TechEnergy · Appliances
Why the energy label on that kettle is lying to you
Labels measure a standard test. Your kitchen is not a standard test.
DH
Daan Hofman
2 September 2026 · 5 min read
The label is not dishonest. It reports a figure from a controlled test, at a fixed fill level, from a fixed starting temperature. Almost nobody uses a kettle that way.
In practice, the biggest variable is overfilling. Boiling twice the water you need roughly doubles the energy for that boil, and no label rating compensates for it.
The most efficient kettle in the shop, overfilled, loses to the cheapest one used properly.
If you want a single change that matters, fill to the cup marks. The label can stay where it is.
Daan Hofman
Technology reporter
Daan writes about gadgets, energy use and the quiet ways devices cost you money.
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