We Tested 17 Gooseneck Kettles and Found 4 for Precise, Perfect Pours

How serious are you about your coffee's water? Brewed coffee is 98% water. The type of water you use matters, but get us started on that and we'll be here all day. Water temperature is also super important, especially if you're passionate about pour-overs. To really nail it and brew a balanced coffee, you'll need a gooseneck kettle. The narrow spout gives you control when pouring, which is crucial for a balanced, well-extracted cup.

We tested 17 gooseneck kettles—both electric and stovetop—to find the best ones. We came away with four winners we'd happily use every morning.

The Winners, at a Glance

The Best Gooseneck Kettle

Fellow Stagg EKG Electric Gooseneck Kettle

$165 at Amazon $165 at Williams Sonoma $165 at Sur La Table

This kettle was outstanding in every way: easy to use, highly accurate, and good-looking. There's a bright LED screen that lets the user customize the temperature, within a wide, precise range—135 to 212˚F. It's a great option for coffee and tea drinkers who like experimenting with brewing and steeping temperatures.

Another Great Variable Gooseneck Kettle

Saki Baristan Electric Gooseneck Kettle

$110 at Amazon View on Sakiproducts.com

The SAKI had a counterbalanced handle and heat-resistant grip that was sturdy, comfortable, and great to pour with. It held heat impressively well, with a fun ring light indicator that pulsed when heating and glowed steadily when the water was ready.

The Best Non-Variable Gooseneck Kettle

Hario V60 "Buono" Electric Gooseneck Kettle

$94 $83 at Amazon View on Bed Bath & Beyond

The Hario is a good choice if you're looking for a gooseneck kettle without fancy features. It takes about five minutes to heat a full pot and it pours well. We also like the traditional stovetop version of this kettle, although it takes longer to boil.

The Most User-Friendly Gooseneck Kettle

OXO Adjustable Temperature Pour-Over Kettle

$105 $99 at Amazon View on Perigold.com $105 at Kohls.com

The OXO boiled water in under four minutes. It also took the guesswork out of brewing with an intuitive control panel and a base that noted the ideal temperature for coffee and various teas. The silicone-wrapped handle felt nice, and the angled spout delivered a smooth, precise pour every time.

The Tests

• Speed Test: Just how quickly could these kettles boil water? We filled them all to their stated capacity and timed how long it took them to reach 212°F.
• Accuracy Test: We set variable kettles to four different temperatures: 175°F, 185°F, 190°F, and 200°F. At each interval, we took the temperature with an instant-read thermometer. For kettles with presets, we chose the ones that were closest to our previously set temperatures.
• Keep Warm Test: Many kettles we tested had "keep warm" functions. For all that did, we timed how long they were able to keep 200˚F water at a steady temperature. We tested the kettles' contents after 15 and 30 minutes with an instant-read thermometer.
• Taste Test: We boiled and discarded a few batches of water. Then we tasted a sample of water from each kettle to see if we could detect any offputting flavors.
• Pour-Over Coffee Test: Of course, these kettles had to be pleasant to use! We used each one to brew a batch of pour-over coffee. We noted how smoothly the water poured and how confident we felt in our grip.
• Pouring Test: This test was designed to observe how balanced the kettle was, and how well the water poured. We removed the top of the kettle and poured water in a steady stream to observe how the weight change altered its usability. We repeated this test with each kettle's top on.
• Usability Test: After using all of the kettles, we took notes on user experience. Essentially, we evaluated how easy the kettles were to use.
• Cleaning and Care Test: We cleaned each kettle, noting how straightforward they were to wash, dry, and store. We paid particular attention to areas that could be tough to clean or encourage scale buildup.

What We Learned

Great news: Most of the kettles we tested were very good at...boiling water. We began every boil test with water directly from our tap—about 60˚F, and almost every kettle reached the boiling point with mere seconds differentiating them. Why were they so similar? For a previous version of this story, we reached out to Steve Rhinehart, an e-commerce manager for Acaia and a former brand manager for Prima Coffee to help us understand how gooseneck kettles work. “The heating element [of a kettle] is usually mounted directly to the floor of the kettle in a circle or horseshoe shape," he said. "Most kettles use about the same thickness of stainless steel and steel's conductive and convective properties don't change a whole lot within the various stainless kettles so they will be by and large identical there.” 

Additionally, all of the kettles had similar wattage—meaning they drew the same amount of power. 1200 watts was seemingly the magic number. Some traditional electric kettles have higher wattage, but then you're sacrificing that lovely pour spout!

