Even though I love mine, it’s a unitasker: gooseneck kettle alternatives

In my humble opinion, the gooseneck kettle is the prettiest part of any coffee station.  Whether it’s the beautiful minimalism of the Fellow Kettle or the Japanese heritage of something like the Kalita Thinspout, I think that kettles represent the romantic side of manually brewing coffee.  The idea that there’s a tool to help you pour water a little bit better is kind of silly and fun and artistic.  Right?

The pour over corner in the Boomtown lab

The gooseneck kettle is a unitasker, though.  Well, unless you have a large collection of small potted plants.

So, what are your options if you don’t want to buy a gooseneck kettle?

1) Get a brewing device that doesn’t require precise pouring

While many brew methods benefit from having fine control of your pouring technique, there are plenty that will give you the same results no matter how you pour your hot water.  Specifically, methods that don’t rely on coffee dripping through the brewer are what you want to look for.  These methods call for completely immersing the coffee grounds, so you don’t need to be gentle. Check out the AeroPress and Clever Coffee Dripper.

2) Pour through a “strainer” or “funnel”

If you have a kettle with a large spout, consider pouring it through something that will slow down the flow.  Something like an egg separator or even a brewer like the Kalita Wave can help ensure that your bed of coffee doesn’t get disrupted.  You can use the “press” part of a French Press if it’s got holes.  You can even poke a hole in the bottom of a cup and use that!

3) Don’t sweat it

Honestly, this is an option.  If you are using great coffee, grinding fresh, and using a scale, you’re already making some of the best coffee that you can.  I’m not suggesting that a gooseneck kettle wouldn’t make it better.  But, I think it’s important to be realistic and honest about how much it can really change. In the cafe setting, a gooseneck kettle is required for the sake of consistency. At home—especially with practice—it’s (very) far from make or break.