Bosch Styline TWK8633GB review: A stylish, feature-packed kettle

If you’re a fan of green tea, matcha or coffee made with a French Press or Aeropress, then you’ll be used to waiting for the boiled water in your kettle to cool down rather than risk burning the delicate leaves or grounds. Upgrading to a variable-temperature kettle is an easier, more reliable method to make these drinks simply and well, however, and the Bosch Styline is one of the best variable-temperature options we’ve tested. Read the full write-up below to see the Bosch Styline’s scores from our kettle group test, my notes on how it stacks up against rival models, as well as what I saw as its biggest strengths and weaknesses.

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Bosch Styline TWK8633GB kettle review: What do you get for the money?

Listed at £85 when buying direct, it has a similar RRP at retailers. Whatever price you pay, you’ll get a 3,000W kettle with an internal capacity of 1.5l and a dual-wall insulated plastic and stainless steel body, with the kettle unit itself measuring 21 x 17.5 x 26cm (WDH) and weighing 1.6kg. The kettle also has a wide, plastic viewing window on its side body, with measurement markings for both litres and cups. The Styline sits on a rectangular 360° swivel base which also houses its control buttons. Using these buttons, you can turn it on, select one of its four temperature settings (70°C, 80°C, 90°C and boiling) and activate its keep warm function.

The Bosch Styline’s main rival is the similarly priced Russell Hobbs Attentiv (£70), which is also quite similar in function and design. The Attentiv also has a keep warm function and variable temperature controls, though it has a wider range available, giving users the options to select temperature by 5°C increments between 40°C and boiling. Other standout features of the Attentiv include its removable tea steeping basket, built-in timer, temperature indicator and the touchscreen controls on its base. However, the Attentiv’s glass-based construction means that it is much less well insulated than the Styline and will likely accrue limescale faster and more visibly.

To give you an idea of what’s available either side of these two mid-range marvels, the 1.7l Kenwood Dusk is a handsome, efficient, quiet boiling kettle (£55) without any real extra bells or whistles, while the John Lewis Anyday (£20) is our favourite budget pick, boasting a decent design and a fairly smooth operation to match its commendably low price. North of the Styline in price, the Swan Alexa Smart Kettle (£99) boasts variable temperature settings, a dual-walled construction and the ability to connect to any Amazon smart speaker, allowing you to tell your kettle to pop itself on via voice command, while the Zwilling Enfinigy Pro (£129) marries the key features of the Russell Hobbs Attentiv with a sleek, modern design and a dual-walled insulated design similar to the Bosch Styline. At the top end of the spectrum, the KitchenAid Artisan (£199) has a peerless, classic design, top-notch build quality, variable temperature and a host of deft design touches which help justify its steep asking price.

Bosch Styline TWK8633GB kettle review: What’s good about it?

Let’s start by taking a look at the results of our group test, where the Bosch Styline excelled in several areas. Though all the 3,000W kettles performed similarly, the Styline still did itself proud, boiling a litre of water in 2mins 16secs with a boil rate 0.55°C/s – not far behind the Kenwood Abbey Lux, whose time of 2mins 15secs and boil rate of 0.57°C/s made it our quickest kettle, if only marginally. Where the Styline really shone was our external temperature and heat retention tests, thanks to its dual-walled insulation giving it an edge. The exterior temperature of the Styline peaked at just 31.9°C in use, far below the likes of the Ninja Perfect Temperature, John Lewis Anyday and Russell Hobbs Attentiv, all of which reached temperatures of 70°C+ in this test. Retaining a water temperature of 92.6°C five minutes after reaching a boil, the Styline’s insulation was only slightly bested by the Zwilling Enfinigy Pro, at 94.6°C.

The Bosch Styline is also a pleasure to use. The kettle’s simple button controls make it easy to set the Styline to one its four temperature settings, with the range of temperature options making it easy to prepare water for delicate green teas and matcha, slightly more robust oolongs and whites teas, coffee, which prefers a temperature just below boiling and, of course, good old-fashioned black tea, happiest at 99°C. In addition, the Styline also has a keep-warm function, which can keep water at your desired temperature for up to 30 minutes. This is perfect for busy households where everyone needs their cuppa at a different point in the morning.

I’m also partial to the Styline’s look and design. The lid opens to a nice wide angle with a simple button-press, the spout pours smoothly and the kettle’s body and base are both modern-looking and handsome, with the pairing of stainless steel and black plastic on the kettle itself being particularly eye-catching.

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Bosch Styline TWK8633GB kettle review: What could be better?

I struggle to think of any serious quibbles with the Bosch Styline, but can note a few areas where it might be able to improve. At 57.5 dBa, it was towards the noisier end of things in terms of the kettles we tested. It wasn’t the worst offender at any rate, though: the Ninja 1L Perfect Temperature claimed that title at 63.1 dBa. I would like to see a temperature indicator on this model, with its button-only control setup meaning it lacks one. Overall, the button-only approach feels a little simpler and less slick than the Russell Hobbs Attentiv, with its LED screen and touchscreen controls.

Bosch Styline TWK8633GB kettle review: Should I buy it?

While it has some close rivals that may turn your head, such as the Russell Hobbs Attentiv (£70), the Bosch Styline still stands on its own as one of the best kettles available for less than £100. Alongside a handsome, modern look and a sensible design, the Styline is a quick, effective boiler with excellent dual-walled insulation, and the variable temperature settings and keep warm function are a boon. Overall, if you’re looking for a kettle that does a little more than bog-standard models, the Bosch Styline is a great buy.