Head-to-head variable-temperature electric kettle comparison

Cuisinart PerfecTemp vs Breville Temp Select

These are two 1.7-liter, 1,500-watt stainless-steel kettles for a kitchen that makes more than one kind of hot drink. Cuisinart’s PerfecTemp CPK-17P1 offers six preset buttons, a 30-minute Keep Warm setting, and a published 3.01-pound, compact footprint. Breville’s Temp Select BKE720BSSUSC has five tea-and-coffee settings, a 20-minute Keep Warm function, and a Soft Top® lid designed to release steam gradually. The choice is mostly about the control layout and the routine you want around repeat cups.

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Two unbranded stainless-steel variable-temperature electric kettles beside loose tea, a glass teapot, French press, ceramic mug, linen, and a kitchen counter for the Cuisinart PerfecTemp vs Breville Temp Select comparison.
Verdict

Which one should most people buy?

The Cuisinart PerfecTemp is the more complete daily-kettle pick for most households because it adds a sixth preset, keeps water warm longer, and publishes a compact, light footprint.

Best variable-temperature electric kettle pick
Cuisinart PerfecTemp® Cordless Electric Kettle, CPK-17P1

Buy Cuisinart for a broader button layout, a 30-minute repeat-cup window, and a published 8.8 × 6.1 × 9.75-inch, 3.01-pound unit. Choose Breville when its five-program approach and Soft Top® lid better match your pour routine.

The Cuisinart CPK-17P1 wins the broad recommendation because its official page is unusually clear about the small choices that affect ordinary use. It has a 1.7-liter capacity, 1,500-watt heating element, six presets for delicate, green, white, oolong, French press, and black or herbal tea, and a 30-minute Keep Warm option. Cuisinart also describes a two-minute memory feature, so lifting the kettle from its base briefly does not make it lose its place. Its published dimensions and 3.01-pound weight make it the easier option to assess for a crowded counter before buying.

The Breville Temp Select is not a weak alternative. It covers black, green, white, and oolong tea plus French press coffee with five settings, and its official page calls out a one-touch 20-minute Keep Warm control. Its Soft Top® lid is the differentiator: Breville says it gently releases steam to reduce splashing while pouring. Its 360-degree cordless base includes a cord-storage wrap. Pick it when that lid behavior and a less crowded five-setting layout appeal more than Cuisinart’s extra preset and longer keep-warm interval.

At a glance

The key specs.

This comparison uses Cuisinart’s current CPK-17P1 official page and Breville’s current U.S. Temp Select page for BKE720BSSUSC. It does not treat earlier CPK-17 variants, other Breville kettle lines, retailer bundles, or changing inventory as the same product.

Best for broader presets

Cuisinart PerfecTemp® CPK-17P1

Model
CPK-17P1
Capacity & heat
1.7 L; 1,500 W
Preset layout
6 presets: tea styles plus French press
Keep Warm
30 minutes; 2-minute base-lift memory
Published size
8.8 L × 6.1 W × 9.75 H in; 3.01 lb
Base & care details
360° cordless connector; removable cleanable scale filter
Buyer fit
Shared kitchens and repeat cups that benefit from one extra preset
View Cuisinart
Best for a gentler pour

Breville the Temp Select™

Model
BKE720BSSUSC
Capacity
1.7 L / 7 cups
Preset layout
5 settings: tea styles plus French press
Keep Warm
20 minutes
Pour design
Soft Top® lid for gradual steam release
Base & storage
360° cordless base with cord-storage wrap
Buyer fit
Tea and French-press routines that value the Soft Top® lid
View Breville
Fit check

Choose by your counter routine, not kettle status.

Both products approach the same main task with a 1.7-liter capacity and temperature choices for tea or French press. The better option is the one whose button layout, repeat-use behavior, and pouring details remove the most friction from your daily sequence.

Buy Cuisinart if

You make several kinds of drinks or return for another cup.

Choose the PerfecTemp when a clearer, broader preset panel helps your household. Cuisinart separates delicate, green, white, oolong, French press, and black or herbal selections, so the same kettle can support a mix of tea bags, loose tea, and press coffee without asking everyone to interpret a single broad setting. Its 30-minute Keep Warm function is ten minutes longer than Breville’s stated interval, and the manufacturer says its memory feature permits a brief two-minute lift from the base without losing the brewing process.

Its official page also gives usable planning facts: 1.7 liters, 1,500 watts, 8.8 by 6.1 by 9.75 inches, 3.01 pounds, a blue-backlit water window, a 360-degree connector, a concealed heating element, and a removable scale filter. Skip it if you prefer Breville’s Soft Top® pouring design or only need the five temperature categories Breville describes.

Buy Breville if

You value a quieter-looking layout and a lid designed for the pour.

Choose the Temp Select when your routine is mostly black, green, white, or oolong tea plus French press coffee, and you like a five-button control set that maps directly to those uses. Breville describes one-touch selections for those five categories, 20 minutes of Keep Warm, and a 360-degree cordless jug with a cord-storage wrap. That is a clean feature set for a person who reaches for the same few heat targets rather than changing preferences often.

The particular reason to pick Breville is its Soft Top® lid. The manufacturer says the lid gently releases steam and eliminates splashing, which is a meaningful handling detail for a kettle that is filled, carried, and poured daily. Skip it if you specifically want Cuisinart’s extra preset, ten additional minutes of stated Keep Warm time, and published dimensions for a counter-space check.

Side by side

Compare the trade-offs.

