Two ways to keep water off plastic
If you’re here, it’s usually because you’d rather boiling water didn’t sit against a plastic interior — often after noticing a plastic smell from an older kettle. There are two good answers:
- Glass — the water boils in a glass body, so you can see it, and nothing plastic touches the water inside. The trade-off: glass shows limescale sooner (more noticeable in Ireland and the UK’s hard-water areas) and is a little more delicate.
- Plastic-free stainless — the water path is all steel, so it’s durable and hides limescale, but you can’t see the water.
Both avoid a plastic water path. A note on “plastic-free”: many glass kettles still have a plastic lid, handle, or spout — what matters is the water path, and a glass body or an all-steel interior both keep hot water off plastic. (For the full materials breakdown, see electric kettle materials.)
Every pick below is a 230V kettle on Amazon UK, which delivers to Ireland — not a US listing that won’t run on Irish mains.
Best plastic-free — Cosori
Cosori Plastic-Free Water Contact Kettle (Brushed Stainless)
The pick if your priority is that the water only ever touches steel. Cosori's kettle routes the water solely over stainless — interior, spout, and gauge — so there's no hot water against plastic, and it's backed by one of the largest owner bases of any kettle on the UK market. It's a brushed-stainless design that hides limescale and shrugs off daily use. You can't see the water boil the way you can with glass, but for durable, no-plastic-contact boiling, it's the clearest answer — and the closest match to what most people researching kettle materials actually want.
Prime Day Amazon Prime Big Deal Days is on — a good time to check the live price.
Check current price on Amazon.co.ukWhat buyers praise
- Water contacts only stainless steel — no plastic path
- Durable brushed-stainless body; hides limescale
- Very large, well-rated owner base; fast 230V boil
What buyers flag
- Can't see the water boil (not glass)
- Stainless shows fingerprints
Best glass — Russell Hobbs Illuminating Glass
Russell Hobbs Illuminating Glass Kettle, 1.7L
The glass kettle most people should get. The water boils in a clear glass body that lights up as it heats — genuinely nice to watch — at a full 1.7L, from the brand Irish and UK kitchens reach for first, with a large, well-rated owner base. Like any glass kettle it shows limescale and wants regular descaling, and it's a touch more delicate than steel, but if you want to see the water and keep it off plastic in a smart-looking kettle, this is the one.
Prime Day Amazon Prime Big Deal Days is on — a good time to check the live price.
Check current price on Amazon.co.ukWhat buyers praise
- Glass body — water off plastic, and you can watch it boil
- Illuminates while heating; full 1.7L
- Trusted brand; large, well-rated owner base
What buyers flag
- Shows limescale — descale regularly
- More delicate than a stainless kettle
Best budget glass — Amazon Basics
Amazon Basics Electric Glass Kettle, 1.7L
The cheapest way into a glass kettle. It does the essentials — a glass body so the water stays off plastic, a full 1.7L, a fast boil, and a removable filter — for the lowest price here, with a solid, well-rated owner base for a budget model. It won't feel as premium as the Russell Hobbs and, like all glass kettles, it shows limescale, but if you want a glass kettle without spending much, it delivers exactly that.
Prime Day Amazon Prime Big Deal Days is on — a good time to check the live price.
Check current price on Amazon.co.ukWhat buyers praise
- Lowest-priced glass kettle here
- Glass body keeps water off plastic; full 1.7L
- Fast boil and a removable filter
What buyers flag
- Basic feel next to premium glass kettles
- Glass shows limescale — descale regularly
Best for hard water — Russell Hobbs BRITA Glass
Russell Hobbs BRITA Purity Glass Kettle, 1.5L
Built for the hard water common across Ireland and the UK. A BRITA filter sits in the kettle and cuts limescale and impurities as you fill, so the glass stays clearer and your tea and coffee taste cleaner — a real advantage if your area furs up a kettle fast. You get the glass body's no-plastic water path with less descaling, at a higher price and a slightly smaller 1.5L capacity. If limescale is your enemy, this is the glass kettle to buy.
Prime Day Amazon Prime Big Deal Days is on — a good time to check the live price.
Check current price on Amazon.co.ukWhat buyers praise
- Built-in BRITA filter — less limescale, cleaner-tasting water
- Glass body keeps water off plastic
- Ideal for hard-water areas in Ireland and the UK
What buyers flag
- Costs more; filters are an ongoing extra
- Slightly smaller 1.5L capacity
Best stainless — Russell Hobbs Brushed Steel
Russell Hobbs Brushed Stainless Steel Kettle, 1.7L Cordless
If you like the idea of keeping water off plastic but would rather have durable steel than glass, this is the pick. The brushed-stainless body is tougher than glass, hides limescale, and carries one of the largest owner bases of any Russell Hobbs kettle, at a full 1.7L with a fast boil and a washable filter. It's not fully plastic-free the way the Cosori is — check the water path if that's your priority — but as a hard-wearing steel kettle that avoids a glass body's fragility, it's a strong, well-priced choice.
Prime Day Amazon Prime Big Deal Days is on — a good time to check the live price.
Check current price on Amazon.co.ukWhat buyers praise
- Durable brushed steel — hides limescale, no glass to break
- Full 1.7L, fast boil, washable filter
- Huge, well-rated owner base
What buyers flag
- Not fully plastic-free (check the water path)
- You can't see the water boil
How to choose between them
- Water only ever touching steel? The Cosori plastic-free.
- Want to watch it boil? The Russell Hobbs Illuminating Glass — or the Amazon Basics glass to spend less.
- Hard water furring up your kettle? The Russell Hobbs BRITA glass.
- Prefer durable steel over glass? The brushed-stainless Russell Hobbs.
Whichever you choose, it’s a 230V kettle for the Irish and UK mains on Amazon UK. Glass kettles reward regular descaling — here’s how to descale a kettle. Shopping more broadly? See the best electric kettles in Ireland.
Electric kettle materials · Best electric kettles in Ireland
