I inherited an electric kettle - and I really do love the speed at which it heats my water. However, I find the kettle quite dangerous - the only way I have figured out how to turn it off is to remove the plug from the wall socket. Furthermore, it doesn't have an 'auto-off' option, so if one were to forget about the boiling water, it could potentially create a fire hazard. So, if you're in the market for a new kettle - keep these things in mind!

I have an enameled steel copco tea kettle from target. I got my first one when i graduated from high school and moved into my first apartment. It lasted for 5 years (and through just as many moves) until one of my roommates accidentally boiled it dry, at which point the enamel started chipping off. I replaced it with another that's still going strong. Plus, it only cost me $15. Target doesn't seem to have the exact model I use online but this one looks similar:

http://www.target.com/p/copco-red-apple-teakettle/-/A-10808771#prodSlot=medium_1_29&term=tea+kettle

I have a steel Braun electric kettle that's great, though as a tea drinker I do sometimes covet the Breville variable temp.

Pretty much anything new on the market today will have an auto-off feature, so the problems pinknezu mentions shuldn't be an issue unless you're buying something new. Worth checking for though I guess.

Worry, I should have said "if tou're buying something used."

Very good question, this is something I need advice about also. Several years ago I bought a British kettle from William Sonoma. It was really expensive and had a lifetime warranty. After about 8 years it had corroded on the coils on the bottom and became useless, and really unsafe. We concluded it was because our water is really hard and the salts and minerals just ate it up. Since then we have been using a really cheap chrome kettle that we had as a backup, and it looks like it is going to die soon too. I have looked at what is out there and concluded that for the price and the fact that our water eventually destroys metal cheap is the way to go.

We have this Le Creuset one (http://cookware.lecreuset.com/cookware/product_Halo-Kettle_10151_-1_20002_10245_24080) It works very well. We've had it about 5 years now and it still looks as good as the first day we bought it.

I use a glass stovetop kettle that I bought at a Korean market for about $12. (similar to this http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?sku=13309680&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&gclid=CJTfjpyS8rQCFe1xOgodA1kAHg). I've had it for about 3 years so far and used it on electric and gas stoves. It's nice that I can see when it needs a good soak and scrub. Also looks beautiful on the stove (when the stove is clean, that is!).

We haven't treated it gently either, and are impressed with its durability and that it doesn't add a metallic taste to the water.

Like Angela L, I have a Le Creuset kettle, which we got after the kitchen reno. I love it: it was a bit dear, but (so far, at any rate), completely worth it.

I have a stove top Revere whistling tea kettle. I've had it for years and use it daily with no complaints.

I love my Le Creuset kettle. It's at least been a couple years, and it's still in great condition. I also have an Aroma electric kettle at work that's been very reliable so far.

I have a KitchenAid kettle that I absolutely love. I've had it for years now with no problems.

I have this ceramic tea pot from Joyce Chen and really like it:
http://www.amazon.com/Joyce-Chen-90-0010-Ceramic-Kettle/dp/B00004RBTN

I had a mini version of it initially and then decided it was time to "grow up" and get the full size version. It's functional and good-looking!

A word of caution: if you tend to be the clumsy type, you might want to skip this one since it is ceramic, if you drop the pot or the lid, it will break. I wouldn't say it is "delicate", it has sustained daily use without a problem. Although, I've chipped the lid in my sink, so you do have to be a little more careful with it than you would with a metal kettle.

Costco in Ann Arbor had Le Creuset kettles for $19.99 yesterday.

These ones:
http://www.amazon.com/Le-Creuset-Enamel-4-Quart-Teakettle/dp/B00023IV42/ref=pd_sim_k_37

I would go the electric route. This is the one I have and it's worth every penny -
http://www.amazon.com/Aroma-AWK-115S-X-Press-2-Liter-Cordless/dp/B000KDVTJI/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1358525433&sr=8-2-fkmr0&keywords=electric+kettle+armor

I love the way stovetop kettles look but if you need boiling water many times a day, the electric one is way more convenient.

I'll echo everyone else and suggest Le Creuset. My kettle (in flame) was like a gateway drug into the brand a few years ago. I use my kettle almost every day and it's beautiful and on my gas stove I'm ready to have a cup to tea in minutes.

We have a Cuisinart electric kettle and it's our favorite thing in the house.

Definitely LE CREUSET! I had an Aroma electric kettle for years, but it began to leak every now and then. I also moved into a smaller kitchen with precious amounts of counter space - I use the Le Creuset (Dijon) every day! It sits on top of my stove and adds the perfect pop of color.

