Best Tea Kettles Not Made in China

Best Tea Kettles Not Made in China

Last updated on July 16, 2024. Originally published on May 27, 2021. Updated on December 13, 2021, September 8, 2022, and October 30, 2023.

The quest for a tea kettle not made in China

One of the most-searched phrases we see around here is “tea kettle not made in china”.

I’m always sad to see what the CCP has done to a once-great culture. Tea drinking, of course, was invented in China. According to legend, in 2737 BC the Emperor Shen Nong was sitting outside when a leaf from a shrub nearby blew into a pot of boiling water. Soon, tea took its place along firewood, oil, rice, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar as one of the seven essential of life for Chinese people (and all Asian cultures that grew out of China).

You would think with a 5,000 year history of perfecting the process that China would be the source of the best tea kettles in the world. But in just 72 years, the CCP ruined that. China’s pollution problem and cheap manufacturing processes resulted in shoddy construction and even poisoning when chemicals from manufacturing leaches into boiling water.

The problem is, even brands that in the past have been renowned for high quality and domestic production are having a hard time competing with the flood of brands from China dumping their products into the marketplace. To most consumers, what’s the difference between an All-Clad or Le Creuset when I can get a YIIFEEO or ROCKURWOK for cheaper? After all, they just boil water, right?

It’s one thing to avoid products like iPhones or made in China, but at the end of the day companies like Apple and Foxconn will do at least the basics to ensure some level of humanitarian treatment of its workers. But when you get to low price points like kettles, how much do you really think that workers building these things make, and what do you suppose their working conditions are. The CCP is exceptionally good at propaganda, so even a hint of bad PR is squashed immediately through intimidation–not the threat of force, but the threat of ostracization (think LeBron or John Cena).

But news occasionally does get out of the great firewall. This report from The Nation is just one of many that attempted to expose working condition in a typical kitchenware factory. Workers getting paid 6 cents a pot for a $200 piece of kitchenware. Workers working with toxic chemicals and processes without a hint of protective gear. And Western companies and their investors looking the other way at their suppliers. After all, there are 1.4 billion of them, and they’re all fighting each other for that 6 cents/pot job. Why, it’d be downright racist to stop them!

If you’re reading this, it means you’re willing to go a little out of your way to do the right thing. And so my goal here is to go through the haystacks of China-built tea kettles to find ones you can feel proud of owning–and which are so well made they’ll outlast the China-made garbage for generations.

Are any tea kettles not made in China?

There are lots of definitions of tea kettles. There’s the old fashioned kettle that you put on your stove. Then, there are electric kettles that heat water but let you pour it out like a traditional tea kettle. Finally, there are hot water dispensers that you can use to fill a teapot.

For this post, I’m going to focus on the first definition–old school tea kettles for the stovetop. I’ll work on the other two in another post, but sadly I can report already that it’s pretty much impossible to find the second kind (electric tea kettles you can pour). As for the third kind, for me there is only one option: a Zojirushi hot water dispenser that’s made in Japan. If you’re in the market for that and don’t want to wait for my post, here are the links to a white model, a stainless model, and a metallic black model. My wife has owned one of these for decades, and it still works as well as the day it was purchased. There are also promising models from Tiger that are made in Vietnam.

As for traditional tea kettles, it was tough but thanks to combination of Internet sleuths on the great Reddit channel r/avoidchineseproducts, as well as combing through hundreds of manufacturer sites, Amazon product pages, and “fake” affiliate sites that claim to have products made in the USA, I came up with this list. There are almost certainly many more, so please let us know ones you find in the comments below.

Best Tea Kettles Not Made in China

1. Medelco Café Brew Whistling Tea Kettle – Best Overall

There’s not a whole lot bad I can say about this one. Medelco was founded in 1976 in Bridgeport, Connecticut and is an amazing American success story. It’s assembled in the USA using high quality Schott Duran borosilicate glass from Duran, Germany. Your water will never touch plastic nor steel, so you can be assured that it’s 100% lead and chemical free with no possibility of leaching or rusting.

The kettle has a 12 cup capacity (2.8 liters), so it’s one of the larger units I’ll be reviewing. It is perfectly safe to use on both electric and gas ranges. For electric ranges, it also includes a steel heat diffusing trivet between the coils and the glass to ensure even heating. And it cleans up like a champ–just hand wash or put it in the top rack of your dishwasher.

