Morphy Richards Equip 1.7L Jug Kettle review: "a straightforward, budget-friendly kettle"

Price at time of testing: £30 | Check price at Amazon, Argos or Morphy Richards directly

My verdict

Kettles are one of those things you barely notice until they pack in, usually when you’re already late and in need of tea.

That’s very much where the Morphy Richards Equip 1.7L Jug Kettle comes in. It’s simple, quick and refreshingly free of pointless extras. In a busy family kitchen, that’s often enough.

If you want a kettle that boils fast, looks smart enough on the worktop and doesn’t require any effort beyond filling it and pressing the switch, this is an easy one to like. It isn’t luxurious, and it doesn’t pretend to be. But for under £30, it handles the basics well and keeps pace with everyday life. Though, if you’re still weighing up options, it’s worth a look at our guide to the best kettles.

You get the base and kettle in the box along with an instruction manual

There are a few compromises. It’s louder than I’d like, especially if you’re boiling it several times in a row. So, if noise is a dealbreaker, you’re better off looking at our guide to the best quiet kettles. The water gauge isn’t the easiest to read at a glance either, and if you’re only making one cup, the fairly high minimum fill can also mean you end up boiling more water than you need. If that’s something that would annoy you, a hot water dispenser can be a better fit for quick single drinks.

Still, those are all manageable gripes rather than glaring flaws.

How I’ve tested the Morphy Richards Equip 1.7L Jug Kettle

I used this kettle as our main one at home for two weeks, making multiple drinks a day and using it for cooking jobs too, from filling saucepans to sorting hot water bottles. It heats up quickly and consistently, and that really shows when you’re making tea for more than one person and haven’t got time to hang around.

It is on the noisy side, though. If you live in an open-plan space or tend to boil the kettle while someone’s on a call, you’ll notice it.

In use, it’s very straightforward. The lid opens easily with the button on the handle, and filling it is simple whether you go through the lid or the spout. Pouring is neat too, with no annoying dribbles down the side afterwards.

Pleasantly surprised to find the water window on the side of the Equip kettle, unlike the Signature model

The water window sounds handy on paper, but in real life it can be a bit awkward to read depending on the light. I also found the minimum fill level low down enough that it’s easy to go past it when you’re only making one drink.

It wipes clean quickly and doesn’t seem to show every fingerprint, which is always welcome in a busy kitchen. The limescale filter does its job, although it’s a bit fiddly when you want to take it out and clean it - and isn’t as easy to remove as the Signature kettle. 

At £30, it feels like decent value. You’re paying for speed, capacity and ease of use, not flashy extras.

The cable tidy is quite tough, requiring a bit of effort to get it to stick in the base neatly

How quickly does the Morphy Richards Equip 1.7L Jug Kettle boil? 

Quickly enough that it never became a frustration. It’s especially handy when you’re making several drinks at once, and it switches off promptly when it’s done.

How well made is Morphy Richard’s Equip kettle? 

It feels functional rather than fancy. The body is lightweight, which makes it easy to handle and helps keep the price down, but it doesn’t have the solid feel of a pricier kettle. The stainless steel design reduces fingerprints, and the added strip of metal at the bottom does break up the look of it nicely - it’s something a bit different. 

The stainless steel design is subtly broken up by a strip of smooth metal

How easy is the Morphy Richards Equip kettle to use? 

Very easy. The lid opens smoothly, the 360 degree base makes docking simple and filling it is straightforward. The only real niggle is the water gauge, which can be harder to read than it should be. Plus, there’s no temperature control here, so if you’re particular about coffee or green tea, you might want to look at a temperature control kettle instead.

Is the Equip kettle safe to use?

Yes, with standard safety features like auto shut-off and boil-dry protection included.

The design is pretty basic, and does no more or less than what you'd expect from an affordable kettle

Is the Morphy Richards Equip Jug Kettle easy to clean? 

Yes, mostly. The outside wipes down quickly and the removable limescale filter helps, although you’ll still need to descale it regularly in a hard water area. If that’s a constant battle, it’s worth checking out our guide to the best kettles for hard water.

Is this kettle by Morphy Richards good value for money? 

Yes. It gets the practical stuff right, boils quickly and keeps the price sensible. You’re not getting premium materials or extra features, but you are getting a perfectly serviceable family kettle.

If you like everything matching (I do, when I can be bothered), you might also want a look at the best toasters to go with it.

The hinged lid is much less faff compared to the removable lids of the Signature and Illumination models

Side by side comparison: Morphy Richards kettles

Within the Morphy Richards range, this sits at the more affordable, no-frills end. Compared with the brand’s Illumination and Signature kettles, you won’t get the more design-led finish, but you are getting the same 3kW rapid boil and everyday ease.

The limescale filter is removable but it can be fiddly to get in and out

Final verdict: is this the kettle for you? 

This is a straightforward, budget-friendly kettle that gets the basics right. It won’t win over anyone after premium finishes or extra features, but if you want quick, reliable hot water and can live with a bit of noise, it’s a good everyday buy.

About the author

Rebecca Roberts (aka Beccy) is our resident lifestyle expert with a practical focus on sleep, wellness and everyday comfort. She’s equally at home tackling frank, NSFW‑adjacent topics as she is road‑testing kitchen appliances, mattresses and vacuums that work for real parents. A former editor of LJMU’s Looprevil Press, she cut her teeth in journalism in 2010, earned a post‑grad diploma in Journalism and later led editorial at ExpatWoman in Dubai before joining Mumsnet. As a mum of two, she writes with the time‑poor, sleep‑deprived in mind - honest product reviews, realistic routines and products that make parents’ lives easier.

When she’s not at her desk, she’s probably product‑testing with her two helpers, corralling a PTA or walking her two dogs up and down country lanes.

About Mumsnet reviews

All Mumsnet product reviews are written by real parents after weeks of hands-on testing. We never accept payment for coverage, and our verdicts are independent and honest. We may earn a small commission through affiliate links, which helps fund our work - but it never influences our opinions.

All prices are correct at the time of writing.

Read next: Our guide to the best kettles, including budget picks and quieter models