Here's where we saw a difference: non-electric (stovetop) gooseneck kettles. The Hario V60 and Fellow Stagg both took over 12 minutes to reach boiling. This is because of their construction. The thick, stainless steel walls and matte coating (on the Stagg) made it difficult for the heat source to reach the water.

The Best Variable Gooseneck Kettles Were Accurate AND Fast

Here's an interesting takeaway from our testing: The more precise the kettle was, the longer it took to get to a specific temperature. Rhinehart explained why: “Variable temp kettles often use some kind of logic control to arrive at the intended set temperature without overshoot. Depending on how that logic is determined, it might be able to get within 10 degrees really quickly and then slow down to make sure it hits the temperature you want, while others may prioritize accuracy instead of speed, or vice versa.” 

In other words: A kettle can either rocket its way to a desired temperature and overshoot (sloppy!) or steadily gain heat and hit the nail on the head. This was definitely the case with our overall winner, the Stagg Electric. It was the most accurate and it took the longest to get there.

A Gooseneck Kettle Shouldn't Be Scary to Hold

Gooseneck kettles get extremely hot. Some were terrifying to hold—we performed a few of the pour tests with towels because removing the lids without them posed a burn risk. On a similar note, we preferred well-balanced kettles that didn't feel perilous in hand when full.

As for comfort and safety during pouring: Every kettle we tested had an adequate gooseneck shape, and none got messy when making coffee. Flow rates weren't even that different, except when we dumped all of the water out at once—a situation you likely won't be in.

Presets Weren't Always Accurate

Built-in temperature settings seem helpful, and they are... if they're accurate. Many of the kettles we tested had settings meant specifically for white tea, black tea, and coffee. But the values given to these presets weren't always right. The Willow & Everett kettle's green and white tea preset was 180˚F, which was way too high for delicate green tea leaves.

For coffee drinkers, the tragedy here is obvious: You can't play around with temperature to coax the most out of your beans. For example, light roast coffee often does better when brewed at a hotter temperature. But if all you've got to work with in terms of temp is "coffee," that doesn't give you any wiggle room.

A note on the "keep warm" function: Many reset themselves when the kettle is removed from the base, which makes it a pretty useless feature (and annoying). The winning Stagg electric kettle, on the other hand, had a "keep warm" switch that didn't automatically turn off. It's your best bet for keeping water at a very specific temperature for a long period.

Pour Control Was Crucial

Pour precision is vital in brewing coffee and tea because it directly influences the balance and extraction of flavors. In pour-over coffee, for instance, steadily poured water results in even saturation of the grounds. A controlled, restricted pour ensures that every bit of flavor is coaxed out of the coffee, without turning the brew too bitter.

But the lack of a flow restrictor in the SAKI Baristan Electric Gooseneck Kettle made it ideal for all sorts of brewing. Pour quickly to fill up a French press, or slow things down for pour-over. But it isn’t just the spout design that affects the pour rate: The handle makes a difference, too. The Beautiful Electric Gooseneck Kettle struggled to achieve an even pour owing to its thin, lightweight handle which made the kettle feel imbalanced.

What's the Best Size for a Gooseneck Kettle?

All of our winners are one liter or less. And if you're making pour-over coffee or tea, that's all you need. The largest capacity kettle we tested was the Hario Buono—it comes in 0.7 liter, one liter, and 1.2 liters sizes. Want a supersized kettle? the Breville Soft Top Pure Tea Kettle was one of our favorite electric kettles. It has a 1.7 liter capacity, but no gooseneck.

The Criteria: What to Look for in a Gooseneck Kettle

A great gooseneck kettle should be safe to use, comfortable to hold, and balanced when pouring. Extra features and functions, like a "keep warm" setting, should work well and be consistent. And variable temperature gooseneck kettles should be accurate—down to the degree.

Our Favorite Gooseneck Kettles

The Best Gooseneck Kettle

Fellow Stagg EKG Electric Gooseneck Kettle

$165 at Amazon $165 at Williams Sonoma $165 at Sur La Table

What we liked: The Fellow Stagg EKG was supremely accurate. It nailed the temperature measurements at 175°F and 185°F and was only one degree off at 190°F and 200°F. There's a "keep warm" switch that doesn't automatically shut off, and it lasts for an hour—this was a huge improvement over most "keep warm" features.

