Last updated 9 November 2026. Written by the Clean Smile Home team. We sell both kettles in this guide, so we've tried to be clear about where each one falls short. We don't run our own lab tests: noise and boil-time figures come from the independent reviewers named in the sources at the end, and specifications come from the manufacturers and major UK retailers.
The short answer
Neither kettle is silent, and nobody has published a fair side-by-side decibel test of the two. The Breville Curve VKT117 carries independent Quiet Mark certification. The Russell Hobbs Buckingham Quiet Boil 20460 relies on Russell Hobbs' own "up to 75% quieter" claim, but has better reviews for how quiet it sounds, a one-cup line and a longer guarantee.
Buckingham Quiet Boil vs Breville Curve at a glance
| Russell Hobbs Buckingham Quiet Boil 20460 | Breville Curve VKT117 | |
|---|---|---|
| Quiet claim | Up to 75% quieter than a Russell Hobbs kettle without Quiet Boil (manufacturer claim) | Quiet Mark certified (independent scheme) |
| Published decibel figure | None | None from Breville or Quiet Mark; Tom's Guide measured up to 74.8 dB |
| Power | 3,000 W | 3,000 W |
| Capacity | 1.7 litres | 1.7 litres |
| One-cup boil | About 45 seconds for 235 ml (Russell Hobbs) | No claim from Breville |
| Minimum fill | 235 ml (Mumsnet) | Not published by Breville |
| Finish | Brushed stainless steel | High-gloss white with chrome |
| Water window | Two windows with 1, 2 and 3 cup markings | Water window with cup indicator, at the back |
| Lid | Push-to-open metal lid | Lift-off lid |
| Filter | Removable, washable limescale filter | Removable limescale filter |
| Element | Concealed | Concealed |
| Weight | 1.16 kg (Currys) | 0.9 to 1.18 kg depending on source |
| Guarantee | Standard guarantee plus an extra year when registered (see below) | 12 months (Breville UK) |
| Our price | £32.19 | £31.28 |
Prices were correct when we published and do change. For comparison, Currys listed the Buckingham at £44.99 and the Curve at £34.99 when we checked, and Breville's own site had the Curve at £39.99.
Why kettles are so loud in the first place
A kettle is loudest just before it boils, not when it boils. The Naked Scientists explain why: the element is hotter than 100°C, so steam bubbles form on it. Those bubbles rise into cooler water above, and collapse. That collapse is called cavitation, and it is very noisy. Once the whole jug is near boiling, the bubbles reach the surface and pop far more gently, which is why the roar often fades in the last few seconds.
So a quieter kettle has to do one of two things: stop those bubbles forming in the same violent way, or muffle the sound they make. Different brands take different approaches, and the two kettles in this guide prove the point.
Which? adds two useful findings from its own testing. First, it found no link between how fast a kettle boils and how loud it is, so a slower kettle isn't automatically quieter. Second, the materials and the design of the heating element affect noise. That matches what the manufacturers say about their quiet models.
How each kettle claims to be quieter
Russell Hobbs Buckingham: Quiet Boil technology
Russell Hobbs says the Buckingham has a specially coated diffuser ring on the inner floor of the kettle. The ring breaks the bubbles up so they pop more quietly. Its marketing says the kettle is "up to 75% quieter than a standard kettle".
The footnote matters. Russell Hobbs' own page says the 75% figure comes from testing against a Russell Hobbs kettle without Quiet Boil technology. It doesn't say which kettle, and it doesn't give a test method or a decibel figure. Its UK blog says only that the kettle "measured lower decibels in the testing environment that we use". So the claim is real, but it's the manufacturer's, and you can't check it against anything else.
Mumsnet's best quiet kettles round-up described the Buckingham as up to 75% quieter than "previous models", which is a slightly different wording from Russell Hobbs' own footnote. We go with Russell Hobbs' version.
Breville Curve: Quiet Mark certification
Breville's UK product page doesn't explain any particular quiet technology for the Curve, and it doesn't mention Quiet Mark either. But Quiet Mark's own website lists the Breville Curve VKT117 as certified under Quiet Kitchen, Kettles, and retailers including Currys show the Quiet Mark logo on it.