If you’re like me, you may need to get over the psychological barrier of putting glass on fire. It’s perfectly safe as long as you take certain precautions and follow the laws of physics. Don’t heat this kettle using excessively high heat for a long time, remove the kettle from the heat as soon as you hear the whistle, and don’t put a hot kettle on a cold countertop.

Between the pristine nature of the raw materials and the knowledge it didn’t go through a sweatshop or prison camp in China, every sip of your tea will taste clean and pure.

12/13/21 update – thanks to Mom of 3 who left a comment below that points out that the plastic parts are made in China. I was disappointed to learn this, but unfortunately it’s a reality of today’s world that lots of things “not made in China” will still have China-sourced parts. For now I’ll keep this tea kettle in this list because there are arguably more positive than negatives (it’s ultimately put together by factory workers in Bridgeport, Connecticut and the plastic parts don’t come in contact with the water, which makes me feel better about safety), but I’m admittedly not as bullish on this one as before. Bottom line, if you like it, it’s still better than buying the cheap copycats and counterfeits from China…but if you’d like to avoid China altogether, there are perfectly good alternatives below.

Pros

  • Assembled in the US, hglass NOT made in China
  • 100% pure; will not leach chemicals or lead, will not rust/li>
  • Large capacity
  • Easy to clean, dishwasher safe
  • Incredibly affordable, especially for a made in USA product

Cons

  • Plastic parts made in China
  • Like all glass, it can break if you’re not careful
  • Lid must be removed before pouring

2. Kalita Wave Stainless Steel Drip Kettle – Best for Pour-Over

If you’re looking for a pour over, gooseneck style kettle, chances are you’ve searched Amazon and found well-known brands like Bodum, Fellow (Stagg), Mueller, and OXO, only to be disappointed that all of them outsource all their manufacturing to China. And of course, you see mysterious new brands popping up that you’ve never heard of before, like VARCUL, FIIHO, VARCUL, HadinEEon, Ulaalov, DmofwHi, MOOSOO and literally hundreds of others. These brands all follow the same tell-tale patterns–they launch and within a matter of months they’re mysteriously at the top of Amazon’s search results, pushing legitimate companies down.

I had to look for a gooseneck in a haystack, but here’s the best I found. This kettle from Kalita is imported from Japan and is one of the most sought-after brands in the world. Reviewers rave about the craftsmanship and the design. It holds 1L (4.2 cups) of water and pours smoothly and precisely without a mess. It heats water on gas top stoves or, because of its stainless steel design, on induction cooktops as well.

It has a stylish wood handle for safe handling. Cleanup is easy-the wooden handle can be removed so the unit can be placed in the dishwasher. Of course, as with all gooseneck kettles, cleaning the spout can be a real pain in the neck, but a good pipe cleaner brush should do the job.

While $60 may seem a lot of money for a kettle, this unit was so much in demand that it routinely sells for over $100 in speciality shops. Its body is 18/8 stainless steel (meaning 18% chromium, 8% nickel) so it’ll resist rusting and hold its polish.

Let your friends use their made in China garbage, and wow them with your made in Japan masterpiece.

Editor’s Note: I left Kalita’s main competitor Hario off this list originally because I’d heard rumors that they’ve moved manufacturing in China. But when I check Williams Sonoma, I see that the popular Hario V60 Buono Pour-Over Coffee Maker is still listed as made in Japan both at Williams-Sonoma and at Sur La Table. This is one I would “trust but verify”–purchase it from Williams Sonoma or Sur La Table and if they send you a box that says made in China, send it right back. Otherwise, enjoy one of the other top pour-over kettles you can buy.

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Pros

  • NOT made in China
  • Functional and beautiful
  • First rate pour
  • Can be used on stovetop or induction cooktop
  • Sturdy craftsmanship, built to last, rust-resistant

Cons

  • Smaller capacity
  • Doesn’t whistle
  • As with all Gooseneck kettles, cleaning can be challenging

3. Simax Glassware Teapot

Here’s another glass teapot; it’s about half the size of the Medelco one we reviewed above (1.5 quarts, which is 6 cups or 1.4 liters), and it’s made entirely of heat resistant borosilicate glass, including the lid and the handle. As with any glass-based cookware, you don’t have to worry about chemicals leaching, discoloration, or absorption of flavors and odors. The main thing you have to worry about is not dropping it!

