Tea Kettles Not Made in China or Thailand Reviewed

We have nothing against China but it’s common knowledge that a lot of the products they produce are made cheaply. That’s a good thing sometimes as it means cheap products for us but sometimes we want a quality item that is going to last a long time. A lot of cookware is made in China even if it is from an American brand. Production costs there are a lot cheaper so it makes financial sense to send their production their sometimes. It was actually really difficult to come up with this list as the majority of kettles seemed to be made in either China or Thailand.

So here are our top picks for kettles not made in China or Thailand:

1. Staub 1 Quart Round Teapot, Black

This traditional kettle from Staub is a real eye catcher. The design is not like anything else we have seen. It is a question of taste but in our opinion this kettle is a stunner.

It is made with a cast iron body and stainless steel handles. The cast iron body keeps the water hot for ages but obviously it gets incredibly hot to the touch. The handle doesn’t get as hot but that gets pretty warm as well so you will need to be careful when using this one.

It’s made in France and was made in conjunction with top chef Paul Bocuse.

Other things to note about this kettle; it doesn’t whistle so you will have to listen out for the water boiling. It also is quite small so not much use if you need to boil a lot of water.

If you are looking for something that will last years and years though then you would be making a good choice with this one.

2. Whistling Kettle Stainless 2.5l Made in Japan Yj1943 by Yoshikawa

Here is a more classic kettle design from Yoshikawa. It’s made in Japan and it will likely ship from Japan as well so expect it to take a week or so to arrive if you decide to order it.

Made with stainless steel this is a really high quality item that will last you a lifetime. The handle stays cool so it’s easy to use and pour. Plus this one comes with a lovely whistle to tell you when the water is boiling.

Although the handle and knob of the kettle look like plastic on the picture they are actually made with a natural wood and the whistle is made with resin.

This is a popular seller on Amazon and we love it.

3. Alessi Michael Graves Kettle with Bird Whistle

Michael Graves designed this kettle in 1985 for the Italian company Alessi, which went on to become the company’s all-time bestselling product. This kettle is still made in Italy by Alessi. The design is considered a timeless classic. It is also available in an electric model but we much prefer this stove top version. 

It comes in four colors; white, red, ivory and blue. The color choice changes the color of the handle and the whistling bird. The body is made with very high quality 18/10 stainless-steel while the handle and bird are made with a durable resin.

You need to remove the little bird in order to pour the water and then pop it back in place again afterwards. This kettle continues to be very popular. The design and quality of it cannot be questioned.

4. Cafe Brew 12-Cup Glass Stovetop Whistling Kettle

I only have one issue with this kettle, it says whistling kettle right on the front of it. Why is that necessary? Am I going to forget that’s what it is and start vacuuming with it!

Apart from that this is a nice kettle that is very cheap. It’s nice to be able to see the water inside and the whistle is nice and clear. It comes in a few different sizes but this is the 12 cup version which is probably going to be sufficient for most people.

It is made in the US although not all the components are US made, the glass is made in Germany for example.

You need to watch the heat with this one as there have been reports of it melting the plastic if left on the heat too long. This is a really cheap kettle so it’s one to consider if you want to support US made products but not one to look at if you are looking for high quality and durable. Although it is so cheap you can just replace it if it does go wrong.

Conclusion

It is a lot harder than you think to find quality kettles made outside of China and even harder to find ones that are made in the USA. However the above kettles are some of the better ones available. The last one is a really cheap kettle but for what it costs it’s a pretty good buy for something like a student house.

The others on the list are quite pricey but expect to pay more for items manufactured in Europe and Japan. The quality of products is excellent and the materials they use are outstanding. There is also a much more focus on design, development and build quality than you get from mass produced items.