Quiet Mark is an independent international certification programme associated with the Noise Abatement Society, a UK charity founded in 1959. According to Quiet Mark, it reviews the manufacturer's test data, runs its own acoustic measurements through partner labs, and compares products against others in the same category. It says it certifies roughly the quietest 10 to 20% in each category and re-evaluates every year. It also looks at the quality of the sound, things like tonality and sharpness, not just the loudness.
What Quiet Mark doesn't do is publish a decibel threshold for kettles, or a figure for each certified kettle. So the logo tells you the Curve was judged among the quieter kettles when assessed, but not how quiet in numbers.
We explain the scheme in more detail in our guide to what Quiet Mark is and the Breville Curve.
Is the Buckingham Quiet Mark certified?
We couldn't find any evidence that it is. It isn't on Quiet Mark's kettle list, and the major retailer listings we checked don't mention it. Russell Hobbs has had many products certified by Quiet Mark, but in other categories. The only certified Russell Hobbs kettle we found was the Calm 27450, which we don't sell. If that changes, we'll update this guide.
So which one is actually quieter?
Here's the honest answer: we don't know for certain, and neither does anyone else we could find. No reviewer we read measured both kettles with the same meter in the same room. That's the only fair way to compare them, because decibel readings depend heavily on distance, room and how full the kettle is.
What we do have:
- Tom's Guide measured the Breville Curve at up to 74.8 dB and called that "an average amount of noise". It didn't give a model number, so it may have tested a different colour of Curve.
- Argos customers gave the Curve 4.8 out of 5 overall from over 1,000 reviews, but its noise sub-score was its lowest rating at 2.4 out of 5.
- Mumsnet's Natasha Gregson called the Buckingham "one of the quietest kettles I've used", but "by no means silent", with a slight rumble. She judged by ear rather than with a meter.
- Expert Reviews measured other kettles in its round-up at 52 to 63 dB, though neither of these. Because meters, distances and rooms differ, you can't line those numbers up against Tom's Guide's 74.8 dB.
Our opinion, based on that: the user and reviewer feedback leans towards the Buckingham sounding quieter in a real kitchen, while the Curve holds the stronger third-party badge. If quietness is your main reason for buying, the Buckingham is the one we'd pick. If you'd rather trust an independent scheme over a manufacturer's percentage, the Curve has that.
Either way, keep your expectations sensible. Both are 3,000 W kettles that will still rumble. Quieter is the right word for both. Silent isn't.
Boil speed and the one-cup line
Both kettles run at 3,000 W, which is the practical maximum for a UK plug socket. That means boil times for the same amount of water should be close, and Which? found that speed and noise aren't linked anyway.
Russell Hobbs says the Buckingham boils one cup, which it defines as 235 ml, in about 45 seconds. Mumsnet's reviewer got roughly the same result. The Buckingham also has 1, 2 and 3 cup markings on both water windows, so you can see how much you're filling from either side.
Breville makes no boil-time claim for the Curve. Tom's Guide timed it at 2 minutes 13 seconds for 1 litre and 3 minutes 22 seconds for a full jug. Breville doesn't publish a minimum fill for it either. Mumsnet's round-up noted the Curve's water gauge is slightly restricted behind the handle, which makes small fills harder to judge.
That matters more than it sounds. Boiling only what you need saves time, energy and noise, because a smaller fill reaches the boil faster. If you mostly make one mug at a time, the Buckingham's clear one-cup marking is a small but real advantage.
Design and daily use
Russell Hobbs Buckingham
The Buckingham is brushed stainless steel with a blue light ring around the base that glows while it heats. The lid opens with a push button, so your hand stays away from the steam, and Mumsnet's reviewer liked the comfortable handle and push-button release. Currys lists it at 235 x 218 x 158 mm, 1.16 kg, with a 0.62 m cord.
