Kettles

The six presets are 60°C (delicate Japanese green tea: gyokuro, fine sencha), 70°C (white tea, very light oolong), 80°C (standard Chinese green tea: Dragon Well, Bi Luo Chun; also matcha), 85°C (medium oolong, lighter French press coffee), 95°C (pour-over and drip coffee, Chemex, AeroPress; also quick-steeped black tea), and 100°C (full rolling boil for builder's tea, instant coffee, and general use). Manual controls also let you stop at any temperature shown on the real-time display.

Once the water reaches your selected temperature, press Hold Temp and the kettle keeps the water at that temperature for up to 30 minutes. The heating element cycles on and off as needed to maintain the temperature. This means you can brew a first cup of green tea at 80°C, pause for 20 minutes, and pour a second cup at the same temperature without re-boiling. It is particularly useful for brewing sessions and whenever you need water ready but cannot pour immediately.

Both offer temperature control at a similar price point. The KitchenAid goes lower — its range starts at 50°C (useful for baby formula and very delicate teas); the Ninja starts at 60°C. However, the Ninja has a 30-minute Hold Temp function that the KitchenAid lacks — once the KitchenAid reaches temperature, water begins cooling immediately. The Ninja also shows the water temperature climbing on a real-time display. For most tea and coffee drinkers, the Ninja's Hold Temp is the more useful daily feature.

It depends entirely on what you drink. For someone who makes exclusively builder's tea or instant coffee — always 100°C — a standard Russell Hobbs kettle does the job at a third of the price. The Ninja earns its premium for anyone who makes green tea, pour-over coffee, French press, or any drink that benefits from water below 100°C, and especially for anyone who wants to pour a second cup at the same temperature 20 minutes after the first without re-boiling.

The KT200UK is available in four colours: Matte Black (the most widely stocked variant), Copper/Black (a warm two-tone finish), Stainless Steel (classic brushed look), and Stone Gold (a warm neutral). Unlike Smeg or KitchenAid, Ninja does not currently offer matching toasters in these finishes, so the kettle stands alone rather than forming part of a coordinated kitchen set.