This teapot works on gas and electric stovetops, as well as in the microwave (as always when microwaving water, be careful to guard against superheating). The non-drop spout helps prevent your water or tea from dropping and helps your pouring be smooth. And there’s just something neat about watching your pot boil.

It’s manufactured in the Czech Republic and made from 100% cadmium and lead-free recycled glass. As with all glassware, you’ll need to use common sense. Don’t touch it when it’s hot without, don’t put it on a cold surface when it’s boiling.

You can purchase the kettle itself, or with a glass infuser.

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Pros

  • NOT made in China
  • Beautiful, all-glass construction
  • Works on gas or electric stovetops and microwave ovens
  • Great for blooming tea
  • Large capacity

Cons

  • No insulated parts, so you need to handle with pot holders
  • Glass can break if you’re not careful

4. Quickone Takei Energy-Saving Fuefuki Whistle Kettle

This whistle kettle from Quickone and the next few I’ll list give me fond memories of when even things like tea kettles were built to last here in the United States. Sadly, you can’t find these “cheaper” products with a high level of craftsmanship and quality anymore; consumers would rather buy a new one every year than invest in one that lasts for years. But quality is alive and well in Japan.

Unfortunately, most of these kettles don’t have US distributors, so you’ll probably need to buy it from an international reseller. This means your prices will depend on how much the seller chooses to inflate the price from what they paid for it domestically, and you’ll also be in danger of some third party sellers selling knockoffs (which of course are made in China). Do your research–buy only from a reputable seller that you know is in Japan, and make sure Amazon offers returns.

This Quickone kettle is made of polished stainless steel. It holds 2.5 liters (10 cups) and sports a large base, making it stable and perfect for evenly heating on a gas stove or induction cooktop. It’s made in Tsubame, Niigata, a city in Japan that’s famous for its production of stainless steel tableware and cutlery. It has a loud whistle and is lightweight, weighing in at under 2 pounds.

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Pros

  • NOT made in China
  • Excellent craftsmanship
  • Lightweight and heats up fast, thanks to stainless steel that’s thinner without being cheap
  • Wider base allows for even heating
  • Loud whistle

Cons

  • Isolated complaints about handle design
  • Some people feel it’s too flimsy

5. Kettle by Sori Yanagi

Sori Yanagi was a renowned industrial designer in Japan whose designs have been influential not just to Japanese design, but throughout the world. His artistry was able to blend the new post-war industrial age of Japan with the delicate and light forms in tradition Japanese design, and taking mundane objects and turning them into art. He has designed everything from flatware to lighting to tea kettles to his iconic butterfly stool.

This is a beautifully designed kettle that is as functional as it is stunning to look at. If you can get your hands on a genuine one, you’ll have a kettle that’s won awards for both form and function. The handle is easy to hold when the unit is hot, the spout pours smoothly, the design is ergonomic, and it looks stunning. It holds 2.5 liters (10 cups) of water, and can be used in induction cooktops as well as on traditional stovetops.

Notice how I said “if you can get your hands on a genuine one”. This listing is a perfect example of how China shills swoop in and Amazon can’t (or won’t) do anything about it. You can see mostly rave reviews but every now and then you see a negative review from someone who noticed rusting, or corrosion, or a loose lid. In these cases it’s almost certain that they bought a counterfeit from, you guessed it, China.

If you want to be guaranteed, contact one of these retailers near you that carry the officially approved version, but be prepared to pay a bit of a premium. Otherwise, my best advice is to buy from Amazon, but make sure you choose a seller with a very long history of positive reviews, verify that they are really in Japan, and use the free return policy at the first sign that it’s not what it claims to be.

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Pros

  • NOT made in China
  • Beautiful design and function
  • 18/8 stainless steel on body and lid, resistant to rust and stains
  • 18-Nb stainless steel bottom plate with 0.7mm thickness

Cons

  • Lots of counterfeits from China, so choose your seller wisely

6. Yoshikawa Whistling Stainless Steel Kettle

Here’s another brand that’s popular in Japan. I was able to find two models from them on Amazon, the one listed here and this other model that’s prettier but has fewer reviews from the United States. I think you’d do well with both.

This is a whistling tea kettle that “looks like whistling tea kettle”. Its body is made of 18/8 stainless steel and the bottom of a special magnetic stainless steel they call NSSC180, which was developed in Japan and perfect for induction cooking. You can view more information of comparable kettles on their brand site, that has been translated nicely into English.