Official manufacturer pages supply the feature and specification statements below. Amazon links route to the selected model ASINs with the site’s associate tag; this page does not compare live price, seller, rating, bundle, or availability information.

Published product details for the selected variable-temperature electric kettles
MetricCuisinart PerfecTemp CPK-17P1Breville Temp Select BKE720BSSUSC
Best fitMore preset detail and a longer repeat-cup windowA five-setting routine with a Soft Top® lid
Capacity1.7 L1.7 L / 7 cups
Published heat1,500 WOfficial U.S. page emphasizes settings rather than a wattage figure
Temperature options6: delicate, green, white, oolong, French press, black or herbal5: black, green, white, oolong, French press
Keep Warm30 minutes20 minutes
Base-lift behaviorStated 2-minute memory featureNot stated on the official page reviewed
Published footprint8.8 L × 6.1 W × 9.75 H in; 3.01 lbConfirm the current manual for dimensions and weight
Base360° cordless connector360° cordless base with cord storage
Pour detailStay-cool nonslip handleSoft Top® lid for gradual steam release
Main drawbackMore buttons and a less distinctive pour featureOne fewer stated preset and a shorter keep-warm interval
How we compared

The criteria behind the pick.

This is a practical kitchen-choice comparison, not a claim that a preset or a kettle can guarantee a particular brew result.

Preset detail changes the daily decision

Cuisinart assigns six buttons to six named uses, while Breville describes five. Both include French press and the major tea families. The difference is not a universal quality ranking; it is whether a separate delicate or black-and-herbal selection meaningfully helps your kitchen. We favored Cuisinart because the extra stated choice makes the panel slightly more adaptable for a shared counter.

Keep-warm time is only useful when it fits the next cup

Cuisinart states 30 minutes and Breville states 20. That ten-minute difference matters for a person who prepares a second cup after a meeting, breakfast, or a short timer. It is less important for someone who boils only what they pour. We do not translate either interval into a live-temperature or flavor guarantee; follow the current manufacturer instructions for the beverage and unit you own.

Small handling details deserve weight

Breville’s Soft Top® lid is a real counterweight to Cuisinart’s broader control panel. Breville says it gently releases steam and eliminates splashing, while Cuisinart lists a stay-cool nonslip handle, a blue-backlit window, and a removable scale filter. Those features speak to different moments: pour control, visible fill level, grip, and maintenance. Our pick favors the more broadly stated set, but the Breville can be the better personal choice.

Source trail

What the recommendation is based on.

Cuisinart PerfecTemp® CPK-17P1

Cuisinart’s official product page identifies the current CPK-17P1 as a 1.7-liter, 1,500-watt cordless kettle with six named presets, a 30-minute Keep Warm option, a two-minute memory feature, a 360-degree connector, a removable cleanable scale filter, 8.8 × 6.1 × 9.75-inch dimensions, and a 3.01-pound stated weight.

Read Cuisinart’s official PerfecTemp® page

Breville the Temp Select™ BKE720BSSUSC

Breville’s official U.S. page identifies the Temp Select™ BKE720BSSUSC as a 1.7-liter / 7-cup kettle with five tea-and-coffee settings, a 20-minute Keep Warm button, a Soft Top® lid that gently releases steam, and a cordless 360-degree base with cord storage.

Read Breville’s official Temp Select™ page

Method note: We used the official manufacturer pages above for specifications and feature language and checked the selected Amazon ASINs for affiliate routing. We intentionally exclude live pricing, seller listings, review scores, changing stock status, and performance or compatibility guarantees. Product details can change; confirm the exact selected listing and current manufacturer instructions before purchase.

FAQ

Questions before checkout.

Which variable-temperature kettle is the better choice for most people?

The Cuisinart PerfecTemp CPK-17P1 is the better overall choice for most people because its official page lists six presets, a 30-minute Keep Warm option, a two-minute memory feature, and a published 8.8 by 6.1 by 9.75-inch, 3.01-pound footprint. Choose the Breville Temp Select BKE720BSSUSC when its five-program layout, 20-minute Keep Warm function, and Soft Top® lid are more useful to your tea or French-press routine.

Do both kettles have the same capacity?

Yes. Cuisinart lists the PerfecTemp at 1.7 liters. Breville lists the Temp Select at 1.7 liters, or 7 cups. Capacity is therefore not the deciding difference; the more meaningful contrast is Cuisinart’s six presets and 30-minute Keep Warm setting versus Breville’s five settings, 20-minute function, and Soft Top® lid.

What is the difference between the temperature settings?

Cuisinart lists six named buttons: delicate, green, white, oolong, French press, and black or herbal tea. Breville lists five: black, green, white, oolong tea and French press coffee. Both target similar drink categories, but Cuisinart separately names delicate and black or herbal selections, whereas Breville’s official page presents the five most common tea-and-coffee categories.

Which kettle keeps water warm longer?

Cuisinart states a 30-minute Keep Warm option for the CPK-17P1. Breville states that the Temp Select’s Keep Warm button keeps the selected brew in conditions for 20 minutes. That difference is useful for repeat cups, but it is not a substitute for checking the current instructions for your exact unit and drink.

Why choose the Breville Temp Select instead?

Choose Breville when its specific handling design is more compelling than Cuisinart’s broader panel. Breville says the Temp Select’s Soft Top® lid gently releases steam and eliminates splashing, and it includes a cordless 360-degree base with cord storage. For a person who uses the same few tea or French-press settings and values that pour behavior, those are sensible reasons to choose it.

Cuisinart PerfecTempBest overall pick
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