Setting your target temperature is easy: just turn a knob to reach your desired number, then press down. The LED screen shows your target temperature and the current temperature. The handle has a great counterweight, making it really easy to pour from, no matter how full it is. The flow rate was refreshingly consistent.

What we didn't like: This is a pricey kettle. It leaks a bit from the top when tipped far over. The capacity is smaller than some we tested (though not by much).

Key Specs

• Wattage: 1200 watts
• Materials: Stainless steel, plastic handles
• Weight: 4.52 pounds
• Voltage: 120 volts
• Stated capacity: 0.9 liters
• Length of time it holds temperature: 1 hour
• Warranty: 1-year limited

Another Great Variable Gooseneck Kettle

Saki Baristan Electric Gooseneck Kettle

$110 at Amazon View on Sakiproducts.com

What we liked: The SAKI Baristan was pleasant to pour from, thanks to its counterbalanced handle and a heat-resistant rubber grip that felt sturdy and comfortable. The variable temperature control was very precise (it’s adjustable down to the degree). Inside, the fill lines were easy to read. The ring indicator feature that pulsed while the water heated up and glowed when it was ready was fun. 

What we didn’t: The on/off buttons, located on the base of the kettle, are a little clunky. While easy to access, it took a couple of presses to make sure we’d actually turned it off. The kettle was one of the slowest of our winners to boil water. 

Key Specs

• Wattage: 1200 watts
• Materials: Stainless steel 
• Weight: 1.9 pounds
• Voltage: 120 volts
• Stated Capacity: 1 liter
• Length of time it holds temperature: 60 minutes 
• Warranty: 2 years

The Best Non-Variable Gooseneck Kettle

Hario V60 "Buono" Electric Gooseneck Kettle

$94 $83 at Amazon View on Bed Bath & Beyond

What we liked: Simple and speedy is the name of Hario's game. The electric version is lightning-fast, and we liked that it automatically turned off once it reached boiling—that's a great safety feature. The spout had good control, and it's easy to clean because it's stainless steel. Although it's a nonvariable kettle, we do have a hack for getting to the perfect coffee-making temperature: Bring it to a boil, turn it off, and wait 30 seconds. It should be near-ideal for brewing.

What we didn't like: This kettle has a short cord so it needs to be kept close to an outlet. It isn't as easy to pour from because it has a lighter-weight handle.

Key Specs

• Wattage: 900 watts
• Materials: Stainless steel, plastic lid and handles
• Weight: 1.76 pounds
• Voltage: 240 volts
• Stated capacity: 0.8 Liters
• Length of time it holds temperature: N/A
• Warranty: Not specified
  

The Most User-Friendly Gooseneck Kettle

OXO Adjustable Temperature Pour-Over Kettle

$105 $99 at Amazon View on Perigold.com $105 at Kohls.com

What we liked: The OXO gooseneck kettle was comfortable to use and poured smoothly. The silicone-covered handle provided a steady grip and the OXO can hold more water than the Fellow Stagg. The sharply angled gooseneck spout gave excellent control and evenly saturated the coffee grounds. It was one of the fastest—and most accurate—kettles in our tests, and the temperature controls were easy to navigate. There’s even a handy temperature guide on the base.

What we didn’t like: While the kettle offered an even pour and felt comfortable to use, it tended to drip from the lid when full. Although the silicone-covered handle provided a solid grip, the angle of the handle was not as comfortable as the SAKI Baristan or the Fellow Stagg.

Key Specs

• Wattage: 1250 watts
• Materials: Stainless steel, aluminum, nylon, and silicone 
• Weight: 1.47 pounds
• Voltage: 110 volts
• Stated capacity: 1 liter
• Length of time it holds temperature: 30 minutes 
• Warranty: 2 years
  

The Competition

Also Good

• Fellow Stagg EKG Pro Studio Edition: This upgrade of the original Stagg is gorgeous, with a full-color display and a glass top. But the splashy extra features just aren't that useful—who needs to schedule their kettle's boiling time?
• Hario “Buono” Kettle: This stovetop kettle is a solid performer, but, like all non-electric kettles, it took forever to reach boiling.
• Bonavita Variable Temperature Electric Kettle: We liked the handle on this kettle, thanks to a comfy thumb divot. But the "keep warm" button automatically turned off every time we lifted the kettle, which made it useless for pour-over coffee.
  