The clincher for me? One of the reviewers said that his daughter said that the whistle sound reminder of “a train whistle in a Studio Ghibli film”. If you view some of the videos on Amazon you’ll hear that the whistle sounds like a gentle harmonica chord, not the screaming baby of most kettles.

Pros

  • NOT made in China
  • Rust and stain-resistant 18/8 body and NSSC180 steel for the base that’s ideal for induction stovetops
  • Whistle that is loud but not obnoxious
  • Classic design

Cons

  • Isolated reports of problems with the whistle
  • Isolated reports of rusting

7. Alessi 9093 Tea Kettle

Like Sori Yagani above Michael Graves, a renowned architect, designer, and educator in the United States, designed this iconic stainless steel tea kettle for Italian company Alessi in 1985. Graves had designed a $25,000 sterling silver tea service for Alessi in 1982, propmpting Alberto Alessi to ask him to design a tea kettle for the rest of us. The Alessi 9093 was the result–it was a kettle that was at the same time beautiful and functional (right down to the bird at the end of the spout singing when your water is ready). It ended up being Alessi’s top selling product for 15 years. Graves went on to design products for Target and JCPenney, and Disney before he passed away in 1985.

That you can still purchase this original design from the original company speaks to how functional this tea kettle is. And as with the Sori Yagani tea kettle, you’ll want to steer clear from third party sellers without feedback who are almost certainly selling knockoffs. Ideally, you’ll want to look for “Ships from Amazon.com” and “Sold by Amazon.com”, even if the price is higher.

The real version is still made in Omegna, Italy where Alessi is headquartered. It’s made from 18/10 stainless steel and thermoplastic resin. It has a magnetic bottom perfect for induction cooking. You can even find replacement parts on Alessi’s US Web site.

Pros

  • NOT made in China
  • Iconic design; a real conversation piece
  • 18/10 stainless steel resists rust and corrosion
  • Good for induction heating

Cons

  • Third party sellers are likely to be counterfeits from China
  • Most negative reviews are likely from buyers paying full price for knockoffs

8. Staub Cast Iron Tea Kettle

I almost left this one off the list because it’s not really the kind of dainty teapot you think of. As one Amazon reviewer put it, this is a “teapot for lumberjacks”. But after reviewing the brand a little more, it’s too good to leave out, and there may be some of you out there for whom this is perfect.

Staub is a French company that is famous for their cast iron cookware. Think Le Creuset, although unlike Le Creuset (where you need to jump through mental hoops to figure out which of their products was made where), all of Staub’s products come from their production facilities in France. Even all-American brands like Lodge have outsourced their enameled cast iron to China.

We’ll talk more about Staub, Le Creuset, and Lodge when we get to our cookware page, but this particular product is a clever tea kettle that’s cast in iron. It maintains all the great things about cast iron: it’s safe from leaching (as long as you buy an authentic one), and cast iron has excellent heating and heat retention qualities. Its 1-quart (4 cup) size is good for brewing tea for two, or even heating up a little soup or sauce. You can heat it on a stove or in the oven. And of course, it’s virtually unbreakable.

The drawback, of course, is the weight.

Pros

  • NOT made in China
  • Indestructible
  • Excellent heating and heat retention

Cons

  • Heavy
  • Pricey

9. Chantal Classic Tea Kettle

Chantal was founded in 1971 by German-born engineer Heida Thurlow. The company started out producing enameled cookware from Germany. In 1979, Heida befriended Chuck Williams (founder of Willams-Sonoma), and the rest is history.

Chantal went on to produce innovative cookware, and was one of the first companies to introduce dramatic color, tempered glass lids, and stay-cool handles to its products.

This Chantal Classic Tea Kettle, which is still in production today, is an example of a timeless, innovative design. It has a capacity of 1.8 quarts (7.2 cups). The flat, wide base gets water boiling rapidly, the wire loop handle stays cool, and–speaking of cool–the two-tone whistle is produced by a harmonica reed that’s supplied by Hohner, the world’s most famous harmonica maker.

The Amazon product listing is strangely quiet about its country of manufacture, so I went to Sur La Table to investigate. Sur La Table reports that the Chantal Classic Tea Kettle is made in Thailand, which like their teakettle whistle is music to my ears. Although be careful–there are stainless steel and copper models that are made in China which you’ll want to avoid. Their enameled product looks like they consistently come out of Thailand, though.

