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The Best Gooseneck Kettles for the Home Barista

A gooseneck kettle is an essential tool if you want to control every part of the extraction when brewing pour over. In this article we take a closer look at some of the best models out there.

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Asser Christensen

Licensed Q Arabica Grader, M.A. Journalism

→ Learn about my qualifications and review process.

A gooseneck kettle is one of those things that you strictly speaking don’t really need to brew a good cup of coffee.

On the other hand, it makes your life a lot easier if you have one.

It’s a bit like cooking. Sure, you can chop vegetables with an old, blunt knife, but most people would prefer having a razor-sharp chef’s knife at their disposal.

Yes, it’s a small expense, but if you see your daily coffee as a bit of ritual that sets you up for the rest of the day, it’s totally worth it.

Plus, most kettles are relatively simple. They can’t really break, and the technology doesn’t go old every half year, so chances are good you can use it for a lifetime.

Top pick: Best value
TIMEMORE Fish Smart Electric...
The Timemore Smart Kettle just offers a bit extra in terms of look, design, and feel.

For me, it ticks all the right boxes while still being relatively affordable.

Making pour over coffee becomes an even greater joy with this ultra-fast kettle.

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The 5 Best Gooseneck Kettles for Pour Over Coffee in 2022 (Electric & Non-Electric)

1: TIMEMORE Fish Smart Electric Coffee Kettle 800ML

TIMEMORE Fish Smart Electric...

If you’re looking for a modern, stylish gooseneck kettle that doesn’t cost a fortune, then I’d highly recommend this model from Timemore.

I have been using it almost daily for more than two years, and it’s still doing a great job.

This sleek kettle offers precise water stream control and a solid ergonomic design, making it easy to manipulate your pour over extraction.

It also has temperature control, so you can regulate everything regarding extraction.

Precision and pace

This kettle heats water incredibly fast, holding the temperature steady throughout the entire brewing process with the “hold” mode.

In my testing, the kettle was able to heat 600 ml of room temperature water to 98 degrees celsius in just 2:24. That’s pretty impressive!

The Timemore Smart Kettle is available in two sizes: 800ml and 600ml, but unless you’re only brewing very tiny batches, I’d opt for the bigger version since it’s still very nimble and easy to operate.

Awkward touch pad and other cons

Let’s be frank; some people would probably argue that this kettle looks too much like the Fellow Stagg, which could be considered the “OG” matte black kettle. However, despite some inspiration, I think the design from Timemore is unique. In fact, it perfectly matches the aesthetics of the increasingly popular Black Mirror coffee scale, also made by Timemore.

The main downside to this smart kettle is that the touchpad controlling the temperature adjustment can sometimes feel unresponsive. It can take a few gestures/strokes to get it to react. However, it isn’t too bad once you’ve gotten used to the touchpad and its quirks. Besides that, the touch interface is intuitive and easy to use.

On occasion, I have also experienced that the temperature sensor shoots too high and goes into a rolling boil. This can happen if there’s water or dirt close to the kettle’s base/temperature sensor, so make sure to keep it clean.

Conclusion

Overall, I think Timemore has done it again. This is another quality product that is more affordable and intuitive than the competitors.

This kettle is not trying to overcomplicate things. It’s fast, precise, feels good in the hand, and looks great. For most people, it’d make a great addition to their brew bar.

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2: Fellow Stagg EKG 1200 watt

Fellow Stagg EKG Electric...

The Stagg EKG from innovative US-company Fellow has quickly established itself as one of the top choices in the market.

It’s easy to see why: It looks “dope AF” (as the young people like to say), it’s heating rapidly, and has all the functions you need.

The most prevalent version is the matte black kettle, but there’s a wide range of color variations today.

There is a cheaper non-electric model for the stovetop and a more advanced (and probably unnecessary) Bluetooth-model called the EKG+.

Crafted for pour over

The Stagg has a very convenient size compared to some of the other electric kettles, making it more comfortable for precision pouring. It only has a 0.9-liter capacity, but that should be ideal for most people’s pour over needs. The most common batch size for pour over is probably between 250-500 ml’s, so the capacity still gives you enough water for a proper preheat and filter-rinse.

The flow rate of the Stagg EKG is also explicitly made for pour over coffee. Having a gentle stream creates less agitation in the brew bed, which translates into smoother tasting coffee.

However, some people might find the stream on the slow side.

PID Temperature control

Besides looking cool, Stagg also comes with some of the best electronic components from any kettle. It has PID temperature control, plenty of horsepower (1200W), an excellent display, and an intuitive dial.

It’s easy to adjust the temperature and monitor the progress. The model will also hold temperatures for up to an hour.

The kettle will heat enough water for one pour over in less than two and a half minutes. Pretty impressive.

Conclusion

There is one significant downside to the Fellow EKG, and that’s the price. It’s more expensive than the competitors. However, this model should be on your radar if money is no concern.

There have been some reports about faulty units, but this is pretty natural with something like electric kettles. Heat, electricity, and water aren’t best friends, so mishaps will occur. It’s unfortunate given the price of the pot, but probably unavoidable.

It seems that the vast majority of users, however, are delighted with the Fellow kettle.

PS: It the kettle comes with the old-school game “Worms” pre-installed. Use the dial and the tiny display, and you’re ready to play.

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3: Hario Buono Pour Over Kettle

Hario V60 'Buono' Drip Kettle...

The Hario Buono is ‘the original’ gooseneck kettle. For many years this was the only serious option out there. What the Hario V60 was for drippers, the Buono was for gooseneck kettles.

Beautiful kettle 

The Hario Buono is a visually striking kettle. The design language is the same curvy-elegant one that we see applied across a range of the most popular Hario products: the V60 dripper, the Skerton grinder, and the cute little range server.

The Buono has a large capacity while still feeling relatively lightweight weighing in at 415 grams. The material itself feels sturdy, but given the light weight it might not be perceived as ‘premium.’

On the bigger side

The Hario Buono is one of the bigger models on the market. For professional baristas in a coffee shop setting, this might be pretty handy. But for us home users 1.2 liters is a little excessive.

Just, think about it… Brewing your typical pour over, you might use 400 ml’s of water to 26 grams of coffee.

However, there is a smaller model of the Buono out there holding just 1 liter, which is priobably more suitable for most people.

Fast flow rate

Compared to a lot of the newer models that are starting to become available in the US, the Buono has a faster flow rate.

Don’t get me wrong – it still offers superior control when pouring compared to all traditional kettles, but the other models in this review/test all have either more narrow spouts or less pressure, which results in a slower flow rate.

I’m personally not a huge fan of pouring with the kettle because it seems like a minor movement could result in a very powerful stream ruining the brew bed.

Conclusion:

The Hario Buono is a classic for a good reason. It’s a beautiful kettle that gets the job done. It may not be the most innovatively model available, but if you need an attractive coffee kettle, then you got it right here.

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 4: Brewista Electric Gooseneck Kettle

Brewista Smart Pour Variable...

The Brewista series of kettles has been gaining a lot of traction in recent years. Many professional baristas are starting to turn to these efficient and electric models.

Temperature control

The Brewista Smart Pour’s main strength is the built-in temperature control. When brewing coffee every little parameter counts and with the ability to change the heat 1 degree plus or minus, you got all the options on your hand.

The temperature control works as well as advertised. If you use an infrared thermometer to double check, you will see that it is very precise.

The Brewista is pretty average regarding heating speed – it takes about 5-6 minutes to heat up and boil the water from cold.

On the bigger side

Like the Hario Buono, the Brewista is also on the larger side. It’s by no means heavy, but it’s worth considering.

The material is stainless steel, and it has a nice sturdy feel to it.

The flow rate and the precision of the kettle are excellent. Not too fast, not too slow, just right. I like it much better than the Hario Buono.

Conclusion:

This is one of the best gooseneck kettles for the serious home barista. All the nice tweaks and features are gonna make your life easier. If you can afford it, this kettle is a great addition to your coffee arsenal.

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5: Kalita Stainless Coffee Pot

Carita coffee pot stainless...

Kalita is a Japanese coffee brand that has become wildly popular in the Western world in recent years.

In fact, the company is pretty old. They started out as an imitator of the German coffee brand Melitta but has somehow morphed into their own unique identity.

Kalita’s most famous product is the “Wave” pour over dripper, but they produce a whole range of slick barista gear.

Minimalist and effective

Kalita’s stainless steel pot comes in various sizes, but we’re fans of this particular size – the 0,7 L.

In fact, this model is very basic, but sometimes that’s the best approach. It looks minimalist and cool, and it carries out its job to perfection.

The spout is thin and offers excellent control over the water flow. At the same time, the handle feels comfortable and precise.

This kettle will work very well if you want to follow advanced pour over recipes.

Gets hot

There are a few downsides to this model you ought to know about. Because of the slightly elongated design, the heat doesn’t transfer that quickly if you put it on the stove.

What I always do, is boiling the water in an electric kettle first and then pour it into the Kalita after.

If you do use it on a stove, you will also find that the steel handle will absorb a lot of heat, so be careful!

Conclusion:

The Kalita Stainless Steel Pot is not without its flaws, but if you’re able to live with them, you have one of the best pour over coffee kettles on the market at this price point. It’s a quality product that can help you make consistent drip coffee.

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6: Brewista Artisan

Brewista Artisan Electric...

The Brewista Artisan is a more advanced and elaborate product compared to the other of the brand’s kettles in this round-up.

Depending on your taste, you might think the Artisan kettle is beautiful or a bit too much. It’s available in a range of chic colors and designs — some of them even sporting wooden accents and handles.

One of the highlights of the kettle is the precision spout, which makes it really easy to pour without causing any unwanted agitation to the brew bed.

This gooseneck kettle offers accurate temperature control. You can switch between celsius and fahrenheit, depending on what you prefer.

The main downside to the Brewista Artisan is that it can feel a little bit clumsy to operate with its wide design combined with a rather elongated handle and a long spout.

Also, I think the control panel is not the most elegant solution around. There are too many backlit buttons, and they have a slightly cheap feeling to them.

For instance, the Fellow Stagg is a lot nicer in this regard.

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Quick Navigation

How to find a suitable coffee kettle?

The pour over kettle is one of the most iconic pieces of equipment in the third wave coffee movement.

Most people have walked into a minimalist-chic coffee shop and bewondered the careful circle motion pouring performed by a bearded barista.

Here’s the thing though: These hipster baristas don’t use a gooseneck kettle just because it looks cool. They do it because it makes life a whole lot easier when brewing pour-over coffee. (The same argument goes for the coffee scale, too!) 

brewista kettle on counter
The Brewista is a good all-rounder

I know this myself because I was a bit of a penny pincher back in the days when the Hario V60 was just starting to become a thing.

Instead of investing in a nice gooseneck kettle, I insisted on using my almost-as-good electric, clumsy-spouted kettle.

With a device like the Aeropress, you don’t need one, but when brewing pour over, a kettle just makes your life so much easier.

Luckily I saw the light and ditched my old kettle. I haven’t looked back since then, and today I find it hard unfathomable that people would go without.

A kettle is a quite simple device with only a few key differences between each model.

what to look for in a pour over coffee kettle?

Electric or not?

The first factor that should decide which model to go for is whether you want an electric kettle or not. It goes without saying that it’s fantastic to have an electric kettle. It means you don’t have first heat water on the stove or in a separate electric kettle.

At the same time, there are also a few drawbacks to this. For instance, if you want to use your electric kettles for other purposes than coffee making, the slow pour rate of a smaller spout could be quite annoying in daily use.

Of course, the price is also a factor. If you already have a decent electric kettle, it might be a better solution to save the money and just get a regular non-electric kettle.

hario woodneck nel drip up close
A precision kettle (here the Timemore Smart Kettle) just makes it easier to control the water stream.

Capacity

The size of the kettle is something to have in mind. Back in the days, most kettles were typically around 1 L but nowadays pour over coffee kettles come in all shapes and sizes.

Unless you are a pro barista or a very unusual consumer, I’d suggest that you go something between 0,5 and 1.2 liters.

Thermometer?

Some kettles come with a built-in thermometer. Some of the electric models will even be able to target specific temperatures. This is a neat feature if you want to geek out and explore different recipes.

Design

The last point I want to include is design and aesthetics. A pour-over kettle should be easy to handle and at the same time easy on the eye. There are a lot of beautiful models to choose from, so here your taste should be your guide.

Flow rate

The flow rate is a tricky one. If you haven’t used a pour over coffee kettle before you most likely won’t pay much attention to this factor.

I like kettles with a slower flow rate, but not everybody agrees on this point. One of the most popular models, the Hario Buono, for instance, has a quite fast flow rate.

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Asser Christensen

Hello, and welcome! I'm the editor & founder of this site.
I have been a coffee geek since I started home roasting more than a decade ago. Since then, coffee has taken me on countless adventures: From ancient coffee ceremonies in Ethiopia to the volcanos of Sumatra.
My background is in journalism, and today I'm also a licensed Q Grader under the Coffee Quality Institute.