Not Recommended

• Fellow Stagg Pour-Over Kettle: This pricey non-electric kettle isn't induction-friendly, and it took 16 minutes to boil! The built-in lid thermometer is cool, though.
• Cosori Electric Gooseneck Kettle: The Cosori kettle has five presets that weren't very useful—the coolest was a fiery 170˚F, and it smelled like burnt plastic when heated.
• Bodum Melior Gooseneck Electric: This kettle had a cork handle on the lid, which seemed dangerous.
• Willow & Everett Gooseneck Electric Kettle: The coolest preset on this kettle was 180°F! That simply doesn't make sense. 
• Cuisinart Digital Gooseneck Kettle: The Cuisinart was not intuitive to use, even after poring (hehe) over the manual. We didn't like that temperatures were measured in five-degree increments— other kettles offered more precise temperature adjustments.
• KitchenAid Precision Gooseneck Digital Kettle: This heavy kettle had too many features, like two types of thermometers.
• brim Temperature Control Electric Gooseneck Kettle: We didn't feel safe using this kettle. The lid got piping hot and was difficult to remove.
• Balmuda The Kettle: This is a nice-looking kettle! It reaches a boil quickly and is pleasurable to use. But it just holds 20 ounces or 0.6 liters.
• Brewista Artisan Variable Temp Kettle: The buttons on this kettle's display were covered by a touchscreen—we wished there was a more tactile response. It's almost as pricey as the Stagg and not as good. It is out of stock.
• Beautiful Electric Gooseneck Kettle: This kettle got the job done: It boiled water. But it fell short on quality, as the model we tested had scratches out of the box and a non-insulated interior. Though the matte finish is nice, the lid is tricky to open and isn’t insulated, making it hot to the touch and potentially dangerous.

FAQs

Why buy a gooseneck kettle?

Traditional kettles have a wide spout at the top. They boil and transfer water, but it's difficult to control the flow rate—water comes out too fast or too slow. If you're using it for pour-over, that results in poorly extracted coffee. On the other hand, a gooseneck kettle allows you to pour water at a controlled rate; perfect for achieving an evenly saturated coffee bed.

“When making pour overs it's incredibly helpful to be able to focus the pour on specific areas rather than splashing it all across the brew bed, and also to use the speed of the pour to manage the coffee's extraction time,” says Jackson O’Brien, a technician and trainer for Peace Coffee in Minneapolis. 

Make your coffee with an automatic drip brewer or a full-immersion style brewer, like a French pressor an Aeropress? You don't need a gooseneck kettle. But they're handy for loose-leaf tea!

How does a gooseneck kettle control the flow rate of water?

The shape and placement of the gooseneck kettle's spout is where it's at. “Kettles whose spouts come out from the top of the vessel are going to have vastly variable flow rates depending on how full the vessel is and the angle the person holding it pours,” says O'Brien. “Gooseneck kettles have the water exit the kettle at the bottom of the kettle, so the flow rate isn't going to be affected by how full the kettle is. In addition, the fact that the tube is of a uniform diameter across the entire length means that the angle of the user's pour isn't going to affect the flow rate too much.

How often should I clean a gooseneck kettle?

We bet it's more often than you think. Although the inside of a kettle "only" touches water, that doesn't mean it's clean. Water can leave behind calcium carbonate, known as scale. You'll know if your kettle has scale buildup because you can see it. This is contrary to an espresso machine that has hidden tubes and reservoirs. O'Brien says, “If you ever get hard water deposits inside your kettle, the best way to rid yourself of it is by dissolving two tablespoons citric acid powder (available at most hardware stores and grocery stores among the canning supplies) in one-quart [of] water and popping it in the kettle and turning it on."

Does a gooseneck kettle whistle?

Nope! However, temperature control gooseneck kettles hold whatever temperature you set them at, so you don't need to worry about being close by when they get hot. If your kettle doesn't have temperature control, it'll just shut off once it boils. You'll hear a click when that happens.

Why We're the Experts

• Rochelle Bilow is an editor at Serious Eats.
• She is a culinary school graduate, former line cook, and previously worked at Bon Appétit magazine.
• Caroline Schnapp is a Serious Eats contributor. Previously she was the social media editor at Food & Wine. For this review, she tested the SAKI Baristan, OXO Adjustable, and Beautiful kettles.
• We first reviewed gooseneck kettles in 2022. We recently updated this article with newly tested products and additional insights.
• For a previous version of this article, we interviewed Steve Rhinehart (e-commerce manager for Acaia and a former brand manager for Prima Coffee) and Jackson O’Brien (a technician and trainer for Peace Coffee in Minneapolis). We have retained portions of their interviews for clarity.