Sur La Table lists other kettles as well, including this 1.8 quart capacity Classic Loop Teakettle and this 2 quart Vintage Teakettle. But the classic is the way to go.

Pros

  • NOT made in China
  • Classic design
  • Genuine Hohner harmonica whistle

Cons

  • Pricey

10. Le Creuset Classic Whistling Kettle

10/26/23 Update: In the comments, Ben mentioned that he saw a listing on Amazon that said that the Le Creuset kettle is made in China. I visited the Amazon page and don’t see where this is mentioned. But it’s a good reminder that Amazon is a dumping ground for counterfeit and copycat products from China.

This is a case where I’d suggest going directly to Le Creuset’s site to make your purchase. Le Creuset’s site still says that these are made in Thailand, so if you order one and it’s made in China, send it back at their expense. Or better yet, visit a brick-and-mortar retailer to see the box for yourself.

My thanks for Rosie for her comment asking about Le Creuset as a brand for kettles. As I’ve written elsewhere on this blog, while Le Creuset has been very good about keeping their iconic enamelware produced in France, virtually every other accessory and cookware was produced by cheap China manufacturing, with a Le Creuset label slapped on to give it gravitas.

If you go through Le Creuset’s products on Amazon you’ll see product listing after product listing that reveals that they were made in China–everything from mugs to utensils to bakeware. I’d all but written them off as a place where I could find anything useful not made in China.

But when I looked on their site at their collection of tea kettles, I was pleasantly surprised to find a large selection of kettles, from their classic whistling kettle, to their demi kettle, to their pour over kettle, to their zen kettle, all made in Thailand. These had definitely been made in China before, but my guess is that either the 2018 tariffs or the continued bungling of their domestic COVID response finally drove Le Creuset to diversify. Good for them.

Note that only the enamel-on-steel units appear to be coming from Thailand–the stainless steel models appear to still be coming out of China.

As I wrote in my article about the best cookware not made in China, I’m a big fan of Le Creuset, and I’m even happier now to find them pulling back from China as their sole source of manufacturing everything except their crown jewel enameled cookware.

By the way, take the negative reviews on their site with a grain of salt. I noticed that a lot of negative reviews were from over 2 years ago when all the kettles were made in China. Those negative reviews all but disappeared in the last year or two, which leads me to believe that Le Creuset paid for their decision to go to the lowest bidder in China, and hopefully has learned its lesson.

Pros

  • NOT made in China
  • Classic design
  • Genuine Hohner harmonica whistle

Cons

  • Pricey
  • Some complaints about product quality, but most of those date back to when these units were made in China

11. Akao Aluminum Water Boil, 3.8 gal (10L)

During the winter I boil a lot of water, not just for drinking but also as a “poor man’s distiller”. Specifically, I boil the water, run it through a Brita filter, and then use that water for powering humidifiers. It’s not perfect, but from what I can tell it really does cut down on the minerals and chemical particles that would otherwise be turned into vapor (and breathed into your lungs).

I’ve been looking high and low for a kettle that can hold a huge amount of water, and thanks to Amazon’s Made in Japan store I finally found this one.

It’ll give you a workout–a full kettle of 3.8 gallons of water plus the weight of the kettle itself will come out to about 30-40 pounds! But if you’re lazy like me, it beats having to boil and re-boil a pot four times.

Akao also makes smaller kettles with the distinctive “belly” shape. They’re made of aluminum, meaning quick heating, great conductivity, and durability.

Pros

  • NOT made in China
  • Huge
  • Aluminum construction allows for fast boiling and durability

Cons

  • Requires a lot of muscle
  • Pricey

12. Hario V60 Buono Pour-Over Tea Kettle

As you can see in the section of the Kalita kettle review, I’ve heard mixed reports of whether Hario’s V60 kettle is made in China or Japan. The answer, as you might guess, is both.

In the Japan market, most Hario products are made in Japan. But since they’ve gained popularity Hario is offshoring production for the US and EU markets to China. As a result, it’s not immediately clear which one you’ll get if you order from Amazon. By all reports, the made in China model has much shoddier construction and weak, thin stainless steel. Avoid it at all costs (and shame on Hario for treating your customers this way).

My recommendation is to order from a store like Muji or Prima Coffee that definitely stock the Japan model. The Japanese model is going to be in the $50-60 range, while the China model will be much more tempting at around $30-40. But remember that the kettle you receive is only a small part of what you really pay for.

