This isn’t the first time that the American kitchen appliances firm has brought out a kettle designed specifically for making tea. However, the new model takes things one step further. Offering five modes, each for a different type of tea — green, black, white, herbal and Oolong — the clever device has been designed to meet the needs of the most refined palettes.

Each type of tea has different characteristics and requires a slightly different preparation method to get the best out of a brew. This clever kettle adjusts the temperature of the water to suit the type of tea chosen, ensuring the flavour is released in the most effective way. Tea leaves are loaded into a filter in the middle of the kettle, which can hold up to 1.3 litres of water. The water boils in just a few minutes and is kept at a constant temperature of around 70 deg C. As with its most famous devices, KitchenAid has used its trademark stainless steel in the kettle’s design.

As well as responding to the growing popularity of tea drinking, the device is a means for KitchenAid to compete with key rival Nestlé and its Special T machine. This capsule-based device for tea-drinkers is based on the same principal as its Nespresso coffee machines.

The Glass Tea Kettle is due out in July, US$169.99 (approx. $233.40).