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The Best Non-Toxic Tea Kettle That You Need In Your Kitchen ASAP

Raise your hand if you’re a tea drinker! Many of us (myself included) regularly use a kettle to quickly heat up water… but with so many kettle options, how do you choose the safest option?! I was looking for a new tea kettle this week & I wanted to find one that was made of the safest materials for my family. I was SHOCKED to find so many kettles with plastic coming in direct contact with boiling water (a big no-no). Many were also made with potentially toxic materials (yikes!).

What tea kettle materials are potentially toxic? How do you find a safe brand? A high-quality non-toxic tea kettle is a perfect addition to your kitchen.

Keep reading to learn more!

Nontoxic Tea Kettle

(Note: This article contains affiliate links, meaning In On Around will make a small commission at no additional cost to you. This helps me maintain the site. As always, I value full transparency & only work with brands I love and trust.)


Are All Tea Kettles Safe?

Frankly, no – not all tea kettles are safe to use. Many of them are manufactured with poor-quality materials, like plastic, which can leach into your drinks. Plastic materials, especially at high temperatures, can release endocrine-disrupting (hormone-disrupting) chemicals into the liquid. Some of these chemicals are even linked to cancer or other serious diseases.

You don’t want your cup of morning tea to come with a side of health issues!

BPA and phthalates leach 55x faster in boiling water versus room temperature.

NIH

What Tea Kettle Materials Should Be Avoided?

It’s essential to avoid specific tea kettle materials that can release toxic chemicals into the boiled liquid.

Avoid all tea kettles made with:

  • Copper kettles (you could get copper poisoning!)
  • Plastic kettles
    • Even if it uses “BPA-Free” plastic, skip it! Any BPA-free plastic uses alternative bisphenol chemicals (like BPS), which can be equally as harmful.
  • Aluminum kettles
    • The science on aluminum is contradictory, but it is potentially linked to dementia and Alzheimer’s. [1]
  • Painted, glazed or enameled kettles
    • Which are extremely popular, by the way!
    • This is mostly because foreign-made (especially China-made products) can contain ceramic coatings that are unregulated. These coatings can potentially contain toxic levels of heavy metals (like lead).
    • You can read more about ceramic coatings here: The Ultimate Guide To Non-Toxic Dinnerware
  • Anything with exposed coils
    • These coils can contain a high level of nickel.
  • Anything listing “non-stick”
  • Any 201-grade stainless steel (which is more affordable, but can rust)
  • Decorated or tinted glass (which can contain lead)
  • Soda-lime glass kettles (these can explode under high heat!)
  • Scratched or chipped materials

Instead of opting for a stylish tea kettle, it’s even more important to opt for a safe kettle. Luckily, there are still non-toxic tea kettles available that are trendy and stylish!

Safety is more important that style.

How To Find A Non-Toxic Tea Kettle

Here are a couple of tips on what to look for when shopping for a non-toxic tea kettle: 

  1. Borosilicate glass is best. This type of glass is extremely resistant to thermal shock, which is essential when you are boiling water. 
  2. Stainless steel is another good option (second best), but look for 304 or 316 food grade (18/8 or 18/10). The “grade” refers to its quality, temperature resistance, and durability. Grade 316 is the most corrosive resistant, but it is also more expensive. The numbers (like 18/8) refer to the amount of chromium and nickel used in the product. 
  3. Avoid all plastic on the interior of the kettle. And don’t be fooled if it says “BPA-Free”! BPA replacements, like BPS, BPF, BPAF are just as bad, if not worse. You don’t want your freshly steamed water to condense onto a plastic lid & drop right back into the water. 
  4. Avoid aluminum, copper, cast iron, enameled cast iron, and ceramic kettles. They oftentimes leach metals at high temperatures. 
  5. Avoid any heating coils that come into contact with the water, which can potentially leach nickel.

Borosilicate glass + stainless steel are best!


The Cleanest Non-Toxic Tea Kettles

Always look for a kettle that…

  • Is mostly borosilicate glass, including on the spout
  • Has a 304 or 316 stainless steel lid (instead of the commonly found plastic)
  • Has temperature control features for specific boiling temperatures (so I can make matcha)
  • Is electric (no stove required)
  • Didn’t make a loud beep (when getting ready early in the morning)

The best one I could find… Decen’s Electric Tea Kettle 1.7L Water Kettle with Removable Tea Infuser. They hit the nail right on the head with this one! I’m absolutely in love with it so far. [Update: it’s been sold out for quite some time, but Zwilling, ASCOT and MegaWise are great option]. Decen is usually available at Walmart.

Most will have Prop 65 warnings because of the plastic, but as long as it’s not coming directly in contact with the water, in my opinion, it’s okay. I look for ones with glass & high-quality stainless steel on the inside.

Teabloom’s Stovetop-Safe Glass Kettle is also a great (and chic) option! If you prefer stainless steel stove-top kettles, Quickone or Fino are good options.

Note that if stainless steel (like on the lid) is scratched, it can leech very minute amounts of heavy metals, like nickel, into the food/drinks… so use a light sponge when cleaning, not a hefty scrub brush. Unnecessary heavy metal consumption can wreak havoc on your physical & mental health long-term.

Non-toxic Tea Kettle
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Frequently Asked Questions

Click on the below FAQs to learn more about non-toxic safe tea kettles!

What is the safest tea kettle material?

Nontoxic Tea Kettle

The safest tea kettle material is made with borosilicate glass and food-grade stainless steel. Avoid plastic at all costs – this can leach into your drink!

What is the best plastic-free tea kettle?

Nontoxic Tea Kettle

Decen’s Electric Tea Kettle or Yabano’s Glass Kettle are great plastic-free tea kettle options. There are many plastic-free tea kettle options available on the market (both electric or stove-top).

What's the best healthy non toxic tea kettle?

Nontoxic Tea Kettle

The healthiest non toxic tea kettle is made primarily of stainless steel and borosilicate glass. Look for 306 or 316 stainless steel material.

Is stainless steel safe for tea?

Nontoxic Tea Kettle

Yes! Food grade stainless steel is one of the safest materials for boiling water or making tea.


What kind of kettle do you use?

Now we can enjoy tea, without unnecessary toxin exposures! Let me know your thoughts below.

You can watch our Web Story on this topic here. xoxo

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Want to read more? Check out my other articles here!

Copyright In On Around LLC 2021 © The statements made on this website have not been evaluated by the FDA (U.S. Food & Drug Administration). They are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The information provided by this website should not be used as individual medical advice and you should always consult your doctor for individual recommendations and treatment.

About Catherine Power

Catherine Power is the Founder and CEO of In On Around. She is a Harvard-educated Ingredient Safety and Environmental Toxins expert. Catherine has a background in Food Science, Personal Care Quality, and Regulatory Compliance.

4 Responses

  1. Thank you for this information!! I wasn’t able to get the link to your kettle recommendation to work (could be sold out). Do you have any other recommendations? Thank you!!

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