Do you know of other kettles not made in China worthy of mention here? Let us know in the comments!

33 Comments

  1. This is absolutely the best list ever.!!!! Thanks so much for your outstanding work. Great information and very accurate!!

    1. Thanks for the heads-up. I’ll leave it on the list only because enough of the product still supports local economies in Germany (glass) and the USA (where it’s assembled). But your point is well taken, and people reading this should take this into consideration when making their purchase decision.

      I’ll continue to keep my eyes peeled for a highly rated kettle that’s as popular as this one but with absolutely no connection at all to China. If anyone knows of one, please feel free to share here!

  2. Thank you for this posting! and for your website. I am very frustrated that Amazon does not post country of origin on their products. It is bizarre to me that politicians and media think that not sending athletes to participate at Chinese venues is “taking a stand against China” when we continue to spend billions of dollars a year supporting their economy.

  3. Thank you to the author! I found his reviews very useful, as someone who is on the market for a good quality tea kettle not made in China.

  4. Such a relief to find a well documented list of Not Made in China products and warnings about fakes. It is so disappointing to find even traditionally proud companies who have always supported their local manufacturing are succumbing to outsourcing to China. Thank you.

  5. Long shot. Want a hand held milk frothier/mixer to make lattes. Anything NOT made in China?
    Thanks you!

    1. I was a bit surprised to find this, but it looks like Bodum still sells a manual milk frother that’s made in Portugal from German Borosilicate glass.

      https://amzn.to/3IGC79W

      Sadly, all of the brands that make the electric milk frothers (Breville, Zwilling, Nespresso, Aerolatte, Smeg, etc.) are all-in on China manufacturing. But I’ll continue to keep an eye out.

  6. I recently purchased a second Medelco. After using it for a couple of months, one morning that we were lucky enough to have sunshine and the sunshine was shining through the window right on my stove, I noticed that the water from my previous boiling that remained in my Medelco kettle had many many transparent about half an inch spiral like residue particles floating in its bottom. I was horrified. I saved it in the fridge and have not used it since. I was hoping I could have it tested. I will never use any such container again. To make matters worse I have been suffering unexplainably from stomach upsets. I never misused the kettle and followed strictly all recommendations including never setting the heating temperature higher than medium. Lately I have noticed a decline in the quality of numerous products. It is not just Chinese manufacturing that is less than trustworthy. I just checked on my kettle now in the refrigerator, and it might be a counterfeit. Mine does not say Medelco on it as the one pictured here does in black bold print. Mine only says it in white and small print inside a circle on the side. Well. Any thoughts? I hope I have not ingested carcinogens or worse.

    1. Hi Cristina,

      I’m not a chemist, but with glass containers like this you’re not going to experience leaching as you might with other materials like plastic or ceramics.

      My guess is that the particles you’re noticing in the water may simply be naturally-occurring calcium or magnesium that is present in your water and remains when the water is boiled away. This is especially prevalent in areas with “hard water”, but occurs to some extent with all water.

      https://chemistry.stackexchange.com/questions/4094/white-powder-observed-after-boiling-water-in-electric-kettle-for-many-weeks

      Bottom line, nothing to worry about–your Medelco is fine, as are you. 🙂 In fact, the fact that they use borosilicate glass makes the container all the more resistant to extreme temperatures and shock.

      I also wouldn’t sweat it if the markings on your product look a little different than what’s in the picture. As long as you bought directly from a reputable retailer store (and not an Amazon third-party seller or eBay) your product is most likely not a counterfeit.

    1. Thanks for your question, Rosie. At first I assumed that all Le Creuset kettles were all made in China, based on their Amazon product listings.

      That appears to still be true for the 100% stainless steel kettles, but I see that the enamel-on-steel kettles are now listed as made in Thailand on Le Creuset’s site.

      My guess is that either the 2018 tariffs or the recent draconian lockdowns by China have pushed Le Creuset to diversify some of their supply chain, which would be a great thing. Their enamel cookware is still made in France, of course, but the vast majority of their accessories had been made in China. This is a welcome change.

      Based on your question, I’ll add Le Creuset as one of the recommended brands. Like you said, they’re pricey, but if they’re truly moving product lines like this out of China, I’d say they’re worth it!

  7. The Medelco glass tea pot states on theirAmazon page (verified Medelco) Product Information section they are manufactured in China but use a German sourced glass.

