Disclosure: I earn a small commission if you buy through links on this page, at no extra cost to you.

Photo by Mathias Reding from Pexels
For most people the Cosori Gooseneck is the electric kettle to buy if you want no plastic touching the water: TechGearLab detected none in its test, and the listing has 4.6 stars across 19,603 ratings at $69.99. The catch is the shape. All six kettles that test found free of plastic contact were gooseneck kettles, and every pitcher-style kettle it tested had some.
This guide sets out what that lab test found, why “stainless steel” and “BPA-free” on a box do not settle the question, and which kettles are worth buying. Every price and rating below was read from Amazon.com on 13 October 2026.
Quick Comparison
| Product | Best For | Price | Rating | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cosori Gooseneck 0.8-Liter | Best overall; five temperature presets | $69.99 | 4.6★ (19,603) | Check Price |
| Bodum Bistro Gooseneck 27-Ounce | Cheapest; boils and shuts off | $39.97 | 4.5★ (13,241) | Check Price |
| Fellow Stagg EKG Pro | Most precise temperature; pour-over | $179.95 | 4.2★ (109) | Check Price |
| Fellow Corvo EKG Pro | Wider spout; maker says nothing wet is plastic | $199.95 | 4.5★ (53) | Check Price |
What the Lab Found About Plastic
TechGearLab tested 15 electric kettles and recorded for each one whether the water touches plastic, including steam that condenses on a plastic lid or hinge. Six showed none. Nine did, and that includes both glass kettles and several stainless steel ones.
| Kettle | Shape | Plastic contact, per TechGearLab | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cosori Gooseneck | Gooseneck | None detected | 72 |
| Fellow Stagg EKG | Gooseneck | None detected | 76 |
| Intasting Gooseneck | Gooseneck | None detected | 71 |
| Offacy Gooseneck | Gooseneck | None detected | 70 |
| Bodum Bistro Gooseneck | Gooseneck | None detected | 62 |
| Cuisinart Digital Gooseneck | Gooseneck | None detected | 57 |
| OXO Brew Gooseneck | Gooseneck | Yes: tiny plastic nubs on the lid | 77 |
| Amazon Basics | Pitcher | Yes: plastic water window, black plastic lid | 68 |
| Cuisinart PerfecTemp | Pitcher | Yes: plastic window, spout filter, handle attachment, silicone | 67 |
| Breville IQ | Pitcher | Yes: two BPA-free strips and a strip below the spout | 65 |
| Hamilton Beach 40880 | Pitcher | Yes: plastic water window and black plastic lid | 61 |
| Cosori Electric Kettle (glass) | Pitcher | Yes: plastic handle joint | 57 |
| Bonavita 1.0L | Gooseneck | Yes: black plastic at the handle joint | 54 |
| Chefman Fast-Boil (glass) | Pitcher | Yes: plastic lid, plastic spout, silicone gasket | 53 |
| Secura Stainless Steel | Pitcher | Yes: plastic hinge | 50 |
The best-overall OXO scored highest but still touches plastic, in the tiny nubs on its lid. TechGearLab’s own pitcher-style winners, the Amazon Basics and the Breville IQ, both touch plastic.
Why the Box Does Not Settle It
Everyday Health’s expert advice is to choose a metal or tempered glass kettle and notes that most stainless steel and glass kettles do not contain plastic where they touch water, but to check. TechGearLab’s lab disagrees for glass: both glass kettles it tested had plastic touching the water. Serious Eats also notes the Balmuda MoonKettle has a plastic body.
Wording matters too. The Breville Soft Top Pure’s listing says its materials do not contain BPA and shows dual water windows, which is a claim about BPA, not about plastic. The Aarke’s maker page lists food-grade polypropylene among its materials, while Amazon’s page summary says all-stainless construction eliminates plastic contact, so I left it out.
1. Cosori Gooseneck: Best Overall
4.6 stars | 19,603 ratings | $69.99 | sold by Amazon.com
This is the pick for most people. TechGearLab detected no plastic contact, scored it 72 of 100 and calls it a good kettle for coffee drinkers with a nice handle. The listing says the housing, lid and spout are food-grade stainless steel with no Teflon or chemical linings.
It is better for coffee than tea. TechGearLab found it ran about 4.5 degrees off at its coffee test temperature and said it will burn green tea leaves, and it has no 200°F preset. My best gooseneck kettle guide covers it alongside other pour-over kettles.
Pros:
- TechGearLab found no plastic contact
- Excellent pour feel, tied with the Bodum for the best at TechGearLab
- A 5% one or two star share across 19,603 ratings
- Five presets and a temperature hold
Cons:
- TechGearLab found it about 4.5 degrees off for coffee and poor for green tea
- No 200°F preset, so coffee was tested at 195°F
- A small 0.8-liter capacity, per TechGearLab
2. Bodum Bistro Gooseneck: Cheapest
4.5 stars | 13,241 ratings | $39.97 | sold by Amazon.com
This is the pick if you want the lowest price and only need boiling water. TechGearLab detected no plastic contact and tied it with the Cosori for the best pour feel, but the kettle only boils and shuts off, with no temperature selection or hold. It scored 62 of 100, behind the Cosori’s 72.