The downsides from reviews: the brushed steel shows water marks, the design is plain, and there's no temperature control. Mumsnet also mentioned that some buyers report it getting louder with age, and Yours magazine noted reports of a metallic taste for the first few boils. Boiling and discarding a couple of full jugs before first use is sensible with any new kettle.
Breville Curve
The Curve is gloss white with chrome accents, and its shape is softer and more rounded. It has a 360° base, cord storage, and Breville's three-way safety system including boil-dry protection. Breville lists the cord at 900 mm, while Currys says 0.75 m and Tom's Guide measured 67 cm, so check the length if your socket is a stretch away.
Tom's Guide found the lid seals securely and the filter is easy to remove, but it measured the outside of the body at 70.5°C after boiling and called it a scalding hazard. It also found the handle felt hollow. That's worth knowing if you have young children who might touch it.
Weight figures for the Curve vary from 0.9 kg (Breville) to 1.18 kg (Currys). We'd treat it as roughly the same weight as the Buckingham.
Limescale, filters and keeping them quiet
Both kettles have a concealed element and a removable limescale filter in the spout. The filter catches flakes so they don't end up in your tea, but it doesn't soften the water.
Limescale also affects noise. Consumer NZ tested a scaled-up kettle at 79.1 dB before descaling and 75.4 dB afterwards, and explained that scale insulates the element, so the kettle heats more slowly and loudly. Which? also says descaling can quieten a kettle that has become noisier over time. If your "quiet" kettle has started to roar, limescale is the first thing to check.
Mumsnet's reviewer, in a very hard water area, found limescale building up in the Buckingham after about two months even though the filter kept flakes out. That's normal for any kettle in a hard water area.
Consumer NZ's descaling method is simple: fill with equal parts vinegar (or lemon juice) and water, leave for an hour, boil, then rinse well. Check your kettle's manual first, and rinse thoroughly before making drinks. If hard water is a constant battle, a filter kettle may suit you better; see our guide to hard water and the Russell Hobbs Purity filter kettle.
Guarantee and support
Breville's UK page gives the Curve a 12-month replacement warranty.
For the Buckingham, sources differ. Currys lists a three-year guarantee with the third year needing registration, Mumsnet says two years, and Russell Hobbs' UK site was advertising a free one-year extended warranty when you register. The safe takeaway: register your Buckingham with Russell Hobbs soon after buying, and you should get more cover than the Curve's single year. Check the terms at the point of registration, because they can change.
Three-year running cost
Both kettles are 3,000 W, and the energy needed to heat water is set by physics, not the brand. So electricity costs will be almost identical if you fill them the same way. Here are the sums.
- Heating 1 litre of water from about 15°C to 100°C takes roughly 0.1 kWh, before any heat losses.
- Say four boils a day of half a litre each: about 0.2 kWh a day.
- That's about 73 kWh a year, or 219 kWh over three years.
- At the Ofgem price cap electricity rate for 1 October to 31 December 2026 of 26.32p per kWh, that's about £19.21 a year, or about £57.64 over three years.
| Three-year estimate | Buckingham Quiet Boil | Breville Curve |
|---|---|---|
| Price at Clean Smile Home | £32.19 | £31.28 |
| Electricity (four 500 ml boils a day) | about £57.64 | about £57.64 |
| Total | about £89.83 | about £88.92 |
Real kettles lose some heat, so actual use will be a little higher. The rate is also likely to change after December 2026. The point stands though: the electricity matters more than the purchase price, and the biggest saving comes from not overfilling. If you habitually fill a 1.7 litre kettle to the top for one mug, you're paying to heat over a litre you don't use. Here, the Buckingham's clear one-cup line could save you more than the 91p price difference.
Who should buy which
You live in a flat or open-plan space and noise is the priority: Buckingham Quiet Boil
The reviews for how quiet it sounds in real kitchens are stronger, and Russell Hobbs designed it around noise. It's what we'd choose if quietness were our main reason for buying.
You want a quiet kettle backed by an independent badge: Breville Curve
Quiet Mark is the only independent certification here. If you'd rather trust a third-party scheme than a manufacturer's percentage, the Curve is your pick.
