and keeps the handle from getting hot. Even the lid has a silicone cover to make it heatproof.
Other safety features include boil dry protection and a non-drip spout.
Being a stainless steel kettle, the Dualit Lite is a bit heavier than other kettles. But it still comes in at under 1KG. It weighs 950g.
What we like about it:
- No plastic.
- Stylish design.
- Easy to use.