    1. I was able to confirm with Medelco that as of this writing, they are still assembled in Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA. They continue to state this directly on their Web site as well.

      https://cafe-brew.com/faqs/

      You may be looking at a product listing that was put up by a Third Party Seller (who is very likely selling a counterfeit product and, ironically, charging a higher price). Sadly, Amazon seems completely powerless to identify and take down fraudulent listings, so we the consumers need to be more and more aware.

      You’ll want to look for a listing by third party seller “Cafe Brew Collection”, which is the real Medelco. I’ve linked to it above.

      You may have better luck avoiding counterfeiters on sites like Bed Bath and Beyond that don’t open the floodgates to third party sellers.

      https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/medelco-stovetop-whistling-12-cup-glass-tea-kettle/1013309680?brandId=1397

  8. Hi, my comment has to do with authenticity of the Le Creuset 9 in cast iron fry pan. Recently I purchased the pan from William Sonoma for $109, their sale price, showing that it’s regularly sold for $175. So, when I received it, and upon inspecting, I noticed that the pan had a tab instead of a loop, the coating inside was very shiny, and there was nothing on the bottom showing that it was made in France. I immediately contacted William Sonoma, they said that the pan with the tab was made exclusively for them, but that it still carries the lifetime warranty. Of course I returned the item, and reordered the pan with the loop and paid the full price. Now I notice the very same pan in question, is being sold on Le Creuset website.

  9. Thank you for posting this and having this website in general, this is awesome. I stumbled across this randomly after searching for LITERAL months for a kettle.
    Keep up the good work!

    Any chance you know of water bottle brands not made in China?

    1. There are many water bottles available that are not made in China. If you’re looking for a stainless steel bottle, I can’t help you, but there are quite a few plastic and even an aluminum bottle available.

      Nalgene – made in USA
      Gobi – made in France
      Dopper – made in the Netherlands (the stainless steel models are made in China)
      Sigg aluminum bottles – made in Switzerland
      Sistema – made in New Zealand

  10. Zojirushi hot water dispensers that you recommended in the first paragraphs are nit made in Japan anymore, they’re designed in Japan and manufactured in China, according to reviews from buyers on amazon. Thought it would be a good option but was disappointed to see. I see lots of reviews for kettles having sediment from wearing off coatings and I’m not going to find out what kind of cancer that causes.

    1. According to Zojirushi’s main Web site, these three particular models are still being made in Japan–I cross referenced the model numbers against this page (select “Made in Japan” under “Feature”)

      https://www.zojirushi.com/app/category/water-boilers-warmers?ids=69

      It’s possible that either the Amazon reviewers were writing about different models (there are at least 4 others that are made in China, predominantly cheaper ones), or that Zojirushi is producing them in multiple factories.

      My recommendation is always to buy from a brick-and-mortar retailer where you can see the country of origin on the box you’re buying. Alternatively, buy it from Amazon; I believe you should get one from Japan, but if you don’t, just send it back at Amazon’s expense and make it clear to them that you’re returning it because of fraudulent information on their product page.

  11. Occasionally you can find an older Chantal tea kettle (the classic style) that was made in France. I was lucky enough to score one at a Kitchen Collection store and was delighted! Worth keeping an eye out at those kinds of vendors or even at second hand stores.

  12. Hario non metal products are not made in China. So in the kettles that is the air and buno ceramic. They have a lot of non metal products outside of the “kettles”

  13. Le Creuset Classic Whistling Kettle is made in China. It’s easy enough to check online. Amazon states it’s country of origin is China. Please update your article.

  14. Hello,
    I have spent a great deal of time trying to find a copper tea kettle not made in China but that can be used on an induction cooktop. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

  15. Please confirm where the Chantal Classic Teapot is manufactured. I have spent the better part of the day trying to confirm Thailand.
    Thank you for your time.

    1. Hi Catherine,

      I feel your pain; every product page seems to say something different and Chantal doesn’t seem to be in a rush to correct them.

      This was posted not too long ago on Amazon by an official Chantal rep in December 2023, which wasn’t too long ago, so this is what I’m going by for now:

      Currently the stainless steel kettles, copper kettles, electric kettles, stainless steel cookware, all stainless items, ceramics, and the enameled cast iron are made in China.

      The enamel kettles are made in Thailand.

      Of course, my recommendation is to confirm with the seller if possible and if they send you something made in China, send it back.

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