The first electric kettle I encountered was at a friend’s apartment in Paris, where these countertop appliances are commonplace. Bodum’s Bistro kettle boiled water astonishingly fast, so I bought one after getting home. That was more than 20 years ago, and an updated version of the same model is still on my kitchen counter. To my mind, it’s the best-looking basic option, with clean lines and an iconic Scandi aesthetic.

It isn’t terribly heavy, even at its full 1.7-liter capacity. It’s also handy to have a see-through window that’s graduated in ounces and cups. Plus, and perhaps most importantly, the water boils just as fast as pricier electric kettles we’ve tried.

Other highlights include the scale filter, which helps prevent build-up if you have hard water, and a mesh-screen spout to keep water fresh and free of sediment. While the cord is considerably short, I wish it were retractable, like some other models covered here.

I’ve personally never had an issue with its power for the purposes of making tea and coffee, which is slightly lower than most at 1,100 watts.