Whatever you buy, electric or stovetop, ONLY use filtered water. The excess gunk in tap water (chlorine, minerals, etc.) will corrode either kind of kettle and make it malfunction well before its time.

For me, using my city's water, a kettle only lasted six to eight months before becoming useless; using water from my Brita, my most recent kettle is still going strong two years later.

I have a plastic auto-off electric tea kettle that I bought for fairly cheap at Rite Aid or CVS. It's served me very well for years.

I love my Breville electric kettle. I had a cheaper one, and it broke (twice! I replaced it and the replacement broke!), so it was worth it to me to spend more on this one. It works perfectly for tea and I also use it to jumpstart the pasta water. Bought it at Bed, Bath & Beyond with a 20% off coupon.

I have the silver Krups electric kettle that is linked, and it is amazing and wonderful and just the best. It is fast, safe with the auto-shut off, and so cute. My own personal experience also cautions against the Le Creuset stovetop kettle someone linked above, as well as any other kettle where the whistle can pop open and stay that way. I've had two separate roommates start minor stove fires by leaving the kettle on with the whistle flipped up. I know, it is a really dumb thing to do and no one who really thinks they'd ever have to worry about it, but everyone does dumb stuff sometimes. Just my two cents from a couple pretty bad experiences, though.

I'll second the Revere stove top kettle. It's been a workhorse for almost twenty years in my house.

Electric kettle all the way. Super fast tap water to boiled water time, plus the auto shut off means I don't need to wait around to make sure things are safe.

At the moment, I'm boiling water in a small saucepan so that I can get the temperature right. I drink a lot of white tea, and it needs water that's 150-165, which is before you can really hear it in a teakettle. I've learned what the bubbles look like at that temp, so I no longer have to check it with a thermometer.

I surely would love a kettle with a variable temperature indicator or setting.

Anyone know of a good

I bought an Aroma electric kettle from Target, and it works great! Heats up quickly, auto shut-off, and the metal body keeps the water hot for awhile. The only con - it's not exactly quiet.
http://www.target.com/p/aroma-hot-h20-x-press-7-cup-stainless-steel-electric-kettle/-/A-13795316

Ah yes, we went through multiple metal stove top models after moving to "very hard" water from a metropolitan "hard" water area. Using filtered water slowed down the build up as did running vinegar through the kettle weekly. After much research, we splurged on a Zojirushi electric model. Panorama Window® Micom Electric Dispensing Pot CD-LCC40 via Bed Bath Beyond with a 20% off coupon in store. {take your coupon and web site printout from BBB 's own website so they know al the stock code} http://www.zojirushi.com/products/cdlcc
I love that it has a descaling option. We descale/clean with a citric acid when the water boiling sounds get LOUD or boiling takes longer than when it was new. With filtered water, monthly. No exposed coils, you just notice the inner liner gets rough instead of smooth when it's time to clean. Without filtered water and in a "very hard" water area? 2 weeks max between cleanings. For those worried about such, there is a lock release on dispensing that must be pressed to get the water poured into your mug.

I've had a classic enamel Chantal teakettle for over 20 years. It works great and I love the Hohner harmonica whistle. And, yes, filter your water! http://www.chantal.com/classic-teakettle.html

I was considering installing an insta hot water faucet at my sink, to replace the tea kettle. My first kettle boiled dry and the second has a broken handle. :-(

Thank you all for posting so far!! This is really helpful. :)

Another vote for Zojirushi if you want to go for an electric kettle. We use a 3-liter version that keeps the water at one of three temp. settings. Also has a timer, and an auto-off if you use all the water. It's fantastic!

Simplex stove top tea kettle. I have the one with the coils in the bottom, for a gas stove. It boils fast, has a loud whistle and the copper is beautiful to look at too - especially when I remember to polish it ! I bought it at an estate sale, it's at least 50 years old. Can't comment on the effects of hard water - ours in KC seems relatively free of these deposits.

http://seamist.hubpages.com/hub/simplex-tea-kettle

If you're only brewing one or two cups of tea, or only need one or two cups of boiling water, consider a Hot Shot by Sunbeam. I've been a tea drinker in the morning for years, and I've had my current Hot Shot for probably 20 to 25 years. It heats 2 cups of water to boiling in about a minute, and dispenses neatly into a mug or measuring cup. Here's a link:

http://www.amazon.com/Sunbeam-6131-Water-Dispenser-Black/dp/B000C3QSPQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1358556643&sr=1-1&keywords=sunbeam+hot+shot

