Putting the Kettle On

[Takarabune]

When it comes to the perfect cuppa, what type of kettle do you use?
Does it whistle? Does it beep? Does it glow while you steep?
I'm in love with Bonavita's variable temperature kettle, and its goosneck spout!

[ethan]

Thanks for posting that Takarabone, When at home I use the same bonavita.

[victoria3]

Curious what is the advantage of that long gooseneck spout? I am still heating on my gas stove with a stainless Swiss Kuhn Rikon kettle (not longer made) that whistles and has a large glass top so I can see movement and bubbles starting to form. I like using friends electric kettles but I am still holding off on yet another piece of equipment on my counter. I used to use US made Paul Revere copper bottom kettles but eventually the inside metal flakes off and you can't get in there to see what's going on. Of historical note: following the American Revolution Paul Revere was started in 1780s in Rome, NY (Revere was also a silversmith who in 1800 pioneered the production of rolled copper) but then in the 1990s, like so many other US manufacturing companies, it's then Illinois plant closed and moved to Indonesia. At any rate, I might still get an electric kettle one day.

[hopeofdawn]

Curious what is the advantage of that long gooseneck spout?

I also have that same Bonavita kettle with the gooseneck spout, and I have to say that it's a huge help when trying to pour water into tiny little pots, or pots with small openings. It allows you to be much more precise about where the water is going--I had a standard electric kettle before, and half the time I'd spill over the side or overfill just because it was a much larger stream of water to try and control.

It also helps you control temperature as well, I think--the longer spout means more time to cool just a bit before it hits your pot.

[ethan]

Victoria, An exact temperature & timing for infusions helps me to enjoy what I drink more often & to learn from experimentation; yet, the kettle that I love is far from necessary. You seem to be doing very well w/ what you have.

[jayinhk]

I use a Phillips kettle with a German borosilicate glass body. Present from my brother a few years ago. It can resist shattering when cold water is poured in when it's hot. Pretty sweet kettle, but not very traditional. I know what the temperature is, approximately, by watching the water through the glass. For green tea I cool by pouring into a cha hai (and then a cup, if I'm brewing sencha), before pouring into the pot.

[Frisbeehead]

I also use the Bonavita variable temp gooseneck kettle. Previously, I was using a simple Breville electric kettle, with a stubby spout and no temp control. The gooseneck is really a huge improvement, I much prefer it to the stubby spout. I can control where the water is going much more accurately, and it feels more comfortable. As for heat loss, I don't think the water loses that much heat going through the gooseneck. Especially if I have been using the kettle for some time, the gooseneck gets pretty hot. So heat loss would be pretty minimal I would imagine. Also, I will sometimes tip the kettle so that the boiling water goes into the gooseneck without pouring out, just to heat the gooseneck up if necessary (for teas that require high temp).

The variable temp is nice too, though honestly it isn't much different from what I was using before. I used to just put a water thermometer into the spout of my Breville kettle, and that did a fine job of measuring water temp. Even without the thermometer, the Breville kettle had a transparent lid, so I could see the bubble sizes and estimate water temp from that.

[Takarabune]

Thanks for sharing, everyone! I had used a basic thermometer and 'whistler,' but find the variable temperature kettle really makes morning cuppas a breeze. The Bonavita's goose neck spout is excellent for pour over coffee, too. I'm a French Press girl, but find the fuss over Chemex models intriguing... Ah, the world of tea & coffee; how they make the world go 'round!