You have a white or light kitchen: Breville Curve
Gloss white with chrome will blend in better than brushed steel. It's a small thing, but you'll look at your kettle every day.
You make one mug at a time: Buckingham Quiet Boil
The 235 ml one-cup marking on both windows makes small fills easy, which means faster boils and lower bills.
You have small children: think carefully about either
Tom's Guide found the Curve's body reached 70.5°C. We haven't seen a surface temperature for the Buckingham, and it's also metal. Keep any kettle and its cord well back on the worktop.
You want temperature control too: neither
Neither has it. If you'd like quiet and temperature control together, read our comparison of the Ninja Perfect Temperature kettle and the Cuisinart glass temperature kettle, bearing in mind neither of those is sold as a quiet kettle.
You want the cheapest kettle that does the job: neither
If noise doesn't bother you, the Russell Hobbs Honeycomb at £21.16 is our cheapest kettle and does the basics well. Our best kettle UK guide compares every kettle we sell.
Tips for a quieter kettle, whichever you buy
- Descale regularly. Consumer NZ measured a drop of nearly 4 dB after descaling a scaled kettle, and Which? agrees descaling can quieten a noisy kettle.
- Keep the filter clean. A clogged filter won't make it louder, but it's a sign scale is building inside too.
- Use filtered water in hard water areas. Less scale means the element stays efficient for longer.
- Boil only what you need. It won't change how loud the kettle is, but a smaller fill boils faster, so the noise lasts for less time.
- Don't judge it on the first boil. Boil and discard a couple of full jugs before first use to clear any manufacturing residue and taste.
- Put it on a flat, stable surface. A kettle that rocks on its base can rattle. That's common sense rather than a tested fix, but it costs nothing to check.
Common problems
My quiet kettle has got louder
Limescale on the element is the most likely cause. Descale it and see if it improves. Mumsnet mentioned some buyers report the Buckingham getting louder with age, and scale build-up would explain at least some of that.
There's a metallic taste
Yours magazine reported some buyers noticing this on the Buckingham for the first few boils. Boil and discard a few full jugs before using it for drinks.
Flakes in my tea
Take out the limescale filter and rinse it. If flakes keep coming, the inside needs descaling.
Water marks on the Buckingham
Brushed steel shows water marks, as Mumsnet noted. Wipe it with a soft, dry cloth after use. Our guide to keeping brushed steel kettles shining has more ideas.
Hard to see the water level on the Curve
The window sits at the back near the handle. Fill it with the handle facing you so you can see the cup indicator clearly.
The kettle switched itself off before boiling
Both have boil-dry protection or auto shut-off. Check there's enough water above the minimum, and that the lid is shut properly so the steam sensor works.
Our verdict
If you want the quieter-sounding kettle, buy the Russell Hobbs Buckingham Quiet Boil. Its whole design is built around reducing noise, reviewers who used it at home described it as one of the quietest they'd tried, it has a clear one-cup line, and the guarantee is longer once you register. Just remember that its 75% figure is Russell Hobbs' own claim against another Russell Hobbs kettle, not an independent test.
Buy the Breville Curve if you value the independent Quiet Mark badge, prefer gloss white, or want to save a little. It isn't the quietest-sounding kettle according to most reviewers and customers, and one test found its body gets very hot, but it's a well-rated, simple kettle with real third-party backing.
What neither will give you is silence. If the sound of any kettle is a real problem, a quieter model helps, but filling less and descaling often will help almost as much.
For more detail on each, read our posts on whether the Buckingham Quiet Boil is worth it, our Russell Hobbs brand guide and our Breville brand guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is the quietest kettle in the UK?
There's no single answer, because no independent body publishes a ranked decibel list of every kettle. Quiet Mark certifies kettles it judges among the quietest in their category, including the Breville Curve VKT117. The Russell Hobbs Buckingham Quiet Boil is widely described by reviewers as one of the quietest they've used, though it isn't Quiet Mark certified.
Is the Russell Hobbs Quiet Boil kettle really 75% quieter?
