Reviewers like stainless steel electric kettles, because plastic kettles can contain bisphenol A (BPA) and the plastic tends to crack over a number of years. Plus, according to Chow.com, plastic pots can imbue your favorite brew with a plasticky taste and aroma. The best electric kettles boil water quickly, last a long time, require little maintenance, and incorporate safety and efficiency features.

Chef’s Choice Cordless Electric Kettle

The Chef’s Choice Cordless Electric Kettle is a well-designed matte stainless-steel kettle is a great choice for tea connoisseurs, as it allows you to choose from a variety of water temperatures. With a two-quart capacity it’s not only the biggest kettle made by the manufacturer, but one of the largest kettles on the market by about a cup. The only potential drawback of this kettle is that can be somewhat complicated to use.

It received an score of A- from Good Housekeeping — reviewers there gave the glass version of this kettle an A+ rating. However, we found many complaints on Amazon, stating that they lid of the glass kettle broke. This stainless steel version of the kettle received an average of 4 out of 5 stars, from 227 Amazon buyers.

The Chef’s Choice Cordless Electric Kettle is available from Amazon for about $40.

The Krups BW500 Electric Kettle

KRUPS has a long-standing reputation of quality and this 1.8 quart cordless electric kettle is one of the most durable on the market. Made of stainless steel, the 3-pound weight may be off-putting to some, but this adds to the sturdiness of the kettle. The 1500 watts heats water quickly and efficiently. There is an automatic shut-off once the water reaches the boiling point.

Most electric kettles have a 1 year limited warranty, but KRUPS offers a 2 year limited warranty. The KRUPS BW500 received an average 4.4 star rating from 14 Amazon customers. It sells for about $60 on Amazon.

Capresso H2O Plus Electric Kettle

The Capresso H2O Plus wins big on style points because it’s sleekly designed out of glass–which lets owners watch water boil, if so moved. Of course, the glass exterior is also prone to breakage.

The Capresso boils water under 5 minutes, shuts off automatically, and has a concealed heating element. As a bonus, the cord retracts into the electric kettle’s base. This kettle also has a slightly smaller six-cup capacity, though whether that’s an upside or downside depends on how many people live in your household and how often you entertain guests.

This kettle received a top rating from Cook’s Illustrated.

The Capresso costs around $49 at Amazon.

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Fagor Duo Pressure Cooker

Cook’s Illustrated magazine has the most reliable review of pressure cooker — they put six pressure cookers through rigorous tests. They gave top rating to the Fagor Duo Pressure Cooker, saying this cooker works splendidly, and has an easy-to-use locking mechanism. Over eighty reviewers on Amazon gave this cooker an average rating of 4 out of 5 stars.

This cooker comes with a 10 year warranty.

The Fagor Duo Pressure Cooker is available from Amazon for about $75.

Kuhn Rikon Duromatic Pressure Cooker

In an interview in the Washington Post, Lorna Sass, author of three pressure cooker cookbooks says she recommends Kuhn Rikon’s Duromatic cookers for their integrated lid-locking and their excellent safety-release system. Here’s what the New York Times said about them:

The Kuhn Rikon Duromatic, made in Switzerland, lived up to its reputation as the Mercedes-Benz of pressure cookers. It purred, came up to pressure quickly, was easy to regulate and opened and closed smoothly…The instruction manual and recipe booklet were exceptionally good.

The most popular size of Kuhn Rikon Duromatic lines is the 7-Liter Pot, its available from Amazon for $172.

Presto Pressure Cooker

If you are looking for an inexpensive cooker, you might consider a Presto pressure cooker. It comes with a 12-year warranty and features include a locking handle and pressure-release indicator. Over 200 Amazon reviewers gave this cooker an average rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars.

The Presto Pressure Cooker is available from Amazon for about $68.

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The Wushtof company, based in Germany, makes carbon-steel kitchen knives that get high ratings from most credible reviewers (including Cook’s Illustrated and Consumer Reports). Reviewers are impressed by the durability of Wushtof knives — they are made of heavy forged steel.

The Wushtof Classic, which we are featuring here, has polypropylene handles riveted to a metal tang. The knife is also known for retaining a sharp edge for years. Wushtof warranties the knife to be free of defects in material and craftsmanship for the lifetime of the product.

The Wushtof Classic knife is available from Amazon for about $120.

Other equally durable kitchen knives include the Shun Santoku Hollow Ground Knife and the Victorinox Fibrox Granton Edge Santoku Knife.

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