The holidays are around the corner. These next few weeks might feel a little hectic, but sipping on a warm, cozy cup of tea is always the answer when you’re looking for a sense of peace amidst the madness. You’re in luck because we’ve found some great deals on our favorite electric kettles, plus WIRED-tested mugs and tumblers. Not a tea drinker? Don’t worry, most of these work well for coffee lovers too.
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Electric Kettle Deals
Hay’s Sowden is more about aesthetics than function. Its casing feels cheap, the opening mechanism is clunky, and there’s no way to set a specific temperature. The boil speed is fairly average too. But there’s no denying it’s beautiful—this kettle is often spotted in magazine features and interior design photoshoots. If all you want is boiling water, it’ll do it just fine in style on any countertop.
The PerfecTemp comes with preset buttons for white tea, green tea, oolong tea, black tea, and a “delicate” button for light and spring teas that boils water to 160 degrees—so this is especially great for tea lovers. If you’re in the mood for coffee, there’s a preset for French press coffee as well. Other notable features include a backlit water window (to help you see how much water you’re filling it with), a blue light that indicates when it’s boiling, and a mesh filter near the pouring spout you can remove to clean. This discount only applies to the stainless steel version, but this is the lowest price we’ve seen yet.
We recommend this kettle for anyone looking for a quieter boil, as it’s noticeably fainter than the competition. It has a gentle alarm tone when it’s finished boiling too. There’s a keep-warm function, dual wall insulation (it remains cool to the touch while the water is hot), a sliding 50-to-100-degree-Celsius adjustable temperature gauge so you can set the temp, plus another dial on the kettle so you can see how hot the water is at a glance.
If you’re looking for a glass kettle, this one is easy to use, durable, and affordable (even without the discount). Made of borosilicate glass, it can withstand high temperatures and the rounded handle allows for a sturdy hold and a smooth pour. The built-in blue LED on the bottom of the kettle turns on when the water is boiling and off when it’s done (it also automatically shuts off). It’s on the louder side, but it boils water quickly—we boiled a little over one liter of water in only four minutes.
Mug and Tumbler Deals
We love these mugs from East Fork. The ceramic feels strong and sturdy, and the gently sloped grip is large enough for most hands. It comes in a variety of unique colors, including Amaro, Morel, and Panna Cotta (certain colors do sell out quickly though). This discount applies to the four-pack.
The Carter Mug is too wide for most cars’ cupholders, but its width allows you to use a majority of manual coffee brewers (like the Hario pour-over or an AeroPress) directly on it. The interior is ceramic-coated, so you won’t get any metallic flavors, while the textured matte exterior coating is durable. It’s also fully leak-proof, so you can throw it into your bag even when it’s full. This discount applies to select colors including Warm Pink, Slate Grey, Corduroy Red, Buttered Popcorn, and Mint Chip. The smaller size is also on sale.
If you want a more stylish travel mug, this one from Sttoke is an excellent choice. It’s made from a shatter-resistant ceramic, has a high-end matte finish and ergonomic grip, and comes complete with an easy-to-use slide lid. Sttoke also claims it can keep hot drinks hot for three hours and cold drinks cold for six hours.
Yeti’s Rambler pint has a matte exterior that’s enjoyable to hold and a clear lid that allows you to see how much liquid is in your cup (you can also swap it out for Yeti’s lid with a sliding magnetic closure or a straw lid). It’ll also keep your coffee or tea hot for several hours. It’s dishwasher-friendly too. They’re stackable for easy storage.
WIRED senior editor Michael Calore uses this vacuum flask to keep his freshly brewed tea hot all afternoon. According to Hydro Flask, the double-walled vacuum insulation can keep hot drinks hot for 12 hours. In testing, we found it was still boiling hot after four or five hours. You can use the Hydro Flask to brew fresh cups of tea individually too—simply fill it with piping hot water and pour out a cup at a time onto your tea leaves or teabag.