That's Russell Hobbs' claim, and its footnote says it was measured against a Russell Hobbs kettle without Quiet Boil technology. It hasn't published a decibel figure or test method. Mumsnet's reviewer found it clearly quieter than most kettles but still audible, with a slight rumble.
Is the Breville Curve kettle Quiet Mark approved?
Yes. Quiet Mark's website lists the Breville Curve VKT117 as certified under its Quiet Kitchen kettles category, and retailers such as Currys show the Quiet Mark logo on it. Breville's own UK product page doesn't mention it.
How loud is the Breville Curve kettle?
Tom's Guide measured the Breville Curve 1.7 litre kettle at up to 74.8 dB and described that as an average amount of noise. Neither Breville nor Quiet Mark publishes a decibel figure for it, and readings vary with distance and room, so treat that as one reviewer's measurement.
Is the Russell Hobbs Buckingham Quiet Boil Quiet Mark certified?
We found no evidence that it is. It doesn't appear on Quiet Mark's kettle listings. The only Quiet Mark certified Russell Hobbs kettle we found was the Calm 27450. The Buckingham's quiet claim comes from Russell Hobbs' own testing.
Why does my kettle get louder just before it boils?
Steam bubbles form on the hot element, rise into cooler water and collapse, which is called cavitation and is very noisy. As the water nears 100°C, bubbles reach the surface and pop gently instead, so the noise drops just before the kettle switches off.
Does descaling make a kettle quieter?
It can. Consumer NZ measured a scaled kettle at 79.1 dB before descaling and 75.4 dB after, and Which? says descaling can quieten a kettle that has become noisier. Limescale insulates the element, which makes heating slower and louder.
Are quiet kettles slower to boil?
Not necessarily. Which? found no link between how fast a kettle boils and how loud it is. Both the Buckingham Quiet Boil and the Breville Curve are 3,000 W, and Russell Hobbs says the Buckingham boils one 235 ml cup in about 45 seconds.
Which is cheaper to run, the Buckingham or the Breville Curve?
They cost almost exactly the same to run because both are 3,000 W and heating water takes the same energy in any kettle. Four half-litre boils a day comes to about £19 a year at 26.32p per kWh. Filling only what you need makes a far bigger difference than the model.
What is Quiet Mark?
Quiet Mark is an independent certification programme associated with the Noise Abatement Society, a UK charity. It tests products through partner acoustic labs, compares them within each category, and says it certifies roughly the quietest 10 to 20%, re-checking every year. It doesn't publish decibel thresholds for kettles.
Does the Russell Hobbs Buckingham have a one-cup line?
Yes. It has two water windows with 1, 2 and 3 cup markings, and Russell Hobbs defines one cup as 235 ml. That makes it easy to boil a single mug, which is quicker and cheaper than filling it halfway.
How long is the guarantee on the Buckingham and the Curve?
Breville gives the Curve VKT117 a 12-month replacement warranty. For the Buckingham, sources differ: Currys lists three years with registration and Mumsnet says two. Register it with Russell Hobbs after buying and check the terms offered at that point.
Sources
- Russell Hobbs: Buckingham Quiet Boil kettle 20460 product page
- Russell Hobbs UK: how quiet is a Quiet Boil kettle?
- Breville UK: Curve 1.7L jug kettle VKT117
- Quiet Mark: Breville Curve VKT117 listing
- Quiet Mark: what is Quiet Mark?
- Quiet Mark: the best quiet kettles
- Currys: Russell Hobbs Quiet Boil 20460 listing
- Currys: Breville Curve VKT117 listing
- Argos: Breville Curve kettle listing and customer reviews
- Mumsnet: Russell Hobbs Buckingham Quiet Boil review, Natasha Gregson
- Mumsnet: best quiet kettles, Lucy Cotterill
- Tom's Guide: Breville Curve kettle review, Katie Mortram
- Yours: best quiet kettle, Eleanor Weaver
- Expert Reviews: best kettle
- The Naked Scientists: why is water loudest just before it boils?
- Which?: best quiet appliances for a peaceful home
- Consumer NZ: how to make your kettle quieter
- Ofgem: energy price cap unit rates and standing charges
