Russell Hobbs Buckingham Kettle review: "One of the quietest kettles I've used"

Price on writing: £28 | Buy now from Amazon

Our verdict

The Russell Hobbs Buckingham gets a lot of love on the Mumsnet forums, so in my quest to find the best kettles, I was keen to try it out. Admittedly, it's not my favourite kettle (that was a very difficult toss up between the Bosch Styline and Sage Smart Kettle), but given that it's less than half the price of more premium competitors, I rate it as a decent, budget-friendly buy.

Now, onto its main selling point: the quiet boil. I do think it's quiet—by no means silent—but it certainly doesn't have the roar that you get with some other kettles as the water gets close to boiling. It's fast to boil too, taking just 45 seconds to heat up one cup of water. And while the design is fairly simple, I do like the blue illumination at the base of the kettle when it's on.

However, it's worth noting that some reviewers say that as time goes on, it gets significantly louder (on the other hand, some say it's served them well for a good five years). It's not an issue I experienced over my two months of testing it out, but something to bear in mind if you're looking for longevity. On the whole though, I think it's a good, basic kettle for family homes, and you can currently snap it up for less than £30.

How easy is the Russell Hobbs Buckingham 20460 Kettle to set up?

Very easy. It's simply a case of filling water up to the max level and setting it to boil, before discarding the water and giving it a rinse. This is standard set-up for every kettle I've tested for Mumsnet.

Related: The best kettles for hard water, tried and tested

What is the Russell Hobbs Quiet Boil Buckingham Kettle like to use?

As the Buckingham is a basic kettle, I found it super easy to use. The push button to open the lid on the handle is a nice touch and means you can fill the kettle up one-handed without having to fiddle around taking the lid off. Then, it's simply a case of flicking the on/off switch and letting it boil away.

I loved how fast it boiled; the minimum capacity (one cup) took around 45 seconds to boil. Having the ability to boil just one cup was a big plus for me too, as when I wanted a quick coffee, I wasn't wasting water or power boiling more than was needed, making this a good energy-efficient kettle.

In terms of noise, it's one of the quietest kettles I've used, and while it still rumbled away, it wasn't as noisy or distracting as some other kettles I've tried. Plus, the boil time is so fast that noise isn't an issue for too long anyway.

The perfect pour spout allowed for a precise stream of water straight into my mug or saucepan, reducing the chance of any spillages or splashes. The handle was comfy too, and the kettle felt lightweight to hold even when full. There's a water gauge in two cup increments that's easy to view, and I appreciated the red markers inside the kettle to measure just one cup.

My only complaint in this area was that it lacks any fancy features such as variable temperature settings or the option to keep the water warm, something I prefer a kettle to have. However, kettles with these features tend to retail around the £75+ mark, so I'm not surprised at its simplicity given the £28 price tag.

Read next: The best dishwashers, whatever your budget

Russell Hobbs Buckingham 20460 Kettle: how does it look?

With a brushed stainless steel outer body, matte black accents, and Russell Hobbs branding, the Buckingham is a fairly standard-looking kettle. It's not an eyesore, but it's not the most stylish either, and it fitted in on my kitchen countertops without being too eye-catching.

I did love the blue illumination at the base when the kettle was on though; this was a nice design feature.

Related: The best kettle and toaster sets for style

How easy is the Russell Hobbs Buckingham Kettle to keep clean?

The stainless steel design of the kettle, while sleek, made water marks quite apparent after the first week of testing. However, a quick wipe sorted this out straight away. It's also worth mentioning that I live in a very hard water area and have experienced this with every stainless steel kettle I've tested.

There's also a removable limescale filter which is pretty effective—it successfully kept limescale specks out of my hot drinks. After two months of testing, there was limescale gathered at the bottom of the kettle (again, in a hard water area this is not a total surprise), so as with any kettle without a water filtration system like the Russell Hobbs Brita Purity, it will need a regular descale.

Read next: The best slimline dishwashers for small kitchens

Price: does the Russell Hobbs Buckingham Kettle 20460 offer good value for money?

Yes, it does at its current price. Retailing at just under £30, I think it's a great kettle for the price—though I do think the RRP of £45 is a little too steep.

Some reviewers have reported that the quality isn't great over time—however, I had no issues during testing, and it does come with a two-year guarantee for peace of mind.

How we tested

The Russell Hobbs 20460 Buckingham Quiet Boil Kettle was tested out by MNHQ editor Natasha over a two-month period. During testing, the Buckingham kettle was carefully rated it on its features, ease of use, ease of cleaning, design, and value for money.

• Tested in a four-person household over two months

• Tested in a very hard water area

• Used daily for a range of hot drinks, including coffee, regular tea, and herbal tea

• Cross-compared to other kettles Natasha has tested out for Mumsnet

About the author

Natasha Gregson is a Senior Content Editor at Mumsnet and oversees all home and kitchen content on the website. With numerous years of editorial experience under her belt, her work has also been featured in prestigious national publications like The i Paper and Stylist Magazine.

Natasha can't get through the day without her essential coffee, so she's on a mission to find the top kettles and toasters for Mumsnetters and has reviewed numerous kettles this year. She's also worked extensively on other home content for Mumsnet and has edited features on the best glass kettle, most effective kettle descaler, and smallest travel kettle, so she knows a thing or two about selecting the top kitchen gadgets.

When she’s not busy seeking out the best buys and advice for Mumsnetters, you can find her searching for the next best restaurant, watching live music, curling up with a good book, cross-stitching, or enjoying a good hike or swim.

About Mumsnet Reviews

All Mumsnet product reviews are written by real people after extensive research and testing. We work hard to provide honest and independent advice you can trust. Sometimes, we earn revenue through affiliate (click-to-buy) links in our articles. However, we never allow this to influence our coverage.

Read next: The best integrated dishwashers