Pros:
- TechGearLab found no plastic contact
- The lowest price of the four
- Pour feel tied for the best at TechGearLab
- A 9% one or two star share across 13,241 ratings
Cons:
- It only boils: no temperature control or hold
- TechGearLab clocked 3.8 minutes to boil, slower than the Cosori at 3.6
- A 0.8-liter capacity
3. Fellow Stagg EKG Pro: Most Precise
4.2 stars | 109 ratings | $179.95 | sold by Fellow
This is the pick for pour-over drinkers who want accuracy and will pay for it. TechGearLab’s test of the Stagg EKG found no plastic contact and the best coffee temperature accuracy of the kettles it measured, within 0.6 degrees, and Serious Eats picked the Pro as its best gooseneck. Everyday Health lists the body and lid as stainless steel with a plastic base.
TechGearLab tested the original EKG, not the Pro, so the plastic result is for the earlier model. It also found a complicated interface and a slow pour, and Serious Eats found the Pro’s lid leaks when pouring even when not full.
Pros:
- TechGearLab found no plastic contact on the EKG
- Coffee temperature within 0.6 degrees, the best TechGearLab measured
- Serious Eats named the Pro its best gooseneck
- A temperature hold of up to an hour, per Serious Eats
Cons:
- Only 109 ratings, with a 15% one or two star share
- TechGearLab tested the original, not the Pro
- A small 0.9-liter capacity and a lid that leaks when pouring, per Serious Eats
- The settings are complicated and the pour is slow, per TechGearLab
4. Fellow Corvo EKG Pro: Wider Spout
4.5 stars | 53 ratings | $199.95 | sold by Fellow
This is the pick if you want a regular spout rather than a gooseneck. The listing says the body is 304 stainless steel and the silicone parts never touch water, and Wired suggests it for a wider, faster-pouring spout for French press or cooking. The listing also says the handle and lid pull are plastic, and no independent test I read checked this model’s water path.
Serious Eats tested the earlier Corvo and called it the best variable kettle for tea drinkers, with a 60-minute hold. It also found the small capacity, a dribble when filled to the max line, and a lid that scraped the opening.
Pros:
- Listing says silicone parts never touch the water
- Variable temperature and a long hold, per Serious Eats
- Wider spout than a gooseneck, per Wired
- A 9% one or two star share
Cons:
- No independent plastic-contact test of this model
- Only 53 ratings on the listing
- Serious Eats found a small capacity and slower boil for the earlier Corvo
- The priciest of the four
Left Out
- Breville Soft Top Pure: Serious Eats’ best budget non-variable kettle at $99.95 and 4.6 stars, but the listing promises BPA-free materials and dual water windows, not a plastic-free water path.
- Aarke Kettle: $250 at 4.6 stars across 221 ratings. The maker’s page lists polypropylene among its materials, and Amazon’s page summary claims no plastic contact, so the two disagree.
- Glass kettles (Cosori, Chefman, Capresso, OXO): TechGearLab found plastic touching the water in both glass kettles it tested, and I could not confirm the Capresso or OXO.
- Intasting and Cuisinart Digital Gooseneck: TechGearLab found no plastic contact in either, but both listings showed third-party sellers on 13 October 2026.
- Offacy Gooseneck: TechGearLab’s best bang for the buck with no plastic contact, but I could not find it on Amazon.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are stainless steel electric kettles plastic-free?
Not always. TechGearLab found plastic touching the water in several stainless steel kettles, through lids, hinges, water windows and handle joints. Only six of its 15 kettles showed none. Check where steam condenses, not just the body material, and look for a stated plastic-contact result.
Is a glass electric kettle free of plastic?
No, according to TechGearLab: both glass kettles it tested had plastic touching the water, at the handle joint on one and the lid and spout on the other. Everyday Health’s expert still recommends metal or tempered glass, and says to check the listing.
Why were all the plastic-free kettles gooseneck?
TechGearLab’s six plastic-free kettles were all gooseneck designs, while every pitcher-style kettle it tested had plastic touching the water, at a window, lid, hinge or handle joint. Two gooseneck models also had plastic contact. Choose a gooseneck if plastic matters more than capacity.
Does BPA-free mean a kettle has no plastic?
No. BPA-free plastic is still plastic. The Breville IQ’s strips are BPA-free, and TechGearLab still logged them as plastic contact. A listing that says BPA-free tells you about the chemical, not whether plastic touches the water, so check the lid underside, spout and water window.
How do you descale an electric kettle?
Wired suggests equal parts water and vinegar: fill the kettle, bring it to a boil and rinse well. Descale when you see mineral deposits, your tea tastes off or you notice grainy sediment, since limescale can damage the kettle, though Wired says it is not dangerous to health.
Do you need a gooseneck kettle?
Only for slow, controlled pours such as pour-over coffee. TechGearLab notes that if you want to boil and pour fast, a gooseneck hinders more than it helps, but its plastic-free results all came from gooseneck models. Its best value for speed was the Amazon Basics.
How These Picks Were Chosen
This is a research-based guide, not a hands-on test: I have not boiled water in these kettles. Each pick rests on its Amazon listing, read on 13 October 2026, its star breakdown, and the TechGearLab, Serious Eats, Wired and Everyday Health tests.
Several things could not be established. TechGearLab’s plastic-contact finding is a single lab’s observation of units it bought, and it tested the original Fellow EKG, not the Pro. I did not read Wirecutter’s kettle guide, which would not load for me, and the Corvo’s claim comes from its listing.
The Verdict
For most people the Cosori Gooseneck is the pick: no plastic contact in the lab and the most ratings. The Bodum Bistro is the cheaper way to get the same result, and the Fellow Stagg EKG Pro suits pour-over drinkers who want precision. The Fellow Corvo EKG Pro is the one to consider if you want a regular spout, with the caveat that it has no independent plastic test.
For more on kettles and brewing, see my best gooseneck kettle guide and the coffee hub.




Leave a Reply