I'll go for broke with the Richard Sapper Tea Kettle for Alessi... (I'm saving up for one, and have just been using a small pot to boil water for the past year):

http://www.unicahome.com/p95/alessi/sapper-whistling-kettle-by-richard-sapper-for-alessi.html

They are very sturdy, but if you need to repair them (e.g., the handle, or the whistle) you *can*. I like that!! My favorite electric kettle, the most classic of them all, the Russell Hobbs cordless (the classic design, not the Minnie Mouse version) broke and it was impossible to find parts for a repair... :-(

You may find this useful:

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/best-tea-kettles-2010-126516

Breville makes an awesome electric model. It's really pleasing to the eye as far as electrics go. It's available at sur la table. I made tea in it today at work :)

I'm going to echo Erin on this. I've had my stainless Chantal for almost 20 years, being used ALL THE TIME!

My parents have had their OXO Good Grips Uplift tea kettle for 10+ years, and it's super durable and the wide opening makes it easy to clean. I liked it so much, I bought the "anniversary edition" one from MoMa that has heat-resistent cork coverings:

http://www.amazon.com/OXO-Anniversary-Edition-Brushed-Stainless/dp/B003AIKP22

I have the Le Creuset kettle in the photo above and would recommend it. Beautiful on the stove, works quickly, and keeps water hot enough for a second cup without re-boiling. I've had it just over three years, but I expect it to last a very, very long time.

"It was really expensive and had a lifetime warranty."

And you didn't return it to WS because....?

Lots of good options here short term. That said, Le Creuset, while an investment, is a *once in a lifetime* purchase which will NEVER need replacing. Worth saving up for if budget is a major consideraton.

I've been using this one http://www.crateandbarrel.com/chantal-yellow-bridge-teakettle/s549005 (though mine is in green) everyday for four years and have no problems with it at all. I actually read a ton of horrendous reviews of the Le Creuset ones on amazon before purchasing this one and like the look of mine better anyway. Good luck!

The Chemex glass kettle is the very best for our family. It's functional and beautiful. Not cheap, but worth every penny.

The Staub kettle is also a great choice. When you take off the lid, it actually opens up the sprout as well, allowing you to clean the whole kettle. http://www.staubusa.com/#!tea-pots/c17ux

I've had a Chantal enamel kettle (love the harmonica whistle!) for about ten years. I actually got it at TJ Maxx, so I'm sure it was a second. However, it is perfect to my eyes even after a decade of use.

I'll also echo Zojirushi airpot if you're an avid tea/coffee drinker, with 3 different temperatures. I believe one's for black tea, one's for green, and no idea what that last temperature is for. There's a timer so you can set it to have hot water in the morning as well. Cleaning is fairly easy as well once a month you can use their cleaning powder or citric acid put it on the cleaning cycle and it looks new on the inside.

However if you're not going through a million cups of tea in the day Le Creuset makes a lovely teapot but a bit on the heavy side but I hear it keeps your water hot for more than one cup, I considered this before I received my electric. My mom has a Revere copper bottom (which is supposed to heat the water quickly and evenly) and that is the one and only tea pot she's ever owned, it looks the same as when I was a child. A friend of mine swears by the British made Simplex tea kettle. Good luck on your kettle hunt!

I've had my Kenwood electric kettle for a good 17 yrs now & it still works like a treat.( The Brits make the best) We also have a smaller electric kettle made in Canada that we bought at the Bay many yrs ago for our workshop, it's great for a quick cuppa. As long as you descale from time to time you shouldn't have any major issues.

I went with an Iwachu cast iron kettle. Iwachu has been making cast iron cookware for over 100 years. Their unlined kettle has the added benefit of adding trace amounts of iron to the boiled water. For a really good read take a look at http://hojotea.com/categ_e/tetsubin.htm

I used a Le Creuset stovetop kettle for a few years, that I liked a lot. This year I got an electric one ( http://www.target.com/p/bella-tea-kettle-white-blue/-/A-14232072?ref=tgt_adv_XSG10001&AFID=Google_PLA_df&LNM=%7C14232072&CPNG=Unassigned&kpid=14232072&LID=PA&ci_src=17588969&ci_sku=14232072 )

I love it. It's ceramic and has an auto-shut-off.