Last Updated on October 14, 2020
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is one of two Aldi tea kettles we’ve reviewed. The other is the Crofton 2.3 Quart Teakettle, which you can read about here.
When I first got to an age where I decided to buy my own tea kettle, I learned a small but important life lesson. I had, up to that point, assumed that a tea kettle was a tea kettle. I mean, how can you possibly do something that simple wrong? And yet I learned, the hard way, that not all kettles are created equal; my first kettle, from an unnamed big box store, was so poorly designed (in part due to a whistle that stopped whistling) that I had to go shopping for a new one a lot faster than I’d intended.
And then, a few years ago, I discovered the Aldi version. Aldi has made some very small tweaks since then, but by and large the kettle is still the same.
The Crofton 2.5-Quart Stainless Steel Tea Kettle, which shows up from time to time as a Special Buy (ALDI Find), is more or less what the title says. It’s stainless steel and holds about 2.5 quarts of water, or 10 cups. The kettle comes in a few colors, including the plain model shown above. (Ours is red.) It features a removable lid, a hinged spout with a whistle alert feature, and a hard plastic handle at top to help avoid burns. It is designed for use on either gas or electric stoves.
The tea kettle contains a small ridge near the bottom to mark the minimum fill line, while an imprint higher up, near the spout, marks the maximum fill line. The instructions warn against heating an empty pot, so be sure to fill it with water before running it over the stove. To prolong the life of the kettle, we recommend using no higher than medium heat.
Stainless steel kettles can take a little longer than other kinds of kettles to heat up, and larger amounts of water take longer than smaller ones, so if you’re looking to heat a lot of water this can take awhile. Still, it does the job well, heating reasonably fast and issuing that trademark whistle when it’s done. The push-button hinged whistle spout is extremely easy to use, making pouring water after heating simple and safe.
We also discovered a tea kettle has some nice uses above and beyond simple tea making. It is useful for boiling hot water for other uses, including non-chemical approaches to drain-cleaning. You can also open the whistle spout and boil a full pot of water to put a little humidity in the air during the winter, although we would add that you should keep close attention to the pot if you do; it’s very easy for the pot to boil dry, which can damage the pot. (Trust us.)
We had our Crofton tea kettle for a few years, and it generally held up well under frequent use. The lid snapped on and off as well as it did when we first bought it, and the whistle and hinged spout worked exactly as advertised. The red paint did start to come off with time, though, and the screws that kept the handle stable got eventually loose and wouldn’t stay tightened. Still, it was good while it lasted.
The Verdict:
With a low price tag and good design, the Crofton 2.5-Quart Stainless Steel Tea Kettle is a safe choice for the person who wants a little hot tea — or hot water for other uses — in his or her life. While wear and tear did finally forced us to part with it after a few years, it says a lot that we would not hesitate to buy another. Recommended, especially for the price.
Hey bro.. I just bought one in the copper color, as my regular (not sure where I bought) tea kettle must be 10ish years old and looking it. Tho it still functions fine. Have only made one small pitcher of tea so far, but it seems like a good quality product, esp for a mere 7 clams. I been an avid Aldi shopper ever since the first store near me opened.. around 2008 maybe. BOLO for the Holmes air purifiers for 35 clams, if you happen to need one. I bought one last week and liked enuff to buy another today.. although I don’t really need it. Cool blog.. maybe I bookmark. Thanks.
I bought a Crofton tea pot but i forget about putting it on to heat water. It didn’t come with a whistle. Any idea where i can get a whistle for it?
I purchased a Crofton tea pot from Aldi. I believe a little while ago. I had it sitting on my stove with water in it. I went to use my tea pot and the water that was in it was brown. I empty it and looked inside and it was rusted and the lid was rusted also. Why did this happen. If it was suppose to be stainless? I am very disappointed with this item. Most of the items I have purchased from Aldis are great.
I’m guessing that the minerals in your water broke down the metal on the inside of the pot. Everytime I use mine if empty it after.
This has happened to me as well, wasted money I can’t even return it.
Most tea kettles, including ones I’ve purchased from other stores besides Aldi, come with instructions recommending that you don’t leave water standing in the kettle when it isn’t in use. Emptying it after use, or at least daily, will go a long way toward prolonging the kettle’s lifespan.
I bought a black Crofton tea pot from Aldi as well, and used it for a few months. A few days ago, the water I poured from it was yellow so i checked inside the teapot and it was completely rusted over inside. This has never happened to me before, even with cheap teapots. Another review had the same problem as me, so this is definitely a problem that needs fixing.
I am an elderly pensioner and was given a brand new Aldi Crofton 2.5-Quart Stainless Steel Tea Kettle last Xmas. I already had an electric kettle and have only used the Crofton kettle about a dozen times. It is now leaking out from the bottom rim.
Am I able to return it for a new one for free.
The crofton teapot is our absolute favorite. I am looking to buy one now. Unfortunately I can’t wait for the once a year they are selling in our local store and I’m not even sure when they do come out. If you are unable to direct me to where I can purchase a crofton teapot I’ll be stuck with purchasing a teapot that I don’t want just out of need of one. Thank you in advance for your time.
Aldi stores are the only place where you can buy the tea pot, and only for a short time when Aldi stocks them.
Any idea of What time of year that is?
We don’t know. You’d have to ask Aldi: https://www.aldi.us/en/about-aldi/contact-us/
I would like to say that I have NEVER been disappointed with any purchase from Adies. It’s amazing because although they sell quality merchandise their prices are significantly lower. ALDIES HAS EARNED MY TRUST!!!
This is the original commenter, Googabeets.
I get notified via email when others comment on this kettle.
Three years later mine is still fully functional. I have a propane stove and have used the kettle almost daily since purchased.
Maybe they rust if you leave water in them or something. Heck if I know. But mine may have hooked me up with a thousand gallons of tea, and is still runnin clean. Copper color is still pretty good considering it lives on my stove and gets splattered by my skillets regularly.
Stay safe and enjoy your tea.
Btw my Holmes air purifiers are doing great as well. Just have to by new filters now n then.
I noticed an ad on Facebook for the Crofton whistling tea kettle, 4 kettles in 4 different colors. I saw it was from Aldi and went to get one about 2 weeks ago. So far I’m very happy with it. It has a loud whistle. Under the handle is a piece you push up to open the spout. The piece comes to the top of the handle; when you press down it seals (closes) the spout. The handle is not hot to hold when you want to pour the water. I chose the aqua color. The instructions on the box say to empty the water every night. This may prevent it from rusting. This kettle is replacing a Farberware stainless steel kettle which lasted a long time but stopped whistling.
Note that this tea kettle is available at Aldi right now so I’m thinking it appears in October every year.
I bought one yesterday.