Does your pour-over perfectionism require the delicate spout of a goose-neck kettle? With its precision pour, does the idea of a gooseneck kettle give you goosebumps of excitement every time you use it? Or is it just another unnecessary addition to your already overflowing barista bar?
Gooseneck kettles are specially designed for pour-over coffee making, and have a few key features that differentiate them from normal kettles. These features enhance the coffee making experience and bring a level of precision to the brewing process.
Gooseneck kettles have amazing flow control
The flow control of a gooseneck kettle is better than a normal kettle due to its unique spout design. The gooseneck spout is elongated and curved, allowing for much greater control over the direction and speed of the water flow. This increased control is crucial in pour-over coffee making, as it enables the user to precisely regulate the flow rate and ensure that all the coffee grounds are evenly saturated and extracted. The ability to precisely control the water flow allows for a consistent and balanced extraction, resulting in a better-tasting cup of coffee.
Furthermore, the gooseneck spout also minimizes splashing and reduces the risk of coffee spilling, keeping the brewing process neat and tidy, handy when we already have to worry about coffee grinds getting everywhere.
One of the main differences between a gooseneck and normal kettle is the shape of the spout. The gooseneck spout is long and thin, with a curved shape that allows for more control over the pour. This control is crucial when making pour-over coffee as it allows the user to precisely control the flow rate and direction of the water, ensuring that all the coffee grounds are evenly saturated and extracted.
Another advantage of the gooseneck spout is that it minimizes splashing, ensuring that the coffee remains in the filter and not on the counter. This helps to maintain the cleanliness and overall aesthetic of the brewing process.
Aesthetically Pleasing Coffee Pouring Kettle
There’s no denying how great gooseneck kettles look, from the classic Japanese designs to the modern stainless steel varieties, gooseneck kettles can instantly bring elegance and sophistication to any coffee making setup.
Gooseneck kettles are also typically made from high-quality materials such as stainless steel or copper, adding to the overall aesthetic appeal. This makes them an attractive addition to any coffee-making setup and also makes them durable, allowing for years of use.
Gooseneck kettles come in both stove-top and electric options. The stove-top option offers a traditional, hands-on approach to coffee making, allowing the user to control the temperature of the water as it heats. The electric option is more convenient and practical, as it automatically maintains a set temperature, freeing up the user's hands for other tasks.
The best Gooseneck Kettles you can Buy
So, whether you prefer your coffee hot like a stove-top or electric, these kettles will have you sipping on success in no time. These are our pick for the best gooseneck kettles you can buy at the moment.
Brewista Artisan Variable Temperature Gooseneck Kettle
The Brewista is our pick of the bunch, with it's classic wood grain design, great flow rate and variable temperature setting, the price point is also cheaper than the Fellow Stagg. So great value all round. Also has additional setting such as the "superboil" which works like a classic kettle rather than working to a specific temperature.
Fellow Stagg EKG
The fellow Stagg is a classic and minimalist in design, it has some modern features that are quite impressive such as a 60 minute temperature hold function as well as the LCD screen and PID that allows you to set your required brew temperature. The Stagg EKG is often found on Reddit's best barista setups, and it's no surprise why.
Best Stovetop Gooseneck Kettles
Hario V60 Gooseneck Kettle
For exquisite control, there is no other kettle quite like the Hario 600ml Gooseneck Kettle, the precision of the pour and the ergonomics of the handle make the Hario one of the all time classic pour over kettles.
Fellow Stagg Pour Over Kettle
With the same great design as the electric version, this basic variation is perfect for those with an induction hob, as the temperature gauge on top gives a precise temperature. It is also Slightly larger than the electric version at 1 litre capacity.
How to Pour From a Gooseneck Kettle
There are a few tips to follow when you first start using a gooseneck kettle that will help you achieve some type of consistency to your pour over coffee making. The three fundamentals of the gooseneck kettle are as follows;
Build the bloom
Sure, it will depend on the freshness of your coffee beans to a certain extent, but assuming your beans are fresh and ground properly, when you start pouring your water from the gooseneck kettle onto your coffee grounds, you should see the coffee releasing all it’s gases in the form of a thick bubbly crust. Focus on pouring the same amount of water as the amount of your coffee grounds to get a nice bloom and then wait for it to subside.
Pulse Pouring vs Continuous Pouring
There are different techniques that are used when pouring your water with a gooseneck kettle. The main two are known as pulse pouring and continuous pouring. Pulse pouring is where you pour a measured amount of water, wait a length of time and then pour some more. Pulse pouring tends to agitate the grounds a bit more. Continuous pouring is where you keep the flow of water consistent and this is where the flow rate control of the gooseneck kettle really earns it’s money if this is the technique that best works for your brew style and coffee beans. Continuous pouring gives the grounds a consistent saturation and pressure of the water filtering through.
Agitating the grounds
During the brew process, it is often good to agitate the grounds, either by swirling the entire brewer, or by gently stirring inside the filter. This mixes the grounds up just enough that they settle in different places, and prevents channelling through the grinds.
Do you need a Gooseneck kettle to make great coffee?
We get asked this question all the time, and of course, you don't need a gooseneck kettle to make great pour-over coffee. But if the process, consistency and ritualism of pouring coffee is something that is important to you, then the ergonomics and aesthetics of a gooseneck kettle can not be understated. They are much more enjoyable to use than a normal kettle and often come with added features such as temperature control and better flow control. We hope you have learnt something from this articled and if you do consider purchasing through the above links, know